Spizzo,G.; Gastl,G.; Obrist,P.; Fong,D.; Haun,M.; Grünewald,K.; Parson,W.; Eichmann,C.; Millinger,S.; Fiegl,H.; Margreiter,R.; Amberger,A.;

We examined the methylation status of the Ep-CAM promoter region of human breast cancer cell lines and breast cancer tissue using MethyLight technology and bisulfite sequencing. We found the promoter of Ep-CAM-negative breast cancer cell lines Hs 578T to be methylated to a higher degree as compared to positive cell lines MCF-7. Demethylation of cell lines was performed using 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine. Ep-CAM RNA and protein expression could be partially restored by treating cells with 5-Aza-2’-deoxycytidine. In most primary breast cancer tissue, methylation of the Ep-CAM gene could be detected at a low level and no correlation was found with Ep-CAM protein expression in tumour tissue. Taken together, these data suggest that methylation of the Ep-CAM promoter is not a crucial mechanism for regulation of Ep-CAM expression in breast cancer. Thus, most important regulatory mechanisms have to be supposed in vivo

Cancer Lett. 2007 246(1-2):253-261
PubMed: 16624485