Overexpression of p68 mRNA in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells.
BACKGROUND
Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are aggressively growing tumors with only marginal improvement in outcome despite ongoing developments in treatment protocols. This problem has been associated with a lack of therapy individualization on tumor biological properties.


METHODS
mRNA expression profiles of HNSCC and normal epithelial cells were compared in order to identify genes associated with cancer formation. Differential display was used to trace gene fragments showing differential expression in HNSCC cells, which were than isolated, re-amplified, cloned and sequenced.


RESULTS
A 131-bp-long fragment was identified to be overexpressed in HNSCC cells that revealed a 99.3% homology with p68 mRNA. The differential expression was confirmed by Northern hybridization.


CONCLUSIONS
The data presented suggest an involvement of p68 in the process of malignant transformation or progression of HNSCC.
Beier
Ulf Henning
UH
Department of Pediatrics, University of Illinois at Chicago, 840 South Wood St., Room 1438 CSB, Chicago, Illinois 60612-7324, USA.
Maune
Steffen
S
Meyer
Jens E
JE
Görögh
Tibor
T
D001483:Base Sequence; D015152:Blotting, Northern; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014170:Transformation, Genetic; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; D019892:eIF-2 Kinase