Puia Dragoş, Ivănuță Marius, Pricop Cătălin
Department of Surgery II, "Grigore T Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 700115 Iasi, Romania.
Department of Urology, "Dr. C.I. Parhon" Clinical Hospital, 700503 Iasi, Romania.
Int J Mol Sci. 2025 Aug 3;26(15):7507. doi: 10.3390/ijms26157507.
Bladder cancer pathogenesis is closely linked to epigenetic alterations, particularly DNA methylation and demethylation processes. Environmental carcinogens and persistent inflammatory stimuli-such as recurrent urinary tract infections-can induce aberrant DNA methylation, altering gene expression profiles and contributing to malignant transformation. This review synthesizes current evidence on the role of DNA methyltransferases () and the hypermethylation of key tumour suppressor genes, including , and , in bladder cancer. It also evaluates the therapeutic application of DNA-demethylating agents such as 5-azacytidine and highlights the impact of chronic inflammation on epigenetic regulation. Promoter hypermethylation of tumour suppressor genes leads to transcriptional silencing and unchecked cell proliferation. Urine-based DNA methylation assays provide a sensitive and specific method for non-invasive early detection, with single-target approaches offering high diagnostic precision. Animal models are increasingly employed to validate these findings, allowing the study of methylation dynamics and gene-environment interactions in vivo. DNA methylation represents a key epigenetic mechanism in bladder cancer, with significant diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications. Integration of human and experimental data supports the use of methylation-based biomarkers for early detection and targeted treatment, paving the way for personalized approaches in bladder cancer management.
膀胱癌的发病机制与表观遗传改变密切相关,尤其是DNA甲基化和去甲基化过程。环境致癌物和持续性炎症刺激——如复发性尿路感染——可诱导异常DNA甲基化,改变基因表达谱并促进恶性转化。本综述综合了当前关于DNA甲基转移酶( )的作用以及关键肿瘤抑制基因(包括 、 和 )的高甲基化在膀胱癌中的证据。它还评估了5-氮杂胞苷等DNA去甲基化剂的治疗应用,并强调了慢性炎症对表观遗传调控的影响。肿瘤抑制基因的启动子高甲基化导致转录沉默和不受控制的细胞增殖。基于尿液的DNA甲基化检测为非侵入性早期检测提供了一种灵敏且特异的方法,单靶点方法具有很高的诊断精度。越来越多地使用动物模型来验证这些发现,从而能够在体内研究甲基化动态和基因-环境相互作用。DNA甲基化是膀胱癌中的一种关键表观遗传机制,具有重要的诊断、预后和治疗意义。整合人类和实验数据支持使用基于甲基化的生物标志物进行早期检测和靶向治疗,为膀胱癌管理中的个性化方法铺平了道路。