Amplification of the UQCRFS1 Gene in Gastric Cancers.
OBJECTIVE
The specific aim of this study is to unravel a DNA copy number alterations, and to search for novel genes that are associated with the development of Korean gastric cancer.


METHODS
We investigated a DNA copy number changes in 23 gastric adenocarcinomas by array-comparative genomic hybridization and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses. Besides, the expression of UQCRFS1, which shows amplification in array-CGH, was examined in 186 gastric cancer tissues by an immunohistochemistry, and in 9 gastric cancer cell lines, as well as 24 gastric cancer tissues by immunoblotting.


RESULTS
We found common gains at 48 different loci, and a common loss at 19 different loci. Amplification of UQCRFS1 gene at 19q12 was found in 5 (21.7%) of the 23 gastric cancers in an array-comparative genomic hybridization and DNA copy number were increased in 5 (20.0%) out of the 25 gastric cancer in quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. In immunohistochemistry, the overexpression of the protein was detected in 105 (56.5%) out of the 186 gastric cancer tissues. Statistically, there was no significant relationship between the overexpression of UQCRFS1 and clinicopathologic parameters (P>0.05). In parallel, the overexpression of UQCRFS1 protein was confirmed in 6 (66.7%) of the 9 gastric cancer cell lines, and 12 (50.0%) of the 24 gastric cancer tissues by immunoblotting.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the overexpression of UQCRFS1 gene may contribute to the development and/or progression of gastric cancer, and further supported that mitochondrial change may serve as a potential cancer biomarker.
Department of General Surgery, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Kyong Hwa
KH
Jun
Su Young
SY
Kim
Jung Hwan
JH
Yoon
Jae Hwi
JH
Song
Won Sang
WS
Park