School of Biosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Selangor, Malaysia.
School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2019;19(2):82-100. doi: 10.2174/1568009618666180430130248.
Despite advances in the treatment regimen, the high incidence rate of breast cancer (BC) deaths is mostly caused by metastasis. Recently, the aberrant epigenetic modifications, which involve DNA methylation, histone modifications and microRNA (miRNA) regulations become attractive targets to treat metastatic breast cancer (MBC). In this review, the epigenetic alterations of DNA methylation, histone modifications and miRNA regulations in regulating MBC are discussed. The preclinical and clinical trials of epigenetic drugs such as the inhibitor of DNA methyltransferase (DNMTi) and the inhibitor of histone deacetylase (HDACi), as a single or combined regimen with other epigenetic drug or standard chemotherapy drug to treat MBCs are discussed. The combined regimen of epigenetic drugs or with standard chemotherapy drugs enhance the therapeutic effect against MBC. Evidences that epigenetic changes could have implications in diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutics for MBC are also presented. Several genes have been identified as potential epigenetic biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as therapeutic targets for MBC. Endeavors in clinical trials of epigenetic drugs against MBC should be continued although limited success has been achieved. Future discovery of epigenetic drugs from natural resources would be an attractive natural treatment regimen for MBC. Further research is warranted in translating research into clinical practice with the ultimate goal of treating MBC by epigenetic therapy in the near future.
尽管在治疗方案上取得了进展,但乳腺癌(BC)死亡率高的主要原因还是转移。最近,异常的表观遗传修饰,包括 DNA 甲基化、组蛋白修饰和 microRNA(miRNA)调控,成为治疗转移性乳腺癌(MBC)的有吸引力的靶点。在这篇综述中,讨论了 DNA 甲基化、组蛋白修饰和 miRNA 调节的表观遗传改变在调节 MBC 中的作用。讨论了表观遗传药物的临床前和临床试验,如 DNA 甲基转移酶抑制剂(DNMTi)和组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂(HDACi),作为单一或联合方案与其他表观遗传药物或标准化疗药物联合治疗 MBC。表观遗传药物联合方案或与标准化疗药物联合治疗可增强对 MBC 的治疗效果。还提出了表观遗传变化可能对 MBC 的诊断、预后和治疗有影响的证据。已经确定了一些基因作为潜在的用于诊断和预后的表观遗传生物标志物,以及用于治疗 MBC 的治疗靶点。尽管取得的成功有限,但仍应继续进行针对 MBC 的表观遗传药物的临床试验。从天然资源中发现新的表观遗传药物将是治疗 MBC 的一种有吸引力的天然治疗方案。有必要进一步研究将研究转化为临床实践,以期在不久的将来通过表观遗传疗法治疗 MBC。