Expression and clinical significance of I-TAC and its receptor CXCR3 in gastric hepatic metastases

Objective To investigate the expression of I-TAC、CXCR3 in gastric cancer, and to reveal the role of I-TAC/CXCR3 in the metastasis of gastric carcinoma. Methods Two groups were selected, the research group (30 gastric cancer tissues with hepatic metastasis), and the control group (35 gastric cancer tissues without liver metastasis). Expression of I-TAC、CXCR3 in surgical specimens were determined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The expression of I-TAC and CXCR3 was detected by immunohistochemical staining in surgical specimens of gastric carcinoma with and without hepatic metastasis. Associations between the above two indicators and clinicopathological characteristics were finally analyzed. Results Compared with those without liver metastasis of gastric cancer tissue, the gene expression of I-TAC and CXCR3 in the gastric carcinoma tissues with hepatic metastasis were significantly higher. Positive expression rate of I-TAC in the gastric tissues with hepatic metastasis were 93.33%%, while positive expression rate of I-TAC in the gastric tissues without hepatic metastasis were 31.43%%, which were significantly lower than that of the group with hepatic metastasis. Positive expression rate of CXCR3 in the research group were 83.33%, while the positive expression rate of CXCR3 in the control group were 45.71%, which were significantly lower than that of the group with hepatic metastasis. Expression of CXCR3 in the tissue of gastric carcinoma were positively related to tissue histologic differentiation, lymph node metastasis. Conclusion Up-regulated expression of I-TAC and CXCR3 was associated with gastric cancer metastasis, I-TAC-CXCR3 signaling pathway may play a role in the process of gastric hepatic metastases. Key words: I-TAC; CXCR3; Chemokine; Gastric hepatic metastases