[Correlation between methylation of 5'-CpG islands and inactivation of FHIT gene in cervical cancer].
OBJECTIVE
Fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene, a tumor suppressor gene, correlates with tumorigenesis of many solid tumors, and may be inactivated via methylation. This study was designed to explore relationship of methylation of 5'-CpG islands with inactivation of FHIT gene in cervical cancer.


METHODS
Methylation of 5'-CpG islands in 10 normal cervical squamous epithelial tissues, and 40 cervical cancer tissues was detected with methylation specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP), protein expression of FHIT was detected with immunohistochemistry, and their correlations with clinicopathologic features of cervical cancer were statistically analyzed.


RESULTS
(1) The 5'-CpG islands methylation rate of FHIT gene in cervical cancer tissues was 40.0% (16/40), while no methylation of FHIT gene was found in normal cervical tissues. (2) The methylation rates of FHIT gene in cervical cancer of stage I was 14.3% (2/14), significantly lower than that in cervical cancer of stage II (56.5%, 13/23) (P<0.05). (3) Expression of FHIT protein in cervical cancer was 33.0% (12/40), significantly lower than that in normal cervical tissue (100%, 10/10) (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
The 5'-CpG islands methylation may play an important role in inactivation of FHIT gene, and may be related with tumorigenesis of cervical cancer.
Shi
Hui-Rong
HR
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450-052, P.R. China. shihuirong42@sina.com
Wu
Qing-Hua
QH
Suo
Zhen-He
ZH
Nesland
Jahn M
JM
D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D020868:Gene Silencing; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase
D017766:Acid Anhydride Hydrolases; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000099170:Bis(5'-adenosyl)triphosphatase