OBJECTIVETo characterize the human primary cyclins (D1, E, A, B1) expressed in gastric carcinoma, and to clarify the relationship between the types of expressed primary cyclins and clinicopathological features of gastric carcinoma.

METHODSPrimary cyclins (D1, E, A, B1) expressed in single cells separated from 68 cases gastric carcinoma tissues were analyzed by flow cytometry. We classified the gastric carcinomas by different types of the expressed primary cyclins, and explore the roles of primary cyclins expressed in cell cycle and the expression patterns of the cyclins. The results were analyzed together with clinicopathological features.

RESULTSThe patterns of expressed primary cyclins could be classified into five types. The proportion was 10.3% (7/68), 22.1% (15/68), 25.0% (17/68), 29.4% (20/68), and 13.2% (9/68), respectively, from type I to type V. Each type could be, according to the degree of in-cycle cyclins expressed, divided into different sub-types. The types of primary cyclins expressed were strongly linked to invasive depth and lymph node metastasis of the gastric carcinoma (P < 0.01). The rates of lymph node metastasis were 26.6%, 43.8%, 82.3%, 95.0%, and 100.0%, respectively, from type I to type V. The type of primary cyclins expressed was also significantly associated with disease stage (TNM stage). The proportion of stage IV disease was 0, 6.7%, 17.6%, 25.0% and 55.6%, respectively, from type I to type V. It was shown that there were relationships between the sub-types of primary cyclins expressed and different growth-types, degree of cell differentiation, or, the tumor gross types (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSIONSThe types of primary cyclins expression are different in the process of the occurrence, development and metastasis of gastric carcinoma, and are correlated with clinicopathological features of gastric carcinoma.