Distinct expression of CDX2 and GATA4/5, development-related genes, in human gastric cancer cell lines

CDX2 is a tumor-suppressor homeobox gene involved in colon carcinogenesis, but its role in gastric cancer is unknown. Although GATA4, -5 and, -6 transcription factors have distinct functions in the regulation of gastrointestinal epithelial cell differentiation, there have been no reports regarding GATA4/5/6 alterations in gastrointestinal carcinomas. By using a semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay, we studied the expression of gut development-related genes CDX2/1 and GATA4/5/6 in 11 human gastric cancer cell lines. The expression of CDX2 appeared to progressively decrease with the transition from well differentiated to poorly differentiated cancer cell lines. CDX1 was below detectable levels in all cell lines. The expression of GATA4 and GATA5 was undetectable in four and six cell lines, respectively, whereas the majority of the cell lines expressed GATA6 abundantly. These results suggest that CDX2 and GATA4/5 may be associated with the carcinogenesis of the stomach. Mol. Carcinog. 28:184-188, 2000.