You are here

Article Text

Article menu

Download PDFPDF

Basic Science
Differences in LINE-1 Methylation Between Endometriotic Ovarian Cyst and Endometriosis-Associated Ovarian Cancer
  1. Ajaree Senthong, MD*,
  2. Nakarin Kitkumthorn, PhD†,
  3. Prakasit Rattanatanyong, BSc‡,
  4. Nipon Khemapech, MD*,
  5. Surang Triratanachart, MD§ and
  6. Apiwat Mutirangura, MD, PhD‡
  1. *Gynecologic Oncology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University;
  2. †Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University;
  3. ‡Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University; and
  4. §Gynecologic Cytopathology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Apiwat Mutirangura, MD, PhD, Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand. E-mail: mapiwat{at}chula.ac.th; apiwat.mutirangura{at}gmail.com.

Abstract

Background Endometriosis in endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC) refers to lesions that can derive from endometriotic ovarian cysts (ECs) that form in the ovarian endometrium with the potential to transform into full-blown ovarian cancer. Hypomethylation of long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) is a common epigenomic event in several cancers and is strongly associated with ovarian cancer progression.

Objectives To evaluated alterations in LINE-1 methylation between EC, ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma (OEA), EAOC, and ovarian clear cell carcinoma (OCC).

Methods/ Materials First, LINE-1 methylation status in 19 normal endometrium, 29 EC, 35 OCC, and 22 OEA tissues from unrelated samples were compared. Then, specific areas of eutopic endometrium, contiguous endometriosis, and cancer arising from 16 EAOCs were collected by microdissection and analyzed for LINE-1 methylation status.

Results The total LINE-1 methylation levels were significantly different among the endometrium, endometriosis, and ovarian cancer (P < 0.001). A stepwise decrease in LINE-1 methylation was observed in the following order: normal endometrium, EC, OEA, and OCC. Interestingly, endometriosis in EAOC of both OEA (P = 0.016) and OCC (P = 0.003) possessed a higher percentage of LINE-1 unmethylated loci than EC.

Conclusion Our data implicate that LINE-1 hypomethylation is an early molecular event involved in OEA and OCC malignant transformation. Precise measurements of LINE-1 methylation may help to distinguish EC and endometriosis in EAOC.

  • Endometriosis-associated ovarian cancer (EAOC)
  • Methylation
  • Long interspersed element-1s (LINE-1s)

https://doi.org/10.1097/IGC.0000000000000021

Statistics from Altmetric.com

    Request Permissions

    If you wish to reuse any or all of this article please use the link below which will take you to the Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink service. You will be able to get a quick price and instant permission to reuse the content in many different ways.

    Footnotes

    • This study was supported by a Research Chair Grant 2011 from the National Science and Technology Development Agency in Thailand at the Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases at Chulalongkorn University and the Ratchadapiseksomphot Fund from the Faculty of Medicine at Chulalongkorn University.

    • NK was supported by Thailand Research Funds (RSA 5580013). The remaining authors declare no conflicts of interest.