title: Distinct patterns of E-cadherin CpG island methylation in papillary, follicular, Hurthle's cell, and poorly differentiated human thyroid carcinoma.
abstract: Expression of the invasion/metastasis suppressor, E-cadherin, is diminished or lost in thyroid carcinomas. Yet, mutational inactivation of E-cadherin is rare. Herein, we show that this loss is associated with hypermethylation of the E-cadherin 5' CpG island in a panel of human thyroid cancer cell lines. This aberrant methylation is evident in 83% of papillary thyroid carcinoma, 11% of follicular thyroid carcinoma, 40% of Hurthle's cell carcinoma, and 21% of poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas. Contrary to previous reports, the majority of these poorly differentiated thyroid carcinomas express E-cadherin, but often within the cytoplasm rather than at the cell surface. Together, our data indicate that the invasion/metastasis suppressor function of E-cadherin is frequently compromised in human papillary, Hurthle's cell, and poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma by epigenetic and biochemical events.
authors.affiliation: The Oncology Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Graff
authors.forename: V E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Westra
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Boghaert
authors.forename: K B
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Ain
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saji
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Zeiger
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Zimmer
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Baylin
mesh_terms: D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins