The stem cell self-renewal gene, Musashi 1, is highly expressed in tumor and non-tumor samples of human bladder.
BACKGROUND
The stem cell model for cancer assumes that a key event in tumorigenesis is the deregulation of genes involved in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal. The Musashi family is an evolutionarily conserved group of neural RNA-binding proteins. In mammals, the family consists of two individual genes, Musashi 1 (MSI1) and MSI2, encoding the Musashi 1 and Musashi 2 proteins. Musashi 1 is involved in the regulation of self-renewal of stem cells. Recently, its over-expression has also been reported in a variety of human tumors.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate a potential expression of the stem cell self-renewal gene, Musashi 1, in human bladder cancer, we examined its gene expression in a series of tumor and non-tumor tissue samples of bladder.


METHODS
Relative expression of MSI1 was determined by the real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in 70 surgical samples of bladder.


RESULTS
Using specific primers for MSI1 and TBP (as an internal control) for qRT-PCR technique, we found a relatively high expression level of MSI1 in all examined tumor and non-tumor bladder tissue specimens. However, our data did not show any correlation between the level of gene expression and tumor/non-tumor states of the samples (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
All together, our data demonstrated that Musashi 1 is highly and un-differentially expressed in both examined tumoral and apparently normal bladder tissues.
Pediatric Inherited Diseases Research Center; Division of Genetics, School of Medicine; Child Growth and Development Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
P
P
Nikpour
S J
SJ
Mowla
M
M
Forouzandeh-Moghaddam
S A
SA
Ziaee
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000032:analysis*; D002295:Carcinoma, Transitional Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000378:metabolism*; D001749:Urinary Bladder Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C491297:MSI1 protein, human; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins