Ni Yuchao, Shi Mingchen, Liu Liangliang, Lin Dong, Zeng Hao, Ong Christopher, Wang Yuzhuo
Department of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
Vancouver Prostate Centre, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada.
Cancers (Basel). 2024 Jun 8;16(12):2175. doi: 10.3390/cancers16122175.
G9a, also named EHMT2, is a histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) methyltransferase responsible for catalyzing H3K9 mono- and dimethylation (H3K9me1 and H3K9me2). G9a contributes to various aspects of embryonic development and tissue differentiation through epigenetic regulation. Furthermore, the aberrant expression of G9a is frequently observed in various tumors, particularly in prostate cancer, where it contributes to cancer pathogenesis and progression. This review highlights the critical role of G9a in multiple cancer-related processes, such as epigenetic dysregulation, tumor suppressor gene silencing, cancer lineage plasticity, hypoxia adaption, and cancer progression. Despite the increased research on G9a in prostate cancer, there are still significant gaps, particularly in understanding its interactions within the tumor microenvironment and its broader epigenetic effects. Furthermore, this review discusses the recent advancements in G9a inhibitors, including the development of dual-target inhibitors that target G9a along with other epigenetic factors such as EZH2 and HDAC. It aims to bring together the existing knowledge, identify gaps in the current research, and suggest future directions for research and treatment strategies.
G9a,也称为EHMT2,是一种组蛋白3赖氨酸9(H3K9)甲基转移酶,负责催化H3K9单甲基化和二甲基化(H3K9me1和H3K9me2)。G9a通过表观遗传调控参与胚胎发育和组织分化的各个方面。此外,G9a的异常表达在各种肿瘤中经常被观察到,尤其是在前列腺癌中,它促进癌症的发病机制和进展。本综述强调了G9a在多个癌症相关过程中的关键作用,如表观遗传失调、肿瘤抑制基因沉默、癌症谱系可塑性、缺氧适应和癌症进展。尽管对前列腺癌中G9a的研究有所增加,但仍存在重大差距,特别是在了解其在肿瘤微环境中的相互作用及其更广泛的表观遗传效应方面。此外,本综述讨论了G9a抑制剂的最新进展,包括同时靶向G9a以及其他表观遗传因子(如EZH2和HDAC)的双靶点抑制剂的开发。其目的是汇集现有知识,找出当前研究中的差距,并为研究和治疗策略提出未来方向。