Introduction: Ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas has recently been suggested to arise from histologically identifiable ductal lesions known as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs). Altered levels and patterns of mucin gene expression have been reported to occur in epithelial cancers.
Aim: To examine the pattern of expression of membrane-associated mucins, MUC3 and MUC4, and a mucin-associated carbohydrate tumor antigen, sialyl Le(x), in these precursor lesions and ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.
Methodology: A total of 144 PanIN lesions and 85 cases of ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas were examined by using immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization methods.
Results: MUC3 showed a progressive increase in expression in PanINs of increasing dysplasia and was also highly expressed in ductal adenocarcinoma. In contrast, neoexpression of MUC4 and sialyl Le(x) antigen was observed, mainly in PanIN-3 and ductal adenocarcinoma. In addition, a decrease in the expression of MUC3 and MUC4 was correlated with the degree of de-differentiation of the tumor.
Conclusion: Aberrant expression of membrane mucins MUC3 and MUC4 and of a mucin-associated carbohydrate tumor antigen Sialyl Le(x) in PanINs and adenocarcinoma further supports the progression model for pancreatic adenocarcinoma.