Relationship between abnormality of FHIT gene and EBV infection in gastric cancer.

Aim: To examine the aberrant expression of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene and protein in gastric cancer, and to evaluate the role of FHIT gene and the relationship between FHIT gene and EBV infection in gastric carcinogenesis.

Methods: FHIT transcripts were detected by nested RT-PCR in 30 cases of gastric cancer and their products were sequenced. FHIT protein was detected by Western blot. EBV infection was detected by PCR method in 50 cases of gastric cancer.

Results: The wild type transcripts were detected in all 30 matched normal tissues of gastric cancer. Aberrant transcripts were found in 11/30 (36.7%) gastric cancerous tissues. Sequencing analysis of the aberrant fragments found an RT-PCR product missing exons 5-7 in one case of gastric cancer, and another product missing exons 4-7. Four of ten (40.0%) cases of primary gastric cancer showed absent or decreased expression of FHIT protein as compared with their matched normal tissues. EBV was detected in 5/50 (10%) gastric cancers, among which 4/5 (80%) had aberrant transcripts of FHIT gene.

Conclusion: Loss of FHIT gene or FHIT protein p1ays an important role in carcinogenesis, development and progression of gastric cancer. EBV infection might influence carcinogenesis of gastric cancer by inducing the abnormality of FHIT gene.