BACKGROUNDTo study p16 methylation status and p16 mRNA transcription of BEP2D cells during its malignant transformation.

METHODSNormal BEP2D cell and BEP2D cells irradiated by α particle for 20 weeks (R-20), 21 weeks (R-21), 35 weeks (T-35) and 54 weeks (T-54) respectively were chosen to study the p16 methylation status by methylation-specific PCR (MSP). Meanwhile, RT-PCR was used to study p16 mRNA transcription of the above cells.

RESULTS(1) p16 methylation was found in R-20, R-21, T-35 and T-54 cells, but not in normal BEP2D cell. (2) The p16 mRNA transcription levels of R-20, R-21, T-35 and T-54 cells were much lower than that of normal BEP2D cell.

CONCLUSIONSThe p16 methylation occurs in the early stage of lung cancer. The methylation of p16 gene may cause the inactivation of p16 gene.