ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the expressions of stromal cell-derived factor1 (SDF-1) and its receptor CXCR4 in human pancreatic carcinoma tissues, cell lines and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). Methods SDF-1 /CXCR4 and α-SMA protein expression levels and SDF-1 and CXCR4 protein in AsPC-1 and PSCs were detected by immunohistochemical staining in 10 cases of peri-eareinoma tissues and 37 cases of pancreatic carcinoma tissues. The expression of SDF-1 and CXCR4 mRNA in pancreatic cell lines and PSCs were detected by RT-PCR. Results CXCR4 were positively expressed in all pancreatic carcinoma tissues [(+) 8 cases, (+ +) 20 cases, (+ + +) 9 cases]; and there were no CXCR4 expression in 2 cases of pori-careinoma tissues and CXCR4 were positively expressed in 8 cases [(+) 7 cases, (+ +) 1 cases]; with significant difference (P <0.01). And the expression of SDF-1 protein in carcinomatous stromal tissues was much higher than that in the stromal tissues of peri-carcinoma (P < 0.01), and it corresponded to the increase of α-SMA expression. The CXCR4 protein expression was found in AsPC-1, while SDF-1 protein expression was found in PSC. The CXCR4 mRNA expression was found in AsPC-1, BxPC3, SW1990, while there were no SDF-1 mRNA expression in the above mentioned cell lines. SDF-1 mRNA was expressed in PSC and CXCR4 mRNA was weakly expressed in PSC. Conclusions The expression of CXCR4 mRNA and protein were found in pancreatic carcinoma specimens and cell lines. PSCs expressed SDF-1 mRNA and protein. PSCs may promote the invasion and metastasis through SDF-1/CXCR4 axis.