Understanding the Role of Epigenetics in Cancer epigenetics cancer oncology genetics histones
Epigenetic changes in cancerWhat is epigenetics? Epigenetics is the study of the impact of human lifestyle and environmental factors on gene expression patterns. Epigenetic changes are dynamic and reversible and inherited somatically. These changes affect the expressions of genes without changing their sequence.
Histones are chromosomal proteins wrapped by DNA. A tight packaging of histones prevents the access of gene expression-regulating proteins to DNA, inhibiting gene expression. A loose packaging of histones does the opposite action. Histone modification refers to adding or removing chemical groups from histone to regulate the tight or loose packaging of histones.
Epigenetic changes are associated with cancer development and progression. However, the reversible nature and somatic inheritability pattern have made epigenetic changes potential therapeutic targets. In cancer research, epigenetics is vital in early-stage cancer diagnosis, cancer type detection, and novel therapeutic design.
MicroRNAs are a type of non-coding RNA that bind to target mRNAs to inhibit their translation and subsequent protein synthesis. Since miRNAs play a vital role in gene expression regulation, any changes in their structure and function can lead to disease onset. Some miRNAs which exhibit oncogenic functions are called onco-miRs.
Histone modification is another potential epigenetic biomarker used in cancer diagnosis. Detection of abnormal post-translational modifications in histones is an emerging approach for cancer diagnosis and outcome predictions. In lung cancer, specific histone modifications, such as lower H3 and H4 methylation levels, have been found to associate with poor prognosis and mortality.
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