Identification of the bleomycin hydrolase gene as a methylated tumor suppressor gene in hepatocellular carcinoma using a novel triple-combination array method

In the present study, we sought to identify novel suppressor genes of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using our newly designed triple-combination array. Using this method, the bleomycin hydrolase gene (BLMH) was detected as a candidate suppressor gene. We found that 28 of 48 (58.3%) tumor tissues showed BLMH promoter hypermethylation, and its expression level was significantly reduced in tumor tissues (P = 0.001). The present study suggests that our new method can detect novel genes of interest and that BLMH is a suppressor gene in HCC.

► Novel suppressor gene was identified using our designed triple-combination array.
► The bleomycin hydrolase gene was detected as a candidate suppressor gene.
► Its expression level was reduced in tumor tissues by promoter hypermethylation.
► The present study suggests that our new method can detect novel genes of interest.