Objective: To examine the expression of the inhibitor alpha of nuclear transcription factor kappaB (IkappaBalpha) mRNA expression and its sequence characteristics in human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell (NPC) lines CNE1, CNE2, HNE1 and HNE2.
Methods: Reverse transcription was performed with the total RNAs isolated from the NPC cell lines CNE1, CNE2, HNE1 and HNE2, as well as the transplanted tumor tissues with HNE1 cells. Then IkappaBalpha cDNA was amplified by PCR, and the products were used to examine IkappaB alpha mRNA expression and DNA sequencing, or the DNA sequencing after the products were cloned into plasmid vector.
Results: IkappaB alpha mRNA was expressed in all the 4 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell lines. DNA sequencing showed that polymorphisms and 5 mutations (A825G, A975G, G576A, A655G and C653A) existed in IkappaB cDNA from the transplanted tumor tissues with HNE1 cells, CNE1 and CNE2 cells.
Conclusion: The expression of IkappaBalpha mRNA not only exists, but DNA polymorphisms and some additional mutations in IkappaBalpha cDNA are also detected in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.