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Epigenetics in lung cancer diagnosis and therapy

Cancer and Metastasis Reviews volume 34, pages 229–241 (2015)Cite this article

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The initiation and progression of lung cancer is the result of the interaction between permanent genetic and dynamic epigenetic alterations. DNA methylation is the best studied epigenetic mark in human cancers. Altered DNA methylation in cancer was identified in 1983. Within 30 years of this discovery, DNA methylation inhibitors are used clinically to treat a variety of cancers, highlighting the importance of the epigenetic basis of cancer. In addition, histone modifications, nucleosome remodeling, and micro RNA (miRNA)-mediated gene regulation are also fundamental to tumor genesis. Distinct chromatin alterations occur in all stages of lung cancer, including initiation, growth, and metastasis. Therefore, stage-specific epigenetic changes can be used as powerful and reliable tools for early diagnosis of lung cancer and to monitor patient prognosis. Moreover, since epigenetic changes are dynamic and reversible, chromatin modifiers are promising targets for the development of more effective therapeutic strategies against cancer. This review summarizes the chromatin alterations in lung cancer, focusing on the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches targeting epigenetic modifications that could help to reduce the high case-fatality rate of this dreadful disease.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Indrabahadur Singh and Julio Cordero for helpful discussions. This work was done according to the program for competitive growth of the Kazan Federal University and the Russian Government. Addi J. Romero-Olmedo received a fellowship from CONACyT - COCyT (CVU 510283). Guillermo Barreto is funded by the „LOEWE-Initiative der Landesförderung“ (III L4–18/15.004 2009) and the DFG grant BA 4036/1-1.

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Affiliations

  1. LOEWE Research Group Lung Cancer Epigenetic, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, 61231, Bad Nauheim, Germany

    Aditi Mehta, Stephanie Dobersch, Addi J. Romero-Olmedo & Guillermo Barreto

  2. Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autonoma “Benito Juarez” de Oaxaca, Oaxaca, Mexico

    Addi J. Romero-Olmedo

  3. Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan (Volga Region) Federal University, 420008, Kazan, Russian Federation

    Guillermo Barreto

Authors
  1. Aditi Mehta
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  2. Stephanie Dobersch
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  3. Addi J. Romero-Olmedo
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  4. Guillermo Barreto
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Guillermo Barreto.

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Affiliations in Germany are members of the Universities of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC) and the German Center of Lung Research (DZL).

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Mehta, A., Dobersch, S., Romero-Olmedo, A.J. et al. Epigenetics in lung cancer diagnosis and therapy. Cancer Metastasis Rev 34, 229–241 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-015-9563-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10555-015-9563-3

Keywords

  • Lung cancer
  • Epigenetics
  • Chromatin
  • Histone modifications
  • DNA methylation
  • miRNA
  • Early diagnosis
  • Treatment
  • Metastasis