28026126
Helicobacter pylori induces mono-(adenosine 5'-diphosphate)-ribosylation in human gastric adenocarcinoma.
Mono-(adenosine 5'-diphosphate) (ADP)-ribosylation, which transfers an ADP-ribose from nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) to an acceptor protein, is an important post-translational modification of cellular proteins. Several bacterial toxins are known to possess the mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity to catalyze this reaction as a possible pathogenic factor. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine whether H. pylori may also induce mono-ADP-ribosylation in a human gastric mucosal protein in association with gastric cancer development. Tumorous and adjacent non-tumorous mucosal tissue specimens were obtained from the surgically removed stomachs of 5 patients with gastric adenocarcinoma, and then were homogenized into cytosolic and membranous fractions. Each homogenate or an H. pylori extract was assayed for mono-ADP-ribosylation with [adenylate-(32)P]-NAD and 3-aminobenzamide, a potent inhibitor of poly-ADP-ribosylation. The radiolabeled proteins were separated by sodium dodecylsulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by radio-image analysis. In the extracts from H. pylori, a strain-dependent, endogenous radiolabeling of 70-kDa protein was detected. An assay of the membranous fractions from 5 gastric adenocarcinomas with the extract of OMH4, a clinical H. pylori isolate, revealed notable radiolabelings of 55- and 45-kDa proteins, which were not found without the OMH4 extract. In contrast, the radiolabelings were minimal in the membranous fractions from respective non-tumorous mucosae, and they were not detected in any of the examined cytosolic fractions. All three radiolabelings of 70-, 55-, and 45-kDa proteins were dependent on NAD, but not on ADP-ribose. Snake venom phosphodiesterase digestion of the 3 radiolabeled proteins released only AMP. We thus found that H. pylori had an enzymatic mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase activity which enabled it to modify the 55- and 45-kDa membranous proteins of human gastric adenocarcinoma, as well as the 70-kDa protein of H. pylori itself. The possible roles underlying our observations on carcinogenesis or development of human gastric carcinoma are yet to be elucidated.
10066001
UNIDENTIFIED CURVED BACILLI IN THE STOMACH OF PATIENTS WITH GASTRITIS AND PEPTIC ULCERATION
Biopsy specimens were taken from intact areas of antral mucosa in 100 consecutive consenting patients presenting for gastroscopy. Spiral or curved bacilli were demonstrated in specimens from 58 patients. Bacilli cultured from 11 of these biopsies were gram-negative, flagellate, and microaerophilic and appeared to be a new species related to the genus Campylobacter. The bacteria were present in almost all patients with active chronic gastritis, duodenal ulcer, or gastric ulcer and thus may be an important factor in the aetiology of these diseases.
6354818
Helicobacter pylori infection and the risk of gastric carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
Infection with Helicobacter pylori has been linked with chronic atrophic gastritis, an inflammatory precursor of gastric adenocarcinoma. In a nested case-control study, we explored whether H. pylori infection increases the risk of gastric carcinoma.


METHODS
From a cohort of 128,992 persons followed since the mid-1960s at a health maintenance organization, 186 patients with gastric carcinoma were selected as case patients and were matched according to age, sex, and race with 186 control subjects without gastric carcinoma. Stored serum samples collected during the 1960s were tested for IgG antibodies to H. pylori by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Data on cigarette use, blood group, ulcer disease, and gastric surgery were obtained from questionnaires administered at enrollment. Tissue sections and pathology reports were reviewed to confirm the histologic results.


RESULTS
The mean time between serum collection and the diagnosis of gastric carcinoma was 14.2 years. Of the 109 patients with confirmed gastric adenocarcinoma (excluding tumors of the gastroesophageal junction), 84 percent had been infected previously with H. pylori, as compared with 61 percent of the matched control subjects (odds ratio, 3.6; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.8 to 7.3). Tumors of the gastroesophageal junction were not linked to H. pylori infection, nor were tumors in the gastric cardia. H. pylori was a particularly strong risk factor for stomach cancer in women (odds ratio, 18) and blacks (odds ratio, 9). A history of gastric surgery was independently associated with the development of cancer (odds ratio, 17; P = 0.03), but a history of peptic ulcer disease was negatively associated with subsequent gastric carcinoma (odds ratio, 0.2; P = 0.02). Neither blood group nor smoking history affected risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Infection with H. pylori is associated with an increased risk of gastric adenocarcinoma and may be a cofactor in the pathogenesis of this malignant condition.
