To further investigate the biological activities of MDK in gastric cancer, we introduced the MDK gene into human SGC7901 gastric cancer cells, where it contributed to the proliferation of SGC7901 cells in vitro and in vivo.
These results suggest that in sporadic colorectal and gastric cancers some gene alterations are present in the MK promoter region, but alterations in the coding region are rare.
On the other hand, this short MK mRNA was expressed in the primary tumours in 12 of 16 gastric cancers, 8 of 13 colorectal carcinomas, five of nine hepatocellular carcinomas, two of two oesophageal carcinomas and one ampullary duodenal cancer.