| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
Regular Articles |



From the Departments of Pathology,*
Leukemia,
and
Biostatistics,
University of Texas M. D.
Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
Methylation of cytosines in CpG islands silences gene expression. CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) in colorectal cancers is characterized by abnormal methylation of multiple CpG islands including those in several tumor suppressor genes such as p16, hMLH1, and THBS1. CpG island methylation has not been well characterized in adenomas. We evaluated methylation status at p16, MINT2, and MINT31 loci, which are frequently methylated in colorectal carcinomas, in 108 colorectal adenomas from a prospective study of 50 patients without cancer. Methylation at one or more loci was present in 48% (52 of 108) of adenomas with 25% (19 of 76) CIMP-high (two or more methylated loci) and 32% (24 of 76) CIMP-low (one methylated locus). The p16 gene was methylated in 27% (19 of 71) of adenomas. Methylation status of different adenomas from the same patient was not correlated (odds ratio, 0.93; P = 0.77). Adenomas with tubulovillous or villous histology were frequently methylated: 73% (17 of 26) versus 41% (35 of 85) of tubular adenomas (odds ratio, 3.46; P = 0.02). High levels of microsatellite instability were more frequent in adenomas without methylation (13% versus 2%; odds ratio, 8.48; P = 0.05). Our results indicate that methylation plays an important role early in colorectal tumorigenesis. CpG island methylation is more common in adenomas with tubulovillous/villous histology, a characteristic associated with more frequent predisposition to invasive carcinoma. Methylation is distinct from microsatellite instability and develops in individual adenomas rather than resulting from a field defect in an individual patient.
This article has been cited by other articles:
![]() |
C. G. Viloria, A. J. Obaya, A. Moncada-Pazos, M. Llamazares, A. Astudillo, G. Capella, S. Cal, and C. Lopez-Otin Genetic Inactivation of ADAMTS15 Metalloprotease in Human Colorectal Cancer Cancer Res., June 1, 2009; 69(11): 4926 - 4934. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
G. Deng, S. Kakar, K. Okudiara, E. Choi, M. H. Sleisenger, and Y. S. Kim Unique Methylation Pattern of Oncostatin M Receptor Gene in Cancers of Colorectum and Other Digestive Organs Clin. Cancer Res., March 1, 2009; 15(5): 1519 - 1526. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J. M. Yi, H.-C. Tsai, S. C. Glockner, S. Lin, J. E. Ohm, H. Easwaran, C. D. James, J. F. Costello, G. Riggins, C. G. Eberhart, et al. Abnormal DNA Methylation of CD133 in Colorectal and Glioblastoma Tumors Cancer Res., October 1, 2008; 68(19): 8094 - 8103. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Suehiro, T. Okada, T. Okada, K. Anno, N. Okayama, K. Ueno, M. Hiura, M. Nakamura, T. Kondo, A. Oga, et al. Aneuploidy Predicts Outcome in Patients with Endometrial Carcinoma and Is Related to Lack of CDH13 Hypermethylation Clin. Cancer Res., June 1, 2008; 14(11): 3354 - 3361. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Y. Suehiro, C. W. Wong, L. R. Chirieac, Y. Kondo, L. Shen, C. R. Webb, Y. W. Chan, A. S.Y. Chan, T. L. Chan, T.-T. Wu, et al. Epigenetic-Genetic Interactions in the APC/WNT, RAS/RAF, and P53 Pathways in Colorectal Carcinoma Clin. Cancer Res., May 1, 2008; 14(9): 2560 - 2569. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Fini, M. Selgrad, V. Fogliano, G. Graziani, M. Romano, E. Hotchkiss, Y. A. Daoud, E. B. De Vol, C. R. Boland, and L. Ricciardiello Annurca Apple Polyphenols Have Potent Demethylating Activity and Can Reactivate Silenced Tumor Suppressor Genes in Colorectal Cancer Cells J. Nutr., December 1, 2007; 137(12): 2622 - 2628. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
W. M Grady CIMP and colon cancer gets more complicated Gut, November 1, 2007; 56(11): 1498 - 1500. [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Shen, P. J. Catalano, A. B. Benson III, P. O'Dwyer, S. R. Hamilton, and J.-P. J. Issa Association between DNA Methylation and Shortened Survival in Patients with Advanced Colorectal Cancer Treated with 5-Fluorouracil Based Chemotherapy Clin. Cancer Res., October 15, 2007; 13(20): 6093 - 6098. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. F.G. de Maat, N. Umetani, E. Sunami, R. R. Turner, and D. S.B. Hoon Assessment of Methylation Events during Colorectal Tumor Progression by Absolute Quantitative Analysis of Methylated Alleles Mol. Cancer Res., May 1, 2007; 5(5): 461 - 471. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
