ALTERATION OF C-FOS GENE METHYLATION IN HUMAN GLIOMAS

In an attempt to find a common DNA alteration occurring in human gliom a, we examined DNA methylation in 34 gliomas of various pathological g rades and compared them with those in normal cerebral subcortex DNA. T he total methylated cytosine levels in the genome did not differ appre ciably between the tumors and the normal tissues; however, the degree of DNA methylation in several proto-oncogenes and suppressor oncogenes showed some alterations. Among them, the c-fos gene demonstrated devi ation from that of normal tissues in all cases examined, Suggesting th at the alteration of c-fos gene methylation plays a role in the early steps of human glioma development. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.