Elevated methylation of CMTM3 promoter in the male laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma patients

Objective: CKLF-like MARVEL transmembrane domain containing 3 (CMTM3), as a tumor suppressor gene, plays an important role in the suppression of cell growth and apoptosis. The goal of our study is to investigate the association between CMTM3 promoter methylation and laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC).

Design and methods: Using the bisulfite pyrosequencing technology, DNA methylation levels of seven CpG sites in CMTM3 promoter are measured in tumor tissues and their adjacent tissues of 76 male LSCC patients.

Results: Our results reveal a significantly elevated promoter methylation of CMTM3 in tumor tissues compared with their adjacent tissues (P<0.001). A breakdown analysis by age shows that significant association of CMTM3 promoter methylation with cancer risk is specific to the LSCC patients older than 55years (P<0.001) but not in the younger patients (P=0.305). Moreover, the association is only observed in the LSCC patients with smoking behavior (P=0.001). Breakdown analysis also shows that CMTM3 promoter methylation is associated with cancer risk among patients with stage I LSCC (P<0.001).

Conclusion: In conclusion, our study indicates that elevated CMTM3 methylation is a risk factor in male LSCC patients, especially in the patients with age over 55years and with smoking behavior.