Methylator phenotype of malignant germ cell tumours in children identifies strong candidates for chemotherapy resistance.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Yolk sac tumours (YSTs) and germinomas are the two major pure histological subtypes of germ cell tumours. To date, the role of DNA methylation in the aetiology of this class of tumour has only been analysed in adult testicular forms and with respect to only a few genes.

Methods

A bank of paediatric tumours was analysed for global methylation of LINE-1 repeat elements and global methylation of regulatory elements using GoldenGate methylation arrays.

Results

Both germinomas and YSTs exhibited significant global hypomethylation of LINE-1 elements. However, in germinomas, methylation of gene regulatory regions differed little from control samples, whereas YSTs exhibited increased methylation at a large proportion of the loci tested, showing a 'methylator' pheno

SUBMITTER: Jeyapalan JN 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3170957 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature