Isolation of the human semaphorin III/F gene (SEMA3F) at chromosome 3p21, a region deleted in lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) has been correlated with a deletion in the short arm of chromosome 3, with the region 3p21 being lost from one homolog in almost all cases. Two SCLC cell lines have homozygous deletions in 3p21, and these deletions overlap with a fragment of chromosome 3 that has tumor suppression activity in vivo. We have isolated some cDNA clones from this region that are homologous to the genes constituting the semaphorin family. They represent a novel human semaphorin, termed sema III/F (HGMW-approved symbol SEMA3F), which is expressed as a 3.8-kb transcript in a variety of cell lines and tissues; it is detected as early as Embryonic Day 10 in mouse development. There is high expression in mammary gland, kidney, fetal brain, and lung and lower expression in heart and liver. Although there is reduced expression of this gene in several SCLC lines, no mutations were found. This semaphorin homolog has characteristics of a secreted member of the semaphorin III family, with 52% identity with mouse semaphorin E and 49% identity with chicken collapsin/semaphorin D.