[Screening and preliminary analysis of the apoptosis- and proliferation-related genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma].
To screen and analyze the apoptosis- and proliferation-related genes in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).


METHODS
According to gene ontology classification, the abnormal expressions of the genes related to cell apoptosis and proliferation were identified in the NPC gene chip data. The cell apoptosis- and proliferation-related genes expressed in each of the 3 stages, as defined by the tree model for the pathogenesis and progression of NPC, were screened, and with literature review, their distribution in the tree model were analyzed.


RESULTS
Nineteen genes related to cell apoptosis were found in NPC, among which 9 were down-regulated (such as DNASE1L3) and located in the chromosome deletion regions, and 10 were up-regulated (such as DEDD) in the chromosome amplification regions. Twenty-one cell proliferation-related genes were identified, including 8 down-regulated genes (such as TUSC2) in the chromosome deletion regions and 13 up-regulated ones (such as EMP1) in the chromosome amplification regions. In the chromosome deletion regions, the down-regulated cell apoptosis-related genes participated mostly in inducing and regulating cell apoptosis, and the up-regulated cell proliferation-related genes in the chromosome amplification regions were mostly associated with the positive regulation of cell proliferation.


CONCLUSIONS
NPC occurs possibly through two pathways by inhibiting cell apoptosis or by promoting excessive cell proliferation.
Zhou
Yi-bo
YB
Cancer Research Institute of Central South University, Changsha 410078, China. boyi365@163.com
Huang
Zhong-xi
ZX
Ren
Cai-ping
CP
Zhu
Bin
B
Yao
Kai-tai
KT
D017209:Apoptosis / Q000235:genetics*; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D002872:Chromosome Deletion; D015536:Down-Regulation; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D015854:Up-Regulation