title: Methylation status of p16 INK4A tumor suppressor gene in Iranian patients with sporadic breast cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  p16(INK4A) is a tumor suppressor encoding the Cdk inhibitor protein, which acts to repress Cdk4/6 and pRb phosphorylation. p16(INK4A) gene can be inactivated by a variety of events, including promoter hypermethylation.
  
  
  METHODS
  To investigate the methylation status of the p16(INK4A) gene in Iranian patients with breast carcinoma, promoter methylation was studied by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) and restriction enzyme-related PCR (REP). In addition, p16(INK4A) promoter was analyzed by PCR-SSCP in order to detection of mutation and single nucleotide polymorphisms.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analysis of 70 patients by MPS and REP showed hypermethylation of p16(INK4A) promoter in 35.7% (25/70) and 40% (28/70) of samples, respectively. Comparison of the molecular data and pathological information of the samples suggested that p16(INK4A) gene might be inactivated at the early stages in breast cancer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Therefore, it could be suggested that hypermethylation of p16(INK4A) promoter is one of the epigenetic factors affecting the progress of sporadic breast carcinogenesis in Iranian patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics, Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, The University of Isfahan, Hezarjerib St., Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. svallian@medinews.com
authors.forename: Sadeq
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Vallian
authors.forename: Mandana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sedaghat
authors.forename: Isar
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Nassiri
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Frazmand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D019942:Genes, p16; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008875:Middle Aged; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic