Overexpression of beta 1,4N-acetylgalactosaminyl- transferase mRNA as a molecular marker for various types of cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To determine GalNAcT mRNA expression in human carcinoma cell lines and primary tumor tissues. Assessment of the potential use of GalNAcT mRNA as a molecular marker for detection of metastatic cancer cells in the peripheral blood of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.


RESULTS
We investigated GalNAcT mRNA expression in various human cancer cell lines and primary cancer tissues using RT-PCR assay for GalNAcT mRNA. The expression of GalNAcT mRNA was detected in 25 of 26 cancer cell lines tested and in the majority of primary tumors from different organs: 8 of 10 colon cancers, 9 of 9 breast cancers, 11 of 12 esophageal cancers, 14 of 14 gastric cancers, 4 of 18 pancreatic cancers, 6 of 12 biliary tract cancers, 17 of 18 hepatocellular carcinomas and 13 of 14 lung cancers. Semi-quantitative analysis with duplex RT-PCR showed that the amount of the GalNAcT mRNA was enhanced in cancer tissues as compared to the surrounding cancer-free tissues. Blood specimens of 5 of 14 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma were positive for GalNAcT mRNA, all of whom developed recurrent disease in less than 24 months. Peripheral blood samples of 30 normal subjects were negative for GalNAcT mRNA.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that the RT-PCR assay for GalNAcT mRNA could be a potentially useful molecular marker for detecting cancer dissemination in blood circulation of patients with malignancy.
Sugita
Yurika
Y
Department of Surgery and Clinical Oncology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Fujiwara
Yoshiyuki
Y
Hoon
Dave S B
DS
Miyamoto
Atsushi
A
Sakon
Masato
M
Kuo
Christine T
CT
Monden
Morito
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000556:secondary; D004586:Electrophoresis; D005260:Female; D015971:Gene Expression Regulation, Enzymologic; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000201:enzymology; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm; D009237:N-Acetyllactosamine Synthase