Objective： To study the genes expression profile differences in the peripheral blood between esophageal carcinoma patients and normal subjects using the gene chip technique and screen out the esophageal early conceration associated genes. Methods： The total RNA was extracted and purified in the peripheral blood obtained from the patients with esophageal carcinoma and normal subjects. The first strand of cDNA was synthesized through retro-transcription and labeled with Cy5 and Cy3 fluorescence as probes. The mixed probes were hybridized with a piece of 4096 double dot human whole gene chip. The acquired image was analyzed by microarrav suite software using a digital computer, and the intensity of ttuorescence signal and its ratio were calculated. Results： A total of 92 genes were screened out and its expression difference was more than 2 times in the peripheral blood between the patients with esophageal carcinoma and normal subjects. Among these, the expression difference of 36 genes was more than 3 times. Two human urokinase plasminogen activator surface receptor （UPAR） genes, 80K-L protein gene, human protein tyrosine-phosphatase gent arid proto-oncogene protein mRNA were significantly up-regulated, while the collagen V type （α-2 gene was markedly down-regulated. Conclusion： 80K-L protein gene, tyrosinephophatase gene, proto-oncogene protein arid the collagen V type α-2 gene might be associated with the ontogenesis, development and its metastasis in the esophageal carcinoma. The UPAR gene may play important roles in the diagnosing the micrometastasis in the peripheral blood of esophageal carcinoma.
