Expression of gene MBD1 in pancreatic carcinoma

Objective To survey MBD1 mRNA expression in pancreatic carcinoma by using gene chip and reverse-transcription PCR; to discuss the role of MBD1 in manipulating methylation-related gene transcription. Methods Three mixed samples from 2 cases of normal pancreatic tissue and 4 cases of gradeⅡpancreatic carcinoma were studied by means of cDNA microarray which contains 18 000 genes. The alterations in gene expression levels were confirmed and reexamined by RT-PCR. Results There were 1 484 and 1 353 differently expressed genes in the two cancer samples, which included tumor suppressor genes, cyclin genes, growth factors and receptor genes, signal conduction genes, transcription factor genes, etc. The ratio value of MBD1 ranged the highest among the 102 up-regulated genes in both tumor samples, while CDH1, E2F5 and Rb were all down-regulated; the resulrs being confirmed by RT-PCR. Further RT-PCR reexamination showed that the level of MBD1 mRNA in pancreatic cancer tissues was higher than that in the corresponding mormal pancreas tissues(P0.01). Conclusions cDNA microarray is an efficient method to survey gene expression profiles in pancreatic carcinoma. The level of MBD1 mRNA in pancreatic cancer tissues is higher than that in the corresponding normal pancreas tissues. MBD1 plays an important role in the inactivation-mechanism of methylation-related tumor suppressor genes in pancreatic carcinoma.