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Emerging links between epigenetic alterations and dysregulation of noncoding RNAs in cancer

Reo Maruyama1, Hiromu Suzuki, Eiichiro Yamamoto

  • 1Department of Molecular Biology, Sapporo Medical University, S1, W17, Chuo-Ku, Sapporo, 060-8556, Japan.

Tumour Biology : the Journal of the International Society for Oncodevelopmental Biology and Medicine
|January 6, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic changes in cancer involve noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), like microRNAs (miRNAs), affecting tumor genes. Understanding these ncRNA-epigenetic links offers new cancer diagnosis and treatment strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Epigenetic alterations, such as DNA methylation and histone modification, are crucial in regulating genes linked to cancer.
  • Noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) are increasingly recognized for their significant roles in cancer initiation and progression.
  • Epigenetic mechanisms are deeply implicated in the dysregulation of ncRNAs in cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the intricate relationship between ncRNAs and epigenetic alterations in cancer.
  • To highlight the role of aberrant methylation in microRNA (miRNA) genes in cancer.
  • To investigate the potential causal link between long ncRNAs and epigenetic dysregulation of cancer-related genes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on ncRNAs and epigenetic modifications in cancer.
  • Analysis of studies investigating DNA methylation and histone modification in relation to ncRNA expression.
  • Examination of research on the functional impact of ncRNAs in cancer development.

Main Results:

  • Aberrantly methylated miRNA genes in cancer suggest significant tumor-suppressive or oncogenic functions for miRNAs.
  • Long ncRNAs may be causally involved in the epigenetic dysregulation of critical genes in cancer.
  • Epigenetic changes impact cellular processes like proliferation, adhesion, apoptosis, and metastasis through ncRNA dysregulation.

Conclusions:

  • The interplay between ncRNAs and epigenetic modifications is fundamental to cancer biology.
  • Targeting the ncRNA-epigenetic axis presents promising avenues for novel cancer diagnostics and therapeutics.
  • Further research into these relationships could revolutionize cancer treatment strategies.

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