Analysis Of Gene Expression In Pheochrmocytoma Using Real-time Quantitative PCR

Pheochromocytoma is an important cause of secondary hypertension,whose pathogenesis is yet to be clarified.It is still difficult to identify malignant cases at early stage.The study included 4 normal adrenal medullae,8 benign and 10 malignant pheochromocytomas.Real-time quantitative PCR was carried out to analyse gene expression of LRP1B(Low-density-lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1b),EPAS1 (Endothelial PAS domain protein 1) and Grap-2(Grab-2 related adaptor protein),so as to provide,at the gene level,experimental basis for the study of pheochromocytoma pathogenesis,early differential diagnosis of benign and malignant cases,and their clinical management.The tumor suppressor gene LRP1B had higher expression in the normal adrenal medulla than in the pheochromocytomas,and had significant negative correlation with Ki-67.The gene expression of EPAS1 was higher in both the benign paragangliomas and malianant adrenal pheochromocytomas than in the malianant paragangliomas.There was positive correlation between the expression of EPAS1 and Grap-2.Some of the above results were the first such reports,according to our search in the MEDLINE database.