Progression of barrett's metaplasia to adenocarcinoma is associated with the suppression of the transcriptional programs of epidermal differentiation

• Published in: Cancer research (Chicago, Ill.) Vol. 65; no. 8; pp. 3146 - 3154
• Main Authors: KIMCHI, Erik T, POSNER, Mitchell C, KHODAREV, Nikolai N, PARK, James O, DARGA, Thomas E, KOCHERGINSKY, Masha, KARRISON, Theodore, HART, John, SMITH, Kerrington D, MEZHIR, James J, WEICHSELBAUM, Ralph R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA American Association for Cancer Research 15-04-2005
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - genetics; Adenocarcinoma - metabolism; Adenocarcinoma - pathology; Antineoplastic agents; Barrett Esophagus - genetics; Barrett Esophagus - metabolism; Barrett Esophagus - pathology; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Differentiation - genetics; Cell Transformation, Neoplastic - genetics; Cornified Envelope Proline-Rich Proteins; Disease Progression; DNA-Binding Proteins - biosynthesis; DNA-Binding Proteins - genetics; Epithelial Cells - metabolism; Epithelial Cells - physiology; Esophageal Neoplasms - genetics; Esophageal Neoplasms - metabolism; Esophageal Neoplasms - pathology; Esophagus; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; GATA6 Transcription Factor; Gene Expression; Gene Expression Profiling; Humans; Medical sciences; Multigene Family; Other diseases. Semiology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Proteins - genetics; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Transcription Factors - biosynthesis; Transcription Factors - genetics; Adenocarcinoma; Metaplasia; Program; Esophageal disease; Digestive diseases; Epidermis; Barrett esophagus; Malignant tumor
• ISSN: 0008-5472; 1538-7445
• DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-04-2490

We did expressional profiling on 24 paired samples of normal esophageal epithelium, Barrett's metaplasia, and esophageal adenocarcinomas. Matching tissue samples representing the three different histologic types were obtained from each patient undergoing esophagectomy for adenocarcinoma. Our analysis compared the molecular changes accompanying the transformation of normal squamous epithelium with Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma in individual patients rather than in a random cohort. We tested the hypothesis that expressional profiling may reveal gene sets that can be used as molecular markers of progression from normal esophageal epithelium to Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma. Expressional profiling was done using U133A GeneChip (Affymetrix), which represent approximately two thirds of the human genome. The final selection of 214 genes permitted the discrimination of differential gene expression of normal esophageal squamous epithelium, Barrett's esophagus, and adenocarcinoma using two-dimensional hierarchical clustering of selected genes. These data indicate that transformation of Barrett's esophagus to adenocarcinoma is associated with suppression of the genes involved in epidermal differentiation, including genes in 1q21 loci and corresponding to the epidermal differentiation complex. Correlation analysis of genes concordantly expressed in Barrett's esophagus and adenocarcinoma revealed 21 genes that represent potential genetic markers of disease progression and pharmacologic targets for treatment intervention. PCR analysis of genes selected based on DNA array experiments revealed that estimation of the ratios of GATA6 to SPRR3 allows discrimination among normal esophageal epithelium, Barrett's dysplasia, and adenocarcinoma.