Methylation of HACE1 in gastric carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: We recently examined the methylation status of the HACE1 gene in primary carcinomas derived from 32 patients with colorectal cancer. A significant increase was observed in the maximal tumor size of the tumors with methylated HACE1 (p=0.0304). Moreover, a trend was shown toward preferentially developing lymph node metastasis in the carcinomas with methylated HACE1 (p=0.0612), suggesting that HACE1 might present a malignant potential in colorectal cancer. These results prompted us to examine the methylation status of the HACE1 gene in gastric carcinomas. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The methylation status of the HACE1 gene was examined in primary carcinomas and the corresponding normal tissues derived from 34 patients with gastric carcinoma using quantitative methylation-specific PCR (qMSP) and the correlation between the methylation status and the clinicopathological findings was evaluated. RESULTS: An aberrant methylation of the HACE1 gene was detected in 9 out of 34 (26%) primary gastric carcinomas. Subsequently, clinicopathological data were tested for correlation with the methylation score. A significant difference was observed in patient gender (p=0.0429). CONCLUSION: HACE1 was frequently methylated in gastric carcinoma derived from male patients.