Changes in UNC5C gene methylation during human gastric carcinogenesis.
BACKGROUND
UNC5C, one of the netrin-1 receptors, belongs to the functional dependence receptor family, members of which share the ability to induce apoptosis in the absence of their ligands. Recently, aberrant methylation of the UNC5C gene was found in 34 out of 49 (69%) primary colon carcinomas.


METHODS
The methylation status of the UNC5C gene was examined in primary carcinomas and the corresponding normal tissues derived from 36 patients with gastric cancer using quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction, and the correlation between the methylation status and the clinicopathological findings was evaluated.


RESULTS
Aberrant methylation of the UNC5C gene was detected in 9 out of the 36 (25%) primary gastric carcinomas. A significant difference was observed in regard to the TNM stage (p=0.0455).


CONCLUSIONS
UNC5C methylation was observed in the course of gastric carcinogenesis and disappeared in highly advanced gastric carcinomas.
Hibi
Kenji
K
Department of Surgery, Showa University Fujigaoka Hospital, Aoba-ku, Yokohama 227-8501, Japan. kenjih-ngy@umin.ac.jp
Sakata
Makiko
M
Sakuraba
Kazuma
K
Kitamura
Yo-Hei
YH
Shirahata
Atsushi
A
Goto
Tetsuhiro
T
Mizukami
Hiroki
H
Saito
Mitsuo
M
Ishibashi
Kazuyoshi
K
Kigawa
Gaku
G
Nemoto
Hiroshi
H
Sanada
Yutaka
Y
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface / Q000235:genetics*; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology
D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C115727:UNC5C protein, human