Patterns
of DNA methylation in human cells are crucial in regulating tumor growth and
can be indicative of breast cancer susceptibility. In our research, we have
pinpointed genes with significant methylation variation in the breast cancer
epigenome to be used as potential novel biomarkers for breast cancer
susceptibility.
Using the statistical software package R, we compare DNA
methylation sequencing data from seven normal individuals with eight breast
cancer cell lines. This is done by selecting CG sites, or cytosine-guanine pairings,
at which normal cell and cancer cell variation patterns fall in different
ranges, and by performing upper one-tailed chi-square tests.
These selected CG
sites are mapped to their corresponding genes. Using the ConsensusPath Database
software, we generate genetic pathways with our data to study biological
relations between our selected genes and tumorigenic cellular mechanisms. Using
breast cancer-related genes from the PubMeth and GeneCards databases, we have
discovered 26 potential biomarker genes, which are biologically linked to genes
known to be associated with breast cancer. Read More...
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