miR-124 genes were frequently methylated and the expression of miR-124 was downregulated in GC tissues. (A) The relative expression levels of miR-124 were detected by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR in 28 cases of GC tissues and matched normal gastric tissues; (B-D) Comparison of miR-124 genes promoter methylation states between GC and matched normal gastric tissues. Methylation of the three miR-124 family genes (miR-124-1, miR-124-2, and miR-124-3) was detected by methylation-specific PCR. miR-124, microRNA-124; M, methylated; U, unmethylated; GC, gastric cancer; miR-124, microRNA-124; T, tumor; N, node; PCR, polymerase chain reaction. *P<0.05, **P<0.01.