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Updated: Jun 21, 2026
10:54
Extraction of Histones from Clinical Specimens for Epigenetic Profiling by Mass Spectrometry
Published on: November 21, 2025
Histone demethylases and cancer
Sotirios C Kampranis1, Philip N Tsichlis
1Molecular Oncology Research Institute, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
Advances in Cancer Research
|July 15, 2009
Summary
Epigenetic modifications, like histone methylation, regulate gene function and are crucial in cancer development. This review explores these epigenetic changes and the enzymes that remove them.
Area of Science:
- Molecular Biology
- Genetics
- Epigenetics
Background:
- Epigenetic modifications are heritable chromatin alterations influencing genome interpretation.
- These modifications include DNA methylation, histone modifications, and nucleosomal remodeling.
- Epigenetic machinery deregulation is implicated in pathologies like cancer.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the role of epigenetic modifications in cancer.
- To focus on histone methylation marks and their removal enzymes.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of epigenetic modifications in cancer.
- Focus on histone methylation and demethylation enzymes.
Main Results:
- Epigenetic modifications form a complex code regulating cell function.
- Histone methylation and its removal are key processes in cancer.
Conclusions:
- Epigenetic modifications play a critical role in cancer development.
- Understanding histone methylation and removal enzymes is vital for cancer research.
Related Concept Videos
01:37Epigenetic Regulation
Epigenetic changes alter the physical structure of the DNA without changing the genetic sequence and often regulate whether genes are turned on or off. This regulation ensures that each cell produces only proteins necessary for its function. For example, proteins that promote bone growth are not produced in muscle cells. Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
X-chromosome...
X-chromosome...
01:46Epigenetic Regulation
Epigenetic mechanisms play an essential role in healthy development. Conversely, precisely regulated epigenetic mechanisms are disrupted in diseases like cancer.
02:25Spreading of Chromatin Modifications
The histone proteins in the nucleosomes are post-translationally modified (PTM) to increase or decrease access to DNA. The commonly observed PTMs are methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination of lysine amino acids in the histone H3 tail region. These histone modifications have specific meaning for the cell. Hence, they are called "histone code". The protein complex involved in histone modification is termed as "reader-writer" complex.
Writers
The writer is an enzyme that can...
Writers
The writer is an enzyme that can...
02:30Histone Variants at the Centromere
Histone variants are the histone proteins with structural and sequence variations. These variants may be regarded as “mutant” forms that replace their canonical histone counterparts in the nucleosomes. Specific post-translational modifications on the histone variants enable further chromatin complexity and regulate tissue-specific gene expression. The most common histone variants are from histone H2A, H2B, and linker histone H1 families. However, several variants of histone H3 variants are also...
02:32Histone Modification
The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
02:32Histone Modification
The histone proteins have a flexible N-terminal tail extending out from the nucleosome. These histone tails are often subjected to post-translational modifications such as acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, and ubiquitination. Particular combinations of these modifications form “histone codes” that influence the chromatin folding and tissue-specific gene expression.
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...
Acetylation
The enzyme histone acetyltransferase adds acetyl group to the histones. Another enzyme, histone deacetylase,...