Metilação de DNA e concentrações de citocinas em pacientes com câncer colorretal atendidos na Fundação Centro de Controle de Oncologia do Amazonas – Fcecon

Abstract

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer mortality. Its complex carcinogenesis is marked by epigenetic alterations, such as CpG island methylation (CIMP phenotype), and lifestyle-related risk factors that promote a chronic inflammatory state favorable to tumor progression. This cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study aimed to describe the frequency of tissue hypermethylation phenotypes and evaluate the serum cytokine profile in patients with colorectal cancer treated at the Amazonas Oncology Control Center Foundation (FCECON), in addition to analyzing sociodemographic, clinical, and pathological data from the 59 patients included. Methylation analysis was performed by qPCR using target gene panels, and cytokine quantification by flow cytometry. In tissue samples (N=35), no statistically significant differences were observed in the methylation of the CDKN2A and RUNX3 genes, suggesting epigenetic heterogeneity. In plasma samples (N=57), the cytokine profile showed distinct results: higher concentrations of IL-10 in left colon tumors, IL-17A in right colon tumors, IL-6 in advanced stages, and IL-8 in the presence of metastasis. In the subgroup of 35 patients, a negative correlation was observed between RUNX3 methylation and IL-2 levels, as well as positive correlations between the IL6/IL8, IL-6/IL-12p70, IL-1β/TNF and IL-4/IFN-y pairs. Multiple regression analysis indicated that IL-10 was an independent predictor of tumor location. These findings reinforce the interaction between epigenetic and immune mechanisms in CRC, suggesting promising avenues for future investigations to deepen the understanding of the molecular mechanisms of the disease.