Genetic and gene expression analysis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)

摘要

We examined both the chromosomal copy number changes and differential RNA expression profiles in Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Gene expression profiles identified a large number of differentially regulated genes involved in diverse functional processes, while genetic analysis detected extensive genomic abnormalities including large and small, discrete regions of copy number change and loci that exhibit uniparental disomy (UPD). The relationship between chromosomal copy number and level of gene expression were analysed. This revealed that the direct copy number/expression link applies in about 60% of the instances of copy number loss/down-expression and less than 35% of instances of copy number gain/up-expression that were examined. Signalling pathway analysis revealed that numerous components involved in the TGF-β, Wnt/β-catenin and Hedgehog pathways were universally upregulated in NPC tumours, and gene expression pattern of the C666-1 cell line approximated to other NPC tumours, indicating that it is a good tumour model. A preliminary in vitro investigation of signalling pathways revealed that the C666-1 cell line is intact in the activin and Hh signalling pathways but not in the TGF-β pathway. However, the C666-1 cells appear to resist activin-mediated cell growth inhibition