The findings for this technology indicate that DGIC expression is reduced in gastrointestinal malignancies and that DGIC has the potential to function as an anti-tumor molecule. The findings highlight the significance of DGIC as a novel high-value diagnostic and prognostic tumor marker as well as a novel anti-tumor target to develop better therapeutic strategies for gastrointestinal malignancies. For example, assays can be developed to measure DGIC expression at the mRNA or protein levels to diagnose gastrointestinal cancers. These assays can also be used to examine expresssion at different stages during the course of these malignancies in order to predict tumor behavior and response to cancer therapy. Because DGIC is a soluble/secreted protein, assays can also be developed to examine alterations in its levels in serum and in other body fluids for diagnosis and prognosis. Because DGIC exhibits anti-tumor potential and is a secreted protein, it can be developed as a novel cancer therapeutic. In addition, novel therapeutics can also be developed to enhance its levels in malignant tissues to harness its anti-tumor potential. The DGIC-based assays will also have utility for basic biomedical research laboratories engaged in investigating molecular pathogenesis of cancers using cell-based and animal studies.

File Number: R1657-100 

Disease: Cancer

Other Information: Principal Investigator: M. Saeed Sheikh Additional Investigators: Ying Huang