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Abstract??Phosphatase of regenerating liver (PRL)-3, encoding a 22-kD low molecular weight tyrosine phosphatase, has been reported to be associated with metastasis of colorectal carcinoma. We assessed the levels ofPRL-3mRNA expression to know whether its up-regulation was involved in progression and metastasis of gastric carcinoma. Levels ofPRL-3expression in 94 human gastric adenocarcinomas and 54 matched lymph node metastases were detected by in situ hybridization and compared with clinicopathological characteristics including prognosis. HighPRL-3expression was detected in 36.2% of primary gastric carcinoma (with nodal metastasis, 55.6%; without nodal metastasis, 10%;P<0.001) and in 74.1% of lymph node metastases. The incidence of highPRL-3expression in lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than in primary tumors (P<0.044). Moreover, high expression ofPRL-3was closely associated with tumor size, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, extent of lymph node metastasis, and tumor stage. These results suggest that highPRL-3expression may participate in the progression and metastasis of gastric carcinoma.PRL-3might be a novel molecular marker for aggressive gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]