Open AccessFHIT as a biomarker for early screening of adult T-cell leukemia
Author(s) -
Marcia Bellon,
Christophe Nicot
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
pubmed central
Language(s) - English
DOI - 10.46439/cancerbiology.2.028
Subject(s) - fhit , methylation , leukemia , dna methylation , cancer research , biology , biomarker , cancer , suppressor , tumor suppressor gene , virus , t cell leukemia , virology , gene , medicine , immunology , genetics , gene expression , carcinogenesis
Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an incurable leukemia deriving from human T-cell leukemia virus (HTLV-I) infected cells. In our most recent study, we discovered that methylation of the tumor suppressor, fragile histidine triad gene (FHIT), exists in the majority of acute and chronic ATL patients. Methylation was seen in non-tumorigenic cells, in cells with low levels of HTLV-I integrated DNA, in longitudinal samples from HTLV-I carriers, in a percentage of HTLV-I carriers, and in direct descendants of ATL patients. Overall, this suggests that FHIT methylation is likely present in patients, prior to HTLV-I infection, and predisposes HTLV-I carriers to ATL development. In this commentary we discuss the importance of developing diagnostic tools for the early detection of FHIT methylation and the possibility that prior FHIT methylation may predispose any individual to the development of cancer.