The Research Of The Expression Of Runx3 Gene And Its CpG Island Methylation Of Promoter In Gastric Cancer

AIM:To investigate the expression of Runx3 gene and its CpG island methylation of promoter in human primary gastric cancer.METHODS:The expression of Runx3 gene in 42 gastric carcinoma specimens,the corresponding normal gastric mucosa and lymph nodes was detected by RT-PCR technique.Meanwhile,Methylation-specific PCR was used to detect methylation status of Runx3 gene.RESULTS:The expression of Runx3mRNA detected in gastric carcinoma was 0.5694±0.1313, and 0.6085±0.1407 in lymph nodes,which were lower than that in corresponding mucosa(0.8710±0.2368) (P<0.05).30 cases(73.7%)of aberrant methylation of Runx3 gene was detected in gastric cancer specimens,and 25(65.8%) with lymph nodes,no significant differences between those two.But no methylation of Runx3 gene was found in coresponding normal mucosa(P<0.001).Runx3 methylation was significantly correlated with the differentiation degree, but not with the gender or tumor size and invasion depth of gastric cancer.CONCLUSION:⑴. The down-regulated expression or inactive of Runx3 maybe correlated with development and progression of gastric carcinoma.⑵. Aberant methylation of Runx3 gene is a common event in the occurrence and progression of gastric cancer,it was correlated with the differentiation degree, but not with the tumor size or invasion depth of gastric cancer.⑶. Hypermethylation may cause the Runx3 gene down-regulated expression or inactivation ,which cause the occurrence and progression of gastric cancer further.