Low level of DAP-kinase DNA methylation in myelodysplastic syndrome

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Abstract
Since we are interested in the epigenetic profile of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), we assessed the methylation status of the DAP-kinase gene in a larger series of 73 bone marrow biopsies (26 refractory anemia [RA], 26 RA with ringed sideroblasts [RARS], and 21 RA with blast excess [RAEB]) using exactly the same primer set mentioned by Voso et al (from Katzenellenbogen et al2) and also our published quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based methylation assay.3 In 43% of all MDS biopsies analyzed, a signal for methylated DNA could be detected. This frequency is very similar to the one reported by Voso et al (47%), but the quantitative evaluation of the methylation level in each sample revealed that DAP-kinase gene hypermethylation is a minor event (methylation level, < 5%; Figure 1A). Since low levels of DAP-kinase hypermethylation were found in control cases (9 of 20; methylation level, 0.5%-2%) and have also been reported in normal lymphocytes,5 the biologic significance of this finding in MDS samples remains unclear.