Promoter hypermethylation of the CFTR gene and clinical/pathological features associated with non-small cell lung cancer

Background and objective: The exact role of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) in pathophysiology, and the mechanisms regulating its expression are poorly understood. The CFTR gene is known to be genetically or epigenetically associated with several cancers. In the present study, the methylation status of the promoter region of the CFTR gene and its expression in primary non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) were investigated. Methods: The methylation status of the promoter region of the CFTR gene in NSCLC tissue was assessed by pyrosequencing and methylation‐specific PCR. Expression of the CFTR gene was analysed by real‐time PCR, and CFTR gene reactivation was investigated using 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine. The correlation between methylation of the CFTR gene and the clinical features of the patients was assessed. Results: Methylation of the CFTR gene in NSCLC was quantitatively high by pyrosequencing analysis and qualitatively frequent by methylation‐specific PCR analysis. Expression of the CFTR gene was significantly lower in NSCLC compared with normal lung tissue. In addition, the demethylating agent 5‐aza‐2′‐deoxycytidine increased CFTR gene expression. Methylation of the CFTR gene was significantly greater in squamous cell carcinomas than in adenocarcinomas. CFTR gene methylation was associated with significantly poorer survival in young patients, but not in elderly patients. Conclusions: These findings suggest that DNA methylation may be important for downregulation of CFTR gene expression in lung cancer. Promoter hypermethylation of the CFTR gene may be an important prognostic factor in younger patients with NSCLC.     

p16基因启动子区甲基化在人嗜铬细胞瘤和副神经节瘤中的变化

目的 检测嗜铬细胞瘤(PHEO)和副神经节瘤(PGL)中p16基因突变和启动子区DNA甲基化改变,分析其与患者临床特征之间的关系.方法收集34例(PHEO 20例、PGL14例)组织标本及患者临床资料,通过甲基化特异性PCR(MSP)测定p16基因启动子区甲基化状态,DNA测序检测基因序列以及RT-PCR方法测定其mRNA表达.结果 (1)34例肿瘤组织中未发现p16基因纯合缺失及点突变;(2)35.3%(12/34)的患者存在p16基因高甲基化,p16基因甲基化阳性标本中,PHEO和PGL分别占25%和75%,两者差异有统计学意义(P=0.005);p16基因甲基化在恶性、单发肿瘤、发病年龄早的亚组中有增高趋势(P＞0.05);(3)甲基化与非甲基化肿瘤组织之间p16 mRNA表达无统计学差异;不同特点的肿瘤中其mRNA表达亦无统计学差异,但恶性肿瘤p16 mRNA表达与良性肿瘤相比有下降的趋势(0.83±0.65对1.12±0.81,P=0.278).结论人PHEO和PGL中,p16基因纯合缺失和突变并不常见,但p16基因启动子区甲基化是其失活的主要形式.     

IRX1在胰腺癌中的表达及其启动子区甲基化状态

目的 检测胰腺癌的易洛魁族同源盒基因(IRX1)的表达及其启动子区的甲基化状态,探讨两者间的相关性.方法 采用实时PCR法检测12例胰腺癌组织及6株胰腺癌细胞株的IRX1 mRNA 表达.基因序列分析IRX1基因启动子区结构.应用甲基化抑制剂5-氮杂-2＇-脱氧胞苷(5-Aza-dC)处理胰腺癌细胞,采用甲基化特异性PCR(MSP)、非甲基化特异性PCR (USP)及实时PCR检测处理前后IRX1启动子甲基化状态和IRX1 mRNA表达.结果 胰腺癌组织IRX1 mRNA的表达量为0.31±0.11,显著低于癌旁正常胰腺组织的1.05±0.32(P ＜0.01).胰腺癌细胞AsPCl、BxPC3、Capan-2、PANC1、PaTu8988和SW1990的IRX1 mRNA表达量分别为0.36±0.08、0.34±0.16、0.37±0.11、0.25±0.06、0.31±0.04、0.36±0.02,均显著低于人肾上皮293细胞的1.03±0.28(P＜0.05或＜0.01).IRX1基因启动子区富含CpG岛.各胰腺癌细胞株IRX1基因启动子CpG岛对应位点均有甲基化,经5-Aza-dC处理后甲基化状态得以逆转,IRX mRNA的表达也得以恢复.结论 胰腺癌的IRX1 mRNA表达下降,与其IRX1基因启动子区CpG岛高甲基化状态相关.     

5-氮杂-2′-脱氧胞苷对胃癌AGS细胞CHFR基因去甲基化作用及意义

目的观察5-氮杂-2′-脱氧胞苷（5-Aza-CdR）对胃癌AGS细胞CHFR基因去甲基化的作用,并探讨其临床意义。方法分别采用BSP和RT-PCR技术检测5-Aza-CdR处理前后胃癌AGS细胞CHFR基因启动子甲基化状态及其mRNA。结果 AGS细胞CHFR基因启动子在5-Aza-CdR处理前呈现高甲基化状态（甲基化率≥60%）,其mRNA表达完全缺失;5-Aza-CdR处理后则表现为低或无甲基化状态（甲基化率≤20%）,其mRNA表达恢复正常。结论 CHFR基因启动子在AGS细胞中呈高甲基化状态,5-Aza-CdR能显著逆转其CHFR基因异常甲基化,诱导CHFR基因表达,为胃癌的治疗提供新思路。     

