Resumen de Study of the expression of cathepsins in histological material from pancreatic lesions

Juan F. Martínez, José Ramón Aparicio Tormo, Gloria Peiró Cabrera, Antonio Cabezas, Manuela Roger, Francisco Ruiz Gómez, Luis Compañy, Juan Antonio Casellas

• Background and aims: To assess the expression levels of cathepsins in malignant and premalignant lesions.

  Methods: We retrospectively included patients who underwent pancreatic surgery on pancreatic solid or cystic masses. The expression of cathepsin H, L, B and S was determined in both types of samples. Lesions were divided into three categories: malignant (pancreatic adenocarcinoma and malignant mucinous neoplasms), premalignant (mucinous neoplasms) and benign (other lesions).

  Results: Thirty-one surgical resection samples were studied.

  The expression of cathepsins was significantly higher in malignant lesions than in premalignant and benign lesions (H 75%, 27%, 37% p = 0.05; L 92%, 36%, 37% p = 0.011; B 83%, 36%, 62% p = 0.069; S 92%, 36%, 25% p = 0.004, respectively).

  Conclusions: Cathepsins are overexpressed in histological samples of malignant lesions compared to premalignant and benign lesions. However, the expression of cathepsins is similar in both premalignant and benign lesions.