title: Altered expression of KCNK9 in colorectal cancers.
abstract: K(+) channels have been reported to be involved in the proliferation of many types of cells, including some human carcinoma and tumor cell lines. KCNK9, a TASK channel, is amplified and overexpressed in several types of human cancer. In the present study, we examined the expression and somatic mutations of KCNK9 in 124 colorectal cancers by immunohistochemistry using tissue microarray and PCR-SSCP. Immunopositivity was observed in 57 (46.0%) of 124 colorectal cancers. Clinically, KCNK9 was immunopositive in 4 (30.7%) of 13 cases which were stage A, 26 (55.3%) of 47 which were stage B, 23 (41.1%) of 56 which were stage C, and 4 (50%) of 8 which were stage D. Statistically, KCNK9 protein expression was not related to tumor stage (Bartholomew test, p>0.05) and lymph node metastasis (Chi-Square test, p=0.8338). In the mutation study of the KCNK9 gene, we found only one sequence variation (ACG-->ACC, Thr-->Thr) at codon 170 both in corresponding normal and tumor DNAs. These results indicate that overexpression rather than mutation of the KCNK9 gene may contribute to the development of colorectal cancers and suggest that the development of KCNK9-targeted agents may provide new possibilities in the treatment of colorectal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Chang Jae
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Gu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seong Whan
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Young Sil
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Su Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suk Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Sug Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nam Jin
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Jung Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Won Sang
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000236:Adenoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D017354:Point Mutation; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C498655:KCNK9 protein, human; D024683:Potassium Channels, Tandem Pore Domain