title: Suppression of MAL gene expression in gastric cancer correlates with metastasis and mortality.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The Myelin and lymphocyte-associated protein gene (MAL), which is located on the long arm of chromosome 2, assigned to the region cen-q13 in humans, has been reported as tumor suppressor in several cancers. The aim of this study was to clarify the clinical significance of MAL gene in gastric cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression levels of MAL mRNA was examined using 50 resected gastric cancer specimens used by laser microdissected to determine the clinicopathological significance. MAL expression was then examined by real-time quantitative PCR assay, and we analyzed the correlation between MAL expression and clinicopathological factors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In clinicopathologic analysis, the low MAL expression group showed significantly higher incidence of lymph node metastasis than the high expression group (79% and 46%, respectively, p < 0.05). Furthermore, the low MAL expression group had a significantly poorer prognosis than the high expression group (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MAL gene repression related with lymph node metastasis and poor prognosis in gastric cancer, suggesting that the MAL may be a new candidate node metastasis-suppressor gene for gastric cancer.
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Junji
authors: J
authors: Kurashige
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Genta
authors: G
authors: Sawada
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Yusuke
authors: Y
authors: Takahashi
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Hidetoshi
authors: H
authors: Eguchi
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Tomoya
authors: T
authors: Sudo
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Toru
authors: T
authors: Ikegami
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Tomoharu
authors: T
authors: Yoshizumi
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Yuji
authors: Y
authors: Soejima
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Tetsuo
authors: T
authors: Ikeda
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Hirofumi
authors: H
authors: Kawanaka
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Hideaki
authors: H
authors: Uchiyama
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Yo-Ichi
authors: Y
authors: Yamashita
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Masaru
authors: M
authors: Morita
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Eiji
authors: E
authors: Oki
authors: Department of Surgery and Science, Kyushu University, 3-1-1 Maidashi, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.
authors: Hiroshi
authors: H
authors: Saeki
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Keishi
authors: K
authors: Sugimachi
authors: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors: Masayuki
authors: M
authors: Watanabe
authors: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamada-oka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
authors: Masaki
authors: M
authors: Mori
authors: Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University, 1-1-1 Honjo, Kumamoto, Kumamoto 860-8556, Japan.
authors: Hideo
authors: H
authors: Baba
authors: Department of Surgery, Kyushu University Beppu Hospital, 4546 Tsurumihara, Beppu, Oita 874-0838, Japan.
authors: Koshi
authors: K
authors: Mimori
mesh_terms: D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D002889:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 2 / Q000235:genetics; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D062806:Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness / Q000235:genetics; D011379:Prognosis; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology*; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D062806:Myelin and Lymphocyte-Associated Proteolipid Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger