Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Genome-Wide Analysis of DNA Methylation in Gastrointestinal Cancer
Published on: September 18, 2020
Aging, cancer and nutrition: the DNA methylation connection
Liang Liu1, Rebecca C Wylie, Lucy G Andrews
1Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham,Birmingham, AL 35294-1170, USA.
Abstract:
Cancer and aging are two coupled developmental processes as reflected by the higher incidence of cancer in the elderly human population group. Genetic mutations accumulate in somatic cells with age, which may explain in part the association of age with cancer. Epigenetic mechanisms are also frequently involved in controlling gene functions during development and tumorigenesis. A common molecular feature associated with both aging and tumorigenesis is global hypomethylation of the genomic DNA. The contributing mechanisms underlying this hypomethylation are not yet well understood. Epigenetic investigation of cancer and aging has recently emerged as a fruitful area of study and has added exciting insights into some of the mysteries surrounding aging and cancer. Recent studies have also shown that dietary factors can modulate DNA methylation and thereby contribute to aging and tumorigenesis. Thus, DNA methylation provides an important common link between aging, cancer and nutrition.
Related Concept Videos
Epigenetic Regulation
X-chromosome...
Epigenetic Regulation
Adaptive Mechanisms in Cancer Cells
Some of the advantages that cancer cells have on normal cells include - enhanced ability to divide without terminally differentiating, induce new blood vessel formation,...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression
The mTOR pathway or the...
Cancer

