SAGE news. This being published in PNAS, means we can eventually look a the whole article for free . . .
>>FRAMINGHAM, Mass., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- In an article published today in The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a group of researchers from five institutions, including Genzyme Molecular Oncology, identify the distinctive molecular signatures of two of the most common forms of lung cancer in humans. Genzyme Molecular Oncology's proprietary SAGE(TM) technology was used in the research study to differentiate gene profiles in these lung cancers.
The article, ``Molecular Characteristics of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer,'' compares gene expression patterns generated from five different, healthy tissue and tumor samples. The research team was comprised of scientists from the National Cancer Institute, National Center for Human Genome Research, The Johns Hopkins Medical Center, BioChain Institute, Inc., and Genzyme Molecular Oncology. Together, they found 115 genes that were significantly more or less expressed in non-small cell lung tumors than in normal lung tissue.
The researchers report that the genes most highly expressed in squamous carcinomas of the lung are for proteins with detoxification or antioxidant properties. This is believed to be in response to cellular damage caused by cigarette smoke.
In contrast, the group of genes most highly activated in lung adenocarcinoma encode immune system proteins and proteins associated with the small airways of the respiratory system. The data also suggest that even though mutations in the tumor suppressor protein, p53, are more often seen in squamous lung carcinoma, genes related to p53 may also play an important role in lung adenocarcinoma.
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Almost eighty percent of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancers. The two most common forms are squamous-cell carcinoma, which is closely linked to tobacco smoking, and adenocarcinoma, for which the cause is unclear.
``Identifying the very unique molecular composition of these two forms of lung cancer provides insights that may lead to drugs that more effectively treat specific subsets of the disease,'' stated Katherine Klinger, Ph.D., senior vice president of research and development for Genzyme Molecular Oncology. ``The differentially expressed genes include interesting classes of molecules such as cell surface receptors, enzymes and transcription factors, which are not only biologically interesting, but are 'druggable' targets. Interestingly, a number of immune-related proteins were also differentially regulated.''
SAGE, or serial analysis of gene expression, provides a complete, accurate, quantitative assessment of the genes expressed in a given tissue. The differentially regulated genes identified by SAGE in this analysis were validated in additional lung tumors using a variety of molecular biology techniques.
These findings further demonstrate that SAGE can identify highly differentially expressed genes that may aid in diagnosis and prognosis of cancer, and may provide new targets for improved therapy for a variety of human cancers. The National Cancer Institute supported this work.<<
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Cheers, Tuck |
