Calcium-sensing receptor silencing in colorectal cancer is associated with promoter hypermethylation and loss of acetylation on histone 3.

ABSTRACT: The calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) is suggested to mediate the antiproliferative effects of calcium in colon. However, in colorectal cancer (CRC) the expression of the CaSR is silenced and the underlying mechanisms leading to its loss are poorly understood. We investigated whether loss of the CaSR expression in colorectal tumors is caused by DNA hypermethylation and imbalance of transcriptionally permissive/repressive histone alterations. We observed significantly lower CaSR mRNA expression (n = 65, p < 0.001) in colorectal tumors compared with the adjacent mucosa from the same patient. Immunofluorescence staining confirmed downregulation of the CaSR protein also. The CaSR promoter was methylated to a greater extent in tumors compared with adjacent mucosa as determined by bisulfite sequen

SUBMITTER: Fetahu IS 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4282356 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature