[Development of the new tumor markers].
Serum tumor markers are invasive diagnostic tools for malignant tumors and have been commonly used for purposes of screening, prognosis and selection of treatments. In order to develop a new marker, gene expression analysis technologies such as DNA microarray, differential display, cDNA subtraction, and serial analysis of gene expression, which enable investigators to obtain comprehensive data with respect to gene-expression profiles, are progressing rapidly. Several studies have already demonstrated the usefulness of these techniques for identifying novel cancer-related genes and for classifying human cancers at the molecular level. However, significant differences between the abundance ratio of the mRNA transcript and the corresponding protein product are observed for many genes. Also, the protein level in serum is affected by many physiological conditions and related circumstances, not only by mRNA levels in the cell. Therefore, quantitative proteomics technology based on high-resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometric analysis is being developed. One of our goals is the serological evaluation for the new candidate proteins derived from the information of the above transcriptome and/or proteome analysis as a tumor marker. In this report, I will discuss the practical process of the investigation with special regards to a new protein named ALCAN which has been studied through cDNA cloning, preparation of recombinant protein and monoclonal antibodies, construction of immune assay system, and clinical evaluation.
Terashima
Kazuhiro
K
Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd. Genome Research Laboratories, Amagasaki 661-0963.
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood*; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000097:blood*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000235:genetics; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D040901:Proteomics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000097:blood
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C423230:ULBP2 protein, human