Protein kinase C θ (PKC θ) expression and constitutive activation in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs)

Anette Duensing, Nora E. Joseph, Fabiola Medeiros, Felicity Smith, Jason L. Hornick, Michael C. Heinrich, Christopher L. Corless, George D. Demetri, Christopher D.M. Fletcher, Jonathan A. Fletcher

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

116 Scopus citations

Abstract

KIT expression is a key diagnostic feature of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), and virtually all of the GISTs express oncogenic forms of the KIT or PDGFRA receptor tyrosine kinase proteins, which serve as therapeutic targets of imatinin mesylate (Gleevec; Novartis, Basel, Switzerland). However, KIT expression can be low in PDGFRA-mutant GISTs, increasing the likelihood of misdiagnosis as other types of sarcoma. We report that the signaling intermediate protein kinase C θ (PKCθ) is a diagnostic marker in GISTs, including those that lack KIT expression and/or contain PDGFRA mutations. PKCθ is strongly activated in most GISTs and hence may serve, along with KIT/PDGFRA, as a novel therapeutic target.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)5127-5131
Number of pages5
JournalCancer Research
Volume64
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 1 2004

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Research

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