NDRG2 expression and mutation in human liver and pancreatic cancers.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the expression of NDRG2 and mutation of the entire coding region of NDRG2 in human liver and pancreatic cancers, and to further discuss the possible causes of NDRG2 distinct expression patterns.


METHODS
Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to analyze the expression of NDRG2 mRNA in 37 fresh cancer specimens (including 8 cases of pancreatic cancer and 29 cases of liver cancer) and adjacent normal tissues collected from clinical operation. In addition, mutation analysis of the whole coding region of NDRG2 in these cancers was examined by polymerase chain reaction-single strand conformational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP).


RESULTS
Compared with adjacent normal tissues, the expression levels of NDRG2 mRNA in corresponding cancer tissues reduced significantly (pancreatic cancer: 0.680+/-0.112 vs 2.089+/-0.214, P<0.01) (liver cancer: 0.894+/-0.098 vs 1.345+/-0.177, P<0.05). Using PCR-SSCP, the mutation of the whole coding region of NDRG2 was not found in those cancer tissues where the expression of NDRG2 mRNA reduced markedly.


CONCLUSIONS
NDRG2 gene might express differently between normal tissues and cancer tissues, and might play an important role in the development of pancreatic cancer and liver cancer. Low expression of NDRG2 might be unrelated to the mutation of coding region of NDRG2.
Hu
Xiao-Lan
XL
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi Province, China.
Liu
Xin-Ping
XP
Lin
Shu-Xin
SX
Deng
Yan-Chun
YC
Liu
Na
N
Li
Xia
X
Yao
Li-Bo
LB
D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009154:Mutation; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins
C466228:NDRG2 protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins