食管鳞状细胞癌中SFRP基因家族启动子区甲基化状态的检测

目的: 检测食管鳞状细胞癌(ESCC)中Wnt通路拮抗基因家族分泌型卷曲相关蛋白(SFRP)基因的甲基化状态,探讨其与食管鳞癌发生的关系。方法: 应用甲基化特异性PCR(MS-PCR)及RT-PCR的方法检测78例食管鳞癌及相应癌旁非肿瘤组织中 SFRP1 、 SFRP2 、 SFRP4 和 SFRP5 基因的甲基化状态及mRNA表达情况,并分析其与Wnt通路中心因子β-catenin蛋白表达的关系。结果: 在食管鳞癌组织中, SFRP1 、 SFRP2 、 SFRP4 和 SFRP5 基因的甲基化率分别为65.4%(51/78)、69.2%(54/78)、62.8%(49/78)和52.6%(41/78),均明显高于癌旁非肿瘤组织(P<0.01)。这4个基因的甲基化率与肿瘤患者的组织学分级及临床分期均无关,但它们共同发生甲基化的频率则与临床分期显著相关(P<0.05)。这4个基因mRNA的阳性表达率分别为42.3%(33/78)、46.2%(36/78)、50.0%(39/78)和39.7%(31/78),均明显低于癌旁非肿瘤组织(P<0.01)。在发生甲基化的食管癌组织中这4个基因的mRNA表达阳性率及β-catenin蛋白的异质表达率均明显低于未发生甲基化的癌组织,且差异显著(P<0.05)。结论: 食管鳞癌组织中 SFRP1 、 SFRP2 、 SFRP4 和 SFRP5 基因均呈高甲基化状态,并有可能通过Wnt/β-catenin信号转导通路参与了食管癌的发生。联合检测SFRP基因家族甲基化状态对于食管癌的预后判断有一定指导意义。

Hypermethylation of SFRP genes in esophageal squamous cell cancer

AIM: To investigate the promoter methylation of secreted frizzled-related protein(SFRP) genes in esophageal squamous cell cancer(ESCC). METHODS: The methods of methylation-specific PCR(MS-PCR) and RT-PCR were applied to examine the CpG methylation of the SFRP promoter and the mRNA expression of SFRP genes,respectively, in 78 samples of ESCC and corresponding adjacent non-cancer tissues. The protein expression of β-catenin was determined by immunohistochemistry.RESULTS: In the ESCC tissues, the frequencies of promoter methylation in SFRP1 , SFRP2 , SFRP4 and SFRP5 genes were 65.4%(51/78), 69.2%(54/78), 62.8%(49/78) and 52.6%(41/78),respectively, significantly higher than those in the adjacent tissues(P<0.01). The hypermethylation of these genes had no correlation with clinical stage and pathological classification in ESCC tissues(P>0.05). The frequency of simultaneous methylation of the 4 genes was correlated with the clinical stage(P<0.05). The positive rates of mRNA expression of the 4 genes in ESCC tissues were 42.3%(33/78), 46.2%(36/78), 50.0%(39/78) and 39.7%(31/78), respectively lower than those in the adjacent tissues(P<0.01). The mRNA expression of SFRP genes and the ectopic expression of β-catenin were correlated with the methylation frequency of SFRP genes(P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Promoter methylation of SFRP1 , SFRP2 , SFRP4 and SFRP5 genes was a frequent event in ESCC, indicating a contribution to the pathogenesis of ESCC through aberrant canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Combination analysis of methylation status in SFRP genes may has definite value on estimating prognosis of ESCC.