Cancer epigenetics: Moving forward

Defects in chromatin modifiers and remodelers have been described both for hematological and solid malignancies, corroborating and strengthening the role of epigenetic aberrations in the etiology of cancer. Furthermore, epigenetic marks-DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS genetics Vol. 14; no. 6; p. e1007362
Main Authors: Nebbioso, Angela, Tambaro, Francesco Paolo, Dell’Aversana, Carmela, Altucci, Lucia
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Public Library of Science 07.06.2018
Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Subjects:
Antineoplastic Agents - pharmacology
Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use
Biology
Biology and life sciences
Biomarkers, Tumor - genetics
Breast cancer
Cancer
Cancer genetics
Cancer research
Cancer therapies
Chromatin
Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly - genetics
Chromatin remodeling
Consortia
Deoxyribonucleic acid
Disease
Disease Progression
DNA
DNA methylation
DNA Methylation - genetics
Enzyme Inhibitors - pharmacology
Enzyme Inhibitors - therapeutic use
Enzymes - genetics
Enzymes - metabolism
Epigenesis, Genetic - drug effects
Epigenetic inheritance
Epigenetics
Epigenomics - methods
Etiology
Forecasts and trends
Gene expression
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
Genetic research
Genomes
Histone Code - genetics
Humans
Leukemia
Medicine and Health Sciences
MicroRNAs - genetics
miRNA
Molecular Targeted Therapy - methods
Mutation
Neoplasms - diagnosis
Neoplasms - drug therapy
Neoplasms - genetics
Patients
Prognosis
Review
Transcription factors
Tumorigenesis
Italy
ISSN:1553-7404, 1553-7390, 1553-7404
Online Access:Get full text
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Description
Summary:Defects in chromatin modifiers and remodelers have been described both for hematological and solid malignancies, corroborating and strengthening the role of epigenetic aberrations in the etiology of cancer. Furthermore, epigenetic marks-DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and microRNA-can be considered potential markers of cancer development and progression. Here, we review whether altered epigenetic landscapes are merely a consequence of chromatin modifier/remodeler aberrations or a hallmark of cancer etiology. We critically evaluate current knowledge on causal epigenetic aberrations and examine to what extent the prioritization of (epi)genetic deregulations can be assessed in cancer as some type of genetic lesion characterizing solid cancer progression. We also discuss the multiple challenges in developing compounds targeting epigenetic enzymes (named epidrugs) for epigenetic-based therapies. The implementation of acquired knowledge of epigenetic biomarkers for patient stratification, together with the development of next-generation epidrugs and predictive models, will take our understanding and use of cancer epigenetics in diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer patients to a new level.
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The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
ISSN:1553-7404
1553-7390
1553-7404
DOI:10.1371/journal.pgen.1007362