This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Wang, J. Articles by Xu, B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Wang, J. Articles by Xu, B.

Aberrant DNA Methylation of P16, MGMT, and hMLH1 Genes in Combination with MTHFR C677T Genetic Polymorphism in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

¹ Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China; ² Yangzhong Cancer Research Institute, Jiangsu, China; and ³ Epidemiology for Cancer Prevention, Institut National de la Sante et de la Recherche Medicale U593, Victor Segalen Bordeaux 2 University, Bordeaux, France

Requests for reprints: Biao Xu, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Fudan University, 138 Yi Xue Yuan Road, Shanghai 200032, China. Phone: 86-21-54237710; Fax: 86-21-54237710. E-mail: bxu{at}shmu.edu.cn

To explore the role of aberrant hypermethylation of cancer-related genes, such as P16, MGMT, and hMLH1, in the esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) as well as its relation to dietary folate intake and MTHFR C677T polymorphism, we conducted a molecular epidemiologic study in China. One hundred and twenty-five histologically confirmed ESCC patients having undergone surgery in the Yangzhong People's Hospital between January 2005 and March 2006 were recruited. The aberrant CpG island hypermethylation of P16, MGMT, and hMLH1 genes could be found in cancer tissues with frequency of about 88.0%, 27.2%, and 3.2%, respectively, and in remote normal-appearing esophageal tissues with frequency of about 36.8%, 11.2%, and 0.0%, respectively. No hypermethylation was found in the normal esophageal tissues from healthy controls. Compared with those patients without lymph node metastasis, MGMT gene showed a higher proportion of hypermethylation in cancer tissues, whereas P16 gene showed a higher proportion of hypermethylation in remote normal-appearing esophageal tissues in patients with lymph node metastasis. A significant association was found between MTHFR C677T genetic polymorphism and CpG island methylation status of MGMT gene. After adjustment for potential confounders, individuals carrying CT or TT genotype have higher frequency of hypermethylation in MGMT gene in cancer tissues, with odds ratio of 3.34 (95% confidence interval, 1.07-10.39) and 3.83 (95% confidence interval, 1.13-12.94), respectively. This study indicated that the aberrant CpG island hypermethylation of cancer-related genes was associated with ESCC and might be a promising biomarker in diagnosis and prognosis. (Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2008;17(1):118–25)