Reduced expression of REIC/Dkk-3 gene in non-small cell lung cancer.
Dickkopfs (Dkks) are secretory glycoproteins and are important for inducing amphibian head formation. Some Dkks have the ability to antagonize the Wnt proto-oncoprotein, which can promote cell proliferation and transformation when it is mutated or overexpressed. We recently cloned the REIC/Dkk-3 gene, one of the Dkks, and found that expression of the gene was markedly decreased in many human immortalized and tumor-derived cell lines. To further investigate the function of the REIC/Dkk-3 gene in vivo, the gene expression was quantified in 57 surgically-resected non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues and their adjacent normal lung tissues by real-time quantitative PCR analysis based on TaqMan methodology. The REIC/Dkk-3 mRNA level was significantly lower in NSCLC tissues than in normal lung tissues. Reduced expression of REIC/Dkk-3 in NSCLC was observed in 36 (63%) of the 57 tumors. Reduced expression of REIC/Dkk-3 was frequently observed in poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma. These results indicate that reduced expression of REIC/Dkk-3 may be correlated with rapid cell proliferation in human NSCLC.
Nozaki
I
I
Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Okayama University Medical School, Okayama 700-8558, Japan.
Tsuji
T
T
Iijima
O
O
Ohmura
Y
Y
Andou
A
A
Miyazaki
M
M
Shimizu
N
N
Namba
M
M
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D018925:Chemokines; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000378:metabolism
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D018925:Chemokines; C498624:DKK3 protein, human; D017931:DNA Primers; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53