Angelico Giuseppe, Mazzucchelli Manuel, Attanasio Giulio, Tinnirello Giordana, Farina Jessica, Zanelli Magda, Palicelli Andrea, Bisagni Alessandra, Barbagallo Giuseppe Maria Vincenzo, Certo Francesco, Zizzo Maurizio, Koufopoulos Nektarios, Magro Gaetano, Caltabiano Rosario, Broggi Giuseppe
Department of Medicine and Surgery, Kore University of Enna, 94100 Enna, Italy.
Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Advanced Technologies "G.F. Ingrassia", Anatomic Pathology, University of Catania, 95123 Catania, Italy.
Cancers (Basel). 2024 Oct 11;16(20):3451. doi: 10.3390/cancers16203451.
Central nervous system (CNS) tumors represent a formidable clinical challenge due to their molecular complexity and varied prognostic outcomes. This review delves into the pivotal role of the epigenetic marker H3K27me3 in the development and treatment of CNS tumors. H3K27me3, specifically the trimethylation of lysine 27 on the histone H3 protein, plays a crucial role in regulating gene expression and maintaining chromatin architecture (e.g., in X-chromosome inactivation). Notably, a reduction in H3K27me3 levels, frequently tied to mutations in the H3 gene family such as H3F3A and HIST1H3B, is evident in diverse brain tumor variants, including the diffuse midline glioma characterized by the H3K27M mutation and certain pediatric high-grade gliomas. The loss of H3K27me3 has been linked to more aggressive behavior in meningiomas, with the trimethylation loss associated with significantly shorter recurrence-free survival (RFS) among grade 2 meningiomas, albeit not within grade 1 tumors. Pediatric posterior fossa ependymomas characterized by a lowered H3K27me3 and DNA hypomethylation exhibit poor prognosis, underscoring the prognostic significance of these epigenetic alterations in CNS tumors. Comprehending the role of H3K27me3 in CNS tumors is vital for advancing diagnostic tools and therapeutic interventions, with the goal of enhancing patient outcomes and quality of life. This review underscores the importance of ongoing investigations into H3K27me to refine and optimize management strategies for CNS tumors, paving the way for improved personalized medicine practices in oncology.
中枢神经系统(CNS)肿瘤因其分子复杂性和多样的预后结果而成为一项严峻的临床挑战。本综述深入探讨了表观遗传标记H3K27me3在CNS肿瘤发生发展及治疗中的关键作用。H3K27me3,具体指组蛋白H3蛋白上赖氨酸27的三甲基化,在调节基因表达和维持染色质结构(如X染色体失活)中发挥着关键作用。值得注意的是,H3K27me3水平的降低,通常与H3基因家族(如H3F3A和HIST1H3B)的突变有关,在多种脑肿瘤变体中都很明显,包括以H3K27M突变为特征的弥漫性中线胶质瘤和某些儿童高级别胶质瘤。H3K27me3的缺失与脑膜瘤更具侵袭性的行为有关,在2级脑膜瘤中,三甲基化缺失与无复发生存期(RFS)显著缩短相关,尽管在1级肿瘤中并非如此。以H3K27me3降低和DNA低甲基化为特征的儿童后颅窝室管膜瘤预后较差,这突出了这些表观遗传改变在CNS肿瘤中的预后意义。了解H3K27me3在CNS肿瘤中的作用对于推进诊断工具和治疗干预至关重要,目标是改善患者的预后和生活质量。本综述强调了持续研究H3K27me以完善和优化CNS肿瘤管理策略的重要性,为肿瘤学中改进个性化医疗实践铺平道路。