Genetic and epigenetic alterations of the KLF6 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma.
OBJECTIVE
Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) is a zinc finger tumor suppressor gene that is frequently mutated in several human cancers and is broadly involved in differentiation and development, growth-related signal transduction, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. The aim of this study was to elucidate the potential etiological role of KLF6 in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in Korea.


METHODS
The gene mutation, allelic loss, and methylation status of the KLF6 gene was analyzed in a series of 85 Korean patients: 21 with dysplastic nodules and 85 with HCC.


RESULTS
No somatic mutations were observed in the patients with dysplastic nodules or with HCC. Allelic loss was found in five (6.8%) of 73 informative HCC tissues. Three of the five patients with allelic loss had HCC with hepatitis B virus infection and cirrhosis, and the remaining two had no viral infection and a non-specific background. In methylation analysis, unmethylated and methylated DNAs of the KLF6 gene were amplified in all corresponding non-neoplastic liver tissues. Only one HCC tissue showed methylated DNA without unmethylated DNA.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that genetic and epigenetic alteration of KLF6 may play a minor role in the development of HCC.
Song
Jaehwi
J
Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea.
Kim
Chang Jae
CJ
Cho
Yong Gu
YG
Kim
Su Young
SY
Nam
Suk Woo
SW
Lee
Sug Hyung
SH
Yoo
Nam Jin
NJ
Lee
Jung Young
JY
Park
Won Sang
WS
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004252:DNA Mutational Analysis; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000032:analysis; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D000075723:Kruppel-Like Factor 6; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D019656:Loss of Heterozygosity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C105465:KLF6 protein, human; D000075723:Kruppel-Like Factor 6; D051741:Kruppel-Like Transcription Factors; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins