title: MGMT promoter gene methylation in pediatric glioblastoma: analysis using MS-MLPA.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Promoter methylation of the O⁶-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene is widely recognized as an important predictive factor in the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) patients with temozolomide. However, data regarding the methylation status of the MGMT promoter in pediatric GBM are yet to be elucidated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen tissue samples of pediatric GBM were evaluated for the MGMT promoter methylation status using methylation-specific multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MS-MLPA). Methylation status was also evaluated using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) for 17 of the 19 patients. The correlation between MGMT promoter methylation and clinical outcome was assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three of the 19 patients (16%) showed methylation of the MGMT promoter, according to MS-MLPA, as did 1 of the 17 (6%), according to MSP. The methylation status did not seem to have a definite effect on clinical outcome.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pediatric GBMs rarely have methylated MGMT promoters. With a better clinical outcome and lower methylation rate than their adult counterparts, it may be suggested that, for pediatric GBM, MGMT promoter methylation does not play a significant role as a prognostic factor.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University Children's Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, 110-744, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Ji Yeoun
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chul-Kee
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung-Hye
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Kyu-Chang
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Byung-Kyu
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Seung-Ki
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics*; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D021141:Nucleic Acid Amplification Techniques; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D000077204:Temozolomide; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D003606:Dacarbazine; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C515491:MGMT protein, human; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes; D000077204:Temozolomide