Title:Targeting Histone Onco- Modifications Using Plant-Derived Products
Volume: 22
Issue: 11
Author(s): Soorya P. Illam, Sruthi P. Kandiyil and Achuthan C. Raghavamenon*
Affiliation:
- Department of Biochemistry, Amala Cancer Research Centre, Amala Nagar, Thrissur, Kerala-680 555,India
Keywords:
Phytocompounds, epigenetics, histone modification, DNA methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation.
Abstract: The regulatory mechanisms lying over the genome that determines the differential expression
of genes are termed epigenetic mechanisms. DNA methylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation
of histone proteins and RNAi are typical examples. These epigenetic modifications are important
determinants of normal growth and metabolism; at the same time, aberrant histone modifications
play a major role in pathological conditions and are emerging as a new area of research for
the last decades. Histone onco-modification is a term introduced by the scientific world to denote
histone post-translational modifications that are associated with cancer development and progression.
These modifications are likely to act in certain conditions as adaptive mechanisms to environmental
and social factors. The enzymes that regulate DNA methylation as well as histone modifications
are thus become a target for cancer therapy and chemoprevention. Since oxidative stress has
been shown to modulate epigenetic changes, and phytocompounds with powerful antioxidant properties
have a significant role in disease prevention. Nowadays, “nutri- epigenetics” is becoming an
emerging area of research that deals with the influence of dietary compounds in epigenetics. This
review aims to discuss the biological efficacy of promising phytocompounds that are able to counteract
deleterious epigenetic modifications, especially histone onco- modifications.
