[FHIT gene is abnormal in Chinese lung cancers].
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether the FHIT gene at 3p14.2 is abnormal in Chinese lung cancers.


METHODS
Matched normal and cancerous tissues from 21 cases of primary pulmonary squamous cell carcinoma (SQC) and 10 cases of adenocarcinoma (ADC) were obtained immediately after surgery. Total RNA was extracted and the FHIT gene was detected by RT-PCR and DNA sequencing technology.


RESULTS
Normal-sized FHIT transcript was detected in all 31 cases of normal matched tissues. Aberrant transcripts were observed in 15 (48%) of 31 cases of cancerous tissues, 57% (12/21) in SQC and 33% (3/10) in ADC, respectively. All the abnormal transcripts observed lacked exon 5, the first coding exon. The sequence analyses of the aberrant cDNAs revealed deletions of various regions between exon 4 and 10. A synonymous mutation in E8, codon98CAT(H)-->CAC(H), was found in a SQC.


CONCLUSIONS
The high deletion rate of the FHIT gene in Chinese lung cancer supports the hypothesis that the FHIT gene alteration is involved in tumorigenic development of human neoplasm.
Zhang
J
J
Laboratory of Lung Cancer, First Clinical College, China Medical University, Shenyang 110001.
Fu
W
W
Zhang
X
X
D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics; D001483:Base Sequence; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D005091:Exons; D017353:Gene Deletion; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017354:Point Mutation; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase
D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase