title: Differential gene hypermethylation in genital lichen sclerosus and cancer: a comparative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Lichen sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the genital skin of unknown aetiology. The role of LS in penile squamous cell carcinogenesis is not well characterized. HPV has been implicated in both, as have epigenetic changes. The presence of HPV and hypermethylation of the MGMT, p16, RASSF1, RASSF2, TSLC1 and TSP1 genes were studied in penile LS; MGMT, RASSF2 and TSLC1 hypermethylation in penile cancer and TSLC1 hypermethylation in vulvar LS and cancer extends previous results reported by our group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven HPV genotypes and hypermethylation were evaluated by PCR/reverse-line-blot and methylation-specific PCR respectively, in 27 preputial LS, 24 penile SCC, 30 vulvar SCC, 21 vulvar LS and 22 normal skin cases. HPV66 was present in 3.7% of penile LS cases, and p16 and RASSF2 hypermethylation were more frequent in penile cancer than in penile LS. p16, RASSF1, RASSF2 and TSP1 hypermethylation were similar in penile and vulvar LS.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Gene hypermethylation is a common event in penile LS, and occurs approximately as frequently as in vulvar LS. Certain genes can be hypermethylated as an early or late event in LS or cancer, respectively. This suggests a possible sequential role for these alterations in the transition from benign to malignant lesions.
authors.affiliation: 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: Amaya
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ojer
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Blanco-Fernandez
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guarch-Troyas
authors.forename: Rosa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Guarch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018459:Lichen Sclerosus et Atrophicus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D030361:Papillomavirus Infections / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D010412:Penile Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology; D014846:Vulvar Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology / Q000821:virology
keywords: human papillomavirus; hypermethylation; lichen sclerosus; penile cancer; vulvar cancer