[MAL gene is down-regulated substantially in human esophageal cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the status of expression of MAL gene in human esophageal cancer. METHODS: Expression of MAL gene was analyzed by Northern blot and/or RT-PCR in 41 pairs of human esophageal cancer tissues and matched adjacent normal mucosa, and three human esophageal cancer cell lines EC109, EC8712 and EC9706. MAL gene was analyzed by PCR in the three esophageal cancer cell lines. RESULTS: MAL gene expression was down-regulated substantially or barely detectable in 93% (38/41) of human esophageal cancer tissues while expressed at high level in all matched adjacent normal esophageal mucosa. In all 3 human esophageal cancer cell lines, expression of MAL gene was not detectable. PCR analysis showed that the MAL gene fragment analyzed was intact in the three esophageal cancer cell lines. CONCLUSION: Down-regulation of MAL gene expression is of frequent occurrence in human esophageal cancer.