title: A proapoptotic caspase recruitment domain protein gene, TMS1, is hypermethylated in human breast and gastric cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conway et al. demonstrated that methylation of the proapoptotic gene, TMS1, was observed in breast cancer cell lines and tissues, resulting in decreased TMS1 gene transcription. However, whether the TMS1 gene is hypermethylated in other cancers is uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expression of TMS1 mRNA was determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Methylation of the TMS1 gene was detected using methylation-specific PCR followed by bisulfite-modification of DNA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Methylation of the TMS1 gene was observed in breast, gastric and colorectal cancer cells. Down-regulation of TMS1 gene transcription in colorectal cancer cells was restored by treatment with a demethylating agent. Methylation of the TMS1 gene was observed in 2 out of 19 breast cancer specimens and 1 out of 9 gastric cancers, but in none of 13 colorectal cancers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest a direct role for aberrant methylation of the TMS1 gene in the progression of breast and gastric cancer involving down-regulation of the proapoptotic TMS1 gene.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine and Division of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sapporo Medical University, School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Ryosuke
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moriai
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Daisuke
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Atsuhito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yagihashi
authors.forename: Yoshihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Namiki
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Naoki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Watanabe
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D019175:DNA Methylation; D000077209:Decitabine; D015536:Down-Regulation; D005629:Frozen Sections; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D014176:Protein Biosynthesis; D011506:Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015533:Transcriptional Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D053468:CARD Signaling Adaptor Proteins; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; C402202:PYCARD protein, human; D011506:Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000077209:Decitabine; D001374:Azacitidine