Methylation of the ataxia telangiectasia mutated gene (ATM) promoter as a radiotherapy outcome biomarker in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma

The goal of this study was to evaluate the contribution of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene promoter methylation to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and the predictive value of radiotherapy outcome. ATM promoter methylation status was detected using methylation-specific PCR in 118 HCC, 50 adjacent liver, and 20 normal liver samples. PCR products were verified by bisulfite sequencing PCR. ATM expression was detected by quantitative PCR (qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 50 paired HCC and adjacent normal tissues and 68 locally advanced HCC biopsy tissues. Furthermore, radiotherapy outcomes in 68 locally advanced HCC patients were determined using European Association for the Study of Liver criteria and survival analysis. The results revealed that the methylation frequency of the ATM promoter was significantly higher in HCC tissues than in normal liver tissues (chi(2) = 16.830, P < .001). Quantitative PCR (qPCR) and IHC results showed a significant association between ATM promoter methylation and ATM expression in HCC (chi(2) = 10.510, P < .001), and methylated ATM was correlated with lower ATM expression compared with unmethylated ATM (r = 0.356, P < .001). Furthermore, methylation of the ATM promoter was significantly associated with superior outcomes in patients with locally advanced HCC who initially received radiotherapy. Together, these results indicate that ATM promoter methylation might increase the risk of HCC by regulating ATM expression, and thus may function as a potential biomarker for predicting radiotherapy outcomes in HCC patients.