OBJECTIVETo investigate the complex differences between high metastatic and low metastatic cells of the Adenoid cystic Carcinoma.

METHODSGene expression patterns were examined in high metastatic cell ACC-M strain and low metastatic ACC-2 strain with the method SSH (suppression subtractive hybridization).

RESULTSalthough extensive similarity was noted between the expression profiles, twelve genes were highly expressed of, in low metastatic cell ACC-2 tester, compared with driver, high metastatic cell ACC-M. These genes were cysteine-rich angiogenic-inducer protein (cyr61), chromosome7 clone RP11-52501, G protein, was family member Iferritin heavy polypeptide I, jumping translocation breakpoint, eukaryotic translation elongation, folate receptor, ribosomal proteins L7a, S21, P0 and other two novel genes-ACC metastasis-associated RNH and ACC metastasis-associated suspected protein. GenBank accession number were AF522024 and AF522025 respectively.

CONCLUSIONSthe result suggests that the obtainment of the ability of metastasis is related to the low expression or mutation of these genes. These data provide insight into the extent of expression differences underlying metastasis-related genes that may prove useful as diagnostic or prognostic markers.