PTEN hypermethylation profiles of Chinese Kazakh patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Aberrant DNA methylation of promoter region CpG islands may serve as an alternative mechanism to genetic defects in the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) in human malignancies. The aim of this study was to examine the promoter methylation status of the PTEN TSG and its association with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) carcinogenesis in a Chinese Kazakh population, which is known to have a relatively high ESCC incidence and mortality. The methylation status of the PTEN promoter region was determined in patients with ESCC (n = 95) and healthy individuals (n = 65) using highly sensitive Sequenom Epityper assays. The methylation level of the PTEN gene was significantly higher in patients with ESCC than in healthy controls. The median methylation level was 10.0% (interquartile range [IQR]: 7.0–11.0%) in patients with ESCC and 6.0% in controls (IQR: 4.0–9.0%; P = 0.001). PTEN methylation levels were higher in male patients with ESCC than in male controls, whereas a trend toward significance was observed between female patients with ESCC and female controls (P = 0.005 and P = 0.086, respectively). The PTEN methylation level was associated with histopathological grade and lymph node metastasis in patients with ESCC (P = 0.002 and P = 0.009, respectively). To our knowledge, this is the first report to show the presence of PTEN promoter CpG hypermethylation in ESCC and its association with tumor metastasis.     

Silencing of the VHL tumor-suppressor gene by DNA methylation in renal carcinoma.

Mutational inactivation and allelic loss of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) gene appear to be causal events for the majority of spontaneous clear-cell renal carcinomas. We now show that hypermethylation of a normally unmethylated CpG island in the 5' region provides another potentially important mechanism for inactivation of the VHL gene in a significant portion of these cancers. This hypermethylation was found in 5 of 26 (19%) tumors examined. Four of these had lost one copy of VHL while one retained two heavily methylated alleles. Four of the tumors with VHL hypermethylation had no detectable mutations, whereas one had a missense mutation in addition to hypermethylation of the single retained allele. As would be predicted for the consequence of methylation in this 5' CpG island, none of the 5 tumors expressed the VHL gene. In contrast, normal kidney and all tumors examined with inactivating VHL gene mutations but no CpG island methylation had expression. In a renal cell culture line, treatment with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine resulted in reexpression of the VHL gene. These findings suggest that aberrant methylation of CpG islands may participate in the tumor-suppressor gene inactivations which initiate or cause progression of common human cancers.     

EMs患者在位子宫内膜hMLH1蛋白表达变化及其基因启动子CpG岛甲基化观察

目的观察子宫内膜异位症（EM s）患者在位子宫内膜组织中hMLH1蛋白的表达变化及hMLH1基因启动子CpG岛甲基化情况。方法采用免疫组化法分别检测52例（Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ期分别为9、16、12、15例）EM s患者及30例健康志原者（对照组）在位子宫内膜中的hMLH1,采用甲基化特异性聚合酶链反应（MSP）法检测两组在位子宫内膜hMLH1启动子CpG岛甲基化情况。分离hMLH1启动子CpG岛甲基化异常者在位内膜中的腺细胞和间质细胞,采用MSP志愿分别检测两种细胞hMLH1启动子CpG岛甲基化情况。结果 EM s组中hMLH1蛋白表达减弱共6例,其中Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ期分别为0、0、1、5例,其余样本hMLH1蛋白表达均呈阳性;对照组30例无hMLH1蛋白表达减弱者,hMLH1蛋白表达均表现为阳性。EM s组中hMLH1启动子CpG岛部分甲基化3例,其中Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ、Ⅳ期分别为0、0、0、3例,余均表现为非甲基化;对照组30例均表现为hMLH1启动子CpG岛非甲基化。EM s组Ⅳ期患者与Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ期患者及对照组相比,P均〈0.05。3例hMLH1启动子CpG岛表现为部分甲基化者子宫内膜组织中hMLH1蛋白表达均减弱,其腺细胞中hMLH1启动子区表现为半甲基化,间质细胞hMLH1启动子区未见明显甲基化条带。结论 EM s患者在位子宫内膜组织中存在hMLH1表达减弱及hMLH1启动子CpG岛部分甲基化,主要集中在腺细胞,hMLH1异常与严重EM s的发病有关。     

Downregulation of retinoic acid receptor-β2expression is linked to aberrant methylation in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell lines

AIM: To study the role of hypermethylation in the loss ofretinoic acid receptorβ2(RARβ2) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).METHODS: The role of hypermethylation in RAR,β2 gene silencing in 6 ESCC cell lines was determined by methylationspecific PCR (MSP), and its methylation status was compared with RARβ2 mRNA expression by RT-PCR. The MSP results were confirmed by bisulfite sequencing of RARβ2promoter regions. RESULTS: Methylation was detected in 4 of the 6 cell lines, and the expression of RARβ2was markedly downregulated in 3 of the 4 methylated cell lines. The expression of RARβ2was restored in one RARβ2-downregulated cell line with the partial demethylation of promoter region of RARβ after 5aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dc) treatment.CONCLUSION: The methylation of the 5' region may play an important role in the downregulation of RARβ2 in someESCC cell lines, suggesting that multiple mechanisms contribute to the loss of RARβ2expression in ESCC cell lines. This study may have clinical applications for treatment and prevention of ESCC.