Methylation of SFRPs and APC Genes in Ovarian Cancer Infected with High Risk Human Papillomavirus

Background: Secreted frizzled-related protein (SFRP) genes, new tumor suppressor genes, are negativeregulators of the Wnt pathway whose alteration is associated with various tumors. In ovarian cancer, SFRPsgenes promoter methylation can lead to gene inactivation. This study investigated mechanisms of SFRP andadenomatous polyposis coli (APC) genes silencing in ovarian cancer infected with high risk human papillomavirus.Materials and
Methods: DNA was extracted from 200 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded ovarian cancer and theirnormal adjacent tissues (NAT) and DNA methylation was detected by methylation specific PCR (MSP). High riskhuman papillomavirus (HPV) was detected by nested PCR with consensus primers to amplify a broad spectrumof HPV genotypes.
Results: The percentages of SFRP and APC genes with methylation were significantly higherin ovarian cancer tissues infected with high risk HPV compared to NAT. The methylated studied genes wereassociated with suppression in their gene expression.
Conclusion: This finding highlights the possible role of thehigh risk HPV virus in ovarian carcinogenesis or in facilitating cancer progression by suppression of SFRP andAPC genes via DNA methylation.