7877700
Helicobacter pylori and Gastric Cancer: What can be Learned by Studying the Response of Gastric Epithelial Cells to the Infection?
The development of gastric adenocarcinoma is closely linked to chronic infection with the bacterial pathogen Helicobacter pylori. One Helicobacter-specific virulence factor in particular, the CagA protein, has emerged as a main effector molecule in the interaction of H. pylori with gastric epithelial cells and has been implicated in gastric carcinogenesis. This review highlights the latest insights that have been gained into the pathogenesis of the disease by transcriptional profiling approaches studying gene expression in normal gastric tissue and gastric cancer tissue from human biopsy material as well as animal models of Helicobacter infection. The potential role of CagA as a bacterial oncoprotein is also discussed.
2483964
Spiral bacteria in the human stomach: the gastric helicobacters.
During the past decade, Helicobacter pylori has become recognized as one of the most common human pathogens, colonizing the gastric mucosa of almost all persons exposed to poor hygienic conditions from childhood. It also is often found, albeit with a lower frequency, in groups of high socioeconomic status. H. pylori causes chronic active gastritis and is a major factor in the pathogenesis of duodenal ulcers and, to a lesser extent, gastric ulcers. In addition, the presence of this bacterium is now recognized as a risk factor for gastric adenocarcinoma and lymphoma. Nevertheless, most infections appear without clinical consequences. In this second decade of intensive research, it is important to understand why H. pylori is sometimes a dangerous pathogen, and to determine how it can be eradicated in those at highest risk for severe disease.
87237481
The vacuolating cytotoxin of Helicobacter pylori
The vacuolating cytotoxin is a unique proteinous cytotoxin producted by H. pylori that showed no striking primary sequence homology with other known baterial toxins. The cytotoxin is an important fator in the pathogenesis of H. pylori, which induces vacuolation of epithelial cells and plays an important role in gastric epithelial necrosis and peptic ulceration. In the paper, the progress on structure and function of the vacuolating cytotoxin of H. pylori and the roles of the H. pylori vacuolating cytotoxin in the future immunoprophylaxis and immunotherapy were reviewed.
26991852
HELICOBACTER PYLORI VACUOLATING CYTOTOXIN (VacA) ALTERS CYTOSKELETON‐ASSOCIATED PROTEINS AND INTERFERES WITH RE‐EPITHELIALIZATION OF WOUNDED GASTRIC EPITHELIAL MONOLAYERS
In previous studies, we demonstrated that Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin (VacA) inhibits gastric epithelial cell proliferation and inhibits epidermal growth factor (EGF)‐activated signal transduction. Cell proliferation and migration, both essential for mucosal healing are dependent on the cell cytoskeleton. Other investigators demonstrated that VacA induces vacuolation of eukaryotic cells. Since in some cells, control of actin cytoskeleton involves GTP‐binding proteins of Rho family, in this study we examined whether VacA affects wound re‐epithelialization, cell cytoskeleton‐associated proteins Rho, Rac1 in a gastric epithelial (RGM1) cell monolayer wound model, and whether these changes correlate with vacuolation. VacA treatment significantly inhibited wound re‐epithelialization, cell proliferation vs control. VacA‐induced cell vacuolation strongly correlated with inhibition of wound re‐epithelialization. Furthermore, VacA reduced Rac‐1 protein expression and distribution, and C3‐mediated ADP‐ribosylation of Rho. These findings suggest that VacA may interfere with repair of gastric mucosal injury and ulcer re‐epithelialization by altering cytoskeleton‐dependent cell functions and signaling.
