脑胶质瘤组织中p16基因启动子区CpG岛甲基化检测及其临床意义研究

目的：研究脑胶质瘤中p16基因启动子区甲基化情况及其临床意义。方法：用甲基化特异性PCR技术检测42例脑胶质瘤组织和癌旁正常脑组织中p16基因启动子甲基化,并分析该基因启动子甲基化与临床病理特征之间的关系。结果：脑胶质瘤组织中p16基因异常甲基化率（38.27%）显著高于癌旁正常脑组织中p16基因的异常甲基化率（8.8%,P=0.000）。发生甲基化的肿瘤组织或者正常脑组织中p16基因mRNA和蛋白表达显著降低。此外,p16基因异常甲基化和肿瘤病理分级有相关性（P=0.007）,而与患者性别、年龄及肿瘤类型等临床特征无关（P=0.669,0.869和0.944）。结论：p16基因启动子区CpG岛高甲基化与p16表达下调相关,推测p16启动子区CpG岛高甲基化是导致p16基因在脑胶质瘤中表达下调的重要因素,有望成为脑胶质瘤早期辅助诊断的分子标志物之一。     

非小细胞性肺癌患者Runx3基因启动子区甲基化状态研究

目的:分析非小细胞性肺癌(NSCLC)中Runx3基因启动子区甲基化状态.方法:运用甲基化特异性PCR技术检测62例NSCLC组织和癌旁正常肺组织中Runx3基因启动子甲基化,并分析该基因启动子甲基化Runx3基因mRNA和蛋白表达的影响及其与临床特征之间的关系.结果:NSCLC组织中Runx3基因异常甲基化率(48.4%)显著高于癌旁正常肺组织中Runx3基因的异常甲基化率(17.7%,P＝0.000);发生完全或者不完全甲基化的NSCLC组织或者正常肺组织中Runx3基因mRNA和蛋白表达显著降低.Runx3基因启动子区高甲基化和肿瘤分化程度及临床分期有相关性(P＝0.041和0.009),而与NSCLC患者性别、年龄、有无吸烟史及肿瘤类型等临床特征无关(P=0.400,0.301,0.290和0.965).结论:Runx3基因启动子区异常甲基化是导致Runx3基因在NSCLC中表达下调的重要因素,有望成为NSCLC早期辅助诊断的分子标志物之一.     

结肠癌组织RASSF1A基因转录表达和启动子区甲基化研究

目的:研究Ras相关区域家族1A基因(ras association domain family 1A,RASSF1A)启动子区甲基化对结肠癌组织中该基因转录和表达的影响.方法:应用甲基化特异性PCR(Methylation-special PCR,MSP)、RT-PCR和Western blot方法检测30例结肠癌组织和癌旁组织中的RASSF1A基因启动子区甲基化状态、mRNA和蛋白表达水平.结果:①RASSF1A基因启动子区在结肠癌纽织和正常组织中的甲基化频率分别为57%(17/30)和20%(6/30),甲基化频率在两组具有统计学差异(p＜0.01),,结肠癌组织中RASSF1A基因启动子区甲基化频率显著高于癌旁正常组织(x2=8.531,p＜0.01);②结肠癌组织中RASSF1A基因mRNA和蛋白袁达均显著低于癌旁组织(癌组织和癌旁正常组织中mRNA相对表达量分别为0.2836±0.0493和0.5092±0.0433,P＜0.001;以上组织中蛋白相对表达量分别为0.3124±0.0472和0.5320±0.0440,P＜0.01);③在结肠癌组织中,甲基化组RASSF1A基因mRNA和蛋白表达明显低于非甲基化组(甲基化组和非甲基化组mRNA相对表达量分别为0.0686±0.0174和0.5511±0.0486,P＜0.0001;以上组中蛋白相对表达量分别为0.1219±0.0326和0.5614±0.0380,P＜0.0001).结论:结肠癌组织中RASSF1A基因启动子区甲基化明显增高,与该基因蛋白表达减少显著相关,这可能是导致结肠癌中RASSF1A抑癌基因失活的主要因为.     

