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Abstract
Background: Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are rare, c‐kit and CD34 positive, and different from other mesenchymal tumours of the gastrointestinal tract (e.g. leiomyomas and schwannomas). The purpose of this study was to investigate the roles of parathyroid hormone‐related protein (PTHrP) and parathyroid hormone/parathyroid hormone‐related protein‐receptor (PTH/PTHrP‐R) in the growth and differentiation of GISTs. Methods: Nineteen GISTs, six leiomyomas and five schwannomas were examined in this study. Results: All of the GISTs and leiomyomas, and four of the schwannomas (80.0%) were positive for PTHrP. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that all of the leiomyomas, 90% of the GISTs and 80% of the schwannomas expressed PTH/PTHrP‐R. Furthermore, both PTHrP and PTH/PTHrP‐R were expressed in the cytoplasm of identical cells in all of these tumours. Conclusion: Our results suggest that both PTHrP and PTH/PTHrP‐R play an important role in the growth and differentiation of GISTs, leiomyomas and schwannomas.