MUC1 and MUC2 in pancreatic neoplasia. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • MUCs are glycoproteins with various roles in homeostasis and carcinogenesis. Among other actions, MUC1 may inhibit cell-cell and cell-stroma interactions and function as a signal transducer, participating in cancer progression. In contrast, MUC2 is normally found only in goblet cells, where it contributes to the protective barrier function of these cells. Recently, a tumour suppressor role has been demonstrated for MUC2, and both MUC1 and MUC2 appear to have important roles in pancreatic neoplasia. MUC1 appears to be a marker of aggressive phenotype and may facilitate the vascular spread of carcinoma cells. In contrast, MUC2 is rarely detectable in aggressive pancreatic tumours, but is commonly expressed in intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs), which are rare, indolent tumours, in intestinal IPMNs, and in indolent colloid carcinomas. MUC2 appears to be not only a marker of this indolent pathway, but also partly responsible for its less aggressive nature. Thus, in pancreatic neoplasia, MUC1 and MUC2 have potential diagnostic and prognostic value as markers of aggressive and indolent phenotypes, respectively, and have potential as therapeutic targets.

publication date

  • May 1, 2004

Research

keywords

  • Mucin-1
  • Mucins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Pancreatic Neoplasms
  • Peptide Fragments

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC1770304

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 2442568891

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1136/jcp.2003.013292

PubMed ID

  • 15113850

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 57

issue

  • 5