%0 Journal Article
%T DNA methylation of shelf, shore and open sea CpG positions distinguish high microsatellite instability from low or stable microsatellite status colon cancer stem cells.
%A Visone R
%A Bacalini MG
%A Di Franco S
%A Ferracin M
%A Colorito ML
%A Pagotto S
%A Laprovitera N
%A Licastro D
%A Di Marco M
%A Scavo E
%A Bassi C
%A Saccenti E
%A Nicotra A
%A Grzes M
%A Garagnani P
%A De Laurenzi V
%A Valeri N
%A Mariani-Costantini R
%A Negrini M
%A Stassi G
%A Veronese A
%J Epigenomics
%V 11
%N 6
%D 05 2019 1
%M 31066579
%F 4.357
%R 10.2217/epi-2018-0153
%X Aim: To investigate the genome-wide methylation of genetically characterized colorectal cancer stem cell (CR-CSC) lines. Materials & methods: Eight CR-CSC lines were isolated from primary colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues, cultured and characterized for aneuploidy, mutational status of CRC-related genes and microsatellite instability (MSI). Genome-wide DNA methylation was assessed by MethylationEPIC microarray. Results: We describe a distinctive methylation pattern that is maintained following in vivo passages in immune-compromised mice. We identified an epigenetic CR-CSC signature associated with MSI. We noticed that the preponderance of the differentially methylated positions do not reside at CpG islands, but spread to shelf and open sea regions. Conclusion: Given that CRCs with MSI-high status have a lower metastatic potential, the identification of a MSI-related methylation signature could provide new insights and possible targets into metastatic CRC.