Deletion of tumor suppressor genes in Chinese non-small cell lung cancer

In the present study, we used 22 microsatellite markers flanking to or within 13 known or candidate tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) to detect loss of heterozygosity (LOH) in these chromosomal regions among 41 cases of non-small cell lung cancer, including 28 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and 13 adenocarcinoma (ADC). The studied TSGs comprised FHIT, VHL, APC, PRLTS, p16, IFNA, PTEN, p57, ATM, p53, BRCA1, DPC4 and DCC. Our data demonstrated frequent allelic losses of FHIT, p53, IFNA, VHL and p16 in both SCC and ADC. PTEN and ATM showed the least frequency of LOH, while no deletion of BRCA1 was detected in all tumor samples. LOH analysis of PRLTS was extended to 26 cases of ADC, which demonstrated significantly higher frequency of LOH than SCC. Our data indicated a possible correlation between specific TSG(s) and either histological type of lung cancer, and more attention should be paid to the PRLTS gene, which might play an important role in the development of ADC.