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Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann logoLink to Japanese Journal of Cancer Research : Gann
. 1998 Sep;89(9):903–909. doi: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1998.tb00647.x

Tumor‐specific Activation of Mitogen‐activated Protein Kinase in Human Colorectal and Gastric Carcinoma Tissues

Yasushi Kuno 1, Ken Kondo 1, Hiroyuki Iwata 2, Takeshi Senga 2, Seiji Akiyama 1, Katsuki Ito 1, Hiroshi Takagi 1, Michinari Hamaguchi 2,✉
PMCID: PMC5921942  PMID: 9818025

Abstract

To search for the signaling events in colorectal carcinoma relevant to its tumorigenesis, we investigated the activity of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) in human colorectal carcinoma tissues and paired normal tissues. Of 64 cases examined, approximately 75% (48 cases) showed tumor‐specific activation of MAPK by in situ kinase renaturation assay, as well as in vitro kinase assay with immunoprecipitated MAPK. In addition, tumor‐specific activation of MAPK was associated with the activation of MAPK kinase in the cases we examined. However, no clear correlation of MAPK activation with lymph node involvement, metastatic rate, stage, histological classification, age or sex was observed. These results suggest that the MAPK pathway is involved in colorectal tumor development, but its activation alone is not sufficient for malignant conversion. In contrast to colorectal carcinoma, gastric carcinoma tissues showed a lower rate of MAPK activation, suggesting that the signaling pathway activated in colorectal carcinoma tissues may differ in part from that of gastric carcinoma.

Keywords: key words, MAP kinase, Human colorectal carcinoma, Gastric carcinoma, Signal transduction

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