RASSF1A和Runx3基因启动子区甲基化在胃癌组织中的表达及意义

目的：检测胃癌组织中RASSFlA和Runx3基因启动子区甲基化状态,探讨二者与胃癌发生发展的关系。方法：采用甲基化特异性PCR（MSP）技术检测57例胃癌组织和相应癌旁组织及30例正常胃黏膜组织中RASSFlA和Runx3基因启动子区甲基化状态。结果：RASSFlA和Runx3甲基化在正常组未见表达。胃癌组RASSFlA基因甲基化率为64．9％（37／57）,明显高于癌旁组的7．0％（4／57）,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）,胃癌组Runx3基因甲基化率为49．1％（28／57）,明显高于癌旁组5．3％（3／57）,差异有统计学意义（P〈O．05）。胃癌组RASSFlA和Runx3基因甲基化率为68．4％（39／57）,明显高于癌旁组的8．8％（5／57）,差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05）。结论：RASSFlA和Runx3基因启动子区高甲基化与胃癌的发生密切相关,有望为胃癌的早期诊治提供理论依据。     

乳腺癌中beclin1基因下调机制的研究

目的探讨beclin1在乳腺癌中的可能下调机制。方法用Real-time RT-PCR检测34例乳腺癌中be-clin1 mRNA的表达;Q-PCR分析beclin1是否存在基因的缺失;亚硫酸氢钠测序法检测beclin1基因启动子区域的CpG岛甲基化。结果乳腺癌组织中beclin1的mRNA表达水平与癌旁组织比较显著下调（P=0.005）;Q-PCR发现62%的肿瘤标本中beclin1基因存在缺失;在6例乳腺癌mRNA表达下调的乳腺癌标本中发现启动子区域异常的DNA甲基化。结论beclin1基因的缺失和启动子区域的异常甲基化可能是其在肿瘤细胞中失活的两种机制。     

DLC-1基因在MCF-7人乳腺癌细胞系中低表达的机制探究

目的：探究DLC-1基因在MCF-7人乳腺癌细胞系中低表达的机制。方法：应用甲基化特异性PCR（MSP）检测人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7的DLC-1基因甲基化状态,不同浓度的5-氮杂-2＇-脱氧胞嘧啶（5-Aza-CdR）处理人乳腺癌细胞MCF-7,RT-PCR及Real-time PCR定量检测用药前后细胞中DLC-1基因mRNA表达水平变化。结果：DLC-1基因启动子区CpG岛呈甲基化状态,经过5-Aza-CdR处理后,DLC-1基因启动子区呈去甲基化状态,并且其mRNA恢复表达。结论：抑癌基因DLC-1 CpG岛甲基化是导致该基因低表达的原因之一,5-Aza-CdR能逆转DLC-1基因甲基化状态。     

NF2基因甲基化及其mRNA表达与乳腺癌发病的关系

目的:探讨乳腺癌中NF2基因启动子甲基化状态及其mRNA水平与乳腺癌发病的关系.方法:应用甲基化特异性聚合酶链反应(MSP)和逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)技术,检测47例乳腺癌组织及相应的癌旁组织和15例乳腺良性病变组织,分析NF2基因的甲基化与某些临床参数及mRNA表达的关系.结果:NF2基因启动子区在乳腺癌、癌旁和乳腺良性病变组织中的甲基化频率分别为57.4%(27/47)、23.4%(23/47)和0%(0/15).且乳腺癌组明显高于其余两组(P＜0.05).NF2基因发生甲基化与发病年龄、组织分型、转移和组织分级无相关性.乳腺癌组NF2基因mRNA的相对表达量(0.16±0.11)明显低于相应的癌旁组(0.27±0.14)及乳腺良性病变组(0.64±0.17)(P＜0.05).NF2基因启动子区甲基化频率与其mRNA表达呈负相关(Spearman's r=-0.314,P＜0.05).结论:NF2基因发生甲基化与乳腺癌的发生密切相关,NF2mRNA表达与NF2基因启动子高甲基化呈负相关.     

小鼠骨髓细胞中p16和Ralb基因启动区CpG岛的甲基化位点分析

抑癌基因p16和白血病致癌因子Ralb与白血病的发生密切相关,其启动子区CpG岛的甲基化对基因表达具有重要作用.本文旨在分析p16、Ralb基因启动子区CpG岛甲基化位点信息,并比较这两个基因在小鼠骨髓细胞和原代培养的骨髓细胞中甲基化状态的差异.运用"MethPrimer"软件预测p16、Ralb基因启动子区的CpG岛,设计甲基化特异性引物.利用重亚硫酸盐测序法(BSP)检测甲基化位点信息.结果显示,p16有1个CpG岛,岛上21个CpG位点全部未发生甲基化;Ralb有2个CpG岛,CpG岛1上的5个CpG位点全部呈甲基化状态,而CpG岛2上的17个CpG位点全部呈非甲基化状态,且小鼠骨髓细胞和体外原代培养的骨髓细胞中两基因的甲基化状态一致.表明p16、Ralb基因甲基化状态未受外界培养条件的影响而改变,提示在与两基因甲基化相关的研究中体外试验可替代体内试验.     

