PGP9.5 Methylation as a Marker for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer

• Published in: Anticancer research Vol. 28; no. 5A; pp. 2697 - 2700
• Main Authors: MIZUKAMI, Hiroki, SHIRAHATA, Atsushi, GOTO, Tetsuhiro, SAKATA, Makiko, SAITO, Mitsuo, ISHIBASHI, Kazuyoshi, KIGAWA, Gaku, NEMOTO, Hiroshi, SANADA, Yutaka, HIBI, Kenji
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Attiki International Institute of Anticancer Research 01.09.2008
• Subjects: Aged; Biological and medical sciences; Colorectal Neoplasms - genetics; DNA Methylation; Female; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Genetic Markers; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; Tumors; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase - genetics; Rectal disease; Colorectal cancer; Biological marker; Malignant tumor; Metastasis; quantitative methylation-specific PCR; Colonic disease; Polymerase chain reaction; Cancerology; Protein gene product 9.5; PGP9.5; marker; Digestive diseases; Intestinal disease; Advanced stage; Molecular biology; Methylation; Cancer; Quantitative analysis
• ISSN: 0250-7005; 1791-7530

Background: Recently, it has been proven that protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) hypomethylation might play an important role in re-expression of the PGP9.5 gene in gallbladder cancer. We previously examined the expression of PGP9.5 in primary colorectal cancer using immunohisto-chemistry and found that PGP9.5 expression is related to tumor progression and may be useful as a marker for invasive colorectal cancer. These results prompted us to examine the methylation status of the PGP9.5 gene in colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: The methylation status of the PGP9.5 gene in primary tumors derived from 49 patients with colorectal cancer using a quantitative methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (qMSP) and the association between the methylation status and the clinicopathological findings was evaluated. Results: An aberrant methylation of the PGP9.5 gene was detected in 36 out of 49 (73%) primary colon cancer samples. Subsequently, clinicopathological data were tested for their association with the methylation results. Lymph node metastasis was significantly associated with a lower frequency of methylation (p=0.029). Conclusion: These findings indicated that PGP9.5 was less frequently methylated in metastatic colorectal cancer, suggesting that PGP9.5 hypomethylation might play an important role in re-expression of the PGP9.5 gene in colorectal cancer.