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Expression of human DNA methyltransferase 1 in colorectal cancer tissues and their corresponding distant normal tissues

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International Journal of Colorectal Disease Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background and aim

DNA methylation plays an important role during colorectal cancer (CRC) carcinogenesis. DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) is responsible for maintaining DNA methylation. We addressed the significance of DNMT1 expression in CRC.

Materials and methods

We measured the expression of DNMT1 in CRC tissues and in their corresponding distal normal colorectal mucosa using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical analysis.

Results

The mean ± SD of DNMT1 mRNA in CRC tissues was 1.04 ± 0.36, which was significantly higher than that in their corresponding distal normal colorectal mucosa (0.58 ± 0.44, P < 0.05). Fifty-eight out of 77 (75.3%) CRC tissues and only 30 out of 77 (39%) corresponding distant normal colorectal mucosa showed immunoreactivity (P < 0.001). We also found that the immunoreactivity of DNMT1 was higher in mucosa adjacent to cancer than in corresponding normal colorectal mucosa; high immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with poor differentiation in CRC tissues (P = 0.008). No significant associations were found between DNMT1 immunoreactivity and the following variables: age, sex, locations of cancer, Duke’s phase, and the presence of lymph-node metastasis.

Conclusion

These findings suggested that DNMT1 was associated with the malignant phenotype, and dysregulation of DNMT1 expression was present in tumor cells of CRC.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Tamara K. Locke for his scientific editing. This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 30070343.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Epidemiology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310006, China

    Yi-Min Zhu & Yu Hu

  2. Department of Pathology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, 310006, China

    Qiong Huang, Jie Lin, Jian Chen & Mao-De Lai

Authors
  1. Yi-Min Zhu
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  2. Qiong Huang
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  3. Jie Lin
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  4. Yu Hu
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  5. Jian Chen
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  6. Mao-De Lai
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Correspondence to Mao-De Lai.

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Zhu, YM., Huang, Q., Lin, J. et al. Expression of human DNA methyltransferase 1 in colorectal cancer tissues and their corresponding distant normal tissues. Int J Colorectal Dis 22, 661–666 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-006-0224-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00384-006-0224-4

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