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Genome-wide epigenetic regulation of miRNAs in cancer

Constance Baer1, Rainer Claus, Christoph Plass

  • 1Department of Epigenomics and Cancer Risk Factors, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.

Cancer Research
|January 15, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Aberrant DNA methylation significantly impacts microRNA (miRNA) expression in cancer. This review highlights how epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation, influence tumor suppressive and oncogenic miRNAs, impacting cancer progression.

Area of Science:

  • Molecular Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Aberrant microRNA (miRNA) expression is a hallmark of cancer.
  • Mechanisms driving miRNA dysregulation, especially epigenetic factors, remain underexplored.
  • DNA methylation is a key epigenetic mechanism influencing gene expression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the current understanding of epigenetic regulation of miRNA expression in cancer.
  • To highlight the role of DNA methylation in aberrant miRNA expression.
  • To discuss challenges and advancements in mapping miRNA promoters for genome-wide analysis.

Main Methods:

  • Genome-wide identification of miRNA promoters using surrogate markers like histone modifications.
  • Integration of promoter datasets with global DNA methylation analysis.
  • Review of existing literature on epigenetic miRNA regulation and specific miRNA examples.

Main Results:

  • DNA hypermethylation and hypomethylation extensively influence miRNA transcription.
  • Advancements in miRNA promoter annotation enable genome-wide studies.
  • Epigenetic deregulation affects both tumor suppressive (e.g., miR-34) and oncogenic (e.g., miR-21) miRNAs.

Conclusions:

  • Epigenetic alterations, particularly DNA methylation, are critical drivers of aberrant miRNA expression in cancer.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for deciphering cancer progression and developing therapeutic strategies.
  • Further research into miRNA promoter mapping and epigenetic regulation is essential.

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