Abstract

DNA Methylation Perspectives of Cancer Biology and Clinical Management

Jingde Zhu, Principle Investigator, Shanghai Jiaotong University

Cancer is the disease of misproliferating cells, with a wide range of genetic and epigenetic abnormalities. Among the epigenetic entities, DNA methylation is the best characterized and contributes to the transmission of the long-lasting transcription memory through cell division and therefore the phenotype. Aberrant DNA methylation changes the genomic transcription, representing promising molecular targets for better cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. Using an integrative approach (1. Discovery of the cancer specific altered genes via the MBD-seq based methylomic and RNA-seq based expression profiling, 2. Confirmation of the top candidates by alternative measure in clinical setting and 3. Development of the tailored assay for clinical use), we have developed a novel diagnostic (a multiplex qPCR kit/ DNA methylation profiling of 5 targets in urine sediment) for early detection, quality control of surgery and monitoring the recurrence of bladder cancer. The effort to develop the robust DNA methylation analysis assay in plasma will also be presented.