Frequent hypermethylation of RASSF1A in early flat-type colorectal tumors.
Flat colorectal tumors, characterized by high-grade dysplasia from early small flat mucosal lesions, exhibit a relatively aggressive clinical behavior and are known for their infrequent K-ras mutations. In this study, we investigated the methylation status of the RASSF1A promoter in association with 3p LOH and K-ras mutations in 48 flat colorectal tumors (39 early carcinomas and nine intramucosal high-grade dysplasias). RASSF1A hypermethylation was detected in 39 of 48 (81.3%) tumors and RASSF1A methylation was also detected in 19 of 39 (49%) normal colonic mucosal tissues. 3p21.3 LOH was detected in 20 of 42 (47.6%) cases, but RASSF1 methylation was detected in cases with LOH (14 cases) and retention of 3p21.3 (20 cases). K-ras mutations were detected in seven of 48 (14.6%) tumors and the concordant occurrence of K-ras mutation and RASSF1A methylation was detected in three of 48 cases (6.3%). Overall, there was a statistically significant mutually exclusive relationship between K-ras mutations and RASSF1A methylation. In conclusion, promoter hypermethylation of RASSF1A is a frequent event and may start early in the background normal mucosa in this tumor type. An alternative cascade of abnormalities in RAS transduction pathways may be responsible for the flat morphology and aggressive nature of flat colorectal neoplasms.
Department of Pathology(II), Juntendo University, Juntendo University School of Medicine, 2-1-1 Hongo, Tokyo 113-8421, Japan.
Naoto
N
Sakamoto
Takeshi
T
Terai
Yoichi
Y
Ajioka
Satoshi
S
Abe
Osamu
O
Kobayasi
Shu
S
Hirai
Okio
O
Hino
Hidenobu
H
Watanabe
Nobuhiro
N
Sato
Tadakazu
T
Shimoda
Hiroaki
H
Fujii
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002893:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 3; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D005260:Female; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation; D018807:Polymorphism, Single-Stranded Conformational; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D015398:Signal Transduction; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
C411762:RASSF1 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins