title: Identification of signature genes for detecting hedgehog pathway activation in esophageal cancer.
abstract: The hedgehog signaling pathway plays an important role in cell growth and differentiation both in normal embryonic development and in tumors. Our previous work shows that hedgehog pathway is frequently activated in esophageal cancers. To further elucidate the role of hedgehog pathway in esophageal cancers we examined the expression of the target genes, hedgehog-interacting protein (HIP) and platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRα) and hedgehog signaling molecules, smoothened (SMO), suppressor of fused (Su(Fu)) in the specimens using in-situ hybridization and RT-PCR. We found that HIP, PDGFRα, SMO and Su(Fu) gene highly expressed in the primary esophageal squamous cell carcinomas but not in normal esophageal tissue. The transcripts of HIP, PDGFRα and SMO were expressed in 13 of 15 esophageal cancers. Su(Fu) expression was missing in 2 esophageal cancers. The results from in-situ hybridization were further confirmed by RT-PCR. Our results revealed a set of genes for detecting hedgehog signaling activation in esophageal cancer.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Jinan 250100, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Ling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yuehong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Shuhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaoli
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Chi
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xiulan
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Zi-Jiang
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Jingwu
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics*; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor
chemical_list: D002352:Carrier Proteins; C117596:HHIP protein, human; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D012097:Repressor Proteins; C491023:SMO protein, human; C490764:SUFU protein, human; D000072086:Smoothened Receptor; D020796:Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha