Hypermethylation of the Myf-3 gene in human colorectal cancer
Iacopetta, B.J.; Harmon, D.; Spagnolo, D.V.; House, A.K.; Kay, P.H.
Anticancer Research 17(1a): 429-432
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0250-7005 PMID: 9066689 Document Number: 474829
Abnormal methylation of DNA is one of the earliest detectable changes in human tumors. We investigated hypermethylation of the Myf-3 gene, the human homolog of the mouse myogenic gene Myo-D1, in colorectal adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Histologically normal gut mucosa from colorectal cancer patients showed moderately higher levels of methylation than in other normal tissues. Varying degrees of Myf-3 hypermethylation were found in all five adenomas and eight adenocarcinomas examined. Carcinomas arising from within adenomas generally showed a decrease in both the heterogeneity and intensity of Myf-3 methylation. Regional hypermethylation of this gene therefore appears to be an early event in human colorectal neoplasia.