Hypermethylation of the p16 gene promoter in pterygia and its association with the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3b.

Abstract

The p16 gene promoter was hypermethylated in pterygia, and this hypermethylation was strongly linked to expression of the positive expression of DNMT3b protein and to the suppression of p16 protein. These data provided molecular evidence that methylation occurs in pterygia and that it may play a role in the their development.