Methylation is less abundant in BRCA1-associated compared with sporadic breast cancer.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Promoter methylation is a common epigenetic mechanism to silence tumor suppressor genes during breast cancer development. We investigated whether BRCA1-associated breast tumors show cancer-predictive methylation patterns similar to those found in sporadic tumors.

Patients and methods

Quantitative multiplex methylation-specific PCR of 11 genes involved in breast carcinogenesis (RARB, RASSF1, TWIST1, CCND2, ESR1, SCGB3A1, BRCA1, BRCA2, CDKN2A, APC, CDH1) was carried out on 32 BRCA1-associated and 46 sporadic breast carcinomas and on normal breast tissue from seven BRCA1 mutation carriers and 13 non-carriers.

Results

The extent of cumulative methylation increased with age (P < 0.001). The median cumulative methylation index (CMI) of all studied genes was signi

SUBMITTER: Suijkerbuijk KP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2733079 | biostudies-literature | 2008 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature