Cancer Epigenetics and Biology Program (PEBC), Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), 08907 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
Oncogene. 2010 Mar 11;29(10):1405-20. doi: 10.1038/onc.2009.517. Epub 2010 Jan 25.
Viruses are associated with 15-20% of human cancers worldwide. In the last century, many studies were directed towards elucidating the molecular mechanisms and genetic alterations by which viruses cause cancer. The importance of epigenetics in the regulation of gene expression has prompted the investigation of virus and host interactions not only at the genetic level but also at the epigenetic level. In this study, we summarize the published epigenetic information relating to the genomes of viruses directly or indirectly associated with the establishment of tumorigenic processes. We also review aspects such as viral replication and latency associated with epigenetic changes and summarize what is known about epigenetic alterations in host genomes and the implications of these for the tumoral process. The advances made in characterizing epigenetic features in cancer-causing viruses have improved our understanding of their functional mechanisms. Knowledge of the epigenetic changes that occur in the genome of these viruses should provide us with markers for following cancer progression, as well as new tools for cancer therapy.
病毒与全球 15-20%的人类癌症有关。在上个世纪，许多研究致力于阐明病毒致癌的分子机制和遗传改变。表观遗传学在基因表达调控中的重要性促使人们不仅在遗传水平上，而且在表观遗传水平上研究病毒和宿主的相互作用。在这项研究中，我们总结了已发表的与直接或间接与肿瘤发生过程相关的病毒基因组相关的表观遗传学信息。我们还回顾了与表观遗传变化相关的病毒复制和潜伏等方面，并总结了宿主基因组中表观遗传改变的已知情况及其对肿瘤过程的影响。在描述致癌病毒中的表观遗传特征方面取得的进展提高了我们对其功能机制的理解。了解这些病毒基因组中发生的表观遗传变化，应该为我们提供跟踪癌症进展的标志物，并为癌症治疗提供新的工具。
