[DNA methylation and cancer--DNA methylation as a target of cancer chemotherapy]

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Updated: Aug 29, 2026

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
06:07

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Published on: August 5, 2022

Kazuaki Miyamoto1, Toshikazu Ushijima

  • 1Carcinogenesis Division, National Cancer Center Research Institute, 1-1 Tsukiji 5-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0045, Japan.

Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer & Chemotherapy
|January 10, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Aberrant DNA methylation is crucial in cancer development. Reversing these epigenetic changes, using agents like 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, shows promise for cancer therapy and future research.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Cancer Biology
  • Genomic Instability

Background:

  • Aberrant DNA methylation, including hypermethylation and hypomethylation, is a key factor in cancer development.
  • Hypermethylation can silence tumor-suppressor genes, while hypomethylation contributes to genomic instability.
  • Epigenetic information is stably inherited in somatic cells but dynamically altered during embryonic development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the therapeutic potential of reversing aberrant epigenetic information in cancer.
  • To highlight the role of DNA methylation in carcinogenesis and its potential as a therapeutic target.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on DNA methylation in cancer.
  • Discussion of therapeutic strategies targeting epigenetic modifications, including demethylating agents.
  • Exploration of emerging methods for sequence-specific methylation changes.

Main Results:

  • The demethylating agent 5-aza-2 -deoxycytidine has shown efficacy in certain hematological malignancies.
  • Development of derivatives of 5-aza-2 -deoxycytidine is ongoing.
  • Methods for inducing sequence-specific methylation changes are emerging.

Conclusions:

  • Aberrant epigenetic information, particularly DNA methylation, represents a viable therapeutic target in oncology.
  • Targeting epigenetic alterations holds significant promise for cancer treatment, with ongoing advancements in the field.
  • Further research into reversing epigenetic dysregulation is expected to yield rapid progress in cancer therapy.

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