Elucidation of aberrant DNA methylation in cancers and other disorders

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It is known that various mutations and aberrant DNA methylation are accumulated in cancer cells. Recently, we revealed that aberrant DNA methylation of a specific gene can also be present in a large fraction of cells even in non-cancerous tissues, and that many genes are methylated in a single cancer cell.

In our laboratory, we revealed genes methylated in
gastric cancers
esophageal cancers
colon cancers
breast cancers
prostate cancers
neuroblastomas
malignant melanomas

In addition, we also revealed that specific genes are inactivated by aberrant DNA methylation in gastric glands with intestinal metaplasia, which is a disorder of cellular differentiation with a polyclonal origin.

We also revealed inducers of aberrant DNA methylation, namely chronic inflammation by Helicobacter pylori infection in gastric mucosae and smoking in esophageal mucosae.