肝细胞癌中FHIT基因启动子甲基化状态分析及其与临床病理特征之间的关系研究

目的:分析肝细胞癌组织中FHIT基因启动子甲基化状态及其与FHIT基因表达和肝细胞癌临床病理特征的关系。方法:运用甲基化特异性PCR(MSP)方法分析肝细胞癌组织和癌旁正常肝脏组织中FHIT基因启动子甲基化状况;应用RT-PCT和Western免疫印迹方法检测FHIT基因mRNA和蛋白的表达情况;统计学分析FHIT基因启动子甲基化与肝细胞癌临床病理特征的关系。结果:MSP分析结果表明肝细胞癌组织中FHIT基因甲基化率(60.8%)显著高于癌旁正常组织中FHIT基因甲基化(16.2%;x2=31.071,P=0.000)。同时我们还发现:发生完全或者部分甲基化的肝细胞癌组织或者癌旁正常肝组织中FHIT基因mRNA和蛋白表达水平显著降低。FHIT基因启动子甲基化和肝细胞癌患者的临床分期和肝外转移情况密切相关(P=0.006和0.049),而与其他临床病理特征无相关性(P>0.05)。结论:FHIT基因甲基化是导致FHIT基因在肝细胞癌中失活的一个重要因素,与肝细胞癌的发生密切相关,有望成为肝细胞癌早期诊断的分子检测标志物和分子治疗新靶点。     

HDAC4基因甲基化对hMSCs向汗腺样细胞诱导转分化的影响

目的：探讨在诱导人骨髓间充质干细胞（hMSCs）转分化为汗腺样细胞过程中,组蛋白去乙酰化酶4（HDAC4）甲基化的改变及其对诱导转分化过程的影响。方法：选取人骨髓间充质干细胞系体外培养、扩增后,取第三代hMSCs与热休克处理的汗腺细胞进行Transwell+诱导因子的共培养。收集诱导后实验组的汗腺样细胞和同期对照组的hMSCs,采用甲基化特异性PCR（MSP）和飞行质谱（Mass Array）法检测HDAC4基因启动子区CpG岛甲基化状态的变化,随后采用甲基化抑制剂5-氮杂-2'-脱氧胞苷（5-aza-CdR,10 μmol/L）处理实验组hMSCs,对照组为同期培养的hMSCs,RT-PCR测定两组细胞HDAC4基因和癌胚抗原（CEA）基因的mRNA表达量。结果：诱导前hMSCs中HDAC4基因整体甲基化水平较高,探针cg2463009处CpG位点甲基化程度为0.901,诱导转分化后汗腺样细胞中HDAC4基因整体甲基化水平下降37%,甲基化程度为0.531;探针cg14823429处CpG位点甲基化程度由诱导前的0.687下降到0.386。5-aza-CdR处理48 h后,实验组HDAC4基因mRNA表达水平上调,与诱导转分化相关的CEA mRNA同期表达量也增强,与对照组相比差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。结论：HDAC4基因的甲基化参与了hMSCs转分化为汗腺样细胞过程的调控。     

猪脂联素基因启动子区甲基化与其mRNA表达分析

脂联素(Adiponectin)是至今发现的唯一与肥胖呈负相关的脂肪细胞特异性蛋白, 是调控生物体的能量稳态、葡萄糖代谢和脂肪代谢的脂源性细胞因子之一。生物信息学分析发现, adiponectin基因启动子区-1500~-1350 bp 是CpG位点的富集区域。为了进一步研究脂联素基因的表达调控研究, 文章从表观遗传学角度出发, 通过Real-time PCR与甲基化特异性PCR(Methylation special PCR, MSP)的方法对脂联素基因的表达及其启动子区的甲基化状况进行了分析。结果表明, 在adiponectin基因启动子区CG富集的区域(-1500~-1350 bp)中, 90日龄长白猪大多去甲基化(83%), 90日龄蓝塘猪部分去甲基化(33%), 成年蓝塘猪全是高度甲基化(100%), 成年长白猪部分去甲基化(33%)。甲基化与去甲基化过程主要发生在某些特定CpG位点。脂联素基因在猪肌肉组织中以高度甲基化状态为主, 这一结果与该基因在肌肉组织中表达量相吻合。以上结果提示, 随个体发育, 脂联素基因的甲基化状态随基因表达的波动呈现动态的过程, 表现出与基因表达量波动基本一致的波动趋势。     

