Influence of all-trans retinoic acid on the methylation of the RARa gene in ovarian cancer cell line COC2 / 医学研究生学报

ABSTRACT

Objective: All-trans retinoic acid(ATRA) is a classic drug that can induce tumor differentiation,and its influence on the aberrant methylation of cancer cells has been studied insufficiently.The objective of this study was to observe the influence of ATRA on the methylation of the RARa gene promoter in ovarian cancer cell line COC2 and its relationship with the RARa expression.Methods: The ovarian cancer cell line COC2 was treated with different concentrations of ATRA for different times.Methylation specific PCR(MSP) and bisulfate sequencing methods were used to detect the changes in the methylation of the RARa promoter after ATRA treatment.RT-PCR was employed to observe the changes in the expression level of RARa mRNA.Results: Aberrant methylation of the RARa gene promoter was found in the ovarian cancer cell line COC2.ATRA treatment decreased the number of RARa promoter methylation sites in COC2 within a certain scope in a concentrationand time-dependent manner,and increased the expression of RARa mRNA.Conclusion: Aberrantly high methylation of the RARa promoter exists in the ovarian cancer cell line COC2;ATRA can partially reverse the methylation and increase the RARa mRNA expression.