DNA methylation of tumor suppressor gene in the development and in the metastasis of skin cancers

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Epigenetic regulation of the expression of tumor suppressor genes plays important role in tumor development. DNA methylation of gene promoter is a major pathway of the epigenetic regulation, however, its detail has not well studied in skin neoplasms.With the power of non-isotopic cytosine extension assay, which we established recently, we demonstrated that malignant melanoma showed CpG-island specific hypermethylation compared with benign melanocytic nevus. Also, squamous cell carcinoma and basal cell carcinoma revealed CpG-island-specific hypomethylation.Methylation-specific PCR revealed p16 promoter methylation in 70% of SCC, and 30% of BCC or melanoma. p14 promoter methylation was observed in small number of SCC. E-cadherin promoter methylation was most ubiquitously observed; in all the cases of SCC, halves the cases of BCC and melanoma.Promoter DNA methylation may play an important role in the development of skin neoplasms.