Specifically regulated genes in malignant melanoma tissues identified by subtractive hybridization

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based subtractive hybridization technique was used to identify transformation-related genes in malignant melanoma. Melanoma biopsies were compared with tissues of benign melanocytic naevi and 549 gene fragments were screened using arrayed filters. Thirty-eight clones were confirmed to be differentially expressed representing 30 different genes (18 melanoma-specific and 12 naevus-specific genes). To further confirm differential gene expression, Northern blot analyses with six of the 30 genes as probes were performed. All six were differentially expressed in benign and malignant melanocytic lesions, specifically dbpB/YB-1, 67-kDa laminin receptor, CAGH-3, 71-kDa heat shock protein and two unknown genes. The expression levels of these genes were then analysed in 50 different tissues to determine their overall expression profile. In conclusion, the technique of PCR-based subtractive hybridization in combination with arrayed filters allows detection of differences in gene expression even in tissues from which high-quality RNA is hard to isolate. The genes identified in this study are of interest because of their potential role in the pathogenesis of malignant melanoma.