Department of Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No. 1095 Jiefang Road, Wuhan, 430074, Hubei Province, China.
Clin Epigenetics. 2022 Nov 28;14(1):154. doi: 10.1186/s13148-022-01382-9.
DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression. To date, most DNA methylation studies have focussed on CpG islands in the gene promoter region, and the mechanism of methylation and the regulation of gene expression after methylation have been clearly elucidated. However, genome-wide methylation studies have shown that DNA methylation is widespread not only in promoters but also in gene bodies. Gene body methylation is widely involved in the expression regulation of many genes and is closely related to the occurrence and progression of malignant tumours. This review focusses on the formation of gene body methylation patterns, its regulation of transcription, and its relationship with tumours, providing clues to explore the mechanism of gene body methylation in regulating gene transcription and its significance and application in the field of oncology.
DNA 甲基化是一种重要的表观遗传机制，可调节基因表达。迄今为止，大多数 DNA 甲基化研究都集中在基因启动子区域的 CpG 岛上，并且已经清楚阐明了甲基化的机制以及甲基化后基因表达的调节。然而，全基因组甲基化研究表明，DNA 甲基化不仅广泛存在于启动子中，而且存在于基因体中。基因体甲基化广泛参与许多基因的表达调控，与恶性肿瘤的发生和发展密切相关。本综述重点介绍了基因体甲基化模式的形成、对转录的调节及其与肿瘤的关系，为探索基因体甲基化调节基因转录的机制及其在肿瘤学领域的意义和应用提供了线索。
