[Correlation between histone H3-K9 methylation, DNA methylation and expression of gene MGMT in Hep-2 cell line].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between histone H3-K9 methylation, DNA methylation and expression of carcinoma suppressor gene MGMT in laryngeal carcinoma Hep-2 cell line.

METHOD: 5-Aza-dC was used to deal with Hep-2 cell cultured in vitro. ChIP, MSP and Realtime-PCR were used to detect H3-K9 methylation, DNA methylation, of MGMT gene promoter region and MGMT gene expression before and after treatment with drugs.

RESULT: (1) In Hep-2 cell line, gene MGMT was characterized by DNA methylation and histone H3-K9 hypermethylation. (2) 5-Aza-dC was able to reduce H3-K9 methylation of MGMT gene histone in Hep-2 cell line, 5-Aza-dC was able to reverse DNA methylation of MGMT gene histone in Hep-2 cell line, 5-Aza-dC was able to upregulate the down-regulated gene expression of tumor suppressor genes MGMT.

CONCLUSION: Promoter methylation of cancer suppressor gene MGMT may induce the gene inactivity. DNA methylation may increase H3-K9 methylation. 5-Aza-dC can reduce H3-K9 methylation of tumor suppressor gene MGMT histone by reversing DNA methylation of tumor suppressor gene MGMT, and then the expression of tumor suppressor genes is increased and tumor development is inhibited.