Genetics and Genomics
British Journal of Cancer (2002) 86, 282–284. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6600028 www.bjcancer.com
Published online 21 January 2002
Methylation status of oestrogen receptor-
gene promoter sequences in human ovarian epithelial cell lines
A M O'Doherty1,3, S W Church2, S E H Russell2, J Nelson1 and I Hickey1,4
- 1School of Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
- 2Department of Oncology, The Queen's University of Belfast, Lisburn Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Correspondence: Dr I Hickey, St Mary's University College, 191 Falls Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, BT12 6FE, UK; E-mail: i.hickey@stmarys-belfast.ac.uk
3Current addresses: Department of Neurogenetics, Imperial College of Science, Technology & Medicine, School of Medicine, Norfolk Place, London, UK
4St. Mary's University College, Falls Road, Belfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Received 24 August 2001; Accepted 23 October 2001.
Abstract
We have determined the methylation status of the CpG island of the oestrogen receptor 
gene in seven human ovarian cell lines. Cell lines expressing oestrogen receptor showed no evidence of hypermethylation. In three of four cell lines that produced no detectable oestrogen receptor protein, hypermethylation was observed at the NotI site of the CpG island. These results indicate that aberrant hypermethylation may be responsible for a significant proportion of epithelial ovarian tumours in which oestrogen receptor expression is lost.
Keywords:
oestrogen receptor, DNA methylation, ovarian cancer
