• 약학회지
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.358-363
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• 2012

Nemo-like kinase (NLK), an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, plays an important role in wide variety of developmental events. NLK phosphorylates T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) transcriptional complex and suppresses wnt signaling pathway through inhibition of ${\beta}$-catenin/TCF complex interaction. However, the function of NLK in gastric carcinogenesis has not been investigated. In the present study, we have examined whether the NLK gene is involved in the development and/or progression of gastric cancers. NLK expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining in 153 advanced gastric cancer specimens. Immunhistochemical analysis showed increased expression of NLK in 91 (59.5%) out of 153 gastric cancer specimens. Statistically, there was no significant relationship between altered expression of NLK protein and clinicopathological parameters, including tumor differentiation, location, lymph node metastasis. We identified that mRNA and protein expression of NLK was significantly up-regulated in human gastric cancer tissues compare to corresponding normal gastric tissues. In addition, we found that human gastric cancer cell lines exhibited relatively high expression of NLK, as compared with normal gastric cells. The results of this study suggest that aberrant regulation of NLK may contribute to the development or progression of gastric cancers and serve as a potential biomarker for advanced gastric cancer patients.