[Detection of alterations of the DPC4 gene in paraffin-embedded tissues of pancreatic carcinomas].
OBJECTIVE
To examine the alteration and significance of the DPC4 gene in paraffin-embedded tissues of pancreatic carcinomas.


METHODS
Polymerase chain reaction and single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis were used to search for deletions and mutations in the DPC4 gene in 46 cases of pancreatic carcinomas.


RESULTS
Thirteen of forty-six (28.3%) cases were found to have homozygous deletions in exon 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 and 11. One was in exon 11, one in exon 1 and 11, one in exon 2 and 3, one in exon 3 and 8, one in exon 1, 2 and 8, one in exon 2, 4 and 11, one in exon 3, 4 and 11, three in exon 3, 4 and 8, one in exon 2, 3, 4, and 8, one in exon 2, 3, 8 and 11, one in exon 2, 3, 4, 8 and 11. Intragenic mutations were found in 10 of 46 cases (21.7%). One case was in exon 1, one in exon 2, three in exon 8, four in exon 11, and one in exon 4 and 11. The total frequency of intragenic changes of DPC4 in paraffin-embedded tissues was 45.6% (21/46).


CONCLUSIONS
Inactivation of tumor-suppressor gene DPC4 may play an important role during the tumorigenesis of pancreatic carcinomas.
Gu
L
L
Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China.
Cui
Q
Q
Chen
J
J
Li
L
L
Liu
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016612:Paraffin Embedding; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C497796:SMAD4 protein, human; D051901:Smad4 Protein; D015534:Trans-Activators