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Histone demethylases set the stage for cancer metastasis

Jian Cao1, Qin Yan

  • 1Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520-8023, USA.

Science Signaling
|May 2, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Epigenetic changes, particularly involving histone demethylases, help cancer cells spread and cause death. Targeting these enzymes may be key to stopping cancer metastasis.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Cancer metastasis is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality.
  • Epigenetic alterations in tumor cells are increasingly recognized as facilitators of cancer cell spreading.
  • The molecular roles of epigenetic regulators in tumor metastasis are an emerging area of research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the roles of histone demethylases in tumor metastasis.
  • To highlight the potential of targeting histone demethylases for cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature on epigenetic regulators and cancer metastasis.
  • Analysis of the function of histone demethylases in facilitating tumor cell dissemination.

Main Results:

  • Histone demethylases play critical roles in establishing the epigenetic landscape necessary for tumor cell metastasis.
  • These enzymes appear to enable tumor cells to overcome biological barriers during the metastatic process.

Conclusions:

  • Histone demethylases are significant contributors to tumor metastasis.
  • Targeting histone demethylases presents a promising therapeutic strategy to suppress metastatic disease and improve patient outcomes.

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