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Updated: Jul 11, 2025

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors
06:07

Continuous Fluorescence-Based Endonuclease-Coupled DNA Methylation Assay to Screen for DNA Methyltransferase Inhibitors

Published on: August 5, 2022

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Alterations to DNA methylation patterns induced by chemotherapy treatment are associated with negative impacts on the

Peh Joo Ho1,2,3, Alexis Jiaying Khng1, Benita Kiat-Tee Tan4,5,6

  • 1Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), 60 Biopolis Street, Genome, Singapore, 138672, Republic of Singapore.

Breast Cancer Research : BCR
|November 7, 2023
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Chemotherapy alters DNA methylation (DNAm) in breast cancer patients, affecting smell perception. This study reveals suppressed biological processes related to smell, suggesting a link between DNAm changes and sensory alterations post-treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Genomics
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Cytotoxic chemotherapy can induce changes in DNA methylation (DNAm) in breast cancer patients.
  • Understanding these epigenetic alterations is crucial for managing treatment side effects.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate DNA methylation changes associated with chemotherapy in breast cancer patients.
  • To identify biological processes and pathways affected by chemotherapy-induced DNAm.

Main Methods:

  • DNAm analysis using Illumina MethylationEPIC array in 125 breast cancer patients before and after chemotherapy.
  • Linear regression models and gene set enrichment analyses (GSEA) were employed.
  • Validation in a separate cohort of 1273 treated and 872 untreated patients using blood and saliva samples.

Main Results:

  • 141 differentially methylated CpGs and 11 promoters were significantly associated with chemotherapy.
  • GSEA identified six suppressed biological processes related to smell perception (GO:0007606, GO:0007608, GO:0009593, GO:0050906, GO:0050907, GO:0050911).
  • The KEGG pathway olfactory transduction (hsa04740) was also significantly suppressed in validation cohorts.

Conclusions:

  • Chemotherapy significantly impacts DNA methylation patterns in breast cancer patients.
  • Suppressed olfactory transduction pathways suggest chemotherapy may alter smell perception.
  • Enrichment of imprinted genes points to a potential mechanism for chemotherapy-induced sensory changes.
Keywords:
Breast cancerDNA methylationEpigenetic modificationTreatment response

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