Related Experiment Video

Updated: Feb 24, 2026

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
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Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

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Frequent silencing of RASSF1A by DNA methylation in thymic neuroendocrine tumours

Koichiro Kajiura1, Hiromitsu Takizawa2, Yuki Morimoto3

  • 1Department of Thoracic, Endocrine and Oncological Surgery, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima city 770-8503, Japan; Department of Human Genetics, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Tokushima University Graduate School, Tokushima city 770-8503, Japan.

Lung Cancer (Amsterdam, Netherlands)
|August 26, 2017
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Aberrant methylation of the RASSF1A gene is a key epigenetic event in thymic neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). This finding suggests RASSF1A could be a potential therapeutic target for NETs.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Aberrant promoter CpG island (CGI) methylation is a common epigenetic mechanism in cancer.
  • Thymic tumours, though rare, require detailed epigenetic profiling for therapeutic insights.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify potential epigenetic therapeutic targets for thymic neuroendocrine tumours (NETs).
  • To investigate the methylation patterns of tumour suppressor genes in thymic epithelial tumours (TETs).

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide screening for CGI methylation in NET, thymic carcinoma, and B3 thymoma samples.
  • Validation of methylation status using pyrosequencing.
  • Analysis of gene expression via quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry.

Main Results:

  • A novel gene, RASSF1A, showed strong CGI hypermethylation specifically in NET samples.
  • Hypermethylation of RASSF1A was confirmed in NET and inversely correlated with tumour grade.
  • RASSF1A mRNA and protein expression were negatively regulated by DNA methylation.

Conclusions:

  • RASSF1A functions as a tumour suppressor gene epigenetically dysregulated in NET.
  • This study is the first to report RASSF1A hypermethylation in TETs.
  • RASSF1A presents a potential epigenetic therapeutic target for thymic NETs.
Keywords:
DNA methylationRASSF1AThymic neuroendocrine tumour

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