Gene expression patterns in gastric cancer.

Objective: To identify gene expression patterns in distinct stages of intestinal-type gastric cancer(GC).

Methods: Gene expression patterns of distinct stages of intestinal-type GC samples from 3 patients were compared with cDNA microarray, which contained 576 genes. There were 506 target genes, which included 51 genes identified from our previous experiment with suppression subtractive hybridization(SSH) and other 455 genes chosen for their important roles in cancers. Hierarchical clustering was performed to clarify genes in association with distinct stages of GC.

Results: One hundred and eighty-one differentially expressed genes with average Cy5:Cy3 ratios higher than 2.0 or lower than 0.5 in at least one stage of GC were identified by cDNA microarray. Among them, 48 genes were up-regulated and 133 down-regulated. Hierarchical clustering analysis separated the differentially expressed genes in different stages of GC into 5 main characteristic groups. Some important differentially expressed genes in different stages of GC were identified, such as SEC23IP, LIPF, ES(BQ291520), SLC5A1, PG(encoding similar to pepsin A precursor), CXCR4, DICER1, SH3GL2, and IGF2R.

Conclusion: The differentially expressed gene patterns and some important genes were identified, which might be useful in further study on carcinogenesis, progression and metastasis of intestinal-type GC.