Abstract

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is endemic in southern China. In a genome-wide screen for genes inactivated by promoter hypermethylation, we identified Ras-related associated with diabetes (RRAD). Expression of RRAD was down-regulated in 83.3% (30/36) of the biopsies from NPC patients. RRAD was aberrantly methylated in 74.3% (26/35) of primary tumors, but not in normal nasopharyngeal epithelium. Ectopic RRAD expression in NPC cell lines inhibited the cell growth, colony formation, and cell migration. These results indicate that RRAD might act as a functional tumor suppressor and its epigenetic inactivation may play an important role in NPC development.

Full Text
Published version (Free)

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call