DnaJ/HSP40 Homolog Subfamily C, Member 15 (DNAJC15)

MCJ has the highest similarity to a functionally undefined protein from Caenorhabditis elegans. MCJ is expressed as a 1.2-kb transcript in several adult tissues, with testis showing the highest level of expression. Expression of MCJ was absent in three of seven ovarian cancer cell lines. Similarly, expression analysis using semiquantitative reverse transcription-PCR indicated that 12 of 18 primary ovarian tumors examined had either a complete absence or lower levels of expression of this gene. 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine treatment of the OV202 cell line induced MCJ expression in a dose-dependent manner, implicating methylation in this induction. Loss of heterozygosity and methylation-specific PCR analysis revealed that the loss of MCJ expression in primary tumors and cell lines was attributable to deletion of one allele and methylation of the other.