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DPC4 gene in various tumor types
M Schutte1, R H Hruban, L Hedrick
1Gepartment of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21205-2196, USA.
Cancer Research
|June 1, 1996
Summary
The DPC4 tumor-suppressor gene is frequently inactivated in pancreatic cancer. Alterations in DPC4 are uncommon in other cancer types, highlighting tissue-specific roles in tumorigenesis.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
Background:
- A novel tumor-suppressor gene, DPC4, located at chromosome 18q21.1, was previously identified.
- Both alleles of DPC4 were found to be inactivated in approximately 50% of pancreatic carcinomas.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate alterations in the DPC4 gene across a diverse range of tumor types.
- To determine the prevalence of DPC4 gene inactivation in various human cancers.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of 338 tumors from 12 different anatomic sites for DPC4 gene alterations.
- Targeted sequencing of DPC4 in 64 specimens exhibiting 18q allelic loss.
Main Results:
- DPC4 inactivation was identified in 48% of pancreatic carcinomas.
- Alterations in DPC4 were found in one of eight breast carcinomas and one of eight ovarian carcinomas.
- DPC4 inactivation was observed in less than 10% of other tumor types analyzed.
Conclusions:
- DPC4 inactivation is a prevalent event in pancreatic cancer but rare in other examined tumor types.
- The tissue-specific nature of DPC4 alterations suggests a complex role in human tumorigenesis.
- This highlights the intricate rate-limiting checkpoints involved in cancer development.