PIK3CA and AKT2 mutations of gastric cancer in China

摘要: Mutations in PI3K and/or AKT have been reported in a variety of cancers. This indicates that the two pathways interact to cause cancer. We have therefore investigated their roles in gastric cancer (GC) in China. In our study, exons 9, 18 and 20 of PIK3CA gene and exons 6~14 of AKT2 gene were screened in 10 GC cell lines and 100 advanced primary GC together with matched normal tissues. Denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) and DNA sequencing were used to analyze the mutations in the two genes. Two point mutations in the PIK3CA gene were identified in 4 of 10 GC cell lines and in 4 of 100 GC primary tumors. Two polymorphisms in AKT2 were detected in 19 of 100 GC primary tumors. One point mutation in AKT2 was detected in 1 of 10 GC cell lines and 3 of 100 GC primary tumors, and no hot spot variation was detected. Our results indicate that PIK3CA and AKT2 mutations are found in GC, although not a common event, therefore they might still play an important role in mediating kinase activities towards gastric carcinogenesis.