M. van den Donk, M. van Engeland, L. Pellis, B. J.M. Witteman, F. J. Kok, J. Keijer, and E. Kampman Dietary Folate Intake in Combination with MTHFR C677T Genotype and Promoter Methylation of Tumor Suppressor and DNA Repair Genes in Sporadic Colorectal Adenomas Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., February 1, 2007; 16(2): 327 - 333. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T Ishii, J Murakami, K Notohara, H M Cullings, H Sasamoto, T Kambara, Y Shirakawa, Y Naomoto, M Ouchida, K Shimizu, et al. Oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma may develop within a background of accumulating DNA methylation in normal and dysplastic mucosa Gut, January 1, 2007; 56(1): 13 - 19. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S. Ogino, T. Kawasaki, G. J. Kirkner, M. Loda, and C. S. Fuchs CpG Island Methylator Phenotype-Low (CIMP-Low) in Colorectal Cancer: Possible Associations with Male Sex and KRAS Mutations J. Mol. Diagn., November 1, 2006; 8(5): 582 - 588. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
E. J. Greenspan, M. A. Jablonski, T. V. Rajan, J. Levine, G. S. Belinsky, and D. W. Rosenberg Epigenetic alterations in RASSF1A in human aberrant crypt foci Carcinogenesis, July 1, 2006; 27(7): 1316 - 1322. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Sugai, W. Habano, Y.-F. Jiao, M. Tsukahara, Y. Takeda, K. Otsuka, and S.-i. Nakamura Analysis of Molecular Alterations in Left- and Right-Sided Colorectal Carcinomas Reveals Distinct Pathways of Carcinogenesis: Proposal for New Molecular Profile of Colorectal Carcinomas J. Mol. Diagn., May 1, 2006; 8(2): 193 - 201. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
K. Woodson, D. J. Weisenberger, M. Campan, P. W. Laird, J. Tangrea, L. L. Johnson, A. Schatzkin, and E. Lanza Gene-Specific Methylation and Subsequent Risk of Colorectal Adenomas among Participants of the Polyp Prevention Trial Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., May 1, 2005; 14(5): 1219 - 1223. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
Z. Petko, M. Ghiassi, A. Shuber, J. Gorham, W. Smalley, M. K. Washington, S. Schultenover, S. Gautam, S. D. Markowitz, and W. M. Grady Aberrantly Methylated CDKN2A, MGMT, and MLH1 in Colon Polyps and in Fecal DNA from Patients with Colorectal Polyps Clin. Cancer Res., February 1, 2005; 11(3): 1203 - 1209. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Nagasaka, H. Sasamoto, K. Notohara, H. M. Cullings, M. Takeda, K. Kimura, T. Kambara, D. G. MacPhee, J. Young, B. A. Leggett, et al. Colorectal Cancer With Mutation in BRAF, KRAS, and Wild-Type With Respect to Both Oncogenes Showing Different Patterns of DNA Methylation J. Clin. Oncol., November 15, 2004; 22(22): 4584 - 4594. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Yang, V. Ionescu-Tiba, K. Burns, M. Gadd, L. Zukerberg, D. N. Louis, D. Sgroi, and E. V. Schmidt The Role of the Cyclin D1-Dependent Kinases in ErbB2-Mediated Breast Cancer Am. J. Pathol., March 1, 2004; 164(3): 1031 - 1038. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
L. Kopelovich, J. A. Crowell, and J. R. Fay The Epigenome as a Target for Cancer Chemoprevention J Natl Cancer Inst, December 3, 2003; 95(23): 1747 - 1757. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
C. Bariol, C. Suter, K. Cheong, S.-L. Ku, A. Meagher, N. Hawkins, and R. Ward The Relationship between Hypomethylation and CpG Island Methylation in Colorectal Neoplasia Am. J. Pathol., April 1, 2003; 162(4): 1361 - 1371. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
S.-J. Park, A. Rashid, J.-H. Lee, S. G. Kim, S. R. Hamilton, and T.-T. Wu Frequent CpG Island Methylation in Serrated Adenomas of the Colorectum Am. J. Pathol., March 1, 2003; 162(3): 815 - 822. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A Tannapfel, C Busse, F Geissler, H Witzigmann, J Hauss, and C Wittekind INK4a-ARF alterations in liver cell adenoma Mol. Pathol., December 1, 2002; 55(6): 379 - 384. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
T. Tokugawa, H. Sugihara, T. Tani, and T. Hattori Modes of Silencing of p16 in Development of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cancer Res., September 1, 2002; 62(17): 4938 - 4944. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A Tannapfel, C Busse, F Geissler, H Witzigmann, J Hauss, and C Wittekind INK4a-ARF alterations in liver cell adenoma Gut, August 1, 2002; 51(2): 253 - 258. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
J.-P. Issa Epigenetic Variation and Human Disease J. Nutr., August 1, 2002; 132(8): 2388S - 2392. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. O.-O. Chan, R. R. Broaddus, P. S. Houlihan, J.-P. J. Issa, S. R. Hamilton, and A. Rashid CpG Island Methylation in Aberrant Crypt Foci of the Colorectum Am. J. Pathol., May 1, 2002; 160(5): 1823 - 1830. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
![]() |
A. O.-O. Chan, J.-P. J. Issa, J. S. Morris, S. R. Hamilton, and A. Rashid Concordant CpG Island Methylation in Hyperplastic Polyposis Am. J. Pathol., February 1, 2002; 160(2): 529 - 536. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF] |
||||
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |