RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of Foxa2 in different pathological types of gastric polyps and examine the correlation with cancerous risk. METHODS: According to computerize random number, a total of 2000 patients were selected to receive endoscopic biopsy during November 2011 to October 2012. Tissues were harvested from 170 with gastric polyps and suspicious cancerous lesions and their histological types detected. There were hyperplastic polyps(n = 35), adenomatous polyps(n = 31), fundic gland polyps(n = 42), advanced gastric cancer tissues (n = 32)and normal gastric mucosa tissues (n = 30). ABC immunohistochemical staining and reverse transcription(RT)-PCR were employed to detect the expression of Foxa2 in these different types of tissues. Imagepro plus was used for quantitative and statistical analyses. RESULTS: A low-level expression of Foxa2 was 3.6% ± 1.3% in normal gastric mucosa group. And its expreesion gradually higher in proliferative inflammatory polyp group(33.1% ± 8.0%), adenomatous polyp group (71.4% ± 1.7%) and gastric cancer group(96.3% ± 0.9%, all P < 0.05). Its expression was 35.6% ± 5.6% in fundic gland polyps, similar to that of proliferative inflammatory polyp group (P > 0.05), it was markedly lower than the gastric cancer group (P < 0.05) and higher than the normal gastric mucosa group (P < 0.05). Correlation analyses of clinicopathological parameters showed that no significant correlation existed between its expression and patient gender, age, predilection, Helicobacter. pylori infection or proton pump inhibitor used (all P > 0.05). However, the size of polyps was correlated with Foxa2 (rs = 0.69, P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The expression level of Foxa2 in different types of gastric polyps may be used as a clinical predicator of polyps risk.