29353671
SHP-2 Tyrosine Phosphatase as an Intracellular Target of Helicobacter pylori CagA Protein
Helicobacter pylori CagA protein is associated with severe gastritis and gastric carcinoma. CagA is injected from the attached Helicobacter pylori into host cells and undergoes tyrosine phosphorylation. Wild-type but not phosphorylation-resistant CagA induced a growth factor–like response in gastric epithelial cells. Furthermore, CagA formed a physical complex with the SRC homology 2 domain (SH2)–containing tyrosine phosphatase SHP-2 in a phosphorylation-dependent manner and stimulated the phosphatase activity. Disruption of the CagA–SHP-2 complex abolished the CagA-dependent cellular response. Conversely, the CagA effect on cells was reproduced by constitutively active SHP-2. Thus, upon translocation, CagA perturbs cellular functions by deregulating SHP-2.
33871175
Protein-tyrosine phosphatase alpha, RPTP alpha, is a Helicobacter pylori VacA receptor.
Helicobacter pylori vacuolating cytotoxin, VacA, induces vacuolation, mitochondrial damage, cytochrome c release, and apoptosis of gastric epithelial cells. To detect gastric proteins that serve as VacA receptors, we used VacA co-immunoprecipitation techniques following biotinylation of the cell surface and identified p250, a receptor-like protein-tyrosine phosphatase beta (RPTP beta) as a VacA-binding protein (Yahiro, K., Niidome, T., Kimura, M., Hatakeyama, T., Aoyagi, H., Kurazono, H., Imagawa, K., Wada, A., Moss, J., and Hirayama, T. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 36693-36699). VacA causes vacuolation of G401 cells, a human kidney tumor cell line, although they do not express RPTP beta. By co-immunoprecipitation with VacA, we identified p140 as a potential receptor in those cells. p140 purified by chromatography on a peanut agglutinin affinity matrix contained internal amino acid sequences of RGEENTDYVNASFIDGYRQK and AEGILDVFQTVK, which are identical to those in RPTP alpha. The peptide mass fingerprinting of p140 by time of flight-MS analysis also supported this identification. Treatment of G401 cells with RPTP alpha-morpholino antisense oligonucleotide before exposure to toxin inhibited vacuolation. These data suggest that RPTP alpha acts as a receptor for VacA in G401 cells. Thus, two receptor tyrosine phosphatases, RPTP alpha and RPTP beta, serve as VacA receptors.
8108730
Mice deficient in protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type Z are resistant to gastric ulcer induction by VacA of Helicobacter pylori
Nat. Genet. 33, 375–381 (2003). On page 378 in the left column, the second full sentence should read, “Git1 is tyrosine-phosphorylated by Ptk2 (also called FAK) and Src (also called c-src; refs. 26,27), although its physiological role is not clear.”
27537762
Relation between carcinogenesis, chromatin structure and poly(ADP-ribosylation) (review).
Poly(ADP-ribose) is a naturally occurring nuclear macromolecule resembling nucleic acids. It is synthesized from NAD+ on histones and a few other nuclear proteins. Its function, although not completely understood, might be to alter chromatin structure and to regulate the activity of proteins involved in the metabolism of DNA strand breaks such as ligase II, and topoisomerase I. In addition, poly(ADP-ribose) modifies proteins involved in gene expression such as acetylated histones. HMG proteins, and T antigen. The enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase responsible for this modification has the unique property of requiring nicks or free ends on the DNA for its activity and of being automodified. The automodified enzyme, presumably found at the vicinity of DNA strand breaks at damaged chromatin sites, could remove histones from DNA and attract enzymes that have an affinity for poly(ADP-ribose) such as ligase II or poly(ADP-ribose) glycohydrolase, the polymer-degrading enzyme. Alterations in chromatin structure alter gene expression and seem to be involved in repair, replication, and recombination and in changing DNA superhelical density, intermediate steps in molecular carcinogenesis. Experiments with cells in culture and laboratory animals show that inhibition of poly(ADP-ribosylation) alters transformation and tumorigenicity brought about by a great number of carcinogenic agents. Cancer can be caused by the accumulation of unrepaired DNA strand breaks in the cell accelerating gene rearrangements, deletions, insertions and amplifications. Repair of DNA strand breaks shows an absolute dependence upon the rapid synthesis and degradation of poly(ADP-ribose). The polymer has a very short half life indeed. Data are reviewed on changes in chromatin structure and function caused by histone and nonhistone poly(ADP-ribosylation). The link of this modification to transformation, tumorigenesis, development, replication and gene expression is examined. A model is proposed to explain the effect of poly(ADP-ribosylation) on chromatin structure at the molecular level. Mono- and oligo(ADP-ribosylated) histones present in nuclei under physiological conditions are proposed to functions, like acetylated histones, in maintaining chromatin loops into transcriptionally active structures. On the other hand, poly(ADP-ribosylated) histones and poly(ADP-ribosylated) enzymes such as DNA and RNA polymerases, suggested to be modified from in vitro studies, might only appear in cells that have been heavily damaged by carcinogen. Their function might be to remove histones from DNA in order to facilitate repair and to shut down transcription and replication.
