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. 2023 Jan 25;23(1):89.
doi: 10.1186/s12885-023-10549-3.

PCDH17 gene promoter methylation status in a cohort of Egyptian women with epithelial ovarian cancer

Sherif Mohamed Elsharkawi  1 , Dalal Elkaffash  2 , Pacint Moez  2 , Nour El-Etreby  3 , Eman Sheta  4 , Raghda Saad Zaghloul Taleb  2
Affiliations

PCDH17 gene promoter methylation status in a cohort of Egyptian women with epithelial ovarian cancer

Sherif Mohamed Elsharkawi et al. BMC Cancer. .

Abstract

Background and objective: Ovarian cancer is a leading cause of female mortality. Epigenetic changes occur in early stages of carcinogenesis and represent a marker for cancer diagnosis. Protocadherin 17 (PCDH17) is a tumor suppressor gene involved in cell adhesion and apoptosis. The methylation of PCDH17 gene promoter has been described in several cancers including ovarian cancer. The aim of the study was to compare the methylation status of PCDH17 gene promoter between females diagnosed with epithelial ovarian cancer and a control group composed of normal and benign ovarian lesions.

Methods: Fifty female subjects were included in our study (25 ovarian cancer patients and 25 controls). DNA was extracted from Formalin-Fixed Paraffin-Embedded (FFPE) tissues of the subjects. Methylation levels for six CpG sites in the PCDH17 gene promoter were assessed by pyrosequencing.

Results: The methylation levels at five out of six sites were significantly higher in females with epithelial ovarian cancer compared to the control group. Moreover, the same applies for the mean methylation level with p value 0.018.

Conclusion: Methylation of PCDH17 gene promoter plays a role in ovarian carcinogenesis and can be used for diagnosis and early detection.

Keywords: DNA methylation; Epigenetics; Ovarian cancer; PCDH17; Pyrosequencing.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Pyrogram produced by pyrosequencing of PCDH17 gene promoter. Above; control group. Below; Tumor group. Six CpG sites are demarcated by blue highlights (1 to 6, left to right). The value above each site represents the % of methylation of this site in an individual patient. The yellow color represents the “bisulfite conversion control”. Dispensation order lies on the abscissa and relative light intensity lies on the ordinate
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
ROC curves for CA125 and RMI. a. ROC curve for CA125 between all control subjects and malignant group b. ROC curve for CA125 (blue) and RMI (red) for control subjects with adnexal masses and malignant subjects
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Box and Whisker plot for methylation profiles of the 6 CpG sites and mean methylation in both studied groups. Boxes represent 25th and 75th percentiles. Whiskers indicate the 1.0 fold standard deviation. The median is shown as a horizontal line and the mean value as a square within the box. Individual data points are displayed as filled diamonds beside the boxes. Patients are represented by red diamonds while control subjects are represented by blue diamonds. P values are shown above the plots for each site. Significant differences between patients and controls are indicated by an asterisk
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