Promoter Methylation of E-cadherin in Hepatocellular Carcinomas and Dysplastic Nodules.
10.3346/jkms.2005.20.2.242
- Author:
Ghee Young KWON
1
;
Byung Chul YOO
;
Kwang Cheol KOH
;
Jae Won CHO
;
Won Sang PARK
;
Cheol Keun PARK
Author Information
1. Department of Pathology, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. ckpark@smc.samsung.co.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article ; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- Keywords:
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular;
Dysplastic Nodule;
Cadherins;
DNA Methylation
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Cadherins/*genetics;
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/*genetics/mortality;
CpG Islands;
Female;
Humans;
Liver Neoplasms/*genetics/mortality;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Precancerous Conditions/*genetics/mortality;
Promoter Regions (Genetics);
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
- From:Journal of Korean Medical Science
2005;20(2):242-247
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
In order to clarify the significance of E-cadherin methylation in multistep hepatocarcinogenesis, we examined the methylation status of the E-cadherin promoter region, using methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction in 64 hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) and 13 dysplastic nodules (DNs), and correlated these results with E-cadherin protein expression and clinicopathologic factors of HCCs. Promoter methylation was detected in 1 of 13 (7.7%) DNs, in 5 of 13 (38.5%) Edmondson and Steiner grade I HCCs, and in 27 of 51 (52.9%) grade II or III HCCs, and a significant correlation was observed between the methylation status and the stepwise progression of hepatocarcinogenesis (p=0.004). Reduced E-cadherin immunoreactivity was found in 18 of 64 (28%) HCCs, but in none of DNs. E-cadherin methylation status in HCCs was significantly correlated with microvascular invasion (p=0.02) and tumor recurrence (p=0.04), but not with reduced E-cadherin immunoreactivity. The Kaplan-Meier method showed that methylation status did not have a significant influence on the recurrence-free survival of HCC patients (p=0.15). Our results indicate that methylation of the E-cadherin promoter region is a frequent event in HCC, which may play an important role in the stepwise progression of hepatocarcinogenesis. And the promoter methylation of E-cadherin in HCC was found to be significantly correlated with microvascular invasion and recurrence.
