FHIT gene aberrant methylation and its expression in breast cancer

OBJECTIVE:To detect FHIT gene aberrant methylation and its expression in breast cancer so as to investigate its role in tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer.METHODS:Ninety cases of fresh breast cancer samples were collected,and their matched benign breast samples which were at least 5cm far from the foci of cancer were collected too.FHIT gene aberrant methylation and its expression were determined in the above samples by methylation specific PCR and immunohistochemistry.RESULTS:The hypermethylation of FHIT gene was detected in 38 of 90 cases of breast cancer, and the methylation incidency was 42%. FHIT gene methylation status was significantly associated with the clinical stage of breast cancer, P0.01. No association was found between FHIT gene methylation and lymphaden metatasis status in breast cancer, P0.05. FHIT protein was detected in 32 of 90 cases of breast cancer,and the FHIT protein positive incidency was 36%.The FHIT protein positivity was correlated with the clinical stage (P0.05) and lymphaden metatasis status(P0.05) of breast cancer. The relationship between FHIT gene aberrant and its expression was negative, P0.05.CONCLUSIONS: FHIT gene methylation and its loss of expression are frequent events in the tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer. They could be useful markers in predicting the progression of breast cancer. Methylation probably plays an important role in inactivation of FHIT and thus causes the tumorigenesis and progression of breast cancer.