Methylation of OSMR gene is frequently observed in non-invasive colorectal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Recently, it has been reported that oncostatin M receptor-ß (OSMR) is frequently methylated in primary colon cancer tissues, but not in normal tissues. We examined the methylation status of the OSMR gene in primary carcinomas and the corresponding normal tissues derived from 56 patients with colorectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The methylation status of the OSMR gene was examined in primary carcinomas and corresponding normal tissues derived from 56 patients with colorectal cancer using quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP), and the correlation between the methylation status and the clinicopathological findings was evaluated. RESULTS: Methylation of the OSMR gene was detected in 18 out of the 56 (32%) primary colon carcinomas. The clinicopathological data were then compared with the methylation results. A significant difference was observed in regard to the extent of tumour (p=0.0442). These results indicated that OSMR was more frequently methylated in non-invasive colorectal carcinomas. CONCLUSION: OSMR may act as a tumour suppressor in colorectal carcinoma and OSMR methylation may play an important role in non-invasive colorectal cancer.