• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.24
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• pp.10937-10941
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• 2015

Pathogenesis of lung cancer is a complicated biological process including multiple genetic and epigenetic changes. Since cigarette smoking is confirmed as the most main risk factor of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the aim of this study was to determine whether tobacco exposure plays a role in gene methylation. Methylation of the RAR-${\beta}$ gene were detected using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in DNA from 167 newly diagnosed cases with NSCLC and corresponding 105 controls. A significant statistical association was found in the detection rate of the promoter methylation of RAR-${\beta}$ gene between NSCLC and controls ($x^2$=166.01; p<0.01), and hypermethylation of the RAR-${\beta}$ gene was significantly associated with smoking status (p=0.038, p<0.05). No relationship was found between RAR-${\beta}$ gene methylation and pathologic staging including clinical stage, cell type, gender and drinking (p>0.05), and the methylation of RAR-${\beta}$ gene rate of NSCLC was slightly higher in stages III+IV (80.0%) than in I+II (70.8%). Similar results were obtained for methylation of the RAR-${\beta}$ gene between squamous cell carcinoma (77.9%) and other cell type lung cancer (73.9%). These results showed that the frequency of methylation increased gradually with the development of clinical stage in smoking-associated lung cancer patients, and tobacco smoke may be play a potential role in RAR-${\beta}$ gene methylation in the early pathogenesis and process in lung cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. Aberrant promoter methylation is considered to be a promising marker of previous carcinogen exposure and cancer risk.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.378-387
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• 2003

Background : Promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes is one of the key epigenetic changes in many human cancers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the promoter methylation status of the Death-associated protein(DAP) kinase gene, which played an important role in lung cancer, in the serum DNA of primary lung cancer patients. Methods : This study investigated the aberrant methylation of DAP kinase in the serum of 65 primary lung cancer patients by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Results : Methylation in the serum was detected in 29 of 65(44.6%) for DAP kinase. There was no statistical association between methylation of DAP kinase and age, smoking history, histologic type, or stage. Methylation of DAP kinase was found more frequently in men (p=0.044). Conclusions : This study suggests that the aberrant methylation of the DAP kinase promoter is readily detectable in the serum DNA of lung cancer patients using MSP analysis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.142-150
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• 2007

Epigenetic alterations, represented by aberrant DNA methylation, are deeply involved in human cancers. In gastric cancers, tumor-suppressor genes are inactivated more frequently by promoter methylation than by mutations. We recently showed that H. pylori infection, a potent gastric carcinogenic factor, induces methylation of specific genes in the gastric mucosae. When the methylation levels were analyzed in the gastric mucosae of healthy volunteers, cases with a single gastric cancer, and cases with multiple gastric cancers, who have increasing levels of risks for gastric cancers, there was a significant increasing trend in the methylation levels among the individuals without current H. pylori infection. This finding unequivocally showed the presence of an epigenetic field for cancerization. The degree of the field defect was measured more conveniently using methylation levels of marker genes than using those of tumor-suppressor genes. The presence of an epigenetic field for cancerization has been indicated for liver, colon, Barrett's esophageal, lung, breast, and renal cancers. Since decreased transcription is involved in the specificity of methylated genes, it is likely that specific genes are methylated according to carcinogenic factors. These findings emphasize the usefulness of DNA methylation as a marker for past exposure to carcinogens and future risk of cancer development.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.4177-4181
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• 2012

Cancer is a multi-factorial disease and variation in genetic susceptibility, due to inherited differences in the capacity to repair mismatches in the genome, is an important factor in the development of gastric cancer (GC), for example. Epigenetic changes, including aberrant methylation of 5/CpG islands in the promoter regions of mismatch repair (MMR) genes like hMLH1, have been implicated in the development of various types of GC. In the present study we evaluated the role of hMLH1 promoter hypermethylation in Kashmiri GC patients and controls, and assessed correlations with various dietary and lifestyle factors. The study included 70 GC patients (56 males and 14 females; age ($mean{\pm}S.D$) $50{\pm}11.4$ years). Distinction between methylated and unmethylated was achieved with MS-PCR and DNA band patterns. The Chi-square test was applied to assess the risk due to promoter hypermethylation. We found a strikingly high frequency of promoter hypermethylation in GC cases than in normal samples (72.9% (51/70) in GC cases vs 20% (14/70) in normal samples (p=0.0001).We also observed a statistically significant association between methylated hMLH1 gene promoter and smoking, consumption of sundried vegetables and hot salted tea with the risk of GC. This study revealed that hMLH1 hypermethylation is strongly associated with GC and suggested roles for epigenetic changes in stomach cancer causation in the Kashmir valley.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.108-121
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• 2001

