Methylation of cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, XAF1, JUNB, CDH13 and soluble Wnt inhibitors in essential thrombocythaemia.
BACKGROUND
Methylation of genes regulating cell-cycle check-point (INK4 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors), apoptosis (XAF1), adhesion (CDH13), JUNB and Wnt signalling (soluble Wnt inhibitors) has been implicated in pathogenesis of haematological and epithelial cancers.


METHODS
The authors studied the methylation status of CDKN2A, CDKN2B, XAF1, CDH13, JUNB and a panel of soluble Wnt inhibitors including WIF1, DKK3, APC, SFRP1, SFRP2, SFRP4 and SFRP5 by methylation-specific PCR in 31 bone marrow and 21 peripheral blood samples of patients with essential thrombocythaemia.


CONCLUSIONS
There was no evidence of hypermethylation of all these genes in both the BM and PB samples. Therefore, in contrast to myeloid leukaemias, methylation of these genes regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis, adhesion and Wnt signalling does not play an important role in the pathogenesis of myeloproliferative diseases. Whether differential methylation may occur in the progenitor or mature blood cell compartments remains to be verified. Our study contributes to the literature on methylation in chronic myeloproliferatve diseases.
Chim
C S
CS
Department of Medicine, Queen Mary Hospital, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong. jcschim@hku.hk
Fung
T K
TK
Liang
R
R
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D001483:Base Sequence; D001853:Bone Marrow / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D050756:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D013920:Thrombocythemia, Essential / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D051153:Wnt Proteins / Q000502:physiology
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D015820:Cadherins; D050756:Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor Proteins; C099972:H-cadherin; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D047908:Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D051153:Wnt Proteins; C417551:XAF1 protein, human