MUC6

Mucin 6 (MUC6) is a highly glycosylated secreted mucin, mainly synthesized and secreted by deep glandular cells of gastric antrum, pyloric glandular cells, mucous neck cells, and duodenal glandular cells. MUC6 is one of the important components of the mucosal barrier, which has the functions of neutralizing gastric acid, maintaining viscosity, lubricating mucosa, resisting damage and invasion, etc. Clinical research has found that the expression of MUC6 increases after being infected with helicobacter pylori (HP), making it become an indicator for early screening of gastric cancer. However, the content of MUC6 decreases during the gastric mucosal carcinogenesis, and it is expressed in incomplete metaplasia but not in complete metaplasia, which indicates that the expression result is closely related to the classification and progression of gastric cancer, but its relationship with cancer metastasis is still inconclusive. On the contrary, MUC6 has abnormal high expression in pancreatic cancer, and its combination with MUC1, MUC4 and other markers is beneficial for the prognosis evaluation.