Aberrant DNA methylation in hepatitis B and C virus-related hepatocellular carcinoma

Chronic infections by hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) appear to be the most significant causes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Aberrant promoter methylation is known to be deeply involved in cancer, including HCC. In this study, we analyzed aberrant promoter methylation on genome-wide scale in 6 HCCs including 3 HBV-related and 3 HCV-related HCCs, 6 matched noncancerous liver tissues and 3 normal liver tissues by methylated DNA immunoprecipitation-on-chip analysis. Candidate genes with promoter methylation were detected more frequently in HCV-related HCC. Candidate genes methylated preferentially to HBV-related or HCV-related HCCs were detected and selected, and methylation levels of the selected genes were validated using 125 liver tissue samples, including 61 HCCs (28 HBV-related HCCs and 33 HCV-related HCCs) and matched 59 matched noncancerous livers, and 5 normal livers, by quantitative methylation analysis using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Among analyzed genes, preferential methylation in HBV-related HCC was validated in 1 gene only. However, 15 genes were found methylated preferentially in HCV-related HCC, which was independent from age. Hierarchical clustering of HCC using these 15 genes stratified HCV-related HCC as a cluster of frequently methylated samples. The 15 genes included genes inhibitory to cancer-related signaling such as RAS/RAF/ERK and Wnt/b-catenin pathways. It was indicated that genes methylated preferentially in HCV-related HCC exist, and it was suggested that DNA methylation might play an important role in HCV-related HCC by silencing cancer-related pathway inhibitors.

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Deng YB, Nagae G, Midorikawa Y, Yagi K, Tsutsumi S, Yamamoto S, Hasegawa K, Kokudo N, Aburatani H, Kaneda A