ELEVATED EXPRESSION OF UNPH, A PROTOONCOGENE AT 3P21.3, IN HUMAN LUNG-TUMORS

The murine Unp proto-oncogene encodes a nuclear ubiquitin protease who se overexpression leads to oncogenic transformation of NIH3T3 cells. W e have cloned cDNAs originating from the human homolog of this gene, d esignated herein as Unph (Unp, human), and have used these cDNAs to ma p the gene to 3p21.3, a region frequently rearranged in human tumor ce lls. Unph mRNA levels are consistently elevated in small cell tumors a nd adenocarcinomas of the lung, suggesting a possible causative role f or the gene in the neoplastic process.