Oncohistones: a roadmap to stalled development

Since the discovery of recurrent mutations in histone H3 variants in paediatric brain tumours, so-called 'oncohistones' have been identified in various cancers. While their mechanism of action remains under active investigation, several studies have shed light on how they promote genome-wide epigenetic perturbations. These findings converge on altered post-translational modifications on two key lysine (K) residues of the H3 tail, K27 and K36, which regulate several cellular processes, including those linked to cell differentiation during development. We will review how these oncohistones affect the methylation of cognate residues, but also disrupt the distribution of opposing chromatin marks, creating genome-wide epigenetic changes which participate in the oncogenic process. Ultimately, tumorigenesis is promoted through the maintenance of a progenitor state at the expense of differentiation in defined cellular and developmental contexts. As these epigenetic disruptions are reversible, improved understanding of oncohistone pathogenicity can result in needed alternative therapies.