BACKGROUND: Miscoding mutations of the TET2 gene, which encodes the α-ketoglutarate-dependent enzyme that catalyses the conversion of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, thus producing DNA demethylation, have been detected in 10-25% of acute myeloid leukaemias lacking IDH1/2 mutations. Most low-grade diffuse gliomas carry IDH1/2 mutations (>85%), but molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in those lacking IDH1/2 mutations remain to be elucidated. METHODS: Miscoding mutations and promoter methylation of the TET2 gene were screened for in 29 low-grade diffuse gliomas lacking IDH1/2 mutations. RESULTS: Single-strand conformational polymorphism followed by direct sequencing showed the absence of miscoding mutations in TET2. Methylation-specific PCR revealed methylation of the TET2 promoter in 5 of 35 cases (14%). In contrast, none of 38 low-grade diffuse gliomas with IDH1/2 mutations had TET2 promoter methylation (p=0.0216). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that TET2 promoter methylation, but not TET2 mutation, may be an alternative mechanism of pathogenesis in a small fraction of low-grade diffuse gliomas lacking IDH1/2 mutations.
BACKGROUND: Miscoding mutations of the TET2 gene, which encodes the α-ketoglutarate-dependent enzyme that catalyses the conversion of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, thus producing DNA demethylation, have been detected in 10-25% of acute myeloid leukaemias lacking IDH1/2 mutations. Most low-grade diffuse gliomas carry IDH1/2 mutations (>85%), but molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis in those lacking IDH1/2 mutations remain to be elucidated. METHODS: Miscoding mutations and promoter methylation of the TET2 gene were screened for in 29 low-grade diffuse gliomas lacking IDH1/2 mutations. RESULTS: Single-strand conformational polymorphism followed by direct sequencing showed the absence of miscoding mutations in TET2. Methylation-specific PCR revealed methylation of the TET2 promoter in 5 of 35 cases (14%). In contrast, none of 38 low-grade diffuse gliomas with IDH1/2 mutations had TET2 promoter methylation (p=0.0216). CONCLUSION: Results suggest that TET2 promoter methylation, but not TET2 mutation, may be an alternative mechanism of pathogenesis in a small fraction of low-grade diffuse gliomas lacking IDH1/2 mutations.
Authors: Brent A Orr; Michael C Haffner; William G Nelson; Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian; Charles G Eberhart Journal: PLoS One Date: 2012-07-19 Impact factor: 3.240