Mutation and abnormal expression of the fragile histidine triad gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
To determine alterations of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene in nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the correlation of FHIT gene with nasopharyngeal carcinogenesis.


METHODS
Prospective study.


METHODS
A total of 28 nasopharyngeal carcinoma and 16 normal nasopharyngeal epithelium specimens were examined for abnormalities of FHIT gene by nested reverse-transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and DNA sequencing.


RESULTS
The deletion of FHIT gene was not observed in 16 normal nasopharyngeal epithelium specimens. In 28 cases of nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues, 12 (42.9%) exhibited FHIT aberrant transcripts. Complementary DNA sequencing revealed exonic deletion, small DNA insertion, synonymous mutation in exon 8, or frameshift mutation in exon 5.


CONCLUSIONS
The present results suggest that the FHIT gene may play an important role in the pathogenesis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and may be one of the candidate tumor suppressor genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
Deng
Y F
YF
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Xiang-Ya Medical College of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China. dyanfei@hotmail.com
Tian
F
F
Lu
Y D
YD
Chen
Z C
ZC
Xie
D H
DH
Yang
X M
XM
Shao
X Y
XY
D001706:Biopsy; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D002873:Chromosome Fragility / Q000235:genetics*; D017637:Clonal Deletion / Q000235:genetics; D004251:DNA Transposable Elements / Q000235:genetics; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000235:genetics; D005091:Exons / Q000235:genetics; D016368:Frameshift Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D006867:Hydrolases; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics
D004251:DNA Transposable Elements; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011506:Proteins; C097552:histidine triad protein; D006867:Hydrolases