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Human embryonic genes re-expressed in cancer cells

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Abstract

Human preimplantation embryonic cells are similar in phenotype to cancer cells. Both types of cell undergo deprogramming to a proliferative stem cell state and become potentially immortal and invasive. To investigate the hypothesis that embryonic genes are re-expressed in cancer cells, we prepare amplified cDNA from human individual preimplantation embryos and isolate embryo-specific sequences. We show that three novel embryonic genes, and also the known gene, OCT4, are expressed in human tumours but not expressed in normal somatic tissues. Genes specific to this unique phase of the human life cycle and not expressed in somatic cells may have greater potential for targeting in cancer treatment.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by the BBSRC. We thank Ashreena Salpekar for her assistance with quantitating the cDNAs from Clontech and David Faulkes and Gary Williams (HGMP) for their assistance with the database analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Molecular Embryology Unit, Institute of Child Health, 30 Guilford Street, London, WC1N 1EH, UK

    Marilyn Monk & Cathy Holding

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  1. Marilyn Monk
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  2. Cathy Holding
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Correspondence to Marilyn Monk.

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Monk, M., Holding, C. Human embryonic genes re-expressed in cancer cells. Oncogene 20, 8085–8091 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1205088

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1205088

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