[Frequent promoter hypermethylation of several tumor suppressor genes in gastric carcinoma and foveolar epithelium].

OBJECTIVE

To study the promoter hypermethylation of several tumor suppressor genes in gastric carcinoma (GC) tissue and adjacent normal gastric foveolar epithelium (GFE).

METHODS

Methylation specific PCR (MSP) was used to examine the promoter methylation of tumor suppressor genes E-cadherin, hMLH1, APC and MGMT in paraffin-embedded gastric cancer tissue and adjacent normal foveolar epithelium in 106 cases.

RESULTS

The positive rate of genes promoter methylation was 44.3% (47/106 cases) and 72.6% (77/106 cases) at one or more genes tested in the normal GFE and GC tissue, respectively. There was a significant difference in the positive rates of gene promoter methylation between normal GFE and GC tissue (P = 0.0001). There was a significant association with Laurén classification, degree of differentiation and pTNM staging in GC (P < 0.05), but no significant association with Ming's classification (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Tumor suppressor genes promoter methylation is frequently present in GC and adjacent normal gastric foveolar epithelium, especially in Laurén diffuse type GC, poorly differentiated GC, mucus-secreting (signet ring) cell GC and pTNM stage III and IV GC. Our findings indicate that the gene promoter methylation is a common and early event in GC carcinogensis.