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Overexpression of caspase-1 in pancreatic disorders: Implications for a function besides apoptosis

  • Published:
Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

Abstract

The caspases are known to play a crucial role in the triggering and execution of apoptosis in a variety of cell types. We assessed the expression of caspase-1 in 42 pancreatic cancer tissue samples, 38 chronic pancreatitis specimens, and nine normal pancreatic tissues by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. We found a clear overexpression of caspase-1 in both disorders, but differences in the expression patterns in distinct morphologic compartments. Pancreatic cancer tissue showed a clear cytoplasmatic overexpression of caspase-1 in tumor cells in 71% of the tumors, whereas normal pancreatic tissue showed only occasional immunoreactivity. In chronic pancreatitis an overexpression of caspase-1 was found in atrophic acinar cells (89%), hyperplastic ducts (87%), and dedifferentiating acinar cells (84%). Although in atrophic cells a clear nuclear expression was found, hyperplastic ducts and dedifferentiating acinar cells showed clear cytoplasmic expression. Western blot analysis revealed a marked expression of the 45 kDa precursor of caspase-1 in pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis (80% and 86%, respectively). Clear bands at 30 kDa, suggested to represent the pl0-p20 heterodimer of active caspase-1, were found in 60% of the cancer tissue and 14% of the pancreatitis tissue specimens. Since we found a highly significant correlation between cytoplasm overexpression of caspase-1 in pancreatic cancer and overexpression of the known prognostic factors cyclin D1, epidermal growth factor, and epidermal growth factor receptor, it is plausible that caspase-1 has a yet unknown function in proliferative processes in addition to its well-known role in the apoptotic pathway.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Surgery, University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany

    Marco Ramadani M.D., Frank Gansauge M.D., Sophia Schlosser Ph.D., Hans G. Beger M.D. & Susanne Gamauge Ph.D.

  2. Department of Surgery, Beijing Medical University, Beijing, China

    Yinmo Yang M.D.

Authors
  1. Marco Ramadani M.D.
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  2. Frank Gansauge M.D.
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  3. Sophia Schlosser Ph.D.
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  4. Yinmo Yang M.D.
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  5. Hans G. Beger M.D.
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  6. Susanne Gamauge Ph.D.
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Supported by Deutsche Krebshilfe Grant 10-1276-Gal (Drs. F. Gansauge and S. Gansauge).

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Ramadani, M., Gansauge, F., Schlosser, S. et al. Overexpression of caspase-1 in pancreatic disorders: Implications for a function besides apoptosis. J Gastrointest Surg 5, 352–358 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1091-255X(01)80061-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1091-255X(01)80061-5

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