LMP gene promoter hypermethylation is a mechanism for its down regulation in Kazak’s esophageal squamous cell carcinomas

Abnormal hypermethylation of CpG islands not only associated with tumor suppressor genes can lead to repression of gene expression, but also contribute to escape of the tumor from immune surveillance and contribute significantly to tumorigenesis. In the present study, we studied the hypermethylation of low molecular-weight protein (LMP) gene and its regulation on protein expression in biopsies from resected tissues from Kazak’s esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients and their neighboring normal tissues. LMP2 and LMP7 genes promoter region methylation sequences were maped in esophageal cancer cell line Eca109 by bisulfite-sequencing PCR and quantitative detection of methylated DNA from 30 pairs of Kazak’s ESCC and adjacent normal tissues by MassARRAY (Sequenom, San Diego, CA, USA) and LMP2 and LMP7 protein expression were analyzed with immunohistochemistry. In Eca109, we identified 6 CG sites methylated from all of 22 CpG sites of LMP7 gene. However, no methylation was found for LMP2. The analysis of the data resulted from the quantitative analysis of single CpG site methylation by Sequenom MassARRAY platform, has shown that the methylation level between two groups CpG sites (CpG_5, CpG_9, CpG_20, CpG_21 and CpG_20) from CpG_1, CpG_2, CpG_3, CpG_4, CpG_5, CpG_6, CpG_7, CpG_8, CpG_9, CpG_10.11, CpG_12.13.14, CpG_15.16.17.18, CpG_19, CpG_20, CpG_21 and CpG_22 significant differences between ESCC and neighboring normal tissues. The analysis of methylation level of whole target CpG fragment indicated that the methylation level of LMP7 was significant higher in ESCC (0.0517 ± 0.0357) than in neighboring normal tissues (0.0380 ± 0.0214, P < 0.05). there was a tendency of decreasing the LMP7 proteins expression as the increasing the methylation level of LMP7 gene promoter regions (F = 7.69, P = 0.041). The LMP7 gene promoter methylation and protein downregulation were correlated at high extent in Kazakh’s ESCC patients, and may explain the epigenetic regulation on gene expression.     

Identification of New Differentially Methylated Genes That Have Potential Functional Consequences in Prostate Cancer

Many differentially methylated genes have been identified in prostate cancer (PCa), primarily using candidate gene-based assays. Recently, several global DNA methylation profiles have been reported in PCa, however, each of these has weaknesses in terms of ability to observe global DNA methylation alterations in PCa. We hypothesize that there remains unidentified aberrant DNA methylation in PCa, which may be identified using higher resolution assay methods. We used the newly developed Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip in PCa (n = 19) and adjacent normal tissues (n = 4) and combined these with gene expression data for identifying new DNA methylation that may have functional consequences in PCa development and progression. We also confirmed our methylation results in an independent data set. Two aberrant DNA methylation genes were validated among an additional 56 PCa samples and 55 adjacent normal tissues. A total 28,735 CpG sites showed significant differences in DNA methylation (FDR adjusted P<0.05), defined as a mean methylation difference of at least 20% between PCa and normal samples. Furthermore, a total of 122 genes had more than one differentially methylated CpG site in their promoter region and a gene expression pattern that was inverse to the direction of change in DNA methylation (e.g. decreased expression with increased methylation, and vice-versa). Aberrant DNA methylation of two genes, AOX1 and SPON2, were confirmed via bisulfate sequencing, with most of the respective CpG sites showing significant differences between tumor samples and normal tissues. The AOX1 promoter region showed hypermethylation in 92.6% of 54 tested PCa samples in contrast to only three out of 53 tested normal tissues. This study used a new BeadChip combined with gene expression data in PCa to identify novel differentially methylated CpG sites located within genes. The newly identified differentially methylated genes may be used as biomarkers for PCa diagnosis.     

