OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between status of methylation of FHIT gene promoter and expression of its protein in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

METHOD

PCR-based restriction enzyme assay and immunohistochemical SP technique were used to detect the status of methylation of FHIT gene promoter and expression of its protein in 41 cases of LSCC and their matched normal squamous epithelium (NSE).

RESULT

In NSE, there was no promoter methylation of FHIT gene, while in LSCC the rate of it was 24.4% (10/41), and it was related to the tumor pathological grade and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.01). The positive rate of FHIT expression in NSE and LSCC was 100.0% (41/41) and 46.3% (19/41) respectively, and the expression of FHIT was related to the tumor TNM stage and lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). There was significant correlation between methylation of FHIT gene promoter and expression of its protein (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

Methylation of promoter might be one of important factors of inactivation of FHIT gene, and might play important role in carcinogenesis and progression of LSCC.