Aberrant hypermethylation of the FGFR2 gene in human gastric cancer cell lines.
We have previously shown that fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 (FGFR2) plays an important role in gastric carcinogenesis. In this study, we assessed DNA methylation status in the promoter region of FGFR2 gene in gastric cancer cell lines, and indicated that this region was highly methylated, compared with FGFR2-expressing gastric cancer cell lines. Moreover, the restoration of FGFR2 expression by treating methylated cells with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine strongly suggests that the loss of FGFR2 expression may be due to the aberrant hypermethylation in the promoter region of the FGFR2 gene. Thus, our results suggest that the epigenetic silencing of FGFR2 through DNA methylation in gastric cancer may contribute to tumor progression.
Park
Soonok
S
Department of Biochemistry and BK21 Center for Advanced Medical Education, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon 400-712, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Ji-Hyun
JH
Jang
Jun-Hyeog
JH
D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D009154:Mutation; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 / Q000235:genetics*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; C496353:FGFR2 protein, human; D051497:Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2