P-glycoprotein expression in gastric carcinoma and normal mucosa tissues

The presence of P-glycoprotein (Pgp) in digestive neoplasms has been linked to their oncogenetic process and chemotherapy response. Twenty five gastric adenocarcinomas and respective distant normal mucosas as well as ten gastric mucosas from non neoplastic patients were evaluated for Pgp expression using JSB-1 as primary anti-Pgp MAb. Pathological features such as grade and histologic subtype were also determined. Difference in Pgp expression between adenocarcinomas and distant normal mucosas were not significant. In addition, Pgp levels of distant normal mucosas and mucosas from non neoplastic patients were also similar. No significant association was observed between Ppg level and grade, or histological subtype in adenocarcinoma samples. Our preliminary results show that Pgp is frequently expressed in gastric adenocarcinomas. Additionally, the physiological expression of Pgp in gastric normal mucosa does not support involvement of this glycoprotein in the oncogenetic process of gastric carcinoma.