Malignant transformation of nontrophoblastic cells is associated with the expression of chorionic gonadotropin β genes normally transcribed in trophoblastic cells

The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCGbeta) is encoded by four nonallelic CGbeta genes. An assay was developed for distinguishing type I CGbeta allelic genes beta7 and beta6, which possess a GCC codon corresponding to an alanine at position 117 of hCGbeta, from type II CGbeta genes be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Ill.), 1997-02, Vol.57 (3), p.516-523
Main Authors: BELLET, D, LAZAR, V, BIECHE, I, PARADIS, V, GIOVANGRANDI, Y, PATERLINI, P, LIDEREAU, R, BEDOSSA, P, BIDART, J.-M, VIDAUD, M
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Cell Line
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - metabolism
Chorionic Gonadotropin, beta Subunit, Human - genetics
Epidemiology
Female
Gene Expression
Humans
Luteinizing Hormone - genetics
Male
Medical sciences
Protein Biosynthesis
Transcription, Genetic
Trophoblasts - metabolism
Tumors
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Summary:The beta subunit of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCGbeta) is encoded by four nonallelic CGbeta genes. An assay was developed for distinguishing type I CGbeta allelic genes beta7 and beta6, which possess a GCC codon corresponding to an alanine at position 117 of hCGbeta, from type II CGbeta genes beta8, beta5, and beta3 and its allele beta9, which possess a GAC codon corresponding to an aspartic acid at the same position. In normal trophoblast, hCGbeta is encoded by type II CGbeta genes, whereas normal nontrophoblastic tissues of differing histological origin (breast, prostate, skeletal muscle, bladder, adrenal glands, thyroid, colon, and uterus) express only type I CGbeta genes. We studied the expression of CGbeta genes in 86 tumor specimens collected from patients with breast, bladder, prostate, and thyroid cancer and found that up to 61% of these nontrophoblastic tumors expressed type II CGbeta genes. Experiments performed on tumor tissues and their normal counterparts confirmed that the malignant transformation of nontrophoblastic cells is associated with the expression of type II CGbeta genes. These findings provide the basis for a simple test (the CG117 assay) that may be useful for the diagnosis of the most frequent malignancies.
ISSN:0008-5472
1538-7445