Frequent promoter methylation of M-cadherin in hepatocellular carcinoma is associated with poor prognosis.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Many cadherins (CDH) are associated with various types of cancer and their genetic and epigenetic alterations might be involved in carcinogenesis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

We examined the methylation status of CDH genes in primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and corresponding noncancerous liver tissues derived from 47 patients, and evaluated the correlation with clinicopathological parameters.

RESULTS:

Hypermethylation was detected at a ratio ranging from 0% to 55.3%. In particular, M-cadherin (CDH15) was the most hypermethylated of 7 CDH genes. Patients with methylated M-cadherin had shorter 5-year survival rates than patients with unmethylated M-cadherin (overall survival rates, 67.4% vs. 82.7%; p = 0.0167) when assessed using Kaplan-Meier curves. Multivariate analysis revealed that M-cadherin methylation status was an independent predictor of survival.

CONCLUSION:

We found that M-cadherin methylation status has prognostic significance for the poorer survival of patients with HCC. This is the first definitive report of a correlation between M-cadherin and the prognosis of patients with HCC.

• Authors: Suguru Yamada, Shuji Nomoto, Tsutomu Fujii, Shin Takeda, Naohito Kanazumi, Hiroyuki Sugimoto, Akimasa Nakao
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) 2007 Jul-Aug Vol. 27 Issue 4B Pg. 2269-74 ISSN: 0250-7005 [Print] Greece
• PMID: 17695513 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Cadherins
• RNA, Messenger
• M-cadherin

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Cadherins (genetics)
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• DNA Methylation
• Female
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (genetics, metabolism, pathology)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Multivariate Analysis
• Polymerase Chain Reaction (methods)
• Prognosis
• Promoter Regions, Genetic
• RNA, Messenger (biosynthesis, genetics)