ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the correlation between methylation status and death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1) in SiHa and Hela cell line of cervical carcinoma and intervention of DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-azacytidine on the expression of DAPK1 and the proliferation of the cells. Methods DAPK1 methylation status was analyzed using methylation-specific PCR methods. The expression of mRNA and protein of DAPK1 were analyzed by RT-PCR and SABC methods after the treatment with 5-azacytidine. MTT assay was used to observe the changes of proliferation activity of the cells after 5-azacytidine treatment. Results DAPK1 genes were methylated and did not express in SiHa cells in the cervical carcinoma. Its expression could be restored by 5-azacytidine. MTT assay showed 5-azacytidine could weaken the proliferation of cancerous cells. Conclusion DAPK1 methylation plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of cervical cells and can reexpress after the treatment with 5-azacytidine which also restored its inhibitory function on carcinoma.