Targeting aberrant chromatin structure in colorectal carcinomas

Epigenetic processes such as DNA methylation and histone modifications are now recognized as critical events for regulation of gene expression in mammalian cells and affect gene function without a change in coding sequence. Neoplastic cells often show profound epigenetic alterations that contribute to tumorigenesis by altering expression of critical genes. In colorectal tumorigenesis, detailed analysis led to a hypothesis on a critical role for epigenetic changes in age-related cancer susceptibility and separately identified a distinct phenotype termed the CpG island methylator phenotype. CpG island methylator phenotype-positive colorectal cancers have significant associations with female sex, older age, proximal location, mucinous histology, KRAS and BRAF mutations, wild-type p53, and microsatellite instability. Histone modifications that affect chromatin structures are also closely implicated in tumor suppressor gene inactivation and DNA methylation and histone modifications seem to form reinforcing networks for stable gene silencing. Much of the excitement in this field relates to the possibility of therapeutic reversal of epigenetic changes by chromatin-modifying drugs. In CpG island methylator phenotype-positive colorectal cancers, DNA methylation inhibitors restore key silenced pathways in vivo (eg, mismatch repair defects), and hypomethylation can largely abolish tumorigenesis in a mouse model. Drugs that inhibit DNA methylation and histone deacetylation are in use in the clinic and should be tested in colorectal malignancy.     

Recent progress in the study of methylated tumor suppressor genes in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common malignancies and a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide.The pathogenesis mechanisms of gastric cancer are still not fully clear.Inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and activation of oncogenes caused by genetic and epigenetic alterations are known to play significant roles in carcinogenesis.Accumulating evidence has shown that epigenetic silencing of the tumor suppressor genes,particularly caused by hypermethylation of CpG islands in promoters,is critical to carcinogenesis and metastasis.Here,we review the recent progress in the study of methylations of tumor suppressor genes involved in the pathogenesis of gastric cancer.We also briefly describe the mechanisms that induce tumor suppressor gene methylation and the status of translating these molecular mechanisms into clinical applications.     

胃癌中微小RNA与DNA甲基化调控的关系

 微小RNA（miRNA）是一类长度约22个核苷酸的非编码单链小分子RNA,在各种生理病理过程中发挥了重要作用,其表达失调和肿瘤的发生发展有密切联系。DNA甲基化在人类基因组中属于表观遗传学调控的范畴,无论DNA的超甲基化或低甲基化都与胃癌等多种肿瘤的发生发展有关。     

表观遗传学调控与妇科肿瘤发生、演进及治疗的研究进展

在卵巢肿瘤、子宫内膜癌以及宫颈癌中,已有许多研究证明了遗传学和表观遗传学修饰对肿瘤发生、发展的影响。以往研究证实癌基因、抑癌基因以及细胞信号传导通路异常导致肿瘤形成。与基因突变不同的是,表观遗传学并不是通过改变基因组序列,而是通过甲基化修饰、组蛋白修饰、ｍｉＲＮＡ调节等方式对基因组进行调控。甲基化异常、组蛋白修饰错误或ｍｉＲＮＡ调控紊乱与肿瘤细胞增殖、自噬、凋亡、细胞间粘附、浸润和转移密切相关。表观遗传学修饰作为肿瘤发生发展的关键因素,将其作为靶点应用于诊断治疗及评估预后将是重要的研究方向。     

Epigenetic regulation of human retinoblastoma

Retinoblastoma is a rare type of eye cancer of the retina that commonly occurs in early childhood and mostly affects the children before the age of 5. It occurs due to the mutations in the retinoblastoma gene (RB1) which inactivates both alleles of the RB1. RB1 was first identified as a tumor suppressor gene, which regulates cell cycle components and associated with retinoblastoma. Previously, genetic alteration was known as the major cause of its occurrence, but later, it is revealed that besides genetic changes, epigenetic changes also play a significant role in the disease. Initiation and progression of retinoblastoma could be due to independent or combined genetic and epigenetic events. Remarkable work has been done in understanding retinoblastoma pathogenesis in terms of genetic alterations, but not much in the context of epigenetic modification. Epigenetic modifications that silence tumor suppressor genes and activate oncogenes include DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone modification and noncoding RNA-mediated gene silencing. Epigenetic changes can lead to altered gene function and transform normal cell into tumor cells. This review focuses on important epigenetic alteration which occurs in retinoblastoma and its current state of knowledge. The critical role of epigenetic regulation in retinoblastoma is now an emerging area, and better understanding of epigenetic changes in retinoblastoma will open the door for future therapy and diagnosis.     

