Analysis of gene expression in GIST by cDNA array

人们普遍认为胃肠道间质瘤(GIST)发生在肠道的Cajal细胞。本研究的目的是阐明与胃肠道间质瘤恶性进展相关的基因表达变化。应用基因芯片技术分析了30例胃肠道间质瘤(10例恶性GIST和20例低度恶性GIST)550个癌相关基因的表达谱。在550个基因中，我们选择了30个基因，与匹配的正常组织相比，这些基因在肿瘤组织中的平均表达水平至少上调或下调了三倍。在上调的基因中，血管内皮生长因子和bcl2的平均表达水平是正常组织的5倍以上。通过基因芯片获得的表达谱清楚地表明恶性GIST具有特异性的表达谱。这些结果表明，利用基因芯片对胃肠道间质瘤的恶性潜能进行分子分类是可行的。

It is generally accepted that gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST) arise in Cajal cell of intestine. The aim of this study was to clarify relevant alterations of gene expression associated with the malignant progression of gastrointestinal stromal tumor. Using cDNA array, we analysed the expression profiles of 550 cancer-related genes in 30 gastrointestinal stromal tumor (10 malignant GIST and 20 GIST with low grade malignancy). Among the 550 genes, we chose 30 genes the average expression levels of which were at least three-fold up-or downregulated in tumour tissues compared with levels in matched normal tissues. Among the upregulated genes, the average expression levels of VFGF and bcl-2 were over five times higher than those in matched normal tissues. The expression profiles obtained by the cDNA array clearly indicate that malignant GIST have specific expression profiles. These results indicate that molecular classification of malignant potential of gastrointestinal stromal tumor by a cDNA array is feasible.