[Association of fragile histidine triad gene (FHIT) with susceptibility to esophageal cancer. A preliminary study].
OBJECTIVE
To identify loss of heterozygosity(LOH) and homozygous deletion on loci of fragile histidine triad gene(FHIT).


METHODS
Gene regions have been detected in 73 pairs of esophageal cancer samples using microsatellite DNA markers. Deletions of FHIT cDNA on 14 fresh esophageal cancer(EC) samples and 2 EC cell lines were screened by RT-PCR and DNA sequencing.


RESULTS
High frequency of LOH was detected on loci D3S1480, D3S1481, D3S1234. Of 14 esophageal cancer samples 9(64.3%) had deletions of the FHIT gene, 7 of them were deletions in exon 1-4, and 5 of them were deletions in exon 5-9, the coding region. The whole FHIT gene was found deleted in an EC cell line, EC8733.


CONCLUSIONS
It is suggested that the FHIT gene may play an important role in the genesis of EC. However, further study is needed to ascertain whether FHIT gene is indeed an EC susceptibility gene.
National Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, Cancer Institute, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College Beijing.
W
W
Li
X
X
Wang
G
G
Cheng
D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D017353:Gene Deletion; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase
D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase