title: Expression trend of selected ribosomal protein genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ribosomal proteins are traditionally associated with protein biosynthesis until recent studies that implicated their extraribosomal functions in human diseases and cancers. Our previous studies using GeneFishing™ DEG method and microarray revealed underexpression of three ribosomal protein genes, RPS26, RPS27, and RPL32 in cancer of the nasopharynx. Herein, we investigated the expression pattern and nucleotide sequence integrity of these genes in nasopharyngeal carcinoma to further delineate their involvement in tumourigenesis. The relationship of expression level with clinicopathologic factors was also statistically studied.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction was performed on nasopharyngeal carcinoma and their paired normal tissues. Expression and sequence of these three genes were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All three ribosomal protein genes showed no significant difference in transcript expressions and no association could be established with clinicopathologic factors studied. No nucleotide aberrancy was detected in the coding regions of these genes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  There is no early evidence to substantiate possible involvement of RPS26, RPS27, and RPL32 genes in NPC tumourigenesis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Faculty of Resource Science and Technology, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, 94300 Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Xiang-Ru
authors.initials: XR
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Edmund Ui-Hang
authors.initials: EU
authors.lastname: Sim
authors.forename: Teck-Yee
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Thung-Sing
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Tiong
authors.forename: Selva Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Subramaniam
authors.forename: Alan Soo-Beng
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Khoo
keywords: NPC; RP; RPL32; RPS26; RPS27; transcript expression