Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 9, 2026

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies
06:38

A Syngeneic Mouse Model of Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma for Quantitative and Longitudinal Assessment of Preclinical Therapies

Published on: April 12, 2017

Epigenetics of renal cell carcinoma: the path towards new diagnostics and therapeutics

Mark R Morris1, Eamonn R Maher

  • 1Renal Molecular Oncology Group, Medical and Molecular Genetics, School of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK. m.r.morris@bham.ac.uk.

Genome Medicine
|September 7, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Aberrant DNA methylation silences tumor suppressor genes in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). This review explores epigenetically silenced genes in RCC, offering new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Aberrant DNA methylation, specifically promoter hypermethylation, leads to tumor suppressor gene silencing and is implicated in human cancers.
  • Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) development involves epigenetic alterations, with increasing identification of silenced genes beyond mutations in known genes like VHL.
  • Understanding the epigenetic landscape of RCC is crucial for deciphering its molecular pathogenesis.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review genes epigenetically silenced in renal cell carcinoma (RCC).
  • To examine the relationship between these silenced genes and tumor development pathways.
  • To highlight the potential of epigenetic insights for novel RCC diagnostic, prognostic, and management strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of genes identified as epigenetically silenced in RCC.
  • Analysis of the role of these genes in tumor development pathways.
  • Synthesis of current understanding of RCC epigenetics.

Main Results:

  • A growing number of genes are found to be inactivated by promoter methylation in RCC.
  • Epigenetic silencing contributes significantly to RCC pathogenesis, complementing genetic mutations.
  • Specific pathways involved in RCC development are linked to these epigenetically silenced genes.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes is a key mechanism in RCC development.
  • Further understanding of RCC epigenetics provides novel avenues for clinical applications.
  • Targeting epigenetic modifications may offer new therapeutic strategies for renal cell carcinoma.

More Related Videos

The Use of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA) to Explore Protein Expression Variation within Individual Renal Cell Cancers12:22

The Use of Reverse Phase Protein Arrays (RPPA) to Explore Protein Expression Variation within Individual Renal Cell Cancers

Published on: January 22, 2013

Comparing Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Model Established in Mouse Kidney and on Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane05:36

Comparing Metastatic Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Model Established in Mouse Kidney and on Chicken Chorioallantoic Membrane

Published on: February 8, 2020

Related Concept Videos

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes01:05

Cancer-Critical Genes II: Tumor Suppressor Genes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets01:29

Pharmacogenomics: Identification of New Drug Targets

Advances in genomics have profoundly influenced drug discovery by increasing both the speed and accuracy of pharmaceutical development. Pharmacogenomics, which examines how genetic variation influences drug response, facilitates the identification of novel therapeutic targets and enables patient stratification for personalized treatment. These strategies contribute to improved drug efficacy, minimized adverse effects, and more efficient clinical trial design.Mapping genetic differences...
The Retinoblastoma Gene01:20

The Retinoblastoma Gene

Tumor suppressor genes are normal genes that can slow down cell division, repair DNA mistakes, or program the cells for apoptosis in case of irreparable damage. Hence, they play an essential role in preventing the proliferation of damaged cells.
The first-ever tumor suppressor gene called Rb was identified in retinoblastoma - a rare eye tumor in children. In inherited forms of the disease, a child inherits one defective copy of the Rb gene, which predisposes them to retinoblastoma. However,...
Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes01:33

Cancer-Critical Genes I: Proto-oncogenes

Genes usually encode proteins necessary for the proper functioning of a healthy cell. Mutations can often cause changes to the gene expression pattern, thereby altering the phenotype.
When the function of certain critical genes, especially those involved in cell cycle regulation and cell growth signaling cascades, gets disrupted, it upsets the cell cycle progression. Such cells with unchecked cell cycles start proliferating uncontrollably and eventually develop into tumors.
Such genes that act...