DNA methylation silencing of microRNA gene methylator in the precancerous background mucosa with and without gastric cancer: Analysis of the effects of H. pylori eradication and long-term aspirin use

Sci Rep. 2019 Aug 29;9(1):12559. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-49069-1.

Abstract

The risk of gastric cancer (GC) declines after Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) eradication and long-term aspirin use. We evaluated the effects of H. pylori eradication (Cohort 1) and aspirin use (Cohort 2) on the methylation of microRNAs (miRNAs), such as miR-34c, miR-124a-3, miR-129-2, and miR-137, in the gastric mucosa with and without GC, i.e., in atrophic mucosal glands without intestinal metaplasia (non-IM) and intestinal metaplastic glands (IM). DNA was isolated from non-IM and IM separately using laser caption microdissection. In Cohort 1, H. pylori eradication was associated with a significant reduction of miR-124a-3 methylation only in non-IM, but not in IM. miR-129-2 methylation in non-IM may be a surrogate marker of GC in H. pylori-infected patients. In Cohort 2, aspirin did not reverse miRNA methylation in either non-IM or IM, irrespective of H. pylori infection. miR-129-2 methylation in non-IM was an independent predictive marker of GC in H. pylori-infected but not -eradicated patients. These results indicate that H. pylori eradication and aspirin use were less effective for improving methylation in IM than in non-IM; thus, these interventions are recommended at an early stage prior to the development of IM to prevent GC development. In addition, the effects of the interventions were not uniform for each miRNA gene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aspirin / pharmacology*
  • Cohort Studies
  • DNA Methylation / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gastric Mucosa / metabolism*
  • Gene Silencing
  • Helicobacter pylori / drug effects*
  • Helicobacter pylori / physiology
  • Humans
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / genetics*
  • Middle Aged
  • Precancerous Conditions / genetics*
  • Precancerous Conditions / microbiology
  • Stomach Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Stomach Neoplasms / microbiology
  • Time Factors

Substances

  • MicroRNAs
  • Aspirin