title: Molecular analysis of the HuD gene in neuroendocrine lung cancers.
abstract: n-ELAV (neuronal-Embryonic Lethal, Abnormal Vision)-like genes belong to a family codifying for onconeural RNA-binding proteins, also called Hu antigens. Anti-Hu-antibodies (anti-Hu-Ab) are typically associated with paraneoplastic encephalomyelitis/sensory neuropathy (PEM/PSN), and low titres of anti-Hu-Ab were found in neural/neuroendocrine neoplasms, especially small cell lung cancer (SCLC). To date, few studies have been published focused on the genetic causes of their involvement in the pathogenesis of neuroendocrine tumors (NE). Here we analyzed 20 primary human neuroendocrine lung tumor tissues for somatic mutations in the HuD gene. Two inactivating mutations (a frameshift and a stop codon mutation) and 11 nucleotide changes were detected in the coding sequence of HuD gene in 7 different lung tumors. Our results on SCLC and carcinoid tissues support the hypothesis that alterations of nELAV genes could be involved in the onset and/or progression of a subset of neuroendocrine lung tumors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS "Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza" Hospital, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo (FG), Italy. v.dalessandro@operapadrepio.it
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: D'Alessandro
authors.forename: Lucia Anna
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Muscarella
authors.forename: Annamaria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: la Torre
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bisceglia
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Parrella
authors.forename: Gerardo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scaramuzzi
authors.forename: Clelia Tiziana
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Storlazzi
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Trombetta
authors.forename: Klaas
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kok
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Cata
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sperandeo
authors.forename: Leopoldo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zelante
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carella
authors.forename: Gianluigi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vendemiale
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D018278:Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D051959:ELAV Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D000067779:ELAV-Like Protein 4; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009154:Mutation; D055752:Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D051959:ELAV Proteins; D000067779:ELAV-Like Protein 4; C498010:ELAVL4 protein, human