Microarray screening for target genes of the proto-oncogene PLAG1.

PLAG1 is a proto-oncogene whose ectopic expression can trigger the development of pleomorphic adenomas of the salivary glands and of lipoblastomas. As PLAG1 is a transcription factor, able to activate transcription through the binding to the consensus sequence GRGGC(N)(6-8)GGG, its ectopic expression presumably results in the deregulation of target genes, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation. The identification of PLAG1 target genes is therefore a crucial step in understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in PLAG1-induced tumorigenesis.