Structural features of GR6 gene and its expression in colorectal neoplasm / 浙江大学学报·医学版

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the characteristics of GR6 gene and putative GR6 protein, and to evaluate the expression of GR6 gene in colorectal cancer and normal mucosa.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Bioinformatic software and databases were applied to analyze the characteristics of GR6 gene and putative GR6 protein. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of GR6 gene in colorectal carcinoma, adenoma and normal mucosa.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>GR6 gene, encoding putative GR6 protein, consisted of 3 exons and contained 4 CpG islands by sequence analysis. It was predicted that putative GR6 protein included one protein kinase C phosphorylation site, one casein kinase II phosphorylation site, and three N-myristoylation sites. PSORT II software analysis predicted that putative GR6 protein was located in nucleus (reliability 76.7%). At the level of mRNA, the expression of GR6 gene was high in normal mucosa, moderate in mucosa adjacent to cancer and adenoma tissue, low in colorectal carcinoma tissue. Significant differences were demonstrated between normal mucosa and adenoma (P<0.05), normal mucosa and carcinoma (P<0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The putative GR6 protein, encoded by GR6 gene may predictably function as an important nuclear signal transduction molecule. Decreased expression of GR6 gene may play an important role in the initiation and promotion of colorectal neoplasia.</p>