[Effects of transketolase-like gene TKTL1 on occurrence and metastasis of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of transketolase-like gene TKTL1 on the occurrence and metastasis of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
Real-time PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of transketolase gene family (TKT, TKTL1, and TKTL2) in the 65 biopsy specimens of human nasopharyngeal carcinoma, 9 at stage I, 15 at stage II, 16 at stage III, 13 at stage IVA, and 12 at stage IVB, 42 with metastasis and 232 without metastasis, and 9 biopsy specimens of chronic nasopharyngitis.


RESULTS
The TKL activity level of the NPC tissues was 21.6 +/- 2.8, significantly higher than that of the chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (6.2 +/- 1.3, P < 0.01). The TKL activity level of the NPC tissues with metastasis was 26.5 +/- 3.2, significantly higher than that of the NPC tissues without metastasis (17.6 +/- 2.1, P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the expression levels of TKT and TKTL2 genes between the human NPC and chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (both P > 0.05). The expression level of TKTL1 gene in the NPC tissues was 5.25 +/- 0.32, significantly higher than that in the chronic nasopharyngitis tissues (0.98 +/- 0.11, t = 6.23, P < 0.01), and the expression level of TKTL1 gene in the NPC tissues with lymph node metastasis was 5.86 +/- 0.38, significantly higher than that in the NPC tissues without lymph node metastasis (4.18 +/- 0.22, t = 3.28, P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
TKTL1 may play an important role in the occurrence and metastasis of human NPC and become a potential target for novel anti-cancer therapy.
Zhang
Song
S
Department of Otolaryngology, Union Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430022, China. zhangsongent@yahoo.com.cn
Yang
Ju-Hong
JH
Cai
Peng-Cheng
PC
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D014174:Transketolase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
D012333:RNA, Messenger; C505431:TKTL1 protein, human; D014174:Transketolase