title: Hypermethylation of the Myf-3 gene in human colorectal cancer.
abstract: Abnormal methylation of DNA is one of the earliest detectable changes in human tumors. We investigated hypermethylation of the Myf-3 gene, the human homolog of the mouse myogenic gene Myo-D1, in colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Histologically normal gut mucosa from colorectal cancer patients showed moderately higher levels of methylation than in other normal tissues. Varying degrees of Myf-3 hypermethylation were found in all five adenomas and eight adenocarcinomas examined. Carcinomas arising from within adenomas generally showed a decrease in both the heterogeneity and intensity of Myf-3 methylation. Regional hypermethylation of this gene therefore appears to be an early event in human colorectal neoplasia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Nedlands, Australia.
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Iacopetta
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Harmon
authors.forename: D V
authors.initials: DV
authors.lastname: Spagnolo
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: House
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Kay
mesh_terms: D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D006801:Humans; D017570:MyoD Protein / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D017570:MyoD Protein; C057363:MyoD1 myogenic differentiation protein