Summary
Conclusion
The present study has shown that increased serum levels of cytokeratin 19 fragment reflect increases in the size of the pancreatic carcinomas, although the sensitivity for detecting small pancreatic carcinomas was low.
Background
Cytokeratin is a member of the intermediate family of filaments in epithelial cells. The cytokeratin 19 fragment is an acidic cytokeratin, which is found in various epithelial tissues. Recently, the serum fragment of cytokeratin 19 has been measured and found to be a good marker for squamous cell carcinoma. Cytokeratin 19 is known to be expressed in normal pancreatic tissues and pancreatic carcinomas. However., serum cytokeratin 19 levels in pancreatic diseases have not been precisely detailed.
Methods
In this study, we evaluated serum cytokeratin 19 levels and the immunohistochemical expression of cytokeratin 19 in various pancreatic diseases.
Results
Serum cytokeratin 19 levels were high (>2 ng/mL) in 51 of 99 (52%) cases of pancreatic duct cell carcinoma, but were low in all 24 cases of chronic pancreatitis and in 7 cases of islet cell tumors. The sensitivity of the cytokeratin 19 assay increased with increased size of the pancreatic carcinomas, but was not influenced by the presence of obstructive jaundice. Immunohistochemical studies using a monoclonal anticytokeratin 19 antibody showed that staining for cytokeratin was positive in all 38 of the pancreatic carcinomas examined and in 2 of 6 islet tumors.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Moll R, Franke WW, Schiller DL. The catalog of human cytokeratins: patterns of expression in normal epithelia, tumors and cultured cells.Cell 1982; 31: 11–24.
Geiger B. Intermediate filaments: looking for a function.Nature 1987; 329: 392–393.
Steinert PM, Roop DR. Molecular and cellular biology of intermediate filaments.Ann Rev Biochem 1998; 57: 593–625.
Kasper M, Hahn von Dorsche H, Stosiek P. Changes in the distribution of intermediate filament proteins and collagen IV in fetal and adult human pancreas.Histochemistry 1991; 96: 1271–277.
Schussler MH, Skoudy A, Ramaekers F, Real FX. Intermediate filaments as differentiation markers of normal pancreas and pancreas cancer.Am J. Pathol. 1992; 140: 559–568.
Rafiee P, Ho SB, breasalier RS, Bloom EJ, Kim JH, Kim YS. Characterization of the cytokeratins of human colonic, pancreatic, and gastric adenocarcinoma cell lines.Pancreas 1992; 2: 123–131.
Herzig KH, Altmannsberger M, Folsch UR. Intermediate filaments in rat pancreatic acinar tumors, human ductal carcinomas, and other gastrointestinal malignancies.Gastroenterology 1994; 106: 1326–1332.
Pujol JL, Grenier J, Daures JP, Daver A, Pujol, H, Michel FB. Serum fragment of cytokeratin subunit 19 measured by CYFRA 21-1 immunoradiometric assay as a marker of lung cancer.Cancer Res 1993; 53: 61–66.
Stieber P, Hasholzner U, Bodenmuller H, Nagel D, Plassmann LS, Dienenmann HD, Meier W, Moghadam AF. Dyfra 21-1, a new marker in lung cancer.Cancer 1993; 72: 707–713.
Gaast AVD, Schoenmakers CHHH, Kok TC, Blijenberg BG, Cornillie F, Splinter TAW. Evaluation of a new tumour marker in patients with nonsmall-cell lung cancer: Cyfra 21.1.Br J Cancer 1994; 69: 525–528.
Sakahara H, Kousaka T, Kobayashi H, Yao Z, Imamura M, Mori T, Konishi J. Serum cytokeratin 19 measured by CYFRA 21-1 assay in patients with gastrointestinal and gynecologic malignancy.Int J Oncol 1994; 5: 1137–1140.
Gibson JB. Histological typing of tumours of the liver, biliary tract and pancreas.International Histological Classification of Tumours. World Health Organization Geneva, 1978.
Klöppel G, Lingenthal G, Vonvulow M, Kern HF. Histological and fine structural features of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas in relation to growth and prognosis: studies in xenografted tumours and clinico-histopathological correlation in a series of 75 cases.Histopathology 1985; 9: 841–856.
Ohshio G, Manabe T, Watanabe Y, Endo K, Kudo H, Suzuki T, Tobe T. Comparative studies of DU-Pan-2, Carcinoembryonic antigen, and CA19-9 in the serum and bile of patients with pancreatic and biliary tract diseases: evaluation of the influence of obstructive jaundice.Am J Gastroenterol 1990; 85: 1370–1376.
Ohshio G, Yoshioka H, Manabe T, Sakahara H, Yamabe H, Imamura M, Inoue M, Tanaka N, Nakada H, Yamashina I. Expression of sialosyl-Tn antigen (monoclonal antibody MLS102 reactive) in normal tissues and malignant tumors of the digestive tract.J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 1994; 29: 325–330.
Ramaekers FCS, Haag D, Kant A, Moesker O, Jap PHK, Vooijs GP. Coexpression of keratin- and vimentin-type intermediate filaments in human metastatic carcinoma cells.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 1983; 80: 2618–2622.
Ben-Ze'ev A, Zoller M, Raz A. Differential expression of intermediate filament proteins in metastatic and nonmetastatic variants of the Bsp73 tumor.Cancer Res 1986; 46: 785–790.
Del Favero G, Fabris C, Peblani M, Panucci A, Piccoli A, Perobelli L, Pedrazzoli S, Baccaglini U, Burlina A, Naccarato R. CA19-9 and carcinoembryonic antigen and pancreatic cancer diagnosis.Cancer 1986; 57: 1576–1579.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ohshio, G., Imamura, T., Okada, N. et al. Cytokeratin 19 fragment in serum and tissues of patients with pancreatic diseases. Int J Gastrointest Canc 21, 235–241 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02821609
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02821609