[Aberrant methylation of hMLH1 gene promoter in papillary thyroid cancer and its clinical significance].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the aberrant promoter methylation of hMLH1 gene promoter and its clinical significance in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC).


METHODS
methylation of hMLH1 gene promoter in the cancer tissue and matched tumor-adjacent normal tissue of 152 PTC patients were detected by real-time methylation specific PCR (qMSP). The relationship between the methylation of hMLH1 gene promoter and clinicopathological features was analyzed.


RESULTS
The methylation rate of hMLH1 gene promoter in cancer tissues was 37.5% (57/152), of which 33 cases were totally methylated and 24 cases were partially methylated. The methylation rate of adjacent normal tissues was 5.3% (8/152)(all were partially methylated). The methylation rate of PTC tissues was significantly higher than that in the tumor-adjacent normal tissue (P < 0.01). The promoter methylation of hMLH1 gene in PTC was significantly correlated with age, size and number of the primary lesion, local invasion, T stage and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05) , but not correlated with gender and clinical stage (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Promoter methylation of hMLH1 gene is a common molecular event in PTC tissue, and it is significantly correlated with the progression of PTC.
Zhejiang Cancer Research Institute, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou 310022, China.
Xiao-xiao
XX
Lu
Email: gemingh@163.com.
Ming-hua
MH
Ge
Zhi-qiang
ZQ
Ling
Si-si
SS
Hu
Jing
J
Xu
Chuan-ming
CM
Zheng
Zhuo
Z
Tan
Chao
C
Chen
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002291:Carcinoma, Papillary; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D000077273:Thyroid Cancer, Papillary; D013964:Thyroid Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D047368:Tumor Burden; D055815:Young Adult
D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C501486:MLH1 protein, human; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D000070957:MutL Protein Homolog 1