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World J Gastroenterol. May 28, 2014; 20(20): 6329-6335
Published online May 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i20.6329
Published online May 28, 2014. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v20.i20.6329
Detection of promoter hypermethylation of Wnt antagonist genes in fecal samples for diagnosis of early colorectal cancer
Hu Zhang, You-Qing Zhu, Jian Qi, Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China
Hu Zhang, Ping Zhang, Department of Gastroenterology, Hubei Provincial Corps Hospital, Chinese People’s Armed Police Force, Wuhan 430061, Hubei Province, China
Ya-Qiong Wu, Department of Dermatology, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu 241001, Anhui Province, China
Author contributions: Zhu YQ and Qi J designed this study and critically revised the article; Zhang H, Wu YQ and Zhang P were responsible for data analysis and interpretation of the results; Zhang H drafted the manuscript; all authors read and approved the final manuscript to be published.
Supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China, No. 81101868; The Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province of China, No. 2011CDB505
Correspondence to: Jian Qi, PhD, MD, Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Center of Intestinal and Colorectal Diseases of Hubei Province, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, No. 169 Donghu Road, Wuchang District, Wuhan 430071, Hubei Province, China. qiqidelizl@aliyun.com
Telephone: +86-27-87336141 Fax: +86-27-87336141
Received: November 7, 2013
Revised: February 20, 2014
Accepted: March 19, 2014
Published online: May 28, 2014
Revised: February 20, 2014
Accepted: March 19, 2014
Published online: May 28, 2014
Core Tip
Core tip: Currently available approaches for the early detection of colorectal carcinoma (CRC) are suboptimal. The analysis of methylation markers in the stool as a non-invasive test is important for the early diagnosis of CRC. The epigenetic silencing of Wnt antagonist genes occurs in the early stages of CRC, and up to 90% of colorectal cancers result in the aberrant activation of Wnt signaling. In our study, we found that hypermethylated SFRP2 and WIF-1 genes in fecal DNA are novel and promising molecular biomarkers that have a great potential for the diagnosis of early CRC.