Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 23, Issue 10 , Pages 498-503, October 2007

Epigenetic Changes in Tumor Suppressor Genes, P15, P16, APC-3 and E-cadherin in Body Fluid

  • Mei-Ling Chen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Julia Huei-Mei Chang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Kun-Tu Yeh

      Affiliations

    • Department of Pathology, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Ya-Sian Chang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • ,
  • Jan-Gowth Chang

      Affiliations

    • Department of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr Jan-Gowth Chang, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Research, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 100 Tzyou 1st Road, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan

Received 30 April 2007; accepted 18 May 2007.

Article Outline

The inactivation of tumor suppressor genes by promoter methylation plays an important role in the development of cancers; it can also be used as a marker to distinguish cancerous cells from non-cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the aberrant methylation profile of the tumor suppressor genes P15, P16, APC and E-cadherin in the cells of body fluid. A methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction was performed in 31 cases of malignant effusion and 39 cases of nonmalignant effusion. Aberrant promoter methylation of P15, P16, APC and E-cadherin genes was seen in 0%, 25.8%, 35.5% and 6.5% of malignant effusion cases, respectively, whereas the frequencies were 0%, 2.6%, 2.6% and 0%, respectively, for negative control effusion. There were statistically significant differences in the aberrant methylation of P16 (p = 0.008) and APC (p = 0.018) genes between cases of malignant effusion and controls. Methylation of one of three genes (P16, E-cadherin, APC) was found in 14 out of 31 (45.2%) cases of malignant effusion, and in two out of 39 (5.1%) cases of non-malignant effusion (p = 0.000004). Concurrent methylation was found in nine out of 31 (29%) cases of malignant effusion, but in no non-malignant effusion sample. From these results, we suggest that methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction to analyze the promoters of tumor suppressor genes can distinguish between malignant effusion and benign effusion, and may help cytologists to make more accurate diagnoses.

Key Words:  body fluid , cytologist , malignant cells , methylation-specific PCR , tumor suppressor gene

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PII: S1607-551X(08)70007-X

doi:10.1016/S1607-551X(08)70007-X

Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 23, Issue 10 , Pages 498-503, October 2007

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