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Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Published on: September 18, 2020
Age-related methylation in normal colon mucosa differs between the proximal and distal colon in patients who
Joichiro Horii1, Sakiko Hiraoka, Jun Kato
1Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama, Japan.
Objectives:
To examine the difference in the methylation status in normal colon mucosa between the proximal and distal colon, in relation to the correlation between the methylation status of normal mucosa and characteristics of neoplasia.
Design And Methods:
Paired biopsy specimens of normal mucosa from the proximal and distal colon of 82 patients who underwent colonoscopy were obtained. The methylation status of the promoter region of estrogen receptor 1 (ESR1) and myogenic differentiation 1 (MYOD1) was examined.
Results:
Normal mucosa was more highly methylated in the distal than in the proximal colon in both ESR1 and MYOD1 loci (p<0.0001 and p=0.0009, respectively). Advanced characteristics of polyps in the distal colon were frequently observed in patients with lower methylation of ESR1 in the distal colon normal mucosa.
Conclusions:
Methylation levels in normal mucosa differ between the proximal and distal colon, and lower methylation of ESR1 in the distal colon normal mucosa may correlate with advanced features of neoplasia in the distal colon.
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