title: DNA methylation down-regulates EGFR expression in chickens.
abstract: The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a growth-factor-receptor tyrosine kinase, is up-regulated in numerous tumors, which provides a good target for cancer therapy. Although it has been documented that oncoviruses are responsible for the activation of EGFR in tumors, the impact of Marek's disease virus (MDV) infection on EGFR has not yet been studied. We performed quantitative reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR to check EGFR expression and found that it was significantly down-regulated after MDV infection. To explore the mechanism of EGFR repression, we examined the level of methylation of the EGFR promoter. The methylation level was significantly increased at 21 days postinfection, indicating a potential role of promoter methylation in EGFR repression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal & Avian Sciences, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
authors.forename: Juan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Shuang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Huanmin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Bichun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jiuzhou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D002645:Chickens; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015536:Down-Regulation; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D025922:Mardivirus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D008380:Marek Disease / Q000821:virology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000821:virology*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms
chemical_list: D066246:ErbB Receptors