Cortez Connie C, Jones Peter A
Department of Urology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-9181, USA.
Mutat Res. 2008 Dec 1;647(1-2):44-51. doi: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2008.07.006. Epub 2008 Jul 22.
The structure and organization of chromatin have attracted a great deal of attention recently because of their implications for the field of epigenetics. DNA methylation and the post-translational modifications that occur on histones can specify transcriptional competency. During cancer development, tumor suppressor genes become silenced by DNA hypermethylation and chromatin modifiers no longer perform in their usual manner. Current epigenetic therapy has been able to take advantage of the reversibility of these epimutations. Progress has been made in the treatment of hematological malignancies and some solid tumors. As the knowledge of how chromatin regulates gene expression is enhanced, improvements in the treatment of cancer can be made.
由于染色质的结构和组织对表观遗传学领域具有重要意义，它们最近备受关注。DNA甲基化以及发生在组蛋白上的翻译后修饰能够决定转录活性。在癌症发展过程中，肿瘤抑制基因会因DNA高甲基化而沉默，染色质修饰因子也不再以其通常的方式发挥作用。目前的表观遗传疗法能够利用这些表观突变的可逆性。在血液系统恶性肿瘤和一些实体瘤的治疗方面已经取得了进展。随着对染色质如何调节基因表达的认识不断加深，癌症治疗有望得到改善。