8532015
Enhancement of poly‐adenosine diphosphate‐ribosylation in human hepatocellular carcinoma
Background : Poly‐adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐ribosylation, catalysed by poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP), is a post‐translational modification of nuclear proteins and is involved in a wide range of biological processes including DNA repair, cell proliferation and malignant transformation. Alteration of this reaction in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is of interest, but has not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to evaluate poly‐ADP‐ribosylation and to compare the expression of PARP in HCC and adjacent non‐tumour tissues.
39159680
An abundance of bacterial ADP-ribosyltransferases--implications for the origin of exotoxins and their human homologues.
ADP-ribosylation is a post-translational modification that can be seen in many contexts, including as the primary mechanism of action of many important bacterial exotoxins. By data-mining complete and incomplete bacterial genome sequences, we have discovered >20 novel putative ADP-ribosyltransferases, including several new potential toxins.
33160847
Nitric oxide stimulates the ADP-ribosylation of a 41-kDa cytosolic protein in Dictyostelium discoideum.
Nitric oxide-releasing compounds were shown to activate an ADP-ribosyltransferase activity in the cytosol of Dictyostelium discoideum. The enzyme ADP-ribosylated a cytosolic protein of approximately 41 kDa, p41. Neither cGMP nor GTP and its analogues affected this ADP-ribosylation. p41 differs from other substrates ADP-ribosylated by cholera, pertussis, or diphtheria toxins. Treatment of ADP-ribosylated p41 with snake venom phosphodiesterase released adenosine 5'-monophosphate, indicating a mono-ADP-ribose-protein linkage. This linkage was stable to neutral hydroxylamine but was sensitive to mercury ions and iodomethane, suggesting an attachment to a cysteine residue. Treatment of intact cells with nitric oxide-releasing compounds appeared to stimulate the ADP-ribosylation of p41 and this modification was reversible.
26594666
ADP-ribosylation of an approximately 70-kilodalton protein of Klebsiella pneumoniae
An approximately 70-kDa protein in the culture supernatant of a human pathogenic strain of Klebsiella pneumoniae was labeled in the presence of [32P-adenylate]NAD. Labeling was significantly increased by the addition of dithiothreitol ( > 1 mM) but prevented by treatment of the culture supernatant for 3 min at 56 degrees C. The addition of unlabeled NAD, but not of ADP-ribose, blocked labeling of the approximately 70-kDa protein. The radioactive label was released by formic acid but not by HgCl2 (1 mM) or neutral hydroxylamine (0.5 M). The addition of homogenates of human platelets, human neutrophils, rat brain, rat lung, or rat spleen tissues to the culture supernatant did not induce labeling of eukaryotic proteins. The data indicate that the K. pneumoniae strain produces ADP-ribosyltransferase which modifies an endogenous protein.
