Frequency of promoter methylation.

<p>Frequency of promoter methylation.</p

Clinical feature of the studied patients.

<p>Clinical feature of the studied patients.</p

Relationship between promoter methylation and clinicopathologic parameters of HCC patients (N = 61).

<p>Relationship between promoter methylation and clinicopathologic parameters of HCC patients (N = 61).</p

MSP analysis.

<p>Representative examples of MSP analysis for MLH1, MSH2, PMS2 and p16 methylation in HCC and non-tumour adjacent tissues were shown. Bisulfite-modified DNA was amplified using MSP primers specific to a CpG-rich region of each gene promoter. PCR-amplified products were resolved by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. (U) Lanes represent amplification of unmethylated alleles, and (M) lanes contain only methylated alleles.</p

MSI analysis.

<p>Analysis of commonly used mononucleotide MSI marker loci BAT25 and BAT26 was performed in all patients showing promoter methylation in one of the tested MMR genes. Three examples are shown here. (T) HCC tissue, (NT) non-tumour adjacent tissue.</p

Primer sequences and annealing temperatures used in MSP.

<p>Primer sequences and annealing temperatures used in MSP.</p

Frequency of promoter methylation.

<p>Promoter methylation of MLH1, PMS2, MSH2 and p16 was determined in HCC of different origins. As presented in bar graph, the frequency of methylation in the tested promoters and tissues was 19.8% in HCV infected, 16.3% in HBV infected and 25% in patients with alcoholic liver disease.</p