Objective: To investigate ARHI mRNA and protein expression in pancreatic cancers.
Methods: Fifty-seven paraffin-embedded resected cancer samples and patient-corresponding normal pancreatic tissues were determined by using immunohistochemistry staining and in situ hybridization method.
Results: The positive rate of ARHI mRNA and protein expression in normal control pancreatic tissue was 84.2% and 82.5% respectively, and in cancer group was 52.6% both. The positive rate of mRNA and protein expression in cancer group was markedly decreased (P < 0.01). Yet the protein expression correlated with mRNA. Furthermore, positive staining of ARHI protein and mRNA can be observed in duodenal mucus epithelium, fibroblasts, smooth muscle myocytes, and wall of blood vessels. There was no correlation between positive rate and cancer differentiation, or clinical stages.
Conclusions: ARHI protein expression is down-regulated in pancreatic cancer, possibly plays a role as tumor suppress gene, ARHI protein expressed in multiple types of tissues including duodenal mucus epithelium, fibroblasts and so on.