Publication
Title
Aberrant methylation of the **Adenomatous Polyposis Coli** (**APC**) gene promoter is associated with the inflammatory breast cancer phenotype
Author
Abstract
Aberrant methylation of the adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene promoter occurs in about 40% of breast tumours and has been correlated with reduced APC protein levels. To what extent epigenetic alterations of the APC gene may differ according to specific breast cancer phenotypes, remains to be elucidated. Our aim was to explore the role of APC methylation in the inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) phenotype. The status of APC gene promoter hypermethylation was investigated in DNA from normal breast tissues, IBC and non-IBC by both conventional and real-time quantitative methylation-specific PCR (MSP). APC methylation levels were compared with APC mRNA and protein levels. Hypermethylation of the APC gene promoter was present in 71% of IBC samples (n=21) and 43% of non-IBC samples (n=30) by conventional MSP (P=0.047). The APC gene also showed an increased frequency of high methylation levels in IBC (in 74% of cases, n=19) vs non-IBC (in 46% of cases, n=35) using a qMSP assay (P=0.048). We observed no significant association between APC methylation levels by qMSP and APC mRNA or protein expression levels. In conclusion, for the first time, we report the association of aberrant methylation of the APC gene promoter with the IBC phenotype, which might be of biological and clinical importance.
Language
English
Source (journal)
The British journal of cancer. - London
Publication
London : 2008
ISSN
0007-0920
DOI
10.1038/SJ.BJC.6604705
Volume/pages
99 :10 (2008) , p. 1735-1742
ISI
000260832400025
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 29.04.2009
Last edited 18.08.2024
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