Allelic loss at Drosophila patched gene is highly prevalent in Basal and squamous cell carcinomas of the skin.
The human homolog of the Drosophila Patched gene (PTCH), located at chromosome 9q22.3, is frequently altered in both nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome, and sporadic basal cell carcinomas (BCCs). However, alteration of the PTCH gene locus has been poorly studied in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). We analyzed loss of heterozygosity (LOH) at five markers in and around the PTCH gene in 276 keratinocyte tumors from a population-based study in New Hampshire. We found a high prevalence of any 9q22.3 LOH in both BCC (75.5%) and SCC (60.8%), with BCC being significantly more likely to have LOH than SCC (P<0.009). The PTCH gene was specifically lost in 60% of BCC, and 50% of SCC tumors. Among SCC tumors, 9q22 LOH was significantly more likely to occur in those who tend to burn (P<0.05), and this association was strongest for tumors that occurred on sun-exposed areas of the body (P<0.04). Additionally, 9q22 LOH occurred more frequently in SCC tumors associated with a history of severe sunburns (P<0.08). Thus, in our large, population-based sample, 9q22 loss, including PTCH, was highly prevalent in both BCC and SCC. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that PTCH loss is a common, early lesion for SCC and BCC.
Department of Genetics and Complex Diseases, Harvard School of Public Health, 665 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
Hadi
H
Danaee
Margaret R
MR
Karagas
Karl T
KT
Kelsey
Ann E
AE
Perry
Heather H
HH
Nelson
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002280:Basal Cell Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics*; D002899:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 9; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
C000606236:PTCH1 protein, human; D000072079:Patched Receptors; D000072081:Patched-1 Receptor; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface