Significance of Heat Shock Protein 70 and Sulphomucin Expression in Gastric Adenocarcinomas

BACKGROUND: The heat shock proteins (HSPs) are stress-responsive genes present in all species and play a major role in many cellular processes. These proteins are highly conserved molecules whose expression is induced in eukaryotic cells by a variety of environmental stresses. These proteins can also be expressed in virally transformed cells and cancer cells. Especially, HSP70 is found at a higher level in growing cells than in resting cells. Sulphomucin is secreted by immature foveolar cells of stomach and expressed in gastric adenocarcinomas. Also, it is known that the population of sulphomucin-producing cells increases with long-lasting stress. The purpose of this study was to determine HSP70 and sulphomucin expressions in gastric adenocarcinoma and the significance of expressions. METHODS: Thirty-one paraffin-embeded surgical specimens of gastric adenocarcinomas were obtained from April 1992 to March 1995 and were selected for analysis. The expressions of HSP70 and sulphomucin were analyzed by immunohistochemical staining with HSP70 monoclonal antibody and the Spicer (HID) method. RESULTS: The expressions of HSP70 and sulphomucin were positive in 13 (42%) cases and 11 (35%) cases, respectively. The expression of HSP70 correlated with neither clinopathological factors nor sulphomucin expression. There was a significant correlation not only between sulphomucin expression and histologic differentiation (p=0.001) but also between disease-free survival and sulphomucin expression. CONCLUSIONS: Sulphomucin expression in gastric adenocarcinoma may be useful as a prognostic factor of gastric adenocarcinomas.

Analysis of the association between periportal low attenuation, as seen on CT, after blunt abdominal trauma,and elevated central venous pressure1

PURPOSE: To assess the causes of periportal low attenuation, as seen on CT, in patients with blunt abdominaltrauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From among 812 patients who underwent abdominal CT after blunt abdominal trauma,we retrospectively analysed the findings in 124 with evidence of periportal low attenvation. Among these, hepaticinjury was noted in only 87. The presence or absence, and extent of hepatic injury, and of periportal lowattenuation, as seen on CT, were carefully evaluated. In each case, the ratio of the transverse diameter of theinferior vena cava(IVC) to the aorta at the level of the right adrenal gland provided an indirect measurement ofcentral venous pressure; for control purposes, the ratio was also obtained in 21 non-traumatic patients with noabnormal abdominal CT findings. RESULTS: Of the 87 patients with hepatic injury, 46 showed no periportal lowattenuation, and the average value of the ratio between the IVC and aorta was 1.16+/-0.12, while the remaining 41patients showed periportal low attenuation with a ratio of 1.51+/-0.21(p<0.05). In the 37 patients with periportallow attenuation but no evidence of concomitant hepatic injury, the average ratio was 1.52+/-0.25, while in 21non-traumatic patients it was 1.15+/-0.16. For resustication, all patients had received 0.5-5.0l of IV fluidtherapy before CT, and at the time of CT, were normotensive. CONCLUSION: Rapidly elevated central venous pressurefollowing massive IV infusion therapy in patients with blunt abdominal trauma can be one of the causes ofperiportal low attenuation, as seen on CT.