Aberrant promoter CpG methylation and its translational applications in breast cancer

Breast cancer is a complex disease driven by multiple factors including both genetic and epigenetic alterations.Recent studies revealed that abnormal gene expression induced by epigenetic changes,including aberrant promoter methylation and histone modification,plays a critical role in human breast carcinogenesis.Silencing of tumor suppressor genes(TSGs) by promoter CpG methylation facilitates cells growth and survival advantages and further results in tumor initiation and progression,thus directly contributing to breast tumorigenesis.Usually,aberrant promoter methylation of TSGs,which can be reversed by pharmacological reagents,occurs at the early stage of tumorigenesis and therefore may serve as a potential tumor marker for early diagnosis and therapeutic targeting of breast cancer.In this review,we summarize the epigenetic changes of multiple TSGs involved in breast pathogenesis and their potential clinical applications as tumor markers for early detection and treatment of breast cancer.     

PRDM5 identified as a target of epigenetic silencing in colorectal and gastric cancer.

PURPOSE: PR (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ) domain proteins (PRDM) are a subfamily of the kruppel-like zinc finger gene products that play key roles during cell differentiation and malignant transformation. The aim of the present study was to begin to examine the involvement of epigenetic alteration of PRDM expression in gastric and colorectal cancer. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: We used real-time PCR to assess expression of PRDM1-17. In addition, we used bisulfite PCR to assess DNA methylation and chromatin immunoprecipitation to assess histone modification in colorectal and gastric cancer cell lines lacking PRDM5 expression. RESULTS: Among the 17 PRDM family genes tested, we found that PRDM5 is the most frequently silenced in colorectal and gastric cancer cell lines. Silencing of PRDM5 was mediated by either DNA methylation or trimethylation of Lys(27) of histone H3. Introduction of PRDM5 into cancer cells suppressed cell growth, suggesting that it acts as a tumor suppressor in gastrointestinal cancers. Methylation of PRDM5 was detected in 6.6% (4 of 61) of primary colorectal and 50.0% (39 of 78) of primary gastric cancers but not in noncancerous tissue samples collected from areas adjacent to the tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that epigenetic alteration of PRDM5 (e.g., methylation of its 5'-CpG island or trimethylation of Lys(27) of histone H3) likely plays a key role in the progression of gastrointestinal cancers and may be a useful molecular marker.     

Epigenetic regulation by selected dietary phytochemicals in cancer chemoprevention

The growing interest in cancer epigenetics is largely due to the reversible nature of epigenetic changes which tend to alter during the course of carcinogenesis. Major epigenetic changes including DNA methylation, chromatin modifications and miRNA regulation play important roles in tumorigenic process. There are several epigenetically active synthetic molecules such as DNA methyltransferase (DNMTs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) inhibitors, which are either approved or, are under clinical trials for the treatment of various cancers. However, most of the synthetic inhibitors have shown adverse side effects, narrow in their specificity and also expensive. Hence, bioactive phytochemicals, which are widely available with lesser toxic effects, have been tested for their role in epigenetic modulatory activities in gene regulation for cancer prevention and therapy. Encouragingly, many bioactive phytochemicals potentially altered the expression of key tumor suppressor genes, tumor promoter genes and oncogenes through modulation of DNA methylation and chromatin modification in cancer. These bioactive phytochemicals either alone or in combination with other phytochemicals showed promising results against various cancers. Here, we summarize and discuss the role of some commonly investigated phytochemicals and their epigenetic targets that are of particular interest in cancer prevention and cancer therapy.     

Epigenetic changes in colorectal cancer

Epigenetic changes frequently occur in human colorectal cancer.Genomic global hypomethylation,gene promoter region hypermethylation,histone modifications,and alteration of miRNA patterns are major epigenetic changes in colorectal cancer.Loss of imprinting(LOI) is associated with colorectal neoplasia.Folate deficiency may cause colorectal carcinogenesis by inducing gene-specific hypermethylation and genomic global hypomethylation.HDAC inhibitors and demethylating agents have been approved by the FDA for myelodysplastic syndrome and leukemia treatment.Non-coding RNA is regarded as another kind of epigenetic marker in colorectal cancer.This review is mainly focused on DNA methylation,histone modification,and microRNA changes in colorectal cancer.     

