AIM:To explore the contribution of AXIN1,AXIN2 and beta-catenin,components of Wnt signaling pathway,to the carcinogenesis of gastric cancer(GC),we examined AXIN1,AXIN2 exon7 and CTNNB1(encoding betacatenin) exon3 mutations in 70 GCs.METHODS:The presence of mutations was identified by polymerase chain reaction(PCR)-based denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography and direct DNA sequencing.Beta-catenin expression was detected by immunohistochemical analysis.RESULTS:Among the 70 GCs,5(7.1%)had mutations in one or two of these three components.A frameshift mutation(1 bp deletion)in exon7 of AXIN2 was found in one case.Four cases,including the case with a mutation in AXIN2,had frameshift mutations and missense mutations in AXIN1.Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs),334 C＞T,874 C＞T,1396 G＞A,1690 C＞T and 1942 T＞G,were identified in AXTN1.A frameshift mutation(27 bp deletion) spanning exon3 of CTNNB1 was observed in one case.All four cases with mutations in AXIN1 and AXIN2 showed nuclear betacatenin expression.CONCLUSION:These data indicate that the mutations in AXIN1 and AXIN2 may contribute to gastric carcinogenesis.