Open AccessThe apoptosis linked gene ALG‐2 is dysregulated in tumors of various origin and contributes to cancer cell viability
Author(s) -
la Cour Jonas M.,
Høj Berit R.,
Mollerup Jens,
Simon Ronald,
Sauter Guido,
Berchtold Martin W.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
molecular oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.332
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1878-0261
pISSN - 1574-7891
DOI - 10.1016/j.molonc.2007.08.002
Subject(s) - apoptosis , viability assay , cancer research , biology , gene , cancer , programmed cell death , genetics
The apoptosis linked gene‐2 (ALG‐2), discovered as a proapoptotic calcium binding protein, has recently been found upregulated in lung cancer tissue indicating that this protein may play a role in the pathology of cancer cells and/or may be a tumor marker. Using immunohistochemistry on tissue microarrays we analysed the expression of ALG‐2 in 7371 tumor tissue samples of various origin as well as in 749 normal tissue samples. Most notably, ALG‐2 was upregulated in mesenchymal tumors. No correlation was found between ALG‐2 staining intensity and survival of patients with lung, breast or colon cancer. siRNA mediated ALG‐2 downregulation led to a significant reduction in viability of HeLa cells indicating that ALG‐2 may contribute to tumor development and expansion.