The aberrant changes of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) are now recognized as an important mechanism contributing to the development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). CCAAT/enhancer binding protein zeta (C/EBPζ), a candidate TSG, has been found to be involved in cancers including AML. We detected the methylation status of C/EBPζ promoter in 133 patients with AML using the methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MS-PCR) and examined C/EBPζ transcript in 32 patients using real-time quantitative PCR. The abnormal methylation of C/EBPζ gene promoter was found in 62 (46.6%) AML cases. No correlation was found between C/EBPζ promoter hypermethylation and the age, sex, WBC counts, platelet counts and FAB subtypes of AML patients (P>0.05). The trend that the frequency of C/EBPζ methylation increased as karyotype became more adverse was observed (R=0.167, P=0.075). There was a significant correlation between C/EBPζ expression and C/EBPζ methylation in AML patients (R=0.606, P=0.002). Our data suggest that the aberrant methylation of C/EBPζ promoter may be involved in AML.
Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.