ELUCIDATING THE PATTERNS OF EXPRESSION OF GENES RELEVANT FOR THE REPAIR OF DAMAGED DNA IN COLON CANCER TISSUES

Abstract

Cancer is a disease that occurs as consequences of deranged functions of cells and genes. DNA repair genes
are vitals for keeping intact the genome's integrity. Thus, a flop or partial failure in regulating these important
repair genes is linked to carcinogenesis, progression, and resistance to therapeutic drugs against various
types of cancers. Colorectal cancer (synonym: colorectal adenocarcinoma), a malignant neoplasm, has
caused more of the many deaths that are of cancer origins. Gene profiling of DNA repair genes in colorectal
cancers are considered to be vital for their identification at any stage of development and also in their
chemotherapy. In an effort to work towards this importance, we have used the qRT-PCR techniques and
comparative threshold cycle (Ct) method to quantify and then compare the levels of gene expressions among
the DNA repair genes that include three Neil genes, Ercc1, Mlh1, Ogg1, and Nthl1 relative to the reference
gene, Gapdh used as internal control in tumour and matched normal colon tissues. The results revealed that
the expression profile of the genes in the colon tumours do not follow a clear pattern but there were relatively
high expressions of Neil3, Ercc1, and Mlh1. Since the turnovers of these genes suggestively indicate some
levels of genetic instability, therefore, they have the potential to be recognized as useful biomarkers in cancer
diagnosis.