Study On The Methylation Of FHIT And P16Gene In The Malignant Transformation Of Oral Submucous Fibrosis

Objectives:To investigate aberrant CpG island methylation of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) and P16gene promoter and to elucidate the role of gene methylation in the malignant transformation of oral submucous fibrosis.Methods:Collect tissues of different patients who had been diagnosed as OSF, carcinogenesis of OSF and normal tissues by pathological department,in which there are30cases of carcinogenesis of OSF,28cases of OSF and30normal tissues.Methylation specific PCR(MSP) was used to detect CpG island methylation status of the P16and FHIT gene in OSF,carcinogenesis of OSF and normal tissues.Results:1.The frequency of the FHIT methylation in normal tissues,OSF and carcinogenesis of OSF was0%,25.00%and40.00%,and the frequency of the P16methylation was0%,35.71%and53.33%respectively.The methylation frequencies of both genes in OSF and carcinogenesis of OSF were significantly higher than that in normal tissues(P<0.01);The methylation frequencies of both genes in carcinogenesis of OSF was significantly higher than that in OSF(P<0.01).2.The methylation of both genes at the same time was found in6cases(21.43%) of OSF and in9cases(30.00%) of carcinogenesis of OSF. The relationship between methylation of P16and FHIT gene was evaluated with correlation analysis by spearman test,and the result showed there were positive correlation between methylation of these two genes(y=0.98,p<0.01).Conclusions:1.Methylation of FHIT gene and P16gene may paly a critical role in malignant transformation of OSF.2.Methylation of FHIT gene and P16gene have synergistic effect.