Gene expression analysis of pancreatic cell lines reveals genes overexpressed in pancreatic cancer.
BACKGROUND
Pancreatic cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death. Using DNA gene expression analysis based on a custom made Affymetrix cancer array, we investigated the expression pattern of both primary and established pancreatic carcinoma cell lines.


METHODS
We analyzed the gene expression of 5 established pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC-3, Capan-1, Capan-2 and HPAF II) and 5 primary isolates, 1 of them derived from benign pancreatic duct cells.


RESULTS
Out of 1,540 genes which were expressed in at least 3 experiments, we found 122 genes upregulated and 18 downregulated in tumor cell lines compared to benign cells with a fold change >3. Several of the upregulated genes (like Prefoldin 5, ADAM9 and E-cadherin) have been associated with pancreatic cancer before. The other differentially regulated genes, however, play a so far unknown role in the course of human pancreatic carcinoma. By means of immunohistochemistry we could show that thymosin beta-10 (TMSB10), upregulated in tumor cell lines, is expressed in human pancreatic carcinoma, but not in non-neoplastic pancreatic tissue, suggesting a role for TMSB10 in the carcinogenesis of pancreatic carcinoma.


CONCLUSIONS
Using gene expression profiling of pancreatic cell lines we were able to identify genes differentially expressed in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, which might contribute to pancreatic cancer development.
Department of Visceral-, Thoracic- and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Dresden, Germany.
Ingo
I
Alldinger
Dag
D
Dittert
Matthias
M
Peiper
Alberto
A
Fusco
Gennaro
G
Chiappetta
Eike
E
Staub
Matthias
M
Lohr
Ralf
R
Jesnowski
Gustavo
G
Baretton
Detlef
D
Ockert
Hans-Detlev
HD
Saeger
Robert
R
Grützmann
Christian
C
Pilarsky
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D021441:Carcinoma, Pancreatic Ductal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005260:Female; D019085:Fluorescent Antibody Technique, Direct; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010179:Pancreas / Q000378:metabolism; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D013947:Thymosin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015854:Up-Regulation
D013947:Thymosin; C039302:thymosin beta(10)