Published in:
01-04-2016 | Original Article
Sera DNA Methylation of CDH1, DNMT3b and ESR1 Promoters as Biomarker for the Early Diagnosis of Hepatitis B Virus-Related Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Published in: Digestive Diseases and Sciences | Issue 4/2016
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Background
DNA methylation mainly affects tumor suppressor genes in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, sera methylation of specific genes in hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related HCC remains unknown.
Aims
The purpose of this study was to identify methylation frequencies of sera E-cadherin (CDH1), DNA
methyltransferase
3b (DNMT3b) and estrogen
receptor
1 (ESR1) promoter in HBV-related HCC and analyze the associated clinical significance.
Methods
Methylation-specific PCR was used to determine the frequencies of DNA methylation for CDH1, DNMT3b and ESR1 genes in sera from 183 patients with HCC, 47 liver cirrhosis (LC), 126 chronic hepatitis B (CHB), and 50 normal controls (NCs).
Results
Significantly higher frequencies of methylation of CDH1, DNMT3b and ESR1 were found in HBV-related HCC compared with LC, CHB and NCs. Nodule numbers, tumor size and the presence of liver cirrhosis were significantly associated with gene methylation status in HBV-related HCC. Moreover, HBV may have a strong and enhanced effect on the concurrent methylation of CDH1, DNMT3b and ESR1 in HBV-related HCC. More importantly, combined methylation as a biomarker displayed significantly higher diagnostic value than AFP to discriminate HCC from CHB and LC.
Conclusions
Aberrant sera DNA methylation of CDH1, DNMT3b and ESR1 gene promoters could be a biomarker in the early diagnosis of HBV-related HCC.