Quantitative analysis of promoter methylation in exfoliated epithelial cells isolated from breast milk of healthy women.

ABSTRACT: Promoter methylation analysis of genes frequently silenced in breast cancer is a promising indicator of breast cancer risk, as these methylation events are thought to occur long before presentation of disease. The numerous exfoliated epithelial cells present in breast milk may provide the breast epithelial DNA needed for detailed methylation analysis and assessment of breast cancer risk. Fresh breast milk samples and health, lifestyle, and reproductive history questionnaires were collected from 111 women. Pyrosequencing analysis was conducted on DNA isolated from the exfoliated epithelial cells immunomagnetically separated from the total cell population in the breast milk of 102 women. A total of 65 CpG sites were examined in six tumor suppressor genes: PYCARD (also known as ASC or TMS1),

SUBMITTER: Wong CM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3052848 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature