Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Published on: September 18, 2020
Contribution of Aurora-A and -B expression to DNA aneuploidy in gastric cancers
Kenichi Honma1, Ryota Nakanishi, Tomonori Nakanoko
1Department of Surgery and Science, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
Purpose:
DNA aneuploidy, which is characterized by cells containing an abnormal number of chromosomes, is closely associated with carcinogenesis and malignant progression. Aneuploidy occurs during cell division when the chromosomes do not separate properly. Aurora kinases (Aurora-A, -B, and -C) contribute to accurate cell division, and are candidate molecular targets for mitosis-specific anticancer drugs.
Methods:
We determined the expression of Aurora-A and -B in 110 gastric cancer specimens by performing an immunohistochemical analysis. We also determined the DNA content, TP53 gene mutations, and microsatellite instability in the same samples.
Results:
We found the nuclear expression of Aurora-A and -B to increase in tumor tissue in comparison to that in normal epithelial tissue. A high Aurora-B expression significantly correlated with aneuploidy and TP53 mutations, but not with microsatellite instability. In contrast, the Aurora-A expression did not correlate with either aneuploidy or microsatellite instability. In addition, the expression of Aurora-A or -B was not significantly associated with the clinical outcomes or prognosis.
Conclusions:
Our results suggest that an overexpression of Aurora-B, but not of Aurora-A, might contribute to DNA aneuploidy in gastric cancers by promoting chromosomal instability.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Nondisjunction
Cancers Originate from Somatic Mutations in a Single Cell
Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...