Background : The $p16^{INK4a}$ (p16) twnor suppressor gene is frequently inactivated in hwnan non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs), predominantly through homozygous deletion or in association with aberrant promotor hypermethylation. Death-associated protein kinase (DAPK) gene influences interferon $\gamma$-induced apoptotic cell death and has important role in metastasis of lung cancer in animal model. Hypermethylation of promoter region of DAP kinase gene may suppress the expression of this gene. Methods : This study was performed to investigate the aberrant methylation of p16 or DAP kinase in 35 resected primary NSCLCs by methylation-specific PCR (MSP), and demonstrated frequency, diagnostic value and clinical implication of aberrant methylation of two genes. Results : Thirty-two cases were male patients, and 3 cases were female patients with an average age was 57. $8{\pm}10.5$ years. The histologic types of lung cancer were 22 of squamous cell carcinoma, 12 of adenocarcinoma, 1 of large cell carcinoma. Pathologic stages were 11 cases of stage I (1 IA, 10 IB), 13 cases of stage II (1 IIA, 12 IIB), and 11 cases of stage III (9 IIIA, 2 IIIB). Regarding for the cancer tissue, p16 aberrant methylation was noted in 13 case of 33 cases (39.4%), DAP kinase in 21 cases of 35 cases (60%). Age over 55 year was associated with p16 aberrant methylation significantly (p<0.05). Methylation status of two genes was not different by smoking history, histologic type, size of tumor, lymph node metastasis and disease progression of lung cancer. There was no correlation between p16 and DAP kinase hypermethylation. Conclusion: This investigation demonstrates that aberrant methylation of p16 tumor suppressor gene or DAP kinase showed relatively high frequency (74.3%) in NSCLCs, and that these genes could be a biologic marker for early detection of lung cancer.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.230-235
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• 2008

LRP15 is a novel gene cloned from lymphocytic cells, and its function is still unknown. Bioinformatic data showed that LRP15 might be regulated by DNA methylation and had an important role in DNA repair. In this study, we investigate whether the expression of LRP15 is regulated by DNA methylation, and whether overexpression of LRP15 increases efficiency of DNA repair of UV-induced DNA damage in HeLa cells. The results showed (1) the promoter of LRP15 was hypermethylated in HeLa cells, resulting a silence of its expression. Gene expression was restored by a demethylating agent, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, but not by a histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A; (2) overexpression of LRP15 inhibited HeLa cell proliferation, and the numbers of cells in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle in cells transfected with LRP15 increased about 10% compared with controls; (3) cyclin B1 level was much lower in cells overexpressing LRP15 than in control cells; and (4) after exposure to UV radiation, the LRP15-positive cells showed shorter comet tails compared with the LRP15-negative cells. From these results we conclude that the expression of LRP15 is controlled by methylation in its promoter in HeLa cells, and LRP15 confers resistance to UV damage and accelerates the DNA repair rate.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.13
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• pp.5343-5348
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• 2015

Promoter hypermethylation of the runt-related transcription factor 3 (RUNX3) gene is associated with increased risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Oxidative stress plays a vital role in both carcinogenesis and progression of HCC. However, whether oxidative stress and RUNX3 hypermethylation in HCC have a cause-and-effect relationship is not known. In this study, plasma protein carbonyl and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)-associated HCC (n=60) and age-matched healthy subjects (n=80) was determined. RUNX3 methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of subjects was measured by methylation-specific PCR. Effect of reactive oxygen species (ROS) on induction of RUNX3 hypermethylation in HCC cells was investigated. Plasma protein carbonyl content was significantly higher, whereas plasma TAC was significantly lower, in HCC patients than healthy controls. Based on logistic regression, increased plasma protein carbonyl and decreased plasma TAC were independently associated with increased risk for HCC. PBMC RUNX3 methylation in the patient group was significantly greater than in the healthy group. RUNX3 methylation in hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$)-treated HepG2 cells was significantly higher than in untreated control cells. In conclusion, increase in oxidative stress in Thai patients with HBV-associated HCC was demonstrated. This oxidative increment was independently associated with an increased risk for HCC development. RUNX3 in PBMC was found to be hypermethylated in the HCC patients. In vitro, RUNX3 hypermethylation was experimentally induced by $H_2O_2$. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress is a cause of RUNX3 promoter hypermethylation in HCC cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.475-482
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• 2019

