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PMID: 9473734 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Increased DNA methyltransferase expression is associated with an early stage of human hepatocarcinogenesis.

Japanese journal of cancer research : Gann ·Vol. 88 ·No. 12 ·1997-12-00 ·Pages 1165-70

Sun L, Hui AM, Kanai Y, Sakamoto M, Hirohashi S

Abstract

The present study was designed to determine whether changes in DNA methyltransferase (DNA MTase) expression are involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. We examined DNA MTase expression in normal liver tissue (with no remarkable histological findings), liver tissue showing chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis, which are generally thought to be precancerous conditions, and hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) using the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay. DNA MTase mRNA levels were significantly higher in liver tissue showing chronic hepatitis and cirrhosis (DNA MTase mRNA/beta-actin mRNA ratio = 0.30 +/- 0.22, n = 24, P < 0.01) than in normal liver tissue either from patients with liver metastatic lesions of colonic cancer (0.14 +/- 0.05, n = 6) or from patients with HCCs (0.16 +/- 0.07, n = 3). DNA MTase mRNA levels were even higher in HCC tissue (0.34 +/- 0.18, n = 29). These results suggest that increased DNA MTase expression may be an early event during hepatocarcinogenesis. DNA MTase is a potential target for HCC preventive therapy.

MeSH Terms
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/enzymology,genetics,pathology DNA Methylation Fibrosis/enzymology,genetics Hepatitis, Chronic/enzymology,genetics Humans Liver Neoplasms/enzymology,genetics,pathology Methyltransferases/metabolism Neoplasm Staging RNA, Messenger/metabolism
Chemicals
RNA, Messenger Methyltransferases
Authors & Affiliations
5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Sun L
Pathology Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo.
Hui A M
Kanai Y
Sakamoto M
Hirohashi S
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33 references, click to expand
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Article Info
Journal
Japanese journal of cancer research : Gann
Abbr.
Jpn J Cancer Res
ISSN
0910-5050
DOI
10.1111/j.1349-7006.1997.tb00345.x
Published
1997-12-00
Pages
1165-70
Language
English
Region
Japan
NLM ID
8509412
PMCID
PMC5921336
Subset
IM
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1111/j.1349-7006.1997.tb00345.x PMC Full Text
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