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MGMT promoter methylation is a rare epigenetic change in malignant effusions
Author(s) -
Brunetti Marta,
Panagopoulos Ioannis,
Micci Francesca,
Davidson Ben
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
cytopathology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 48
eISSN - 1365-2303
pISSN - 0956-5507
DOI - 10.1111/cyt.12782
Subject(s) - methylation , serous fluid , epigenetics , dna methylation , medicine , methyltransferase , cancer research , carcinoma , pathology , biology , gene , genetics , gene expression
Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to analyse the promoter methylation status of the gene O6‐methylguanine‐ DNA methyltransferase ( MGMT ) in malignant effusions, with focus on serous carcinoma. Methods Fresh‐frozen cell pellets from 81 effusions (42 peritoneal, 38 pleural, one pericardial), consisting of 71 carcinomas of different origin (33 ovarian, 23 breast, six lung, five uterine corpus and four cervical carcinomas) and 10 malignant mesotheliomas, were analysed for MGMT methylation using pyrosequencing analysis. Results MGMT methylation at all four cytosine‐guanine dinucleotide sites examined was detected in only 2/81 (2%) specimens, consisting of a high‐grade serous carcinoma with high frequency of methylation, and a breast carcinoma with low methylation frequency. Conclusion The findings in the present study suggest that MGMT methylation is a rare epigenetic change in malignant effusions of different origin.