A seven-gene CpG-island methylation panel predicts breast cancer progression.

Background: DNA methylation regulates gene expression, through the inhibition/activation of gene transcription of methylated/unmethylated genes. Hence, DNA methylation profiling can capture pivotal features of gene expression in cancer tissues from patients at the time of diagnosis. In this work, we analyzed a breast cancer case series, to identify DNA methylation determinants of metastatic versus non-metastatic tumors.

Commonality and differences of methylation signatures in the plasma of patients with pancreatic cancer and colorectal cancer.

Profiling of DNA methylation status of specific genes is a way to screen for colorectal cancer (CRC) and pancreatic cancer (PC) in blood. The commonality of methylation status of cancer-related tumor suppressor genes between CRC and PC is largely unknown. Methylation status of 56 cancer-related genes was compared in plasma of patients in the following cohorts: CRC, PC and healthy controls.

Methylation of death-associated protein kinase is associated with cetuximab and erlotinib resistance.

Anti-EGFR therapy is among the most promising molecular targeted therapies against cancer developed in the past decade. However, drug resistance eventually arises in most, if not all, treated patients. Emerging evidence has linked epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation at CpG islands, to the development of resistance to multiple anticancer drugs.

DNA methylation as clinically useful biomarkers-light at the end of the tunnel.

A recent expansion of our knowledge about epigenetic changes strongly suggests that epigenetic rather than genetic features better reflect disease development, and consequently, can become more conclusive biomarkers for the detection and diagnosis of different diseases. In this paper we will concentrate on the current advances in DNA methylation studies that demonstrate a direct link between abnormal DNA methylation and a disease. This link can be used to develop diagnostic biomarkers that will precisely identify a particular disease.

The MethDet: a technology for biomarker development.

Early detection and diagnosis of a disease in its presymptomatic form has to rely on biomarkers, and multiple laboratories are involved in their development and validation. In this article, we describe our work on a platform technology for a genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation while still using a small amount of sample - a biopsy, a section from a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue or a small volume (0.4 ml) of plasma from blood.

DNA methylation patterns in blood of patients with colorectal cancer and adenomatous colorectal polyps.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) screening rates are currently suboptimal. Blood-based screening could improve rates of earlier detection for CRC and adenomatous colorectal polyps. In this study, we evaluated the feasibility of plasma-based detection of early CRC and adenomatous polyps using array-mediated analysis methylation profiling of 56 genes implicated in carcinogenesis.

Distinctive DNA methylation patterns of cell-free plasma DNA in women with malignant ovarian tumors.

Objective: Epithelial ovarian carcinoma (OvCa) is rarely detected early, and it is also difficult to determine whether an adnexal mass is benign or malignant. Previously, we noted differences in methylation patterns of cell-free plasma DNA (cfpDNA) in women without disease compared to patients with OvCa. In this work, we investigated whether methylation patterns of cfpDNA can differentiate between benign and malignant tumors.

Methylation patterns in cell-free plasma DNA reflect removal of the primary tumor and drug treatment of breast cancer patients.

Abnormal DNA methylation is a feature of most types of cancer, which is reflected in cell-free circulating DNA in plasma. It is, however, unknown whether surgical removal of the tumor and subsequent therapy induces changes in plasma DNA methylation, which can be used to monitor treatment. In this pilot study, methylation in cell-free plasma DNA of 20 breast cancer patients was determined by the previously developed MethDet-56 technique.

Differential methylation of cell-free circulating DNA among patients with pancreatic cancer versus chronic pancreatitis.

Background: : Although patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) have an increased risk of pancreatic cancer (PanCa), the timely detection of PanCa often is difficult, because the symptoms of CP and PanCa are very similar. Moreover, secondary inflammation may be identified in PanCa, further complicating diagnosis. To improve the survival of patients with PanCa, a reliable test to differentiate CP from PanCa is needed.

Methylation patterns of cell-free plasma DNA in relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis.

Background: There is growing interest for identification of new targets for biomarker development in multiple sclerosis (MS). The goal of this study was to compare the concentration and the methylation patterns of cell-free plasma DNA (cfpDNA) in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) and healthy individuals.

Methods: Three 30-patient cohorts were examined: patients with RRMS, in either remission or exacerbation, and healthy individuals as controls.

Differential methylation profile of ovarian cancer in tissues and plasma.

An accurate biomarker for detection of ovarian cancer may reduce cancer-related mortality. Using a previously developed microarray-based technique, we evaluated differences in DNA methylation profiles in a panel of 56 genes using sections of serous papillary adenocarcinomas and uninvolved ovaries (n=30) from women in a high-risk group. Methylation profiles were also generated for circulating DNA from blood of patients (n=33) and healthy controls (n=33).

Methylation profile of circulating plasma DNA in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Background And Objectives: Detection of pancreatic cancer by blood-based test may improve outcomes. We sought to establish the feasibility of a blood-based detection of pancreatic cancer through multiplexed array-mediated analysis of DNA methylation.

Methods: Methylation was assessed in each plasma sample using a panel of 56 frequently methylated genes.

Array-based multiplex analysis of DNA methylation in breast cancer tissues.

Abnormal DNA methylation is well established for cancer cells, but a methylation-based diagnostic test is yet to be developed. One of the problems is insufficient accuracy of cancer detection in heterogeneous clinical specimens when only a single gene is analyzed. A new technique was developed to produce a multigene methylation signature in each sample, and its potential for selection of informative genes was tested using DNA from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded breast cancer tissues.

MSRE-PCR for analysis of gene-specific DNA methylation.

Abnormal DNA methylation is observed in certain promoters of neoplastic cells, although the likelihood of methylation for each individual promoter varies. Simultaneous analysis of many promoters in the same sample can allow use of statistical methods for identification of neoplasia. Here we describe an assay for such analysis, based on digestion of genomic DNA with methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme and multiplexed PCR with gene-specific primers (MSRE-PCR).