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Cited by 1,045

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 40 of the 40 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Increased methylation variation in epigenetic domains across cancer types

Open access
Hansen, Kasper Daniel, Timp, Winston, Bravo, Héctor Corrada, Sabunciyan, Sarven, Langmead, Benjamin, McDonald, Oliver G, Wen, Bo, Wu, Hao, Liu, Yun, Diep, Dinh, Briem, Eirikur, Zhang, Kun, Irizarry, Rafael A, Feinberg, Andrew P·2011·Nature Genetics

Abstract

Tumor heterogeneity is a major barrier to effective cancer diagnosis and treatment. We recently identified cancer-specific differentially DNA-methylated regions (cDMRs) in colon cancer, which also distinguish normal tissue types from each other, suggesting that these cDMRs might be generalized across cancer types. Here we show stochastic methylation variation of the same cDMRs, distinguishing cancer from normal tissue, in colon, lung, breast, thyroid and Wilms' tumors, with intermediate variation in adenomas. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing shows these variable cDMRs are related to loss of sharply delimited methylation boundaries at CpG islands. Furthermore, we find hypomethylation of discrete blocks encompassing half the genome, with extreme gene expression variability. Genes associated with the cDMRs and large blocks are involved in mitosis and matrix remodeling, respectively. We suggest a model for cancer involving loss of epigenetic stability of well-defined genomic domains that underlies increased methylation variability in cancer that may contribute to tumor heterogeneity.

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Metadata

Authors
Hansen, K. D., Timp, W., Bravo, H. C., Sabunciyan, S., Langmead, B., McDonald, O. G., Wen, B., Wu, H., Liu, Y., Diep, D., Briem, E., Zhang, K., Irizarry, R. A., & Feinberg, A. P.
Venue
Nature Genetics
Published
2011-06-26
Volume
43
Issue
8
Pages
768-775
ISSN
  • 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
  • 1546-1718
OpenAlex
W2125154191
Cited by
1,045
References
40
FWCI
40.68
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
green

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CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Increased methylation variation in epigenetic domains across cancer types. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1038/ng.865
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Hansen, K. D., Timp, W., Bravo, H. C., Sabunciyan, S., Langmead, B., McDonald, O. G., Wen, B., Wu, H., Liu, Y., Diep, D., Briem, E., Zhang, K., Irizarry, R. A., & Feinberg, A. P. (2011). Increased methylation variation in epigenetic domains across cancer types. Nature Genetics. https://doi.org/10.1038/ng.865

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