title: Search for potential gastric cancer markers using miRNA databases and gene expression analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to identify genes that are differentially expressed in gastric tumors and to analyze the association of their expression level with tumor clinicopathologic features.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the present research, we used bioinformatic-driven search to identify miRNA that are down-regulated in gastric tumors and to find their potential targets. Then, the expression levels of some of the target mRNAs were investigated using reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  As a result of the bioinformatics analysis, fifteen genes were found to be potentially differentially expressed between the tumors and normal gastric tissue. Five of them were chosen for the further analysis (WNT4, FGF12, EFEMP1, CTGF, and HSPG2) due to their important role in cell proliferation and differentiation. Expression levels of these genes were evaluated in our collection of frozen tissue samples of gastric tumor and paired normal stomach epithelia. Increased FGF12 expression was observed in diffuse type of gastric cancer while WNT4 mRNA was found to be down-regulated in intestinal type of gastric cancer. Besides, CTGF gene overexpression was revealed in diffuse type of stomach cancer in comparison with that in intestinal type. Up-regulation of CTGF was also associated with lymph node metastasis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings show its expedient to perform further investigations in order to clarify diagnostic and prognostic value of CTGF, FGF12, and WNT4's in stomach cancer as well as the role of these genes in carcinogenesis.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Research Institute of Siberian Вranch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, Tomsk 634050, Russian Federation. v.volkomorov@gmail.com
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Volkomorov
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grigoryeva
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Krasnov
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Litviakov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsyganov
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Karbyshev
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zavyalova
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Afanasуev
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Cherdyntseva
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lisitsyn
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Beresten
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000235:genetics; D049109:Cell Proliferation; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D015536:Down-Regulation; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism*; D015870:Gene Expression; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015854:Up-Regulation; D060528:Wnt4 Protein / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C526317:CCN2 protein, human; C119630:EFEMP1 protein, human; D016326:Extracellular Matrix Proteins; C486356:FGF12 protein, human; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans; D035683:MicroRNAs; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C555581:WNT4 protein, human; D060528:Wnt4 Protein; D055513:Connective Tissue Growth Factor; C071927:perlecan; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors