DECREASED EXPRESSION OF P16 GENE IN GASTRIC-CANCER

We analyzed gastric cancers for p16 gene alterations. Homozygous delet ion of the p16 gene was found in 1 of 8 gastric cancer cell lines and none of 20 primary gastric cancers. Mutations of the p16 gene were not detected in exon 1-3. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed decreased or no expression of the p16 gene i n 1 of 8 cell lines (12.5%) and in 8 of 20 tumors (40%), although no h omozygous deletions or mutations within exon 1-3 were detected. These results suggest that the p16 gene may correlate to tumorigenesis due t o decrease or loss of gene products in gastric cancers.