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Updated: Jun 6, 2026

13:47
Enhanced Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing for Assessment of DNA Methylation at Base Pair Resolution
Published on: February 24, 2015
[DNA methylation and cancer metastasis]
Kazuyuki Kawakami1, Toshinari Minamoto
1Division of Translational and Clinical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan.
Gan to Kagaku Ryoho. Cancer & Chemotherapy
|November 19, 2010
Summary
Cancer cells gain metastatic abilities through DNA methylation changes. Aberrant DNA methylation, including promoter hypermethylation and global hypomethylation, drives cancer spread and offers targets for molecular diagnosis.
Area of Science:
- Epigenetics
- Cancer Biology
- Molecular Oncology
Context:
- Cancer cells acquire metastatic phenotypes through genetic and epigenetic alterations.
- DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism regulating gene transcription, frequently altered during carcinogenesis.
- Aberrant DNA methylation patterns, specifically promoter hypermethylation and global hypomethylation, are implicated in cancer metastasis.
Purpose:
- To discuss the contribution of aberrant DNA methylation to the acquisition of metastatic phenotypes in cancer.
- To review recent advancements in the molecular diagnosis of cancer metastasis utilizing methylation markers.
Summary:
- Cancer cells develop metastatic capabilities via accumulated genetic and epigenetic abnormalities.
- DNA methylation, a crucial epigenetic regulator, is frequently altered in cancer.
- Two distinct modes of aberrant DNA methylation—promoter hypermethylation and global hypomethylation—contribute to cancer metastasis through varied mechanisms.
Impact:
- Understanding the role of aberrant DNA methylation in cancer metastasis can lead to novel therapeutic strategies.
- Methylation markers hold promise for the development of sensitive and specific molecular diagnostic tools for cancer metastasis.
- This review highlights the significance of epigenetic modifications in cancer progression and their potential for clinical application.
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