The Expression and Clinical Significance of DNA Methyltransferase Proteins in Human Gastric Cancer

• Published in: Digestive diseases and sciences Vol. 53; no. 8; pp. 2083 - 2089
• Main Authors: Ding, Wen-Jin, Fang, Jing-Yuan, Chen, Xiao-Yu, Peng, Yan-Shen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.08.2008; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biological and medical sciences; Cell Nucleus - enzymology; Cytoplasm - enzymology; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferase 1; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases - analysis; DNA Methyltransferase 3A; DNA Methyltransferase 3B; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Hepatology; Humans; Immunohistochemistry; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Original Paper; Stomach Neoplasms - enzymology; Stomach Neoplasms - pathology; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Transplant Surgery; Tumors; Up-Regulation; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Immunohistochemistry; Human gastric cancer; DNA methyltransferase; Biological behaviors; Human; DNA; Gastroenterology; Digestive diseases; Metabolic diseases; Human gastric cancer .DNA methyltransferase 1.Immunohistochemistry .Biological behaviors; Malignant tumor; Stomach cancer; Protein; Cancer; Gastric disease
• DOI: 10.1007/s10620-007-0145-2
• ISSN: 0163-2116

This study investigates the varied expression of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) proteins in gastric cancer (GC) and their relationship with the biological behavior of the tissues. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of the 3 DNMTs in gastric tissues. We discovered that the positive rates of DNMT1, DNMT3a, and DNMT3b expression in GC tissues were 81.6%, 81.6%, and 68.4%, respectively, and they were significantly higher than those of both para-cancerous (39.5%, 50%, and 44.7%) and normal tissues (10.5%, 10.5%, and 7.9%). DNMT1 was well distributed in the cytoplasm and nuclei of tumor cells or glands, while DNMT3a and 3b were well distributed only in the cytoplasm, as shown by staining a dark brown color. A significant correlation between the DNMT1 and DNMT3a proteins ( P  < 0.01), a low correlation between DNMT3a and DNMT3b ( P  < 0.05), and no correlation between DNMT1 and DNMT3b ( P  > 0.05) were observed. DNMT1 protein expression exhibited no correlation with age, lymphnode metastasis, and also tumor differentiation, but it may have had a correlation with gender. The DNMT3 family was not associated with these factors. Therefore, DNMT overexpression is involved in gastric tumorigenesis, but there is no correlation between the DNMTs and the biological behaviors of tissues.