Author/Authors :
Naghitorabi، M نويسنده Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran. , , Mohammadi Asl، J. نويسنده Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, I.R. Iran. , , Mir Mohammad Sadeghi، H. نويسنده Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology and Isfahan Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran. , , Rabbani، M. نويسنده , , Jafarian-Dehkordi، A. نويسنده , , Haghjooye Javanmard، S نويسنده Applied Physiology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, I.R. Iran. ,
Abstract :
DNA methylation plays an important role in carcinogenesis through epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes. Aberrant methylation usually results from changes in the activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Some studies show that the overexpression of the DNMTs may lead to aberrant methylation of tumor suppressor genes. Also the overexpression of DNMTs may be related to methylation status of their genes. Due to limited number of studies on DNMT3B promoter methylation, this study was performed to quantitatively measure the methylation level of DNMT3B gene in archival formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) tissues from breast cancer patients. Using differential high resolution melting analysis (D-HRMA) technology, the methylation level of DNMT3B gene promoter was quantified in 98 breast cancer FFPE tissues and also 10 fresh frozen normal tissue samples. Statistical analyses used for analyzing the correlation between the methylation and clinical variables. All the normal samples were found to be methylated at the DNMT3B promoter (the average methylation level 3.34%). Patients were identified as hypo-methylated (mean methylation level 0.8%), methylated (mean methylation level 2.48%) and hyper-methylated (mean methylation level 10.5%). Statistical analysis showed a significant correlation between the methylation status and the sample type, cancer type and tumor size. Also the methylation level was significantly associated with histologic grade. It is concluded that quantification of DNMT3B promoter methylation might be used as a reliable and sensitive diagnostic and prognostic tool in breast cancer. Also D-HRMA is demonstrated as a rapid and cost effective method for quantitative evaluation of promoter methylation.
