Investigation of methylation and protein expression of the Runx3 gene in colon carcinogenesis.

In the present study, the methylation and protein expression of the runt-related transcription factor 3 (Runx3) gene was detected in sporadic colorectal cancer, colonic adenoma and normal colon tissue to evaluate their clinical significance in colorectal carcinogenesis. A total of 34 colonic cancer specimens, 34 colonic adenoma specimens and 34 normal colonic tissue specimens were used in the study. The CpG island methylation status of the Runx3 gene was detected by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction and the protein expression of Runx3 was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that the rates of methylation of the Runx3 gene in colonic cancer and colonic adenomas were significantly higher than that in the normal colonic tissue (23.5, 20.6 vs. 0.0%; P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the percentage of methylation of the Runx3 gene between colonic adenoma and colonic cancer (P>0.05). The positive percentage of Runx3 protein expression was significantly lower in colonic cancer compared with colonic adenoma and normal tissue (17.7 vs. 61.8, 76.5%; P<0.05). Methylation of the promoter CpG islands of the Runx3 gene is an important genetic event of colon carcinogenesis and may be associated with an altered protein level of Runx3.