title: Demethylation of the CD133 gene is frequently detected in advanced colorectal cancer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Recently, it has been reported that colorectal carcinoma is created and propagated by a small number of undifferentiated tumorigenic CD133(+) cells. Furthermore, it has been reported that CD133 expression is directly regulated by epigenetic modifications. Therefore, it is possible that CD133 expression by gene demethylation is related to colorectal carcinogenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The methylation status of the CD133 gene was examined in primary carcinomas and the corresponding normal tissues derived from 48 patients with colorectal cancer using quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) and the correlation between the methylation status and the clinicopathological findings was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Demethylation of the CD133 gene was detected in 19 out of the 48 (40%) primary colon carcinomas, suggesting that the demethylation of CD133 is frequently observed in colorectal carcinomas. The clinicopathological data were correlated with the demethylation results. A significant difference was observed in the maximal tumor size (p=0.0222). Moreover, a trend was shown toward preferentially developing lymph node metastasis in demethylated tumors (p=0.214).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CD133 was more frequently demethylated in advanced colorectal carcinomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Aoba-ku, Yokohama 227-8501, Japan. kenjih-ngy@umin.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kenji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hibi
authors.forename: Makiko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sakata
authors.forename: Yo-Hei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kitamura
authors.forename: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakuraba
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shirahata
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Goto
authors.forename: Hiroki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mizukami
authors.forename: Mitsuo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishibashi
authors.forename: Gaku
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kigawa
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nemoto
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sanada
mesh_terms: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000235:genetics*; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012007:Rectum / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000071916:AC133 Antigen; D015703:Antigens, CD; D006023:Glycoproteins; C000606023:PROM1 protein, human; D010455:Peptides