[Correlation studies on the alterations of multiple tumor suppressor genes in human esophageal cancer and in human and monkey esophageal epithelial cells treated with N-methyl-N-benzyl nitrosamine].

The correlation between the mutation spectra of tumor suppressor genes Rb, p53, APC and MCC in human esophageal cancer (EC) and in human and monkey esophageal epithelium treated with N-Methyl-N-Benzyl nitrosamine (NMBzA) was studied using PCR amplification and direct sequencing methods. The results showed that in 40.9% (9/22) of the specimen examined, the mutation spectrum of p53 in primary EC was similar to that in the esophageal epithelium of human fetus (in vitro) and monkey (in vivo) treated with NMBzA. The same mutational spectra of tumor suppressor genes Rb, APC, MCC in esophageal epithelium cells of human and monkey treated with NMBzA were also found in some human primary EC. The correlation observed in the mutation spectra of multiple tumor suppressor genes between human primary EC and the esophageal epithelia of human and monkey origin treated with NMBzA wouldsuggest that NMBzA may be the esophageal etiological agent for human esophageal cancer in China.