title: IVF and retinoblastoma revisited.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the suggested association between IVF, retinoblastoma, and tumor methylation characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  National Retinoblastoma Center in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retinoblastoma tumors from seven children conceived by IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
  
  
  METHODS
  DNA from frozen retinoblastoma tumors was tested for mutations in the RB1 gene and for methylation status of the RB1 promoter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For all tumors two causative RB1 mutations were found. None of the tumors showed hypermethylation of the RB1 promoter.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Examination of retinoblastoma tumors of seven children conceived by IVF or ICSI did not show hypermethylation of the RB1 promoter. This demonstrates that an association between IVF or ICSI and retinoblastoma through this epigenetic mechanism is unlikely.
authors: Department of Clinical Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. cj.dommering@vumc.nl
authors: Charlotte J
authors: CJ
authors: Dommering
authors: Annemarie H
authors: AH
authors: van der Hout
authors: Hanne
authors: H
authors: Meijers-Heijboer
authors: Tamara
authors: T
authors: Marees
authors: Annette C
authors: AC
authors: Moll
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D019572:Retinal Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D012175:Retinoblastoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology; D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein / Q000235:genetics*; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D016160:Retinoblastoma Protein