Epigenetic stem cell signature in cancer
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells rely on Polycomb group proteins to reversibly repress genes required for differentiation. We report that stem cell Polycomb group targets are up to 12-fold more likely to have cancer-specific promoter DNA hypermethylation than non-targets, supporting a stem cell origin of cancer in which reversible gene repression is replaced by permanent silencing, locking the cell into a perpetual state of self-renewal and thereby predisposing to subsequent malignant transformation.
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EZH2 inhibition has been shown to augment interferon-induced gene expression in tumour cells.
“EZH2 inhibition has been shown to augment interferoninduced gene expression in tumour cells 227-229 .”
From The roles of DNA, RNA and histone methylation in ageing and cancer (2019) · cites this paper as [228]
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- Authors
- Widschwendter, M., Fiegl, H., Egle, D., Mueller-Holzner, E., Spizzo, G., Marth, C., Weisenberger, D. J., Campan, M., Young, J., Jacobs, I., & Laird, P. W.
- Affiliations
- University College London (GB)
- Innsbruck Medical University (AT)
- USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center (US)
- QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Widschwendter, Martin
- Laird, Peter W
- ORCID
- Venue
- Nature Genetics
- Published
- 2006-12-31
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 157-158
- ISSN
- 1061-4036 (ISSN-L)
- 1546-1718
- OpenAlex
- W2042087070
- Cited by
- 1,143
- References
- 15
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 18 · 2024: 30 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 34 · 2021: 45 · 2020: 45 · 2019: 32 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 47 · 2016: 55 · 2015: 64 · 2014: 68 · 2013: 90 · 2012: 95
- FWCI
- 33.42
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Nature Genetics (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Research Explorer (The University of Manchester) (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission
- National Institutes of Health (5r01ca075090-09)
- National Cancer Institute (R01-CA-075090, R01CA001815, R01CA096958)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Cells and Metastasis
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Pluripotent Stem Cells Research
- Keywords
- Polycomb group proteins, DNA methylation, promoter hypermethylation, cancer stem cells, embryonic stem cells, gene repression, self-renewal, malignant transformation, epigenetics, cancer susceptibility
- MeSH terms
- Cell Differentiation, Cell Transformation, Neoplastic, Humans, Neoplasms, Repressor Proteins, Stem Cells, DNA Methylation, Gene Silencing, Epigenesis, Genetic, Polycomb-Group Proteins
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