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Isolation of LEM domain-containing 1, a novel testis-specific gene expressed in colorectal cancers

Daisuke Yuki1, Yu-Min Lin, Yoshitaka Fujii

  • 1Laboratory of Molecular Medicine, Human Genome Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.

Oncology Reports
|July 16, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Researchers identified a novel gene, LEMD1, highly expressed in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) tumors but not normal tissues. This finding suggests LEMD1 as a potential target for CRC diagnosis and immunotherapy.

Area of Science:

  • Genomics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Colorectal carcinoma (CRC) presents a significant health burden, necessitating novel diagnostic and therapeutic targets.
  • Genome-wide expression profiling is a powerful tool for identifying genes implicated in cancer development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify novel molecular targets for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of colorectal carcinoma (CRC).
  • To investigate the expression patterns of LEMD1 in CRC and normal tissues.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide expression profiling using a cDNA microarray with 23,040 human genes.
  • Northern blotting to analyze LEMD1 expression in various normal adult tissues and CRC samples.
  • Analysis of alternative splicing variants of LEMD1 transcripts.

Main Results:

  • A novel gene, LEM domain-containing 1 (LEMD1), was identified with significantly elevated expression in 17 out of 18 CRC samples compared to non-cancerous mucosa.
  • LEMD1 expression was predominantly observed in the testis among 16 normal adult tissues examined.
  • A specific alternatively spliced transcript of LEMD1 (656 nucleotides) was found to be expressed in CRCs.

Conclusions:

  • LEMD1 is frequently transactivated in colorectal tumors and exhibits restricted expression in normal tissues, primarily the testis.
  • The LEMD1 protein is classified as a cancer-testis antigen (CTA).
  • LEMD1 represents a promising target antigen for the development of novel immunotherapies for colorectal carcinoma.

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