Expression analysis of Akt and MAPK signaling pathways in lung tissue of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)

• Published in: Journal of receptors and signal transduction Vol. 30; no. 4; p. 262
• Main Authors: Antoniou, Katerina M, Margaritopoulos, George A, Soufla, Giannoula, Symvoulakis, Emmanouil, Vassalou, Evi, Lymbouridou, Rena, Samara, Katerina D, Kappou, Dimitra, Spandidos, Demetrios A, Siafakas, Nikolaos M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England 01.08.2010
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Case-Control Studies; Demography; DNA Mutational Analysis; Female; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - enzymology; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - pathology; Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis - physiopathology; Lung - enzymology; Lung - pathology; Lung - physiopathology; Male; MAP Kinase Signaling System - genetics; Middle Aged; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - genetics; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases - metabolism; Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein - genetics; Phosphatidylethanolamine Binding Protein - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf - metabolism; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - genetics; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt - metabolism; ras Proteins - genetics; ras Proteins - metabolism; Spirometry; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - genetics; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 - metabolism
• ISSN: 1532-4281
• DOI: 10.3109/10799893.2010.489227

Several studies in patients with lung cancer have shown that epidermal growth factor receptor regulates various tumorigenic processes through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin and Ras/Raf/Mek/Erk (mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)) signalling pathways. The aim of our study is to evaluate whether these pathways are implicated in the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and to seek indirect evidence of a common pathogenetic pathway with lung cancer. m-RNA expression of oncogenes participating in these two signaling pathways, as well as the combined m-RNA expression of the suppressor genes R-kip and p53 in lung tissue of patients with IPF were evaluated. The study population was composed by two distinct groups. Patients with IPF (n = 25) and control subjects who underwent thoracic surgery for reasons other than interstitial lung disease (n = 10). Expression analysis of the aforementioned oncogenes and suppressor genes was performed using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We found no difference in the overall m- RNA expression between controls and IPF in both investigated pathways. However, Braf has been overexpressed in IPF samples (P = 0.01) in contrast with K-ras that has been found downregulated (P < 0.001) in comparison with controls. These findings cannot exclude the hypothesis of involvement of Akt and MAPK signalling pathways in pathogenesis of IPF. However, further investigation is needed in order to verify these data.