Abstract

Hamit Karayagiz*, Umit Sekmen, Serra Bayrakçeken

ABSTRACT

Gastric cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related mortality in the world.[1] In search of new approaches to diagnose or exclude gastric cancers, a number of tumor antigens have been identified, and many of these have been defined as immunotherapeutic agents.[2] However, therapeutic impacts of these agents have not been as satisfactory as expected. Galanin is a 29-amino acid COOH-terminally, highly conserved and only neuroendocrine peptide originally isolated from intestine.[3] The first 14 amino acids are fully conserved in near all species.[4] It modulates a diversity of physiologic processes, within perception, memory, sensory, pain processing, neurotransmitter, hormone secretion, and feeding behavior.[5] Various biologically active forms of galanin which have elongated or truncated NH2 terminal have been identified.[6]