title: Isolation and characterization of a novel human gene, VANGL1, as a therapeutic target for hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: Through analysis of genome-wide expression profiles, we have been attempting to isolate novel molecular targets for diagnosis, treatment and prevention of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Among the genes that a cDNA microarray showed to be commonly transactivated in HCCs, we identified a novel human homologue of the Drosophila Van Gogh/Strabismus gene and termed it VANGL1 [Vang (Van Gogh, Drosophila)-like 1]. This gene, which encoded a transcript with an open reading frame of 1,572 bp, was expressed specifically in testis and ovary among 16 adult normal tissues examined. Transfection of antisense S-oligonucleotides, but not of sense S-oligonucleotides, into hepatoma cells suppressed expression of VANGL1 and subsequent growth of these cells was inhibited to a marked degree. The findings suggest that VANGL1 might serve as a diagnostic marker for HCC as well as a potential molecular target for development of novel therapeutic drugs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Shirokanedai, Minato-ku 108-8639, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryuichiro
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yagyu
authors.forename: Ryuji
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Hamamoto
authors.forename: Yoichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Furukawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Okabe
authors.forename: Takehira
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yamamura
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D016475:3T3 Cells; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019556:COS Cells; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense