title: Differential gene methylation in undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma.
abstract: Differential gene methylation is observed in a variety of human malignancies. The study of the pattern of methylated genes helps to understand carcinogenesis and to identify potential marker tumor genes for clinical use. The differential methylated genes in undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) of Chinese were studied by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP). Methylation status of 11 tumor-associated genes (ARF, caspase-8, CDH1, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, MGMT, MLH1, RASSF1A, THBS1, TP73 and VHL) was studied in 30 primary undifferentiated NPC and paired peripheral blood of 12 patients. The methylation profile of NPC in order of frequency was CDH1 (50%), CDKN2B (50%), THBS1 (50%), RASSF1A (46%), MLH1 (40%), MGMT (28%), CDKN2A (23%), TP73 (20%), caspase-8 (7%), ARF (3%) and VHL (0%). Methylation of at least 1 gene was observed in 93% of primary NPC. Of the 12 patients with at least 1 methylated gene in the primary tumor, all 12 (100%) patients had at least 1 of the methylated gene promoter detectable in their peripheral blood. The results show high frequency of methylation in NPC and the potential of using methylation as peripheral blood tumor marker in screening NPC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Thian Sze
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.forename: Kwong Chi
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Dora Lai-Wen
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: Jonathan Shun-Tong
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Sham
authors.forename: William Ignace
authors.initials: WI
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Yok Lam
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kwong
authors.forename: Anthony Po-Wing
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Yuen
mesh_terms: D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D004247:DNA / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D006801:Humans; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic
chemical_list: D004247:DNA