"Identification Card": Sites on Histone Modification of Cancer Cell

Formation of malignant tumor originating from normal healthy cell is a multistep process including genetic and epigenetic lesions. Previous studies of cell line model systems displayed that early important epigenetic events happened in stepwise fashion prior to cell immortalization. Once these epigenetic alterations are integrated into chromatin, they will perform vertical propagation through cell subculture. Hence, status of epigenetics is dramatically important in maintaining of cell identity. Histone modification is another factor of epigenetic alterations during human oncogenesis. Histones, one of main components of chromatin, can be modified post-translationally. Histone tail modifications are regulated by corresponding modification enzymes. This review focuses on the description of relationship between the main sites of histone modification and oncogenesis.