BACKGROUNDThere is no any specific dynamic criterion in early diagnosis of lung cancer yet. The aim of this study is to obtain the cDNA sequence of hnRNP A2/B1 and then determine its expression in patients with lung cancer, and to provide experimental data for the early diagnosis and treatment of lung cancer.

METHODSTotal RNA was isolated from A549 cells and RT-PCR was performed. The fragment was cloned into PUCm-T plasmids and further sequenced. hnRNP A2/B1 expression was detected in 41 patients with lung cancer and 13 patients with carcinoma-free diseases by in situ hybridization.

RESULTSThe fragment was identified by DNA sequencing. The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 was 87.8% (36/41) in lung cancer tissues, which was significantly higher than that in control group (23.1%, 3/13) (P < 0.01). hnRNP A2/B1 was localized in the cytoplasm and/or nucleus, but mainly in the cytoplasm. Four subtypes of lung cancer all showed positive staining of hnRNP A2/B1 protein. The positive rate of hnRNP A2/B1 was 91.3% (21/23) in squamous cell carcinoma, and 78.6% (11/14) in adenocarcinoma (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONShnRNP A2/B1 has been cloned successfully. It can highly express in lung cancer tissues, but it does not correlate with histological classification of lung cancer.