Abstract
Background
Silencing of the suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS-1) by aberrant methylation at the CpG island in the coding region gene has been reported in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, principally, it is methylation in the 5′-noncoding region but not that in the coding region which determines the regulation of gene expression.
Methods
Methylation-specific PCR was performed for the analysis of methylation status both in the 5′-noncoding region and the CpG island of SOCS-1 from 22 HCC tissue samples with adjacent non-HCC tissue samples and from two cell lines.
Results
Using primers in the CpG island, 9 of 22 HCC samples exhibited aberrant methylation of SOCS-1, while only 1 of 22 adjacent non-HCC samples did so. The unmethylation pattern was detected in 1 of 22 HCC and in 5 of 22 non-HCC samples. Thus, aberrant methylation of SOCS-1 was significantly associated with HCC (P = 0.0076 by Fisher’s exact test). Using primers in the 5′-noncoding region, aberrant methylation was observed in 12 of 22 HCC and in 2 non-HCC samples. The unmethylated pattern was observed in 5 of 22 HCC and in 10 of 22 non-HCC samples (P = 0.0042). There was no significant correlation between the methylation status of SOCS-1 and clinicopathological findings, such as the presence or absence of cirrhosis or the histological grade of HCC.
Conclusions
Aberrant methylation of the SOCS-1 had a significant correlation with HCC. The rate of aberrant methylation was similar in the 5′-noncoding region and in the CpG island. Aberrant methylation of SOCS-1 may be associated with hepatocarcinogenesis, although further studies are necessary.
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Miyoshi, H., Fujie, H., Moriya, K. et al. Methylation status of suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 gene in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Gastroenterol 39, 563–569 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-003-1343-0
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00535-003-1343-0