ELONGATION-FACTOR-1-GAMMA MESSENGER-RNA EXPRESSION IN ESOPHAGEAL-CARCINOMA

Elongation factor 1 gamma (EF1 gamma) is known to be a subunit of EF1, one of the G proteins that mediate the transport of aminoacyl tRNA to 80S ribosomes during translation. As Little is known regarding the ex pression of EF1 gamma in human oesophageal carcinoma, this study looke d at its expression using a northern blot analysis. Thirty six cases o f oesophageal carcinoma and 15 oesophageal carcinoma cell lines were s tudied. The EF1 gamma mRNA overexpression at a level of twofold or mor e was seen in five (14%) of 36 carcinomatous tissues compared with the normal counterparts. All five overexpressed cases showed severe lymph node metastases compared with the non-overexpressed cases, and the di fference was significant (p=0.028). The stage of the disease of these five cases was far advanced compared with the non-overexpressed cases (p=0.012). All 15 oesophageal carcinoma cells expressed EF1 gamma mRNA relatively lower than the gastric or pancreatic carcinoma cell lines, in which EF1 gamma was originally isolated. As the expression of EF1 gamma mRNA could be detected even in the biopsy specimens, its overexp ression in tumour tissue may provide preoperative useful information f or predicting the aggressiveness of tumours.