DNA methylation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter region in human ameloblastoma / 中华口腔医学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To study the DNA methylation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter in ameloblastoma (AB) and investigate its clinical biological significance.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DNA methylation of hTERT promoter in 12 cases of AB and 11 cases of normal oral mucosa were detected by methylation-specific PCR.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The positive cases of unmethylated hTERT promoter region in AB and normal oral mucosa were 4 (4/12) and 6 (6/11), respectively (P < 0.001). The positive cases of methylated hTERT promoter region in AB and normal oral mucosa were 11 (11/12) and 3 (3/11), respectively. Four cases of AB and 1 case of normal oral mucosa showed both DNA methylation and unmethylation of hTERT promoter region in the same time.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>DNA methylation of of hTERT promoter region in AB was more common than that in normal oral mucosa. The DNA methylation in hTERT promoter maybe regulate hTERT gene expression.</p>