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Updated: Jul 3, 2026

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
Published on: August 5, 2022
DNA methylation: a promising target for the twenty-first century
Paula A Abreu1, Gisela Dellamora-Ortiz, Luiz R Leão-Ferreira
1Federal Fluminense University, Biology Institute, Department of Celular and Molecular Biology, CEP 24020-150 Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Background:
Over the last few years DNA methylation and its involvement in diseases such as cancer has become of great interest for applied research. Since reversal of aberrant DNA methylation may influence the behavior of tumors, the methylation of DNA CpG sites is a potential target for the development of inhibitors for use in cancer treatment.
Objective/Methods:
We briefly review the structural and mechanistic features of DNA methylation, including a structural analysis of the three main human DNA methyltransferases and some (pre)clinical results.
Results/Conclusion:
Despite side effects, data obtained to date still support the vision that DNA-methylation, possibly associated with the use of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and/or artificial transcription factors (ATFs), is a promising target for improving anticancer therapy in the 21st century.
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