Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Cancer epigenetics is no Mickey Mouse.

Andrew P Feinberg1

  • 1Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 1064 Ross, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. afeinberg@jhu.edu

Cancer Cell
|October 18, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Epigenetic changes like hypomethylation are common in cancer. Studies show transient hypomethylation can cause loss of imprinting (LOI) and lead to liver and intestinal tumors.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The promise of adaptive health in the United Arab Emirates and beyond.

Nature genetics·2026
Same author

Non-Mendelian inheritance of DNA methylation patterns in mice.

Nature genetics·2026
Same author

DNA Methylation Stochasticity Is Linked to Transcriptional Variability and Convergent Epigenetic Disruption across Genetic Subtypes of Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Cancer research·2026
Same author

Convergence of aging- and rejuvenation-related epigenetic alterations on PRC2 targets.

Molecular systems biology·2026
Same author

CRISPR screen of human pancreatic cancer xenografts identifies a KLF5 proliferation vulnerability through epigenetic modifiers NCAPD2 and MTHFD1.

Molecular cancer·2026
Same author

DNMT3A R882H Is Not Required for Disease Maintenance in Primary Human AML but Is Associated with Increased Leukemia Stem Cell Frequency.

Cancer discovery·2025

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Genomics

Background:

  • Epigenetic alterations are hallmarks of human cancers.
  • Distinguishing cause and effect in cancer development is challenging.
  • Mouse models suggest hypomethylation and loss of imprinting (LOI) roles in tumorigenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the causal role of hypomethylation in cancer development.
  • To explore the link between transient hypomethylation, LOI, and tumor formation.
  • To understand how epigenetic changes impact chromosomal stability and gene targets in cancer.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized nonlethal mouse models for studying cancer development.
  • Induced transient hypomethylation in embryonic stem (ES) cells.
  • Analyzed the induction of loss of imprinting (LOI).
  • Observed tumor formation in liver and intestinal tissues.

Main Results:

  • Transient hypomethylation in ES cells was shown to induce LOI.
  • Induced LOI led to the development of liver and intestinal tumors.
  • Hypomethylation was identified as a critical factor in cancer initiation.

Conclusions:

  • Hypomethylation is a key driver of cancer, preceding tumor formation.
  • Epigenetic instability, including LOI, contributes to cancer development.
  • Hypomethylation impacts cancer through effects on chromosomal stability and gene regulation.

Related Experiment Videos