The emerging roles of histone demethylases in cancers

Dali Tong1, Ying Tang2, Peng Zhong3

  • 1Department of Urological Surgery, Daping Hospital, Army Medical University (Third Military Medical University), Chongqing, 400042, People's Republic of China. tongdali1985@163.com.

Cancer Metastasis Reviews
|January 16, 2024
PubMed

Insights

Histone demethylases are key epigenetic regulators with significant cancer therapy potential. Targeting these enzymes offers promising avenues for developing novel cancer treatments and understanding their role in disease.

Area of Science:

  • Epigenetics
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Histone methylation is a critical epigenetic mechanism.
  • Histone demethylases play a role in regulating gene expression.
  • Dysregulation of histone demethylases is implicated in various diseases, particularly cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide a comprehensive overview of histone demethylase enzymology.
  • To elucidate the roles and molecular mechanisms of histone demethylases in cancer.
  • To explore therapeutic strategies and challenges for targeting histone demethylases in cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing research on histone demethylases.
  • Analysis of clinical trial data investigating histone demethylases in cancer.
  • Examination of molecular mechanisms underlying histone demethylase function in carcinogenesis.

Main Results:

  • Histone demethylases are crucial in epigenetic regulation and cancer development.
  • Targeted inhibitors of histone demethylases show potential in immunotherapy, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy.
  • Clinical trials are exploring the efficacy of these inhibitors across various cancer types.

Conclusions:

  • Histone demethylases represent significant therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
  • Further research into their dynamic roles in carcinogenesis is warranted.
  • Personalized therapeutic approaches targeting histone demethylases hold future promise.

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