The FEZ1 gene at chromosome 8p22 encodes a leucine-zipper protein, and itsexpression is altered in multiple human tumors

Alterations of human chromosome 8p occur frequently in many tumors. We iden tified a 1.5-Mb common region of allelic loss on 8p22 by allelotype analysi s. cDNA selection allowed isolation of several genes, including FEZ1, The p redicted Fez1 protein contained a leucine-zipper region with similarity to the DNA-binding domain of the cAMP-responsive activating-transcription fact or 5, RNA blot analysis revealed that FEZ1 gene expression was undetectable in more than 60% of epithelial tumors. Mutations were found in primary eso phageal cancers and in a prostate cancer cell line. Transcript analysis fro m several FEZ1-expressing tumors revealed truncated mRNAs, including a fram eshift. Alteration and inactivation of the FEZ1 gene may play a role in var ious human tumors.