RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Frequent Nonrandom Activation of Germ-Line Genes in Human Cancer
JF Cancer Research
JO Cancer Res
FD American Association for Cancer Research
SP 5988
OP 5993
DO 10.1158/0008-5472.CAN-04-1187
VO 64
IS 17
A1 Koslowski, Michael
A1 Bell, Carolin
A1 Seitz, Gerhard
A1 Lehr, Hans-Anton
A1 Roemer, Klaus
A1 Müntefering, Horst
A1 Huber, Christoph
A1 Sahin, Ugur
A1 Türeci, Özlem
YR 2004
UL http://cancerres.aacrjournals.org/content/64/17/5988.abstract
AB The growing class of cancer/germ-line genes is characterized by a unique expression pattern with transcription restricted to germ cells and cancer cells. It is not known which fraction of germ-line genes is ectopically activated in tumor cells and whether this fraction displays common features as compared with strictly germ-line genes remaining silent in cancer. Using an unbiased genome-wide scanning approach, representative samples of both cancer/germ-line genes as well as strictly germ-line-specific genes were determined. Comparative analysis disclosed highly significant diametric characteristics for these two categories of genes with regard to sex specificity, developmental stage of physiological expression during gametogenesis, chromosomal localization, and epigenetic regulation of expression. Our findings provide class predictors for germ cell-specific gene activation in cancer. The identification of highly congruent expression patterns in cancer and in DNA methyltransferase-deficient cells suggests an underlying common epigenetic mechanism for activation of germ-line genes in cancer. ©2004 American Association for Cancer Research.