title: A promising hypothesis of c-KIT methylation/ expression paradox in c-KIT (+) squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix ----- CTCF transcriptional repressor regulates c-KIT proto-oncogene expression.
abstract: We recently reported one interesting case showing mutation-free c-KIT proto-oncogene overexpression and paradoxical hypermethylation in 54 cases of primary squamous cell carcinoma of uterine cervix (SCC). However, its molecular mechanisms still remain unknown. We propose the hypothesis that increased methylation at the CpG islands on the promoter near the first exon region might interfere with the binding of CTCF repressor with c-KIT promoter that regulates c-KIT proto-oncogene expression in such case. Further studies focusing on the status of epigenetic modifications of mutation-free c-KIT (+) tumors are encouraged.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University and Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. tyouzoa@yahoo.co.jp.
authors.forename: Shih-Wen
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chung-Shan Medical University and Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. littleuni@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Wan-Ru
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA. alexruan08@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ruan
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University and Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. wang082160@yahoo.com.tw.
authors.forename: Po-Hui
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Therapy, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei, Taiwan. 080659@mail.fju.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Jau-Chen
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Chung-Shan Medical University and Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. hanhaly@gmail.com.|Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Chung-Shan Medical University and Chung-Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. hanhaly@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Chih-Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Han
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: C000715470:MAS1 protein, human; D000090063:Proto-Oncogene Mas; D019009:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-kit