WIF-1 gene methylation in cervical squamous intraepithelial lesions

Objective. To evaluate the diagnostic value of WIF-1 gene promoter region methylation in the development of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia. Subjects and methods. The investigation included 62 patients aged 18 to 55 years who had come to the Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, in the period February to August 2016 for examination and undergone liquid-based cytology, quantitative and qualitative tests for human papillomavirus (HPV), histological examination of cervical biopsy specimens, and extended colposcopy. Bisulfite sequencing was used to study the level of WIF-1 promoter methylation in 62 samples of cells taken from the cervical canal with a cervix brush. Results. The normal mean level of WIF-1 promoter region methylation was 2.3±5.4%. The women diagnosed with high-or low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions were observed to have a more statistically significant than normal value (p < 0.0001), abnormal WIF-1 gene promoter region hypermethylation at mean frequencies of 29.2±17.2 and 54.8±18.7%, respectively. Conclusion. The findings suggest that the level of WIF-1 gene promoter region methylation significantly correlates with the stage of HPV-associated cervical disease. Thus, evaluation of the WIF-1 gene methylation status may be regarded as a potential diagnostic marker for cervical carcinogenesis and a predictive clinical marker during combination treatment for cervical cancer. © 2017, Bionika Media Ltd. All rights reserved.