12148104
Stimulation of mono‐ADP ribosylation in rat liver plasma membranes after long‐term alcohol intake
ADP ribosylation is considered one of the important covalent modifications of cellular proteins catalyzed by ADP ribosyltransferase, which transfers ADP ribose moiety of NAD to an acceptor protein. Because a growing body of evidence has suggested significant biological roles for mono‐ADP ribosylations in transmembrane signal transduction and other cell metabolism, how alcohol intake alters them is of interest. Cholera toxin and pertussis toxin have been widely used as probes to investigate the roles of GTP‐binding proteins (G‐proteins) in the transduction of hormonal and sensory signals. We first tested effects of long‐term alcohol intake on these toxin‐catalyzed ADP ribosylations of G‐proteins in rat liver plasma membranes. Treatment of rat liver plasma membrane with [32P]NAD and thiol‐preactivated cholera toxin resulted in the labeling of a 44‐kD band, most likely an α‐subunit of the stimulatory GTP‐binding protein, the extent of which was much greater in alcohol‐fed rats than in pair‐fed controls. Analogous experiments with pertussis toxin also demonstrated enhancement of toxin‐catalyzed ADP ribosylation of the inhibitory GTP‐binding protein after long‐term alcohol intake. More interesting was that long‐term alcohol intake remarkably stimulated endogenous mono‐ADP ribosylation of a 58‐kD protein in a GTP‐dependent manner. In vitro, ethanol (50 mmol/L) or a single load of ethanol (3 gm/kg) did not stimulate the reaction. Thus long‐term alcohol intake stimulated both toxin‐catalyzed and endogenous mono‐ADP ribosylations of proteins in rat liver plasma membranes. Pursuit of alcohol interaction with mono‐ADP ribosylation may provide an interesting approach to the study of alcohol's effects on the liver. (HEPATOLOGY 1993;18:870‐873).
25729582
Long‐term alcohol intake enhances ADP‐ribosylation of the multifunctional enzyme, phosphoglucomutase, in rat liver
Adenosine diphosphate (ADP)‐ribosylation is a posttranslational protein modification that, in turn, alters several regulatory proteins in mammalian cells. We demonstrated that long‐term alcohol intake enhanced the ADP‐ribosylation of a 58‐kd protein in rat liver plasma membranes. To assess the biological significance of this phenomenon, we partially purified the 58‐kd acceptor protein from solubilized rat liver homogenates by two sequential preparative high‐pressure liquid chromatographies. Microsequencing revealed that it was phosphoglucomutase (PGM) (EC 5,4,2,2). This enzyme underwent negligible auto ADP‐ribosylation, but the ADP‐ribosylation was remarkably increased by adding rat liver plasma membranes. The extent of the increase was greater in alcohol‐fed rats than in pair‐fed controls, suggesting enhanced enzyme activities toward ADP‐ribosylation of PGM after chronic alcohol consumption. Several important enzymes are ADP‐ribosylated, after which their activities are modified. The results of this study showed that PGM is a novel substrate for ADP‐ribosylation in the liver and that the ADP‐ribosylation is increased after chronic alcohol consumption. In view of the variety of roles of PGM in the liver (carbohydrate metabolism and Ca2+ homeostasis), specific roles of this modification in terms of the effects of alcohol on hepatocytes may deserve further investigation.
8826352
Regulation of NAD+ glycohydrolase activity by NAD(+)-dependent auto-ADP-ribosylation.
NAD+ glycohydrolase (NADase; EC 3.2.2.5) is an enzyme that catalyses hydrolysis of NAD+ to produce ADP-ribose and nicotinamide. Its physiological role and the regulation of its enzymic activity have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the mechanism of self-inactivation of NADase by its substrate, NAD+, was investigated by using intact rabbit erythrocytes and purified NADase. Our results suggest that inactivation of NADase was due an auto-ADP-ribosylation reaction. ADP-ribosylated NADase of rabbit erythrocytes was deADP-ribosylated when incubated without NAD+, and thus enzyme activity was simultaneously restored. These findings suggest that reversible auto-ADP-ribosylation of NADase might regulate the enzyme's activity in vivo.
23619999
ADP ribosylation of human neutrophil peptide-1 regulates its biological properties
In human airways, epithelial cells lining the lumen and intraluminal cells (e.g., polymorphonuclear cells) participate in the innate immune response. These cells secrete or express on their surfaces arginine-specific ADP ribosyltransferases. Defensins, antimicrobial proteins secreted by immune cells, are arginine-rich, leading us to hypothesize that ADP ribosylation could modify their biological activities. We found that an arginine-specific ADP ribosyltransferase-1 present on airway epithelial cells modifies Arg-14 of α defensin-1. ADP-ribosylated defensin-1 had decreased antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities but still stimulated T cell chemotaxis and IL-8 release from A549 cells. Further, ADP-ribosylated defensin-1 inhibited cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of unmodified defensin-1. We identified ADP-ribosylated defensin-1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid from smokers but not from nonsmokers, confirming its existence in vivo. Thus, airway mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases could have an important regulatory role in the innate immune response through modification of α defensin-1 and perhaps other basic molecules, with alteration of their biological properties.
