An integrated approach in the discovery and characterization of a novel nuclear protein over-expressed in liver and pancreatic tumors

An integrated approach in protein discovery through the use of multidiscipl inary tools was reported. A novel protein, Hcc-1, was identified by analysi s of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC)-M cell proteome. The assembled EST sequence of the 210 amino acid novel protein was subsequently confirmed by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). A total of 687 bp at the 5' untran slated region of Hcc-1 was identified. Promoter activity and several upstre am open reading frames (uORFs) were demonstrated at this region. Bioinforma tics prediction showed that the first 42 amino acids of the protein is a SA P domain with sequence matches to hnRNP from various vertebrate species. Th e Hcc-1 protein was localized to the cell nucleus while the gene was locali zed to chromosome 7q22.1. Hcc-1 cDNA level was in pancreatic adenocarcinoma . The level was also increased in well-differentiated hepatocellular carcin oma but decreases as the carcinoma progressed to a poorly differentiated st age. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V. on behalf of the Federatio n of European Biochemical Societies.