EPIGENETIC REGULATION IN GASTRIC CANCER

• Grant number: 09/11251-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2010
• End date: February 29, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Marilia de Arruda Cardoso Smith
• Grantee: Thais Brilhante Pontes
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/07145-9 - Genetic and epigenetic aspects in gastric carcinogenesis, AP.TEM

Abstract

Gastric cancer is the fourth most prevalent and the second cause of cancer death worldwide. Nowadays, Brazil is in the fourth position in the most prevalent in Latin America. Epigenetic events have been associated with tumorigenesis due to their effects on gene expression regulation. Thus, alterations in methylation patterns are crucial regulation mechanisms involved in carcinogenesis. The investigation of these epigenetic mechanisms might lead to better diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic purposes. To analyze whether DNA methylation is the main mechanisms of regulation in cancer process, two gastric cell lines will be treated with 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine and then, analyzed by microarray in the current study. After microarray screening, expression of differentially expressed genes will be evaluated in 50 normal and in 50 tumoral gastric samples. Promoter methylation status will be evaluated by Methylation Specific - High Resolution Melting. Gene expression and DNA methylation modifications will be associated to sex, age, tumor location, H. pylori, tumor extension, limph node metastasis, distant metastasis and histopathologic type of gastric adenocarcinoma. The current study will originate new and better biological information, as biomarkers, which will enable superior understanding of etiology and physiopathology of this neoplasia.