RASSFIA promoter methylation is frequently detected in both pre-malignant and non-malignant microdissected prostatic epithelial tissues

BACKGROUND. The RASSF1A gene is a tumor suppressor gene inactivated by hypermethylation in a very wide variety of malignant tumors including prostate cancer. METHODS. In this study we have used laser capture microdissection to provide pure cell populations to investigate the methylation status of 16 CpG sites in the promoter region of this gene in prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia, in histologically normal epithelial cells associated with these lesions and in epithelial cells from benign prostatic hyperplasia. RESULTS. Unexpectedly, frequent methylation, detected by sequence analysis following bisulphite treatment, was observed in benign epithelium as well as in the lesions associated with prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasia and at high risk of cancer formation. Fifty percent or more CpG sites were methylated in 7/14 prostatic intra-epithelial neoplasms, 8/11 histologically normal epithelial cells and 8/12 specimens of benign prostatic tissue. CONCLUSION. These observations suggest that methylation of the RASSF1A gene is present in both pre-malignant and benign epithelia and suggests quantitation is required for it to be an effective marker of early prostate cancer.