title: Changes in UNC5C gene methylation during human gastric carcinogenesis.
abstract: 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.
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: Kazuma
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakuraba
authors.forename: Yo-Hei
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Kitamura
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: 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
chemical_list: D000075386:Netrin Receptors; D011956:Receptors, Cell Surface; C115727:UNC5C protein, human