Quantitative RARbeta2 hypermethylation: a promising prostate cancer marker.
Retinoic acid receptor beta2 (RARbeta2) is a tumor suppressor gene frequently hypermethylated in several human neoplasms. To further characterize this epigenetic alteration in prostate cancer progression, we examined tumor tissue from 118 patients with prostate carcinoma (PCa), 38 paired high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasias (HGPIN), and non-neoplastic prostate tissue from 30 patients with benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), using quantitative methylation-specific PCR. We found RARbeta2 hypermethylation in 97.5% of PCa, 94.7% of HGPIN, and 23.3% of BPH. Methylation levels were significantly higher in PCa compared with HGPIN and BPH (P < 0.00001). By establishing an empiric cutoff value, we were able to discriminate between neoplastic and non-neoplastic tissue, with 94.9% sensitivity and 100% specificity. Moreover, RARbeta2 methylation levels correlated with higher pathological stage (r = 0.30, P = 0.0009). This quantitative assay represents a novel and promising molecular marker that may augment current approaches for prostate cancer detection.
Jerónimo
Carmen
C
Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Head and Neck Cancer Research Division, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.
Henrique
Rui
R
Hoque
Mohammad O
MO
Ribeiro
Franclim R
FR
Oliveira
Jorge
J
Fonseca
Daniel
D
Teixeira
Manuel R
MR
Lopes
Carlos
C
Sidransky
David
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D019175:DNA Methylation; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000235:genetics*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013447:Sulfites / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; D013447:Sulfites; C082925:retinoic acid receptor beta; C009279:sodium bisulfite