Jc. Zenklusen et al., Mutational and functional analyses reveal that ST7 is a highly conserved tumor-suppressor gene on human chromosome 7q31, NAT GENET, 27(4), 2001, pp. 392-398
Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of markers on human chromosome 7q31 is frequen
tly encountered in a variety of human neoplasias, indicating the presence o
f a tumor-suppressor gene (TSC). By a combination of microcell-fusion and d
eletion-mapping studies, we previously established that this TSG resides wi
thin a critical region flanked by the genetic markers D7S522 and D7S677. Us
ing a positional cloning strategy and aided by the availability of near-com
plete sequence of this genomic interval, we have identified a TSG within 7q
31, named ST7 (for suppression of tumorigenicity 7; this same gene was rece
ntly reported in another context and called RAY1). ST7 is ubiquitously expr
essed in human tissues. Analysis of a series of cell lines derived from bre
ast tumors and primary colon carcinomas revealed the presence of mutations
in ST7. Introduction of the ST7 cDNA into the prostate-cancer-derived cell
line PC3 had no effect on the in vitro proliferation of the cells, but abro
gated their in vivo tumorigenicity. Our data indicate that ST7 is a TSG wit
hin chromosome 7q31 and may have an important role in the development of so
me types of human cancer.