Methylation of a CpG island within the promoter region of the KAI1 metastasis suppressor gene is not responsible for down-regulation of KAI1 expression in invasive cancers or cancer cell lines.

The molecular basis for downregulation of the KAI1 metastasis suppressor gene in invasive and metastatic human cancers is unknown. We have used bisulphite methylation analysis of DNA from paraffin-embedded invasive bladder tumour samples and from bladder cancer cell lines to determine if hypermethylation of a CpG island within the KAI1 promoter is responsible for this effect. Representative invasive tumour cell lines were also exposed to 5-aza-2-deoxycytidine. We found no evidence for hypermethylation of the CpG island and suggest that mechanisms other than promoter hypermethylation are responsible for reduced KAI1 expression in invasive bladder tumours and tumour cell lines.