SOCS-1 gene methylation in cancer

1. A method for identifying a neoplastic cell, which exhibits unregulated growth, comprising detecting methylation of a cytosine residue of a CpG dinucleotide in a CpG island of a suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) gene in a sample comprising a test cell, or an extract thereof, wherein detecting methylation comprises:

contacting a nucleic acid molecule comprising the SOCS-1 of the test cell with bisulfite ions, whereby unmethylated cytosine residues in the SOCS-1 gene sequence are converted to bisulfite modified cytosine residues;

exposing the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence to alkaline conditions, whereby bisulfite modified cytosine residues are converted to uracil residues;

contacting the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence with an amplification primer pair under conditions suitable for amplification, wherein the amplification primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO:6 and SEQ ID NO:7; SEQ ID NO:12 and SEQ ID NO:13; SEQ ID NO:14 and SEQ ID NO:15; or SEQ ID NO:16 and SEQ ID NO:17; and

determining the nucleotide sequence of the amplification product, thereby detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

wherein a decrease in the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the SOCS-1 gene from the test cell, as compared to the amount or distribution of uracil residues in a corresponding bisulfite ion treated unmethylated SOCS-1 gene following exposure to alkaline conditions, is indicative of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

and wherein said methylation results in a reduced level of transcription of the SOCS-1 gene in the test cell as compared to a corresponding normal cell,

thereby identifying the test cell as a neoplastic cell.

2. A method for identifying a neoplastic cell, which exhibits unregulated growth, comprising detecting methylation of a cytosine residue of a CpG dinucleotide in a CpG island of a suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) gene in a sample comprising a test cell, or an extract thereof, wherein detecting methylation comprises:

contacting a nucleic acid molecule comprising the SOCS-1 of the test cell with bisulfite ions, whereby unmethylated cytosine residues in the SOCS-1 gene sequence are converted to bisulfite modified cytosine residues;

exposing the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence to alkaline conditions, whereby bisulfite modified cytosine residues are converted to uracil residues;

contacting the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence with an oligonucleotide that selectively hybridizes to a SOCS-1 gene sequence, containing uracil residues; and

detecting selective hybridization of the oligonucleotide, thereby detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

wherein a decrease in the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the SOCS-1 gene from the test cell, as compared to the amount or distribution of uracil residues in a corresponding bisulfite ion treated unmethylated SOCS-1 gene following exposure to alkaline conditions, is indicative of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

and wherein said methylation results in a reduced level of transcription of the SOCS-1 gene in the test cell as compared to a corresponding normal cell,

thereby identifying the test cell as a neoplastic cell.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a detectable label, and wherein detecting selective hybridization comprises detecting the label.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the oligonucleotide is a substrate for a primer extension reaction, and wherein detecting selective hybridization comprises detecting a product of the primer extension reaction.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the oligonucleotide comprises a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:2.

6. A method for identifying a neoplastic cell, which exhibits unregulated growth, comprising detecting methylation of a cytosine residue of a CpG dinucleotide in a CpG island of a suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) gene in a sample comprising a test cell, or an extract thereof, wherein detecting methylation comprises:

contacting a nucleic acid molecule comprising the SOCS-1 of the test cell with bisulfite ions, whereby unmethylated cytosine residues in the SOCS-1 gene sequence are converted to bisulfite modified cytosine residues;

exposing the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence to alkaline conditions, whereby bisulfite modified cytosine residues are converted to uracil residues; and

detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene of the test cell, wherein detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues comprises contacting the SOCS-1 gene sequence with an amplification primer pair comprising a forward primer and a reverse primer under conditions suitable for amplification, wherein at least one of the forward primer and the reverse primer comprises an oligonucleotide that selectively hybridizes to a SOCS-1 gene sequence containing uracil residues, whereby generation of an amplification product is indicative of lack of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

wherein a decrease in the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the SOCS-1 gene from the test cell, as compared to the amount or distribution of uracil residues in a corresponding bisulfite ion treated unmethylated SOCS-1 gene following exposure to alkaline conditions, is indicative of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

and wherein said methylation results in a reduced level of transcription of the SOCS-1 gene in the test cell as compared to a corresponding normal cell, thereby identifying the test cell as a neoplastic cell.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the amplification primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3.

