Analysis of promoter hypermethylation of death-asscciated protein kinase gene in blood from non-small cell lung cancer patients / 医学研究生学报

ABSTRACT

Objective: To analyze the aberrant methylation of death-asscciated protein kinase (DAPK) gene in blood from non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients and to evaluate its clinical significance. Methods: A methylation-specific PCR was performed for the detection of promoter hypermethylation of DAPK gene in blood DNA from 65 cases of NSCLC patients,and the relation of the aberrant methylation of DAPK gene and the clinical pathological data was analyzed. Results: 30.8% (20/65) of the blood from 65 cases of NSCLC patients showed hypermethylation in DAPK promoter, whereas no methylated DAPK gene promoter was found in blood from normal control or patients with benign lung diseases. DAPK gene promoter methylation in blood did not strongly correlate with the pathological class, stage, metastasis and differentiation of NSCLC. Conclusion: Detection of the aberrant methylation of DAPK gene in blood DNA from NSCLC patients might offer an effective means for the earlier auxiliary diagnosis of the malignancy.