Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, IFOM-IEO Campus, Via Adamello 16, Milan, Italy.
Future Oncol. 2011 Jan;7(1):57-75. doi: 10.2217/fon.10.157.
The role of chromatin-modifying factors in cancer biology emerged exponentially in the last 10 years, and increased attention has been focused on Polycomb group (PcG) proteins and their enzymatic activities. PcG proteins are repressive chromatin modifiers required for proliferation and development. The frequent deregulation of PcG activities in human tumors has direct oncogenic effects and results, essential for cancer cell proliferation. Here we will review the recent findings regarding PcG proteins in prospective tumor development, focusing on the molecular mechanisms that deregulate PcG expression in different tumors, at the downstream pathways to PcG expression (that contribute to cancer development) and at the mechanisms that regulate PcG recruitment to specific targets. Finally, we will speculate on the benefit of PcG inhibition for cancer treatment, reviewing potential pharmacological strategies.
在过去的 10 年中，染色质修饰因子在癌症生物学中的作用呈指数级增长，人们越来越关注 Polycomb 组（PcG）蛋白及其酶活性。PcG 蛋白是增殖和发育所必需的抑制性染色质修饰因子。PcG 活性在人类肿瘤中的频繁失调具有直接的致癌作用，并对癌细胞的增殖至关重要。在这里，我们将回顾最近关于 PcG 蛋白在肿瘤发生中的作用的发现，重点讨论不同肿瘤中 PcG 表达失调的分子机制，以及 PcG 表达下游途径（有助于癌症发生）和调节 PcG 蛋白募集到特定靶点的机制。最后，我们将推测 PcG 抑制对癌症治疗的益处，回顾潜在的药物治疗策略。
