Evidence for lack of enhanced hedgehog target gene expression in common extracutaneous tumors.
Abnormal hedgehog signaling, most commonly caused by loss of PTCH1 inhibitor activity,drives tumorigenesis of basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). To assess whether other tumors also have abnormal hedgehog signaling, we have assayed RNA from common cancers at nine different sites for levels of expression of hedgehog target genes that are up-regulated uniformly in BCCs. We report here that such dysregulation appears not to be common in the types of non-BCC cancers studied, indicating that the molecular pathogenesis of BCCs, like their frequency and behavior, differs markedly from that of most other cancers.
Hu
Zhilan
Z
The Cooperative Human Tissue Network, University of Alabama, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA.
Bonifas
Jeannette M
JM
Aragon
Geraldine
G
Kopelovich
Levy
L
Liang
Yu
Y
Ohta
Shoichiro
S
Israel
Mark A
MA
Bickers
David R
DR
Aszterbaum
Michelle
M
Epstein
Ervin H
EH
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D015398:Signal Transduction; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
D002352:Carrier Proteins; C117596:HHIP protein, human; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; C000606236:PTCH1 protein, human; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha