Loss of E‐cadherin expression resulting from promoter hypermethylation in oral tongue carcinoma and its prognostic significance

• Published in: Cancer 2002-01, Vol.94 (2), p.386-392
• Main Authors: Chang, Hsiao Wen, Chow, Vivian, Lam, King Yin, Wei, William Ignace, Wing Yuen, Anthony Po
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Cadherins - genetics; Cadherins - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - genetics; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - metabolism; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell - pathology; CpG Islands; DNA Methylation; DNA Primers; DNA, Neoplasm - chemistry; Down-Regulation; E-cadherin; Female; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; Humans; hypermethylation; Lymphatic Metastasis - genetics; Male; Medical sciences; methylation; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neoplasm Staging; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Polymerase Chain Reaction; Promoter Regions, Genetic - genetics; tongue carcinoma; Tongue Neoplasms - genetics; Tongue Neoplasms - metabolism; Tongue Neoplasms - pathology; Tumors; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/cncr.10211

BACKGROUND E‐cadherin is expressed on the surface of normal epithelial cells. Loss of E‐cadherin expression has been found in cancers and is postulated to facilitate tumor cell dissociation and metastasis. This study evaluated the role of promoter dense methylation in the downregulation of E‐cadherin expression in oral tongue carcinoma. METHODS E‐cadherin expression of 109 oral tongue carcinomas (93 primary tumors, 7 locally recurrent tumors, and 9 metastatic lymph nodes) was evaluated by immunohistochemical staining of tumor tissues. The methylation status of the CpG islands at the promoter region of E‐cadherin which flanked five HpaII (methylation sensitive restriction enzyme) digestion sites were evaluated by methylation sensitive polymerase chain reaction in 86 tumors (70 primary tumors, 7 locally recurrent tumors, and 9 metastatic lymph nodes). RESULTS Underexpression of E‐cadherin was found in 83% of primary tumors, 86% of recurrent tumors, and 89% of nodal metastases. Hypermethylated E‐cadherin promoter was found in 64% of primary tumors, 71% of recurrent tumors, and 67% of nodal metastases. Downregulation of E‐cadherin expression was found to be related to promoter hypermethylation. Consistently weak expression of E‐cadherin by promoter hypermethylation was observed in primary tumors, their corresponding metastatic lymph nodes, and recurrent tumors. Downregulation of E‐cadherin expression was a significant poor prognostic factor for survival. CONCLUSIONS Methylation of CpG sites at the promoter region played a key role in the inhibition of E‐cadherin expression in both primary oral tongue carcinomas and their corresponding recurrences and nodal metastases. The resulting downregulation of E‐cadherin expression had adverse effects on the prognosis of patients who were treated by primary surgery. Cancer 2002;94:386–92. © 2002 American Cancer Society. This study evaluated the role of promoter dense methylation in the downregulation of E‐cadherin expression in oral tongue carcinoma.