However, there was no difference between the promoter methylation level of SOCS-1 and SOCS-3 in both A549 and L132 cells; both were unmethylated in both cell lines (Supplementary Figure S2), suggesting that aberration of promoter methylation of the SOCS family was not involved in its gene-expression decrease in A549 cancer cells. The gene discussed is SOCS3; the disease is cancer.