28819107
Specific inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase and mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferase.
Two classes of enzymes, poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase and mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferases, catalyze covalent attachment of multiple or single residues, respectively, of the ADP-ribose moiety of NAD+ to various proteins. In order to find good inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase free of side actions and applicable to in vivo studies, we made a large scale survey using an in vitro assay system, and found many potent inhibitors. The four strongest were 4-amino-1,8-naphthalimide, 6(5H)- and 2-nitro-6(5H)-phenanthridinones, and 1,5-dihydroxyisoquinoline. Their 50% inhibitory concentrations, 0.18-0.39 microM, were about two orders of magnitude lower than that of 3-aminobenzamide that is currently most popularly used. A common structural feature among all potent inhibitors, including 1-hydroxyisoquinoline, chlorthenoxazin, 3-hydroxybenzamide, and 4-hydroxyquinazoline, in addition to the four mentioned above, was the presence of a carbonyl group built in a polyaromatic heterocyclic skeleton or a carbamoyl group attached to an aromatic ring. Most of the inhibitors exhibited mixed-type inhibition with respect to NAD+. Comparative studies of the effects on poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase and mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferase from hen heterophils revealed high specificity of most of the potent inhibitors for poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase. On the other hand, unsaturated long-chain fatty acids inhibited both enzymes, and saturated long-chain fatty acids and vitamin K1 acted selectively on mono(ADP-ribosyl)transferase. The finding of many inhibitors of ADP-ribosyltransferases, especially poly(ADP-ribose) synthetase, supports the view that ADP-ribosylation of proteins may be regulated by a variety of metabolites or structural constituents in the cell.
21240592
Modification of cardiac membrane adenylate cyclase activity and Gs alpha by NAD and endogenous ADP-ribosyltransferase.
The mechanism by which NAD stimulates cardiac adenylate cyclase was investigated. In highly purified canine cardiac sarcolemma, NAD stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of agents which activate Gs (i.e. 5 mM AlF4-, 10 microM GTP gamma S, 10 microM GppNHp or isoproterenol plus 2 nM GTP gamma S). Furthermore, the EC50 of isoproterenol to stimulate adenylate cyclase was reduced in the presence of NAD. In membranes incubated with [32P]-NAD, AlF4-, 10 microM GTP gamma S or isoproterenol plus 2 nM GTP gamma S produced a selective increase in the radiolabeling of a single 45-kDa protein which was identified as Gs alpha by immunoprecipitation. Cholera toxin catalysed radiolabeling of the same protein. Neutral hydroxylamine released [32P]-ADP-ribose from Gs alpha prelabeled in the presence of AlF4- and [32P]-NAD indicating that an arginine residue on Gs alpha was modified by an endogenous ADP-ribosyltransferase. ADP-ribosyltransferase inhibitors, novobiocin, vitamin K1 or 3-aminobenzamide, inhibited AlF4- stimulated ADP-ribosylation of Gs alpha and NAD potentiation of adenylate cyclase with similar efficacies. The activity responsible for NAD potentiation of adenylate cyclase and ADP-ribosylation of Gs alpha was not removed under hypotonic or hypertonic conditions and therefore appears to be tightly membrane bound. Collectively, these observations indicate that canine cardiac sarcolemma possess an ADP-ribosyltransferase which may constitutively catalyse transfer of an ADP-ribose to activated Gs alpha.
1082721
Variation in gene expression patterns in human gastric cancers.
Gastric cancer is the world's second most common cause of cancer death. We analyzed gene expression patterns in 90 primary gastric cancers, 14 metastatic gastric cancers, and 22 nonneoplastic gastric tissues, using cDNA microarrays representing approximately 30,300 genes. Gastric cancers were distinguished from nonneoplastic gastric tissues by characteristic differences in their gene expression patterns. We found a diversity of gene expression patterns in gastric cancer, reflecting variation in intrinsic properties of tumor and normal cells and variation in the cellular composition of these complex tissues. We identified several genes whose expression levels were significantly correlated with patient survival. The variations in gene expression patterns among cancers in different patients suggest differences in pathogenetic pathways and potential therapeutic strategies.