Gene expression screening of salivary gland neoplasms: molecular markers of potential histogenetic and clinical significance.
Salivary gland neoplasms comprise phenotypically and biologically diverse lesions of uncertain histogenesis. The molecular events associated with their development and clinicopathological heterogeneity remain unknown. To reveal these events, we performed microarray expression analysis using a nylon-filter membrane platform on 18 primary lesions representing the most common benign and malignant types. Our study identified a small set of genes that are differentially altered between normal salivary gland tissues and benign and malignant tumors. Of the 5000 genes arrayed, 136 genes were differentially expressed by normal tissue, benign tumors, and various malignant neoplasms. Hierarchical clustering analysis differentiated between adenoid cystic carcinomas (ACCs) and other malignant subtypes. Non-ACC specimens manifested overlapping patterns of gene expression within and between tumors. Most of the differentially expressed genes share functional similarities with members of the adhesion, proliferation, and signal transduction pathways. Our study identified: 1) a set of genes that differentiate normal tissue from tumor specimens, 2) genes that differentiate pleomorphic adenoma and ACCs from other malignant salivary gland neoplasms, and 3) different patterns of expression between ACCs arising from major and minor salivary gland sites. The differentially expressed genes provide new information on potential genetic events of biological significance in future studies of salivary gland tumorigenesis.
The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Unit 85, 1515 Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Shin-Ichiro
S
Maruya
Hyung-Woo
HW
Kim
Randal S
RS
Weber
Jack J
JJ
Lee
Merril
M
Kies
Mario A
MA
Luna
John G
JG
Batsakis
Adel K
AK
El-Naggar
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis / Q000379:methods; D010306:Parotid Gland / Q000737:chemistry; D012468:Salivary Gland Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor