Loss of FAT Gene in Astrocytic Tumors
Author Information
Author(s): Kunzang Chosdol, Anjan Misra, Sachin Puri, Tapasya Srivastava, Parthaprasad Chattopadhyay, Chitra Sarkar, Ak Mahapatra, Subrata Sinha
Primary Institution: All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India
Hypothesis
The FAT gene may play a role as a tumor suppressor in astrocytic tumors.
Conclusion
The study found frequent loss of heterozygosity at the FAT locus in primary human glial tumors, suggesting its involvement in tumorigenesis.
Supporting Evidence
- 33% of grade II astrocytic tumors showed loss of a specific 500 bp band associated with the FAT gene.
- 50% of tumors analyzed exhibited loss of heterozygosity at the FAT locus.
- Low FAT mRNA levels were found in a significant subset of tumors.
Takeaway
Researchers looked at brain tumors and found that a gene called FAT is often missing, which might help explain how these tumors grow.
Methodology
The study used RAPD-PCR to identify genomic alterations and analyzed loss of heterozygosity using microsatellite and SNP markers.
Potential Biases
Potential bias in sample selection and the small sample size may affect the results.
Limitations
The study had a small number of informative samples for LOH analysis, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
Participant Demographics
The study included patients with WHO grade II and IV astrocytic tumors.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.000001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
Want to read the original?
Access the complete publication on the publisher's website