Epigenetic Therapy in Breast Cancer

Breast carcinogenesis is a multistep process involving both genetic and epigenetic changes. Epigenetics is defined as reversible changes in gene expression, not accompanied by alteration in gene sequence. DNA methylation, histone modification, and nucleosome remodeling are the major epigenetic changes that are dysregulated in breast cancer. Several genes involved in proliferation, anti-apoptosis, invasion, and metastasis have been shown to undergo epigenetic changes in breast cancer. Because epigenetic changes are potentially reversible processes, much effort has been directed toward understanding this mechanism with the goal of finding effective therapies that target these changes. Both demethylating agents and the histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are under investigation as single agents or in combination with other systemic therapies in the treatment of breast cancer. In this review, we discuss the role of epigenetic regulation in breast cancer, in particular focusing on the clinical trials using therapies that modulate epigenetic mechanisms.     

Methylation profiles of the BRCA1 promoter in hereditary and sporadic breast cancer among Han Chinese

The development of breast cancer is a multistep process associated with complex changes in host gene expression patterns including inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and activation of oncogenes. Critically, hereditary predisposition plays a significant role in cancer susceptibility. However, mutation of the BRCA1 gene is found only in the minority of hereditary breast cancer, which indicates that there might be alternative, novel mechanisms contributing to inactivation of the BRCA1 gene. Studies have shown that aberrant methylation of genomic DNA plays an important role in carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether DNA methylation may be an alternative mechanism for the inactivation of BRCA1 as an epigenetic modification of the genome and whether hereditary breast cancer has a different BRCA1 methylation phenotype pattern than sporadic breast cancer. The pattern of CpG island methylation within the promoter region of BRCA1 was assessed by bisulfite sequencing DNA from peripheral blood cells of 72 patients with hereditary predisposition but without BRCA1 mutations and 30 sporadic breast cancer controls. The overall methylation level in patients with hereditary predisposition was significantly lower than that in the sporadic control group. However, patients with hereditary predisposition showed a significantly higher methylation susceptibility for the sites -518 when compared to controls. These results suggest that there might be different BRCA1 promoter methylation levels and patterns in sporadic and hereditary breast cancer in peripheral blood DNA. These findings may facilitate the early diagnosis of hereditary breast cancer.     

The necessity of a human epigenome project

Epigenetics is one of the hottest topics in cancer research. We know that human tumors undergo a major disruption of their DNA methylation and histone modification patterns. The aberrant epigenetic landscape of the cancer cell is characterized by a massive genomic hypomethylation, CpG island promoter hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes, an altered histone code for critical genes and a global loss of monoacetylated and trimethylated histone H4. But what we know is just a minimal percentage of the epigenetic 'earthquake' present in the transformed cell. We need to make an ambitious step to understand the DNA methylation and histone changes underlying tumorigenesis. The launching of an International Human Epigenome Project should be the response to this necessity.     

Epigenetics and cervical cancer: from pathogenesis to therapy

Although human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been found in most of the cervical cancer cases, additional genetic and epigenetic changes are required for disease progression. Previously, it was thought that only genetic mutation plays a key role in cervical cancer development. But recent advances in the biology of cervical cancer revealed that epigenetic alteration is common in cervical carcinogenesis and metastasis. Epigenetic alteration due to aberrant DNA methylation and histone modification has been extensively studied in cervical cancer. Recent research strategies keep insight into noncoding RNAs, especially miRNA and lncRNA. At the same time, interest has been grown to study the utility of these changes as biomarkers to determine disease progression as well as use them as the therapeutic targets. This study has been aimed to review the recent progress of epigenetic study for cervical cancer research including role of these epigenetic changes in disease progression, their prognostic values, and their use in targeted therapy.     

微小RNA与DNA甲基化相互调控在胃癌中的作用

表观遗传修饰在胃癌发生发展及预后中起重要作用.微小RNA( miRNA)和DNA甲基化是表观遗传学的两个重要调控机制.miRNA抑制靶基因信使RNA的翻译,参与基因转录后水平调控.基因启动子区CpG岛的异常甲基化与肿瘤的发生关系密切,可导致癌基因、抑癌基因或其他肿瘤相关基因的表达异常.胃癌中存在miRNA和DNA甲基化...     

B细胞淋巴瘤表观遗传学研究进展

表观遗传学是功能基因组学的重要组成部分,是研究DNA序列不发生变化但基因表达发生遗传性改变的一门遗传学分支学科,主要包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、染色体重塑和微小RNA(miRNA)等基因表达调节机制.表观遗传学调控机制在B细胞淋巴瘤的发展中具有重要作用,有研究表明在B细胞淋巴瘤中常见表观遗传学模式的不稳定性和分子突变.文章从DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、miRNA等方面对B细胞淋巴瘤的发生、发展、治疗及预后进行综述.