Methylation pattern of MGMT gene in relation to age, smoking, drinking and dietary habits as epigenetic biomarker in prostate cancer patients.

Abstract

Epigenetic control of gene transcription is an important step for normal human development and cellular differentiation. Although alterations in DNA methylation pattern is a well-defined epigenetic change linked to human cancers and other diseases., inter-individual epigenetic variations in normal and cancer tissues due to ageing, smoking, drinking and meat-eating are poorly characterized. Population based studies are required to improve our understanding of epigenetic changes leading to progression of cancer. In this study, the methylation pattern of MGMT gene was studied in 100 tissue samples of prostate cancer patients along with 50 tissue samples of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia cases and 100 blood samples from healthy individuals as controls. The results establish that the methylation pattern increases with age in BPH and healthy individuals whereas the maximum probability of developing prostate cancer is in the age group of 51-60 yrs. It is again proved in the study that smoking, drinking and non-vegetarian diet has a significant contribution in hypermethylation of MGMT gene, thus signifying that the methylation pattern can be designated as epigenetic biomarker in prostate cancer patients where the diagnosis is not well defined in the early stages of tumorigenesis.