title: RASSF2 hypermethylation is present and related to shorter survival in squamous cervical cancer.
abstract: Ras association (RalGDS/AF-6) domain family member 2 (RASSF2) is a gene involved in the progression of several human cancers, including breast, colorectal and lung cancer. The aims of this study were to determine the hypermethylation of the gene in squamous cervical cancer and precursor lesions, along with that of RASSF1 and the recently described EPB41L3, and to analyze the potential prognostic role of these genes. Methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite sequencing were used to analyze the methylation status of RASSF2 and EPB41L3 gene in 60 squamous cervical cancer, 76 cervical intraepithelial neoplasias grade III, 16 grade II, 14 grade I and 13 cases of normal tissue adjacent to cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. RASSF2 expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and the re-expression of RASSF2 and EPB41L3 was analyzed by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR in HeLa, SiHa, C33A and A431 cell lines treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine and/or trichostatin. RASSF1 hypermethylation and human papillomavirus type were also analyzed in all the cases by methylation-specific PCR and reverse line blot, respectively. RASSF2 hypermethylation was predominant in squamous cervical cancer (60.9%) compared with cervical intraepithelial neoplasias (4.2%) and was associated with a lower level of RASSF2 expression and vascular invasion in squamous cervical cancer. EPB41L3 and RASSF1 hypermethylations were also more frequent in cancer than in precursor lesions. Patients with RASSF2 hypermethylation had shorter survival time, independent of tumor stage (hazard ratio: 6.0; 95% confidence interval: 1.5-24.5). Finally, the expressions of RASSF2 and EPB41L3 were restored in several cell lines treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. Taken together, our results suggest that RASSF2 potentially functions as a new tumor-suppressor gene that is inactivated through hypermethylation in cervical cancer and is related to the bad prognosis of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Epigenetics Group, Navarrabiomed, Miguel Servet Foundation, Pamplona, Navarra, Spain.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Guerrero-Setas
authors.forename: Noemí
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pérez-Janices
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blanco-Fernandez
authors.forename: Amaya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ojer
authors.forename: Koldo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Cambra
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Berdasco
authors.forename: Manel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Esteller
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Maria-Ruiz
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Torrea
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guarch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008840:Microfilament Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality / Q000473:pathology; D002578:Uterine Cervical Dysplasia
chemical_list: C116887:EPB41L3 protein, human; D008840:Microfilament Proteins; C425300:RASSF2 protein, human; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins