Biological significance of promoter hypermethylation of p14/ARF gene: relationships to p53 mutational status in Tunisian population with colorectal carcinoma

Tumour Biol. 2014 Feb;35(2):1439-49. doi: 10.1007/s13277-013-1198-9. Epub 2013 Sep 25.

Abstract

One of the most important pathways which are frequently affected in colorectal cancer is p53/ (MDM2)/p14ARF pathway. We aim to determine the methylation pattern of p14/ARF in relation to mutation of p53. This correlation was studied to investigate whether their alterations could be considered as a predictor factor of prognosis in colorectal cancer and whether it can be useful in early-stage diagnosis. Statistical analyses show that p14/ARF hypermethylation was correlated with rectum location (p = 0.004), primary TNM stage (p = 0.016), and advanced Astler-Coller stage (p = 0.024). The RT-PCR that revel 31 % of patients did not express p14/ARF mRNA or at very low level. A high concordance between CpG hypermethylation and the low levels (p < 0.005) was shown. In addition, our analyses demonstrate that patients with mutation in the p53 gene have a lack of the protein expression (p < 0.005). This category with negative expression of p53 had a shorter survival rate (p < 0.005). On the one hand, MSP pattern of p14/ARF were correlated with a lack of p53 expression (p = 0.007). We found that p53/p14ARF pathway was frequently deregulated among our patients. In our study, we demonstrate that hypermethylation of p14/ARF occurs early during CRC tumorogenesis. However, we did not find correlation between p14/ARF and survival. These results suggest that p14/ARF methylation pattern may constitute a predictor factor of CRC in early stage but it could not be considered as a prognostic factor. On the other hand and because of the reversibility of the methylation mechanism, it may be appropriate to target the demethylation of p14/ARF to develop new drogues for CRC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • DNA Methylation / genetics*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Prognosis
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF / genetics*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics
  • Tunisia

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • RNA, Messenger
  • TP53 protein, human
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p14ARF
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53