Identification of a novel gene, GASC1, within an amplicon at 9p23-24 frequently detected in esophageal cancer cell lines.
In a recent study, we identified frequent amplification of DNA copy number at chromosome 9p23-24 in cell lines derived from esophageal squamous cell carcinomas (ESCs), using comparative genomic hybridization. Because amplified regions often harbor oncogenes and/or other tumor-associated genes, and because 9p23-24 amplification had been reported in various other types of cancers, we used fluorescence in situ hybridization and Southern blot analysis to map the 9p23-24 amplicon. We then screened target genes/transcripts present within this amplicon by Northern blotting. With this strategy, we successfully cloned a novel gene, designated gene amplified in squamous cell carcinoma 1 (GASC1), that was amplified and overexpressed in several ESC cell lines. The deduced amino acid sequence of GASC1 contains two PHD-finger motifs and a PX domain. PHD-finger motifs are found in nuclear proteins that participate in chromatin-mediated transcriptional regulation and are present in a number of proto-oncogenes. Our findings suggest that overexpressed GASC1 may play an important role in the development and/or progression of various types of cancer including ESC.
Yang
Z Q
ZQ
Department of Molecular Cytogenetics, Medical Research Institute, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Japan.
Imoto
I
I
Fukuda
Y
Y
Pimkhaokham
A
A
Shimada
Y
Y
Imamura
M
M
Sugano
S
S
Nakamura
Y
Y
Inazawa
J
J
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9 / Q000235:genetics*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005784:Gene Amplification; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D056484:Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D009693:Nucleic Acid Hybridization; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C413655:KDM4C protein, human; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014157:Transcription Factors; D056484:Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases