Amplification and overexpression of Aurora-A in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
Aurora-A/BTAK/STK15 gene which encodes a centrosome-associated kinase is located on chromosome 20q13.2, a highly amplified region in various human tumors. Recent studies have demonstrated the overexpression and amplification of Aurora-A in many malignant human cancers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the amplification and expression of Aurora-A in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. Amplification of Aurora-A was determined by fluorescence in situ hybridization in 7 esophageal cancer cell lines and real-time PCR in 29 esophageal cancer samples. We detected Aurora-A expression in 7 esophageal cancer cell lines and 38 esophageal cancers samples by semi-quantitative reverse transcription-PCR and Western blot hybridization. The amplification of Aurora-A was detected in 27 of 29 (93.1%) esophageal cancer samples and 6 of 7 (85.7%) cancer cell lines. Aurora-A was overexpressed in 27 of 38 (71.1%) esophageal cancer samples and all 7 esophageal cancer cell lines. We conclude that Aurora-A is amplified and overexpressed in esophageal squamous cancer.
Yang
Shang-Bin
SB
Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Biology, Cancer Institute and Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 100021 Beijing, PR China.
Zhou
Xiao-Bo
XB
Zhu
Hong-Xia
HX
Quan
Lan-Ping
LP
Bai
Jin-Feng
JF
He
Jie
J
Gao
Yan-Ning
YN
Cheng
Shu-Jun
SJ
Xu
Ning-Zhi
NZ
D064096:Aurora Kinase A; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D015342:DNA Probes; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005784:Gene Amplification; D018628:Gene Dosage; D006801:Humans; D017404:In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
D015342:DNA Probes; C576917:AURKA protein, human; D064096:Aurora Kinase A; D064127:Aurora Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases