Immunocytochemical analysis of oncoproteins and growth-factors in human-malignant mesothelioma

To understand the mechanism of carcinogenesis of human malignant mesothelioma, the role of oncogenes and growth factors, which are involved in the development of the tumor should be clarified. In this study we investigated immunocytochemical expression of oncoproteins including p53, PAN-RAS, c-myc, c-jun, c-erb-B2 and WT-1, as well as growth factor receptors such as PDGF-beta and EGF in original tumor cells obtained from 10 cases of human malignant mesothelioma, since these markers have been suggested immunocytochemically or molecular biologically to be involved in the carcinogenesis of the tumor. We found a high incidence of immunocytochemical expression for c-myc, WT-1, p53 and PDGF-beta receptor in the cells suggesting strongly that these markers are playing certain roles in the development of human malignant mesothelioma. To elucidate this hypothesis, however, molecular analysis of the gene-abnormality in these markers is essential as the next step.