Altered expression of the HSD17B4 gene in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and loss of heterozygosity analysis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the alteration of the gene HSD17B4 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and its potential significance. METHODS: The mRNA expression and loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of HSD17B4 in 40 primary esophageal tumors were detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and microsatellite analysis with the intragenic marker D5S1384 of the gene. RESULTS: The frequencies of allelic loss of D5S1384 and the rate of down-regulation of gene HSD17B4 were 46.2% and 62.5%, respectively. CONCLUSION: HSD17B4 may be a candidate tumor suppressor gene associated with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.