Differential expression of the eukaryotic release factor 3 (eRF3/GSPT1) according to gastric cancer histological types

• Published in: Journal of clinical pathology 2005-06, Vol.58 (6), p.621-625
• Main Authors: Malta-Vacas, J, Aires, C, Costa, P, Conde, A R, Ramos, S, Martins, A P, Monteiro, C, Brito, M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Cell cycle; Cell growth; Cytoskeleton; Deoxyribonucleic acid; DNA; DNA, Neoplasm - genetics; Efficiency; eIF; eRF; eRF3/GSPT1; eukaryotic initiating factor; eukaryotic release factor; Gastric cancer; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gene Dosage; Gene expression; Genomes; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Neoplasm Proteins - genetics; Neoplasm Proteins - metabolism; Original; Pathology. Cytology. Biochemistry. Spectrometry. Miscellaneous investigative techniques; PCR; Peptide Termination Factors - genetics; Peptide Termination Factors - metabolism; Phase transitions; Polymerase chain reaction; Protein synthesis; Proteins; Real time; real time polymerase chain reaction; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction - methods; reverse transcription; RNA, Neoplasm - genetics; Stomach Neoplasms - metabolism; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Studies; translation machinery; Tumorigenesis; Tumors; Up-Regulation
• ISSN: 0021-9746; 1472-4146
• DOI: 10.1136/jcp.2004.021774

Background: There are now several lines of evidence to suggest that protein synthesis and translation factors are involved in the regulation of cell proliferation and cancer development. Aims: To investigate gene expression patterns of eukaryotic releasing factor 3 (eRF3) in gastric cancer. Methods: RNA was prepared from 25 gastric tumour biopsies and adjacent non-neoplastic mucosa. Real time TaqMan reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was performed to measure the relative gene expression levels. DNA was isolated from tumour and normal tissues and gene dosage was determined by a quantitative real time PCR using SYBR Green dye. Results: Different histological types of gastric tumours were analysed and nine of the 25 tumours revealed eRF3/GSPT1 overexpression; moreover, eight of the 12 intestinal type carcinomas analysed overexpressed the gene, whereas eRF3/GSPT1 was overexpressed in only one of the 10 diffuse type carcinomas (Kruskal-Wallis Test; p < 0.05). No correlation was found between ploidy and transcript expression levels of eRF3/GSPT1. Overexpression of eRF3/GSPT1 was not associated with increased translation rates because the upregulation of eRF3/GSPT1 did not correlate with increased eRF1 levels. Conclusions: Overexpression of eRF3/GSPT1 in intestinal type gastric tumours may lead to an increase in the translation efficiency of specific oncogenic transcripts. Alternatively, eRF3/GSPT1 may be involved in tumorigenesis as a result of its non-translational roles, namely (dis)regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis, or transcription.