Stathmin is overexpressed in malignant mesothelioma.
BACKGROUND
Malignant pleural mesothelioma is a highly aggressive cancer, with low overall survival. The pathogenesis of mesothelioma is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to identify potential genes overexpressed in mesothelioma.


METHODS
A cDNA microarray was used to identify potential genes that are activated in mesothelioma cell lines. Overexpression of stathmin, a cytosolic protein that regulates microtubule dynamics, was found. RT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were used to confirm overexpression in both cell lines and tumor samples.


RESULTS
Using RT-PCR and Western blot, stathmin overexpression was confirmed in seven mesothelioma cell lines. Increased stathmin protein expression was also found in seven out of eight mesothelioma tumor samples. Finally, stathmin expression in a mesothelioma tumor was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.


CONCLUSIONS
For the first time, stathmin was shown to be overexpressed in malignant mesothelioma. The overexpression of stathmin in mesothelioma may offer a potential therapeutic target and further studies are warranted.
Kim
Jae Y
JY
Thoracic Oncology Laboratory, UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA 94115, USA. jae.kim@ucsfmedicalcenter.org
Harvard
Chansonette
C
You
Liang
L
Xu
Zhidong
Z
Kuchenbecker
Kristopher
K
Baehner
Rick
R
Jablons
David
D
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008654:Mesothelioma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D050777:Stathmin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
D018076:DNA, Complementary; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C493995:STMN1 protein, human; D050777:Stathmin