Correlation of aberrant methylation of p16 gene to MTHFR C677T genetic polymorphisms in Hepatic Carcinoma

Object: To investigate the association between aberrant hypermethylation of p16 gene and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) genetic polymorphisms in Hepatic Carcinoma. Method: Hepatic Carcinoma cancer tissues and paracancerous normal tissues were collected. CpG island methylation status of p16 gene and MTHFR gene polymorphisms were analyzed by Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). The associations between methylation status of P16 gene and clinical characteristics as well as MTHFR C677T polymorphisms were analyzed. Results: Among 86 HCC patients, the berrant hypermethylation rate of P16 gene was 60.5% in cancer tissues and 2.3% in paracancerou normal tissues. The aberrant hypermethylation rate of p16 gene in tumorous tissues was significantly higher than that in paracancerou normal tissues (χ²=67.48, p<;0.05). Patients with positive HBsAg had greater significantly p16 gene methylation frequencies (χ²=5.60, p<;0.05). No association was found between P16 gene methylation and selected factors including sex, age, smoking, alcohol drinking and tumor size. Compared with the MTHFR 677CC genotype, the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of p16 gene with MTHFR 677T allele were 3.47(1.06 ~ 11.37) (<;0.05). Conclution: MTHFR C677T polymorphism may be associated with hypermethylation of p16 gene, and MTHFR C677T polymorphisms may be involved in methylation-related carcinogenesis in the liver.