title: Aberrant promoter methylation of p16(INK4a) and O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase genes in workers at a Chinese uranium mine.
abstract: To find the possible association of gene methylation of p16(INK4a) and O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase (O(6)-MGMT) with occupational exposure to radon, 91 male miners from a uranium mine in China were divided into 4 groups according to the cumulative doses of radon exposure from 2 to 425 WLM (working-level months), and aberrant promoter methylation of p16(INK4a) and O(6)-MGMT genes in sputum samples was determined by a specific PCR assay. The results revealed that the methylated rates of 16(INK4a) gene (z=2.844, P=0.005) and O(6)-MGMT gene (z=3.034, P=0.002), and the total methylated rate of these two genes (z=3.859, P=0.0001) increased significantly with the cumulative doses of radon among the miners. This methylation could be applied as a potential marker for the detection of early DNA damage induced by occupational radon exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Toxicology, School of Radiation Medicine and Public Health, Soochow University, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Shibiao
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Yali
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jin
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Lujing
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.forename: Yueping
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002681:China; D019942:Genes, p16 / Q000528:radiation effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008745:Methylation / Q000528:radiation effects*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008906:Mining; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D016273:Occupational Exposure; D011886:Radon / Q000032:analysis; D014501:Uranium
chemical_list: D014501:Uranium; D019853:O(6)-Methylguanine-DNA Methyltransferase; D011886:Radon