Title:Epigenetic Regulation and Promising Therapies in Colorectal Cancer
Volume: 14
Author(s): Chandra Kishore*
Affiliation:
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Life Science Building, Fatki Kutti, Madhepur, Madhubani, Patna-847408, Bihar,India
Keywords:
Colorectal cancer, histone modification, DNA methylation, epigenetic therapy, epigenetic marks, epigenetic
crosstalk, epigenetic signaling, posttranslational modifications.
Abstract: The recent developments in epigenetics have shown a very important role of epigenetic
changes in cancer initiation, development, and progression. Some of the important histone modifications
shown to occur are methylation, acetylation, phosphorylation, citrullination, sumoylation,
ADP ribosylation, deamination, ubiquitination, formylation, O-GlcNAcylation, propionylation, butyrylation,
proline isomerization, and crotonylation, but most of the studies in the past had limited
their interest mainly on histone methylation, acetylation, and phosphorylation. Modification of
DNA strands by hypermethylation and hypomethylation regulates genomic instability and promotes
cancer. Colorectal cancer involves multiple changes in epigenetic marks present on histone
residues and DNA, which in collaboration with genetic changes, leads to cancer progression. In
this review paper, basic concepts of epigenetics relevant to cancer development are discussed, followed
by its significance in understanding the mechanism of colon carcinogenesis. Some of the epigenetic
target-based drugs are also discussed in the relevant sections to give an idea of the potential
promises of epigenetics for colorectal cancer treatment.
