Genomic Database for Cancer Researchers

A new genomic database based on normal tissue from human organs has become available for cancer researchers.

Investigators at the U.S. National Cancer Institute (NCI, Bethesda, MD, USA) developed the database, which comprises DNA microarrays for 8,927 unique genes for 158 normal human samples from 19 different organs of 30 different individuals. Four observations were cited to establish the validity of the database: (1) despite very diverse sample parameters (e.g., age, ethnicity, sex, and postmortem interval), the expression profiles belonging to the same organs cluster together; (2) the gene expression profiles reflect major organ-specific functions on the molecular level; (3) any small, randomly selected subset of genes can approximately reproduce the hierarchical clustering of the full data set; and (4) 19 tumor-specific genes in neuroblastoma were identified that normally are underexpressed in normal tissue. The neuroblastoma findings were published in the March 2005 issue of Genome Research.

"Genes identified by the database as abnormally active in a particular disease could become potential targets, guiding researchers to better candidates for new drug therapies, immune-based vaccine treatments, and potential biomarkers to help with diagnosis,” explained senior author Dr. Javed Khan, chief of the oncogenomics section of the pediatric oncology branch of the NCI. "The normal organ database provides a platform that may help scientists find new targets in the cells of previously incurable cancers. The driving force of research in our section is to translate genomic information to the clinic. The goal is to save lives and improve the quality of life for children with high-risk cancer.”




Related Links:
U.S. National Cancer Institute