title: Genetic and epigenetic alterations of the KLF6 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 505 Banpo-dong, Seocho-gu, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jaehwi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Chang Jae
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong Gu
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Su Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Suk Woo
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Nam
authors.forename: Sug Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Nam Jin
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Yoo
authors.forename: Jung Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Won Sang
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: 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
chemical_list: 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