Growth factor receptor expression in human gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours

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Abstract
Human gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours are functionally and biologically heterogeneous, but their exact growth factor receptor expression pattern, important for onco- and carcinogenesis, remains unknown. This study searched for the mRNA expression pattern of six tyrosine- and serine/threonine kinase receptors [hepatocyte growth factor (HGFR), fibroblast growth factor (FGFR), epidermal growth factor (EGFR), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1R, transforming growth factor (TGF)-βR1, TGF-βR2] together with the five somatostatin receptors in human gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumours (gastrinomas, insulinomas, tumours with carcinoid syndrome, functionally inactive neuroendocrine tumours) using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). EGF receptor was expressed almost exclusively in gastrinomas. Among the four tumour subtypes, expression frequencies of the somatostatin receptors 1 and 5, HGF-, IGF-1-, TGF-βR1, TGF-βR2 and the EGF-receptor varied significantly. In spite of the common cellular origin of these tumours, differences in growth factor receptor expression suggest the existence of different pathways during tumour subtype development.