8. A method for identifying a neoplastic cell, which exhibits unregulated growth, comprising detecting methylation of a cytosine residue of a CpG dinucleotide in a CpG island of a suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) gene in a sample comprising a test cell, or an extract thereof, wherein the detecting methylation comprises:

contacting a nucleic acid molecule comprising the SOCS-1 of the test cell with bisulfite ions, whereby unmethylated cytosine residues in the SOCS-1 gene sequence are converted to bisulfite modified cytosine residues;

exposing the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence to alkaline conditions, whereby bisulfite modified cytosine residues are converted to uracil residues; and

detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene of the test cell, wherein detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues comprises contacting the SOCS-1 gene sequence with an amplification primer pair comprising a forward primer and a reverse primer under conditions suitable for amplification, wherein each of the forward primer and the reverse primer selectively hybridizes to a SOCS-1 gene sequence containing uracil residues, but not to a SOCS-1 gene sequence containing cytosine residues, whereby generation of an amplification product is indicative of a lack of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

wherein a decrease in the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the SOCS-1 gene from the test cell, as compared to the amount or distribution of uracil residues in a corresponding bisulfite ion treated unmethylated SOCS-1 gene following exposure to alkaline conditions, is indicative of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

an wherein said methylation results in a reduced level of transcription of the SOCS-1 gene in the test cell as compared to a corresponding normal cell,

thereby identifying the test cell as a neoplastic cell.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the amplification primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:5.

10. A method for identifying a neoplastic cell, which exhibits unregulated growth, comprising detecting methylation of a cytosine residue of a CpG dinucleotide in a CpG island of a suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) gene in a sample comprising a test cell, or an extract thereof, wherein the detecting methylation comprises:

contacting a nucleic acid molecule comprising the SOCS-1 of the test cell with bisulfite ions, whereby unmethylated cytosine residues in the SOCS-1 gene sequence are converted to bisulfite modified cytosine residues;

exposing the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene sequence to alkaline conditions, whereby bisulfite modified cytosine residues are converted to uracil residues; and

detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the bisulfite ion treated SOCS-1 gene of the test cell, wherein detecting the amount or distribution of uracil residues comprises contacting the SOCS-1 gene sequence with a methylation-specific amplification primer pair and an unmethylation-specific amplification primer pair under conditions suitable for amplification,

wherein the methylation-specific amplification primer pair comprises a forward primer and a reverse primer, wherein at least one of the forward primer and the reverse primer comprises an oligonucleotide that selectively hybridizes to a SOCS-1 gene sequence containing cytosine residues, and wherein the unmethylation-specific amplification primer pair comprises a forward primer and a reverse primer, neither of which hybridizes to a SOCS-1 gene sequence containing cytosine residues

wherein an amplification product, if any, generated by the methylation-specific amplification primer pair has a first length, and wherein an amplification product, if any, generated by the unmethylation-specific amplification primer pair has a second length, which is different from the first length, whereby generation of an amplification product having the first length is indicative methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

wherein a decrease in the amount or distribution of uracil residues in the SOCS-1 gene from the test cell, as compared to the amount or distribution of uracil residues in a corresponding bisulfite ion treated unmethylated SOCS-1 gene following exposure to alkaline conditions, is indicative of methylation of cytosine residues in CpG dinucleotides in the SOCS-1 gene of the test cell,

whereby said methylation results in a reduced level of transcription of the SOCS-1 gene in the test cell as compared to a corresponding normal cell,

thereby identifying the test cell as a neoplastic cell.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the methylation-specific amplification primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO:2 and SEQ ID NO:3.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the unmethylation-specific amplification primer pair comprises SEQ ID NO:4 and SEQ ID NO:5.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sample is obtained from a subject.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the sample comprises an organ sample, a tissue sample, a cell sample, or a biological fluid.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the neoplastic cell is a cancer cell.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the cancer cell is a hepatocellular carcinoma cell, a multiple myeloma cell, or an acute leukemia cell.