Aberrant methylation of the RIZ1 gene in myelodysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia

We performed methylation specific PCR analysis on the RIZ1 promoter in MDS and AML. Methylation was detected in 17 of 34 MDS (50%) and 22 of 72 AML (31%) (p = 0.053). Methylation was detected in eleven of 17 secondary AML from MDS (65%), and eleven of 55 de novo AML (20%) (p = 0.0005). Bisulfite sequence revealed methylation at many CpG sites in the promoter. Decreased RIZ1 expression was accompanied by methylation in six of nine samples examined, while it was also observed in seven of 13 without methylation. Treatment of AML cells, that have RIZ1 methylation, with 5-Aza-dC, induced growth suppression with RIZ1 restoration. Our results suggest that the RIZ1 gene is inactivated in MDS and AML in part by methylation, whereas another mechanism should be involved in others.