Glioma is the most common brain tumor with a dismal prognosis. While temozolomide (TMZ) based chemotherapy significantly improves survival in glioma patients, resistance against this compound commonly leads to glioma treatment failure. Overexpression of long-noncoding RNA (LncRNA) FoxD2 adjacent opposite strand RNA 1 (FoxD2-AS1) was identified to promote glioma development, but the role in TMZ resistance remains unclear. In this paper, we found that FoxD2-AS1 was overexpressed in recurrent glioma, high FoxD2-AS1 expression was significantly correlated with poor patient outcome. Methylation of $O^6$-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is significantly less frequent in high FoxD2-AS1 expression patients. Knockdown of FoxD2-AS1 decreased the proliferation, metastatic ability of glioma cells and promote the sensitivity to TMZ in glioma cells. Furthermore, knockdown of FoxD2-AS1 induced hypermethylation of the promoter region of MGMT. Our data suggested that FoxD2-AS1 is a clinical relevance LncRNA and mediates TMZ resistance by regulating the methylation status of the MGMT promoter region.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.453-459
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• 2010

Introduction: Ameloblastic carcinoma is a rare malignant lesion, and may arise from either carcinoma ex-ameloblastoma or de novo carcinoma. Aberrant promoter hypermethylation of the tumor-associated genes leading to their inactivation is a common event in many cancer types. The p16/CDKN2/INK4A gene and p16 5 protein are involved directly in regulating the cell cycles. Cadherins are cell adhesion molecules that modulate the epithelial phenotype and regulate tumor invasion. The aim of this study was to evaluate the roles of p16 and E-cadherin methylation and loss of p16 and E-cadherin expression in the malignant transformation of an ameloblastoma. Materials and Methods: Eight cases of ameloblastoma, including 4 benign ameloblastomas without recurrence, 2 benign ameloblastomas with recurrence and 2 carcinoma ex-ameloblastomas, were examined. The promoter hypermethylation profile of the p16 and E-cadherin genes was studied using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) and immunohistochemical staining for p16 and E-cadherin expression. Results: 1) Aberrant CpG island methylation of the p16 gene was detected in 3 of the 4 benign ameloblastomas without recurrence and 1 of the 2 benign ameloblastomas with recurrence. 2) Aberrant CpG island methylation of the E-cadherin gene was found in 1 of the 4 benign ameloblastomas without recurrence. 3) A loss of p16 expression was noted in 1 of 4 benign ameloblastomas without recurrence and 1 of 2 carcinoma ex-ameloblastomas. 4) A loss of E-cadherin expression was noted in 2 of the 4 benign ameloblastomas without recurrence, 1 of the 2 benign ameloblastomas with recurrence and 2 of the 2 carcinoma ex-ameloblastomas. 5) A loss of p16 expression was observed in 1 of the 4 cases showing aberrant methylation of the p16 gene. 6) A loss of E-cadherin expression was observed in 3 benign ameloblastoma case showing aberrant methylation of the E-cadherin gene. Conclusion: These results suggest that loss of E-cadherin expression related to the other genetic pathway (not methylation) might be an adjuvant indicator predicting the malignant transformation of an ameloblastoma. However, the number of samples in this study was too small and the relationship between the treatment methods and clinical course were not defined. Therefore, further study will be needed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.8
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• pp.523-528
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• 2011

To identify novel genes that are regulated by promoter methylation, a combinational approach involving in silico mining followed by molecular assay was performed. From the expression microarray data registered in the European bioinformatics institute (EBI), genes showing downregulation in breast cancer cells were initially screened and then selected by e-Northern analysis using the Unigene database. A series of these in silico methods identified CAMK2B and ARFGEF1 as candidates, and the two genes were revealed to be hypermethylated in breast cancer cell lines and hypomethylated in normal breast cell lines. Additionally, cancer cell lines showed downregulated expression of these genes. Furthermore, treatment of the cancer cell lines with a demethylation agent, 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine, recovered expression of CAMK2B and ARFGEF1, implying that hypermethyaltion silenced gene activity in cancer cells. Taken together, promoter methylations of CAMK2B and ARFGEF1 are novel epigenetic markers identified in breast cancer cell lines and can be utilized for the application to clinical cancer tissues.