Clinical implications of SOCS1 methylation in myelodysplastic syndrome.

The suppressor of cytokine signalling-1 (SOCS1) protein is a tumour suppressor. Hypermethylation of SOCS1 gene, resulting in transcriptional silencing, is suggested to play an important role in cancer development. We sought to characterise SOCS1 methylation in primary myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and clarify its clinical implications.