Sign in Subscribe
Cancer

Epithelial Cell Transforming Sequence-2 Oncogene plays Critical Role in Lung and Esophageal Cancer Progression

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Scientists in Tokyo, Japan, have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of cancer research, identifying a potential molecular target for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of lung and esophageal carcinomas. By analyzing gene expression profiles of 101 lung cancers and 19 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas, researchers isolated the epithelial cell transforming sequence-2 (ECT2) oncoantigen as a candidate target. ECT2 expression was found to be significantly associated with poor prognosis in both non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The study's findings suggest that ECT2 may be a prognostic biomarker and a potential therapeutic target for the development of anticancer drugs and cancer vaccines.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study isolated the epithelial cell transforming sequence-2 (ECT2) oncoantigen as a potential molecular target for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of lung and esophageal carcinomas.
  • ECT2 expression was found to be significantly associated with poor prognosis in both non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).
  • The study used gene expression profile analyses of 101 lung cancers and 19 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas to identify ECT2 as a candidate target.
  • Knockdown of ECT2 expression by small interfering RNAs effectively suppressed lung and esophageal cancer cell growth.
  • Induction of exogenous expression of ECT2 in mammalian cells promoted cellular invasive activity.
  • The researchers concluded that ECT2 cancer-testis antigen is likely to be a prognostic biomarker in clinic and a potential therapeutic target for the development of anticancer drugs and cancer vaccines.

Statistics:

  • 27,648 genes or expressed sequence tags were analyzed by cDNA microarray in the study.
  • 101 lung cancers and 19 esophageal squamous cell carcinomas were analyzed by gene expression profile analyses.
  • 242 archived non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and 240 ESCC specimens were used to examine the expression of ECT2 protein.
  • 23 normal tissues were analyzed to detect expression of ECT2.
  • p=0.0004 for NSCLC and p=0.0088 for ESCC showing the association between ECT2 expression and poor prognosis.

Sources:

  • Hirata D, et al. (2009). Involvement of epithelial cell transforming sequence-2 oncoantigen in lung and esophageal cancer progression. Clinical Cancer Research, 15(1), 256-266.
  • American Association Cancer Research, 615 Chestnut St., 17TH Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106-4404, USA.

Read more