[Research into methylation of p16 gene in the patients suffering from coal-burnt arsenism in Xingren County Guizhou Province].
OBJECTIVE
To probe into the situation and significance of p16 gene CPG island methylation in patients with arseniasis caused by coal-burning pollution.


METHODS
DNA was extracted using the Phenol-Chloroform method from leukocytes of 51 patients suffered from coal-burnt arsenism and 52 healthy volunteers. The quantity of the DNA was determined by UV spectrophotometry. Target DNA was denatured by NaOH, then the single strand DNA was modified by sodium bisulfite, converting all unmethylated (but not the methylated) cytosines to uracil. Subsequently a nested amplification with primers specific for methylated versus unmethylated DNA was performed, and PCR products were detected by gel electrophoresis.


RESULTS
Hypermethylation of the p16 CPG island was presented in 94.1% of the patients suffering from coal-burnt arsenism and in 73.1% of the healthy volunteers. There was statistical difference (P < 0.05) between them.


CONCLUSIONS
Methylation of p16 gene CPG island should have important pertinence in the metabolism of coal-burnt arsenism.
Wu
Chang-Xue
CX
The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Guiyang Medical College, Guizhou 550004, China.
Shan
Ke-Ren
KR
Zhou
Yun-Shu
YS
Yang
Qin
Q
Li
Cheng-Xiu
CX
Zhao
Yan
Y
Cheng
Ming-Liang
ML
D020261:Arsenic Poisoning / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D002681:China; D003031:Coal; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D019942:Genes, p16; D006801:Humans
D003031:Coal