Promoter hypermethylation and Up-regulation of thyroid-stimulating-hormone-alpha (TSH-α) in thyroid cancer

Thyroid-stimulating-hormone-alpha (TSH-α) is the common subunit of the heterodimeric hormone TSH and also of other glycoprotein hormones. Although both expression and promoter-methylation profiles of the gene have been observed in the pituitary gland and placenta, no observation has been reported in the thyroid gland. We examined TSH-α expression in normal and cancer thyroid tissues. Real-time RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry indicated that TSH-a was repressed in normal tissues while activated in cancer tissues. To identify the epigenetic mechanism of upregulation of TSH-α, the methylation status of the seven CpG sites in the TSH-a promoter was examined in sixty thyroid cancer tissues. Two CpG sites showed remarkably higher levels of methylation in cancer (46 and 45%) than in normal tissues (24 and 23%) (p=0.010 and 0.003). These findings indicate that TSH-α is expressed in the thyroid cancer tissue per se and that its expression can be affected by promoter methylation.     

The CpG island promoter of the human proopiomelanocortin gene is methylated in nonexpressing normal tissue and tumors and represses expression

Ectopic secretion of ACTH, from sites such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), results in severe Cushing's syndrome. ACTH is cleaved from POMC. The syndrome may occur when the highly tissue-specific promoter of the human POMC gene (POMC) is activated. The mechanism of activation is not fully understood. This promoter is embedded within a defined CpG island, and CpG islands are usually considered to be unmethylated in all tissues. We demonstrate that much of this CpG island is methylated in normal nonexpressing tissues, in contrast to somatically expressed CpG island promoters reported to date, and is specifically unmethylated in expressing tissues, tumors, and the POMC-expressing DMS-79 SCLC cell line. A narrow 100-bp region is free of methylation in all tissues. E2F factors binding to the upstream domain IV region of the promoter have been shown to be involved in the expression of POMC in SCLC. We show that these sites are methylated in normal nonexpressing tissues, which will prevent binding of E2F, but are unmethylated in expressing tissue. Methylation in vitro is sufficient for silencing of expression, which is not reversed by treatment with Trichostatin A, suggesting that inhibition of expression may be mediated by means other than recruitment of histone deacetylase activity. The DMS-79 cells lack POMC demethylating activity, implying that the methylation and expression patterns are likely to be set early or before neoplastic transformation, and that targeted de novo methylation might be a potential therapeutic strategy.     

Association of NDRG1 Gene Promoter Methylation with Reduced NDRG1 Expression in Gastric Cancer Cells and Tissue Specimens

NDRG1 (N-myc downstream-regulated gene 1) plays a role in cell differentiation and suppression of tumor metastasis. This study aims to determine the expression of NDRG1 mRNA and protein in gastric cancer cell lines and tissue specimens and then assess the possible cause of its aberrant expression. Six gastric cancer cell lines and 20 pairs of normal and gastric cancer tissue samples were used to assess NDRG1 expression using Real-time PCR and Western blot. High-resolution melting analysis (HRM) and methylation-specific PCR (MSP) were performed to detect gene mutation and methylation, respectively, in cell lines and tissues samples. Expression of NDRG1 mRNA and protein was downregulated in gastric cancer cell lines and tissues. Specifically, expression of NDRG1 mRNA and protein was lower in all six gastric cancer cell lines than that of normal gastric cells, while 15 out of 20 cases of gastric cancer tissues had the reduced levels of NDRG1 mRNA and protein. HRM data showed that there was no mutation in NDRG1 gene, but MSP data showed high levels of NDRG1 gene promoter methylation in the CpG islands in both cell lines and tissue samples. Moreover, treatment with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine upregulated NDRG1 expression in gastric cancer HGC27 cells, but not in the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A-treated HGC27 cells. In conclusion, this study has shown that expression of NDRG1 mRNA and protein was reduced in gastric cancer cell lines and tissues, which is due to methylation of NDRG1 gene promoter. Further study will unearth the clinical significance of the reduced NDRG1 protein in gastric cancer.     

Increased P16 DNA Methylation in Mouse Thymic Lymphoma Induced by Irradiation

DNA methylation is an important part of epigenetics. In this study, we examined the methylation state of two CpG islands in the promoter of the p16 gene in radiation-induced thymic lymphoma samples. The mRNA and protein levels of P16 were significantly reduced in radiation-induced thymic lymphoma tissue samples. Twenty-three CpG sites of the CpG islands in the p16 promoter region were detected, and the methylation percentages of −71, −63, −239, −29, −38, −40, −23, 46 CpG sites were significantly higher in radiation-induced thymic lymphoma tissue samples than those in matched non-irradiated thymus tissue samples. This study provides new evidence for the methylation state of p16 in the radiation-induced thymic lymphoma samples, which suggests that the methylation of these CpG sites in the p16 promoter may reduce its expression in the thymic lymphoma after irradiation.