Aberrant RASSF5 gene transcribed region hypermethylation in pediatric hepatoblastomas.

BACKGROUND

Aberrant DNA methylation plays an important role in cancer and has been recognized to contribute to the activity of oncogenes and inactivity of tumor suppressor genes. RAS association domain family (RASSF) members have been shown to be epigenetically silenced by promoter methylation in cancers, including hepatoblastoma.

METHODS

We assessed the methylation patterns in the gene of RASSF5 from hepatoblastoma tissue samples harvested from patients using high-throughput mass spectrometry on a matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass array.

RESULTS

Hypermethylation was found in the RASSF5 gene transcribed regionand was correlated with downregulation of RASSF5 RNA expression levels in the hepatoblastoma samples.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that aberrant methylation of RASSF5 may contribute to its downregulated mRNA expression in hepatoblastoma.