Promoter methylation of Wilms' tumor gene on the X- chromosome in gastric cancer / 南方医科大学学报

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the changes in methylation levels of the promoters of the tumor suppressor gene Wilms' tumor gene on the X-chromosome (WTX) and its possible role in gastric cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>WTX promoter methylation levels were detected in 20 pairs of specimens of gastric cancer and matched normal tissues and in 3 gastric cancer cell lines (MGC803, SCG7901, and BGC823) using the Sequenom MassARRAY quantitative analysis system. The gastric cancer cell line BGC823 was treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) for demethylation and the changes in the level of WTX promoter methylation were investigated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>WTX promoter methylation levels were very low and showed no significant differences among normal gastric tissues, gastric cancer tissues and the 3 gastric cancer cell lines. In BGC823 cells, treatment with 5-aza-dC did not obviously affect the promoter methylation levels of WTX.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>High methylation levels of WTX promoters are rare in gastric cancer.</p>