The Role Of Promoter Methylation Status Of Transcription Factor Sox11Gene In Development And Metastasis Of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma

【Background】The human transcription factor SOX11is one of SRY related HMG-Box(SOX) genesfamily members. The role of SOX11was firstly found that it played an importantrole in development of the function of the organ and the growth of nervous systemduring fetal period, recent studies found that it also take part in transcriptionalregulation of adults immature neurons. Recently, researchers found, in addition totranscriptional regulation, it had a tumor suppressor function. Another study foundthat, the expression of SOX11was associated with promoter methylation status of it.This study aimed to explore roles of the promoter methylation of SOX11gene on theSOX11gene expression and the invasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal tumor.【Objective】1.To explore the relations between SOX11expression and its gene promotermethylation, and the mechanism of SOX11gene methylation status occurred innasopharyngeal carcinoma.2. To study the roles of the SOX11gene methylation in regulation of the growthand invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the cellular level, establish theexperimental basis for clinical gene therapy of nasopharyngeal cancer.【Methods】In this study, the effect of promoter methylation of the SOX11gene on SOX11expression in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma and chronic inflammatory tissues wasdetected with methylation-specific PCR and real time quantitative PCR.The nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line (CNE2) was intervened with5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine.The MTT assay and Boyden chamber Matrigel invasion assayhave been applied to investigate the effect of promoter methylation of SOX11ongrowth and invasion of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.【Results】No or weak expression of SOX11mRNA was detected in the nasopharyngealcarcinoma tissues of SOX11gene promoter methylation. Strong expression of SOX11mRNA was detected in the nasopharyngeal carcinoma tissues of SOX11genepromoter unmethylation and chronic inflammation tissues of pharynx nasalis. SOX11mRNA and protein were re-expressed, SOX11gene was demethylated, and growthand invasion of cells were inhibited in CNE2cell line after5-aza-2’-deoxycytidinetreatment.【Conclusions】The expression of SOX11mRNA and protein were associated with SOX11genemethylation status. SOX11gene methylation may be play an important role in theinvasion and metastasis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells.