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  • Genetics and Genomics
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Identification of molecular markers for the early detection of human squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix

British Journal of Cancer volume 86, pages 274–281 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

To identify novel cellular genes that could potentially act as predictive molecular markers for human cervical cancer, we employed RT–PCR differential display, reverse Northern and Northern blot analysis to compare the gene expression profiles between squamous cell carcinoma biopsies and adjacent histo-pathological normal epithelium tissues. Twenty-eight cDNA clones were isolated that were demonstrated to be consistently over-expressed in squamous cell cervical cancer biopsies of FIGO stages 1B to 3B. Most importantly, it was observed that, in addition to their over-expression in cancer lesions, some of these genes are upregulated in the presumably histo-pathological normal adjacent tissues. Of particular interest is clone G30CC that has been identified to be the gene that encodes S12 ribosomal protein. When employed for RNA–RNA in situ hybridization experiments, expression of G30CC could be detected in the immature basal epithelial cells of histo-pathological normal tissues collected from cervical cancer patients of early FIGO stages. In comparison, the expression of G30CC was not detected in cervical tissues collected from patients admitted for surgery of non-malignant conditions. These results allow the distinct possibility of employing the ribosomal protein S12 gene as an early molecular diagnostic identifier for the screening of human cervical cancer and a potential target employed for cancer gene therapy trials.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Singapore National Medical Research Council and the Singapore National Science and Technology Board.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Cellular and Molecular Research, Laboratory of Gene Structure & Expression, National Cancer Centre, 11 Hospital Drive, 169610, Singapore

    Q Cheng, W M Lau & K M Hui

  2. Department of Pathology and Gynaecological Oncology, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, 229899, Singapore

    S H Chew

  3. Department of Gynaecological Oncology, KK Women's & Children's Hospital, 229899, Singapore

    T H Ho

  4. Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Singapore General Hospital, 169608, Singapore

    S K Tay

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  1. Q Cheng
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Correspondence to K M Hui.

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Cheng, Q., Lau, W., Chew, S. et al. Identification of molecular markers for the early detection of human squamous cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix. Br J Cancer 86, 274–281 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.bjc.6600038

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