一個(gè)國(guó)際研究小組設(shè)計(jì)了一種檢測(cè)方法來篩查和鑒別腫瘤生長(zhǎng)抑制基因。這種檢測(cè)方法使得發(fā)現(xiàn)新的癌癥基因（當(dāng)受到損害的時(shí)候會(huì)促發(fā)前列腺癌）成為可能。運(yùn)用這種新技術(shù)，可以在大約25,000個(gè)人類基因中鑒別出腫瘤抑制基因，并且顯著加快研究進(jìn)程。運(yùn)用新方法在單個(gè)實(shí)驗(yàn)室中就可以篩查上千個(gè)基因。

這種檢測(cè)方法的高效率是因?yàn)槁?lián)合使用了兩種篩查方法：無義介導(dǎo)的mRNA衰減（nonsense-mediated mRNA decay，NMD）基因芯片技術(shù)被用于篩查突變基因，而比較基因雜交（comparative genomic hybridisation，CGH）基因芯片技術(shù)被用于篩查同一樣本中DNA拷貝丟失的數(shù)量。通過聯(lián)合檢測(cè)研究人員能夠有效地查明在癌細(xì)胞中功能失活的基因。

運(yùn)用這種方法研究人員在EPHB2基因中發(fā)現(xiàn)了異常。該基因編碼一種細(xì)胞膜受體，這種受體在細(xì)胞內(nèi)信息傳遞中起作用，同時(shí)也在細(xì)胞分化、細(xì)胞活動(dòng)性、維持正常組織結(jié)構(gòu)中起作用。EPHB2基因功能的異常會(huì)導(dǎo)致相應(yīng)的組織異常，并促進(jìn)癌細(xì)胞的增殖與轉(zhuǎn)移。

研究人員發(fā)現(xiàn)在8％的前列腺癌患者中出現(xiàn)EPHB2突變，尤其是在轉(zhuǎn)移性癌患者中。這個(gè)發(fā)現(xiàn)有望促進(jìn)前列腺癌新治療方法的發(fā)展。研究人員瞄準(zhǔn)進(jìn)一步改善NMD-CGH基因芯片技術(shù)，并將之應(yīng)用于發(fā)現(xiàn)前列腺癌以及其它癌癥的尚未被發(fā)現(xiàn)的腫瘤抑制基因。

該研究在芬蘭VTT的醫(yī)學(xué)生物技術(shù)系中繼續(xù)進(jìn)行，同時(shí)與美國(guó)翻譯基因組學(xué)研究院（the Translational Genomics Research institute）的一個(gè)國(guó)際研究隊(duì)伍緊密合作。

Identified: Gene that Promotes Prostate Cancer

An international research team has developed a method for the screening and identification of tumour growth-suppressing genes. The method enabled the discovery of a new cancer gene, which, when damaged, may promote prostate cancer.

With the new technique, it is possible to identify potential tumour-suppressor genes from among the approximately 25,000 human genes and accelerate research significantly. The new method allows the screening of thousands of genes in a single laboratory experiment.

The effectiveness of the method is due to the combination of two screening methods: the NMD(nonsense-mediated mRNA decay) microarray technique is used to screen for mutated genes, while the CGH (comparative genomic hybridisation) microarray technique is used to screen for DNA copy number losses from the same sample. By combining these findings researchers can efficiently pinpoint those genes whose function has failed in cancer cells.

Using this method the researchers found errors in the EPHB2 gene. The gene encodes a cell membrane receptor, which has a role in the intracellular communication, and is required for cell differentiation, cell mobility and maintenance of correct tissue structure. A defect in the EPHB2 gene function may thus cause tissue dysorganisation and promote the proliferation and metastatis of cancer cells.

Researchers found mutations in EPHB2 gene in 8 per cent of prostate cancer patients, particularly in the metastatic tumours. The discovery is hoped to facilitate the development of novel therapeutics for prostate cancer. The researches aim to develop the NMD-CGH microarray method  further and apply it for new tumour-suppressor gene discovery approaches in prostate cancer and other cancer types.

The research was continued in Finland at VTT in the Medical Biotechnology Department, in collaboration with a research team at the Translational Genomics Research institute in the US.