Objective: To examine the alterations in the DPC4 gene in pancreatic cancers.
Methods: Five pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines (P1, P2, P3, P4, and P7) and 11 fresh frozen pancreatic cancer tissues were monitored with polymerase chain reaction (PCR), single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis to demonstrate the sequence of deletion and mutation in 6 exons (1, 2, 3, 4, 8, and 11) of the DPC4 gene.
Results: Mutation in the DPC4 gene was found in 3 of 5 cells lines (P1, P2, and P3). Three of eleven fresh-frozen tissues showed homozygous deletions and two showed intragenic mutations, with a gene alteration frequency of 45.5% (5/11).
Conclusion: Alterations in tumor-suppressor gene DPC4 may play an important role during the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer.