ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To study the differential expression and possible role of MLRQ subunit gene of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide reduced (NADH) oxidoreductase in malignant tumors of digestive system. METHODS: Specimens of cancerous tissues and matched adjacent normal tissues resected during operation or biopsy: 38 pairs of specimens of esophageal carcinoma, 7 pairs of specimens of cardiac carcinoma, 14 pairs of specimens of gastric carcinoma, 11 pairs of specimens of colon carcinoma, and 7 pairs of specimens of liver carcinoma underwent PCR test and Northern hybridization to detect the differential expression of MLRQ subunit gene of NADH oxidoreductase. RESULTS: (1) Overexpression of MLRQ subunit gene was found in 31 of the 38 pairs of specimens of esophageal carcinoma (81.6%), 4 of the 7 pairs of specimens of cardiac carcinoma (57.1%), 12 of the 14 pairs of specimens of gastric carcinoma (85.7%), 4 of the 7 pairs of specimens of colon carcinoma (65.6%), and 7 of the 11 pairs of specimens of liver cancer (57.1%). No significant difference among different cancers was observed by X(2) test (all P > 0.05). (2) The up-regulation of MLRQ subunit was not correlated with clinic stage, infiltration degree, lymphatic metastasis, and differentiation of tumor (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: MLRQ subunit gene is up-regulated in the malignant tumors of digestive system.
