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Updated: Jan 1, 2026

An Integrated Platform for Genome-wide Mapping of Chromatin States Using High-throughput ChIP-sequencing in Tumor Tissues
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Interweaving Tumor Heterogeneity into the Cancer Epigenetic/Metabolic Axis

Jia Yu Leung1, Kimberly Chia1, Derrick Sek Tong Ong1,2

  • 1Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.

Antioxidants & Redox Signaling
|December 17, 2019
PubMed

Insights

Tumor heterogeneity complicates cancer treatment. Understanding the interplay between the tumor microenvironment, epigenetics, and metabolism is key to developing effective therapies and overcoming treatment resistance.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Epigenetics
  • Metabolic Pathways

Background:

  • Cancer epigenomics and metabolism are extensively studied drug targets.
  • Limited efficacy and high relapse rates highlight challenges in current cancer therapies.
  • Tumor heterogeneity across and within tumors contributes to differential patient responses.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the interactions between the heterogeneous tumor microenvironment (TME) and the cancer epigenomic/metabolic axis.
  • To explore emerging technologies for studying tumor heterogeneity.
  • To emphasize the three-way crosstalk between TME, epigenetics, and cancer metabolism.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on epigenetics, metabolism, and tumor microenvironment interactions.
  • Discussion of emerging single-cell profiling technologies.
  • Analysis of the role of tumor heterogeneity in therapeutic outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Interactions between the TME and cancer cells critically regulate cancer epigenetics and metabolism.
  • A three-way crosstalk accentuates the complex, multiplex nature of cancer.
  • Tumor heterogeneity is crucial for understanding cancer biology and treatment response.

Conclusions:

  • Considering tumor heterogeneity is vital for epigenomic/metabolic cancer studies.
  • Advancements in single-cell profiling may enable identification of cancer subclones and vulnerabilities.
  • Understanding TME's role in cancer epigenetics and metabolism is crucial for novel therapeutic targets.
Keywords:
cancerepigeneticsheterogeneitymetabolismtechnologytherapeutics

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