Promoter methylation of Wilms' tumor gene on the X- chromosome in gastric cancer.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the changes in methylation levels of the promoters of the tumor suppressor gene Wilms' tumor gene on the X-chromosome (WTX) and its possible role in gastric cancer. METHODS WTX promoter methylation levels were detected in 20 pairs of specimens of gastric cancer and matched normal tissues and in 3 gastric cancer cell lines (MGC803, SCG7901, and BGC823) using the Sequenom MassARRAY quantitative analysis system. The gastric cancer cell line BGC823 was treated with 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) for demethylation and the changes in the level of WTX promoter methylation were investigated. RESULTS WTX promoter methylation levels were very low and showed no significant differences among normal gastric tissues, gastric cancer tissues and the 3 gastric cancer cell lines. In BGC823 cells, treatment with 5-aza-dC did not obviously affect the promoter methylation levels of WTX. CONCLUSION High methylation levels of WTX promoters are rare in gastric cancer.