Expression of MTA1, a metastasis-associated gene with histone deacetylase activity in pancreatic cancer

MTA1 has been identified as a metastasis-promoting gene, and its gene expre ssion is correlated with serosal invasion and lymph node metastasis in the gastrointestinal and esophageal cancers. We examined MTA1 mRNA expression l evels in 13 cell lines and 23 tumor tissues of pancreatic cancer by quantit ative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. MTA1 mRNA expression was found in all the cell lines, however its levels were not correlated wi th the metastatic pontential of each cell line representing hematogenous di stant metastasis. In the pancreatic cancer tissues, the overexpression of M TA1 mRNA (tumor/normal ratio greater than or equal to 1) was observed in 12 out of 23. Pancreatic cancer tissues overexpressing MTA1 mRNA (TIN ratio g reater than or equal to 1) tended to have higher incidence of lymph node me tastasis. These results together with previous findings in the gastrointest inal and esophageal cancers suggest that MTA1 might be involved in the prog ression, particularly in lymph node metastasis of pancreatic cancer.