Cancer and DNA Methylation
2019 John A. Catanzaro
DNA methylation is known to be abnormal in all forms of cancer, but it is not really understood how this occurs and its exact role in tumorigenesis. In this short video presented by John Catanzaro, he takes a wide view of this problem by reviewing DNA methylation patterns and understanding how this stable epigenetic mark works to prevent gene activation during development. Aberrant DNA methylation in cancer can be generated either prior to or following cell transformation through mutations.
“Increasing evidence suggests, that most methylation changes are generated in a programmed manner and occur in a subpopulation of tissue cells during normal aging, probably predisposing them for tumorigenesis. It is likely that this methylation contributes to the tumor state by inhibiting the plasticity of cell differentiation processes.” Cancer Res; 76(12); 3446–50. ©2016 AACR.
Watch this short 23 minute video and it will give you some insight into DNA methylation and cancer.
