engleski

Methylation Status of Gene Promoters in Cervical Cancer and Smears with Normal Cytology

The relationship between HPV status and cervical cancer development are well established. On the other hand, DNA methylation of cellular and viral genes resulting in silencing of gene expression is less known, although it is one of the early events of carcinogenesis. It often occurs on cytosines in the CpG dinucleotides of tumor suppressor genes, transcription factors and genes included in cell cycle regulation. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed methylation status of particular gene promoters in cervical cancer and smears with normal cytology. Methylation specific PCR (MSP) with primers specific for methylated and unmethylated forms of promoters of genes CCNA1, C13ORF18, RARβ2, hTERT1 and hTERT2 was used to amplify bisulfite converted DNA. Forty cervical smears with normal cytology and 10 with cervical cancer were examined. Correlation of the methylation status with patients’ age and HPV status of the study group will be presented. Methylation status of the same gene promoters were also analyzed in cervical cancer cell lines positive to HPV 16 DNA (CaSki and SiHa) and HPV 18 DNA (HeLa). Elevated methylation pattern for all tested gene promoters were found in all cell lines and cervical cancer specimens compared to normal smears. The highest methylation variation between two groups of specimens was found in hTERT1 and the lowest in RARβ2 gene promoters. Therefore, methylation status of the tested gene promoters could be good biomarkers for prediction of cervical cancer as well as precancerous lesions.

HPV; cervical cancer; DNA methylation

Organizatori skupa: Hrvatsko ginekološko onkološko društvo (HGOD) & European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO)