Abstract
Controversy continues to surround the role of p16INK4a in cell cycle control and carcinogenesis. Mutations, deletions and changes in methylation patterns of p16INK4a have been proposed as mechanisms leading to abnormal expression of the gene. We show here that primary and metastatic breast carcinomas demonstrate hypomethylation of p16INK4a which is associated with expression of p16INK4a mRNA, as compared to normal breast tissue which demonstrates a relative hypermethylation of p16INK4a associated with the absence of p16INK4a expression. These data suggest that methylation and lack of expression of p16INK4a is not a central mechanism in the development of breast carcinoma, but rather that the gene is functioning and expressed in breast carcinoma more frequently than in normal breast tissue. The role of p16INK4a is much more complex than has been previously hypothesized.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 50 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $5.18 per issue
Rent or buy this article
Prices vary by article type
from$1.95
to$39.95
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Zee, K., Calvano, J. & Bisogna, M. Hypomethylation and increased gene expression of p16INK4a in primary and metastatic breast carcinoma as compared to normal breast tissue. Oncogene 16, 2723–2727 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1201794
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.onc.1201794
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
p16 INK4a hypermethylation and p53, p16 and MDM2 protein expression in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
BMC Cancer (2010)
-
Methylation status of p16 INK4A tumor suppressor gene in Iranian patients with sporadic breast cancer
Journal of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology (2009)
-
Precursors and preinvasive lesions of the breast: the role of molecular prognostic markers in the diagnostic and therapeutic dilemma
World Journal of Surgical Oncology (2007)
-
CDKN2A-positive breast cancers in young women from Poland
Breast Cancer Research and Treatment (2007)
-
Alterations of p16-pRb Pathway and Chromosome Locus 9p21–22 in Sporadic Invasive Breast Carcinomas
Molecular Medicine (1998)