Expression of homeobox genes in cervical cancer.
OBJECTIVE
Members of the homeobox (HB) gene superfamily encode transcription factors crucial for development and may be associated with tumorigenesis. In this study, we aimed to develop a procedure to survey the expression of the dispersed-type HB genes in cervical cancer cells.


METHODS
Nineteen sets of degenerate primers were designed based on conserved homeodomains of known dispersed-type HB genes. A cDNA library derived from HeLa, a cervical cancer cell line, was used. Two successive rounds of PCR were performed using a combination of the HB degenerate primers and a primer recognizing the flanking sequence of the vector used in the cDNA library construction.


RESULTS
On cloning and sequence analysis of the PCR fragments generated, 10 known and 3 putative novel HB genes were detected in HeLa. RT-PCR expression analysis further showed that HOXD9 and ATBF1 were differentially expressed in cancer cells and not in normal cervix.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data demonstrate the feasibility of using degenerate primers in PCR experiments in a collective analysis of complex gene families. Our data indicate that HOXD9 and ATBF1 are expressed in cervical cancer, but not in normal cervix.
Li
Hung
H
Institute of Molecular Biology, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei, Taiwan.
Huang
Chiu-Jung
CJ
Choo
Kong-Bung
KB
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005801:Genes, Homeobox / Q000235:genetics*; D006367:HeLa Cells; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D005810:Multigene Family; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
D017931:DNA Primers; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C088822:HOXD9 protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C071660:ZFHX3 protein, human