NECC1, a candidate choriocarcinoma suppressor gene that encodes a homeodomain consensus motif.
We isolated a candidate choriocarcinoma suppressor gene from a PCR-based subtracted fragmentary cDNA library between normal placental villi and the choriocarcinoma cell line CC1. This gene comprises an open reading frame of 219 nt encoding 73 amino acids and contains a homeodomain as a consensus motif. This gene, designated NECC1 (not expressed in choriocarcinoma clone 1), is located on human chromosome 4q11-q12. NECC1 expression is ubiquitous in the brain, placenta, lung, smooth muscle, uterus, bladder, kidney, and spleen. Normal placental villi expressed NECC1, but all choriocarcinoma cell lines examined and most of the surgically removed choriocarcinoma tissue samples failed to express it. We transfected this gene into choriocarcinoma cell lines and observed remarkable alterations in cell morphology and suppression of in vivo tumorigenesis. Induction of CSH1 (chorionic somatomammotropin hormone 1) by NECC1 expression suggested differentiation of choriocarcinoma cells to syncytiotrophoblasts. Our results suggest that loss of NECC1 expression is involved in malignant conversion of placental trophoblasts.
Asanoma
Kazuo
K
Division of Molecular and Cell Therapeutics, Department of Molecular Genetics, Medical Institute of Bioregulation, Kyushu University, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu City, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
Matsuda
Takao
T
Kondo
Haruhiko
H
Kato
Kiyoko
K
Kishino
Tatsuya
T
Niikawa
Norio
N
Wake
Norio
N
Kato
Hidenori
H
D020816:Amino Acid Motifs; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001483:Base Sequence; D002822:Choriocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002874:Chromosome Mapping; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015723:Gene Library; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
C476884:HOPX protein, human; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins