WNT signaling pathway is implicated in carcinogenesis and embryogenesis. We have previously cloned and characterized WNT10A, and demonstrated up-regulation of WNT10A in gastric cancer. Here, we investigated expression of WNT10A mRNA in various types of human cancer. WNT10A mRNA was detected in 10 out of 12 esophageal cancer cell lines by cDNA-PCR, and was significantly up-regulated in esophageal cancer cell lines TE2, TE3, TE4, and a brain tumor cell line A-172. WNT10A mRNA was not up-regulated by retinoic acid in a teratocarcinoma cell line NT2. TFF1/pS2 mRNA, but not WNT10A mRNA, was up-regulated by β-estradiol in a breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Expression of WNT10A mRNA in various types of primary cancers was next investigated by using Matched tumor/normal expression array filter. WNT10A mRNA was significantly up-regulated in 2 out of 8 cases of primary gastric cancer, and in 1 out of 7 cases of primary rectal cancer. Expression of WNT10A mRNA in esophageal cancer was not investigated, because such samples were not blotted on the expression array filter. Up-regulation of WNT10A mRNA might play key roles in some cases of esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancer.

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