Glucocorticoid receptor subunit gene expression in parotid gland and adenomas.

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to investigate the expressions of glucocorticoid receptor-alpha (GR-alpha) and -beta (GR-beta) messenger RNA (mRNA) in normal parotid and adenoma tissues. Eighteen pleomorphic adenomas of the parotid gland and 12 parotid gland tissues adjacent to adenomas were studied by using real-time fluorescent quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction method. The expression of both GR-alpha and GR-beta mRNA in parotid adenoma were higher than that in normal parotid glands (P<0.001), the GR-alpha/GR-beta ratios in parotid adenoma were lower than that in normal parotid glands (P<0.001), and there were no differences of both GR-alpha and GR-beta mRNA as well as GR-alpha/GR-beta ratios in male and female (P>0.05). Our results showed that the mRNA expression of both GR-alpha and GR-beta were detectable in all studied specimens. The mRNA levels of these 2 GRs were higher, whereas the GR-alpha/GR-beta ratios were lower in adenomas tissues than that in the parotid gland; no differences of these 2 GRs as well as GR-alpha/GR-beta ratios were found between sexes. These data indicate that the relationship between the expressions of GRs and the clinical significance in parotid adenomas need further and profound investigation.