Expression of the ATF3 gene on cell lines and surgically excised specimens

TI-241 (ATF3 homologue gene) is a metastasis-associated gene that is expres sed at higher levels in the high-metastatic mouse B16 melanoma subline B16- FIO than in the low-metastatic clone F1. We studied ATF3 expression in esta blished cell lines of human colon and stomach cancer and surgically excised human colon cancer. ATF3 was expressed at higher levels in the cell lines that were established from metastatic sites than in those from original tum or sites. Also ATF3 was expressed at higher levels in tumor specimens than in adjacent normal mucosa, especially in the tumors that had invaded the ly mphatic ducts and/or the vessels, while there was not a significant relatio nship between its expression and the other pathological features. As metast asis is the most important factor in determining prognosis, these results s how the potential for ATF3 in making the prognosis.