Epigenetic Dysregulation in Cancers: From Mechanism to Therapy
A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Oncology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 978
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Besides genetic alterations, from point mutations to chromosomal aberrations, epigenetics dysregulation is also involved in several features of carcinogenesis. Among these, the histone modifications and non-coding RNAs are the most well-characterized epigenetic hallmarks, playing a pivotal role in cancer initiation and progression. In this context, microRNAs have been recently investigated to evaluate their application as therapeutic agents in cancer treatment. Moreover, DNA methylation has attracted growing interest for its key role in the regulation of several cancer-related genes. In particular, promoter hypomethylation is strictly associated with the transcriptional activation of oncogenes, while the hypermethylation status of promoter regions induces tumor suppressor gene silencing. Despite recent evidence indicating that intragenic DNA methylation is actively involved in transcriptional regulatory processes and splicing, its functional role has not been completely elucidated yet. In this field, methylation hotspots have recently emerged as potential biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. In this context, the recent advances in site-specific methylation/demethylation could represent a promising strategy to improve the outcomes of cancer treatment.
This Special Issue aims to provide an overview of the recent advances into the epigenetic phenomena affecting cancer-related gene expression, as well as the reliability of epigenetic hotspots in early cancer diagnosis. Furthermore, the latest clinical relevance of the main epigenetic markers is provided, representing a starting point for the development of new cancer treatment options. This Special Issue will contain original research articles, including in silico studies and full reviews.
Dr. Saverio Candido
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- epigenetics
- non-coding RNAs
- microRNAs
- histone modifications
- chromatin remodeling
- DNA methylation
- 5-methyl-cytosine
- biomarkers
- cancer
- promoter and body methylation
