Abstract. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most frequent neoplasms and is responsible for the second highest mortality rate of all cancers in the more developed regions of the world. The molecular mechanisms of CRC are relatively well characterized and are correlated to the accumulation of genetic mutations and certain patterns of gene expression/overexpression. There are a number of possible molecular factors involved in CRC progression in the aforementioned pathways, which are as yet not well described. One of these factors appears to be the gene FJ 194940

Aim of the studyThe FJ 194940.1 gene is located on chromosome 1 and consists of 6 exons and 5 introns. The gene undergoes alternative splicing and its isoforms appear during cancer development. Evidence suggests that expression of FJ 194940.1 splice variants relate to colorectal cancer progression. This paper discusses the quantitative analysis of the exon V expression level of FJ 194940.1 in colon cancer. The aim of the study is to carry out quantitative analysis by real-time PCR in a series of 102 colon cancer samples that had previously shown presence of exon V expression. To compare the exon V expression level with certain histological parameters and clinical staging of the neoplasm in order to assess its potential role as a prognostic factor in colon cancer.Material and methodsTissue specimens of colorectal cancer were obtained from the Oncological Centre of Lodz, Poland.Total RNA isolation was performed in accordance with the protocol enclosed in the Total RNA Prep Plus Minicolumn Kit (A&A Biotechnology, Poland). Reverse Transcriptase-PCR reaction was carried out using Enhanced Avian HSRT-PCR Kit, Sigma, according to the manufacturer's protocol.. Presence of cDNA in each sample was checked by PCR amplification of β-actin. Only samples showing the PCR product of this housekeeping gene were included in further tests. The amount of FJ 194940.1 transcript containing exon V was analysed by means of real-time PCR.ResultsExon V expression level is not significantly related to any clinicopathological features in colon cancer. However, there was a tendency towards a lower exon V expression level in a group of cases where vessel invasion was present (p = 0.0697). Additionally, the risk of death in patients with a low exon V expression level was more than two times higher when compared to patients with a high exon V expression level.ConclusionsFJ 194940.1 gene expression correlates with cancer progression independently of analysed clinicopathological parameters.

No abstract

No abstract