Comparative Analysis of Mutational Profile of Sonic hedgehog Gene in Gallbladder Cancer.

<bold>Background: </bold>Gallbladder cancer has high incidence in northeastern India; mortality too is high as the disease is often diagnosed late. Numerous studies have shown the role of sonic hedgehog (shh) in different cancers, an important ligand of the hedgehog signaling pathway.<bold>Aim: </bold>This study was carried out to evaluate the shh gene mutations in gallbladder cancer patients.<bold>Methods: </bold>PCR-SSCP was performed for shh gene in 50 samples each of gallbladder cancer, cholelithiasis, and control. The samples showing aberration in banding pattern were sequenced.<bold>Results: </bold>Variation in banding pattern was observed in 20% gallbladder cancer cases, 10% in cholelithiasis, and none of the control (χ 2 = 11.111; p < 0.05). Sequencing results revealed seven novel point mutations in GBC cases. These novel mutations were found to be associated with histopathology (p < 0.05) and stage (p < 0.05) of gallbladder cancer.<bold>Conclusion: </bold>This study reveals several novel individual and repetitive mutations of shh gene in GBC and cholelithiasis samples that may be used as diagnostic markers for gallbladder carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]