Methylation status of oestrogen receptor-α gene promoter sequences in human ovarian epithelial cell lines

We have determined the methylation status of the CpG island of the oestrogen receptor alpha gene in seven human ovarian cell lines. Cell lines expressing oestrogen receptor alpha showed no evidence of hypermethylation, In three of four cell lines that produced no detectable oestrogen receptor a protein, hypermethylation was observed at the Nod site of the CpG island. These results indicate that aberrant hypermethylation may be responsible for a significant proportion of epithelial ovarian tumours in which oestrogen receptor a expression is lost. (C) 2002 The Cancer Research Campaign.