title: Aberrant DNA methylation of the transcription factor C/EBPalpha in acute myelogenous leukemia.
abstract: We investigated the methylation status of the CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBPalpha) promoter region near the transcription start site in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML). In hematopoietic tumor cell lines, CpG island hypermethylation of the proximal C/EBPalpha promoter region was associated with transcriptional silencing, and treatment with the demethylating agent 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine resulted in C/EBPalpha reexpression and promoter demethylation. Aberrant methylation of the C/EBPalpha promoter region occurred in 10/80 diagnostic AML samples, and there was an inverse correlation between aberrant methylation of C/EBPalpha and the negative cell cycle regulator p15. Our results provide further evidence for epigenetic dysregulation of C/EBPalpha in AML.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik IV, Universitaetsklinikum Aachen, RWTH Aachen, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany.
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jost
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: do O
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wilop
authors.forename: James G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Herman
authors.forename: Rainhardt
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Osieka
authors.forename: Oliver
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Galm