TY - JOUR
T1 - The sunset of somatic genetics and the dawn of epigenetics
T2 - A new frontier in pancreatic cancer research
AU - Lomberk, Gwen
AU - Mathison, Angela J.
AU - Grzenda, Adrienne
AU - Urrutia, Raul
PY - 2008/9
Y1 - 2008/9
N2 - Purpose of review. The excitement of finding a cancer modulator which is either mutated or deleted in vivo (genetics), unfortunately, is shadowed by the fact that we scientists have failed to live to the promise of gene therapy, and therefore, these genes cannot be replaced to cure the patients. On the contrary, both DNA methylation and chromatin-mediated inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (epigenetics), for example, are reversible as demonstrated by the relative success of emerging therapies. Therefore, epigenetics with its molecular basis (DNA methylation and chromatin modification) is among the most promising areas of cancer research and is a nascent field in pancreatic cancer research. Recent findings. Here, we review and update novel findings on epigenetics as it applies to pancreatic cancer. Summary. Special focus has been given to novel potential therapeutic targets and currently available drugs, which are emerging from this exciting new field of pancreatic cancer research.
AB - Purpose of review. The excitement of finding a cancer modulator which is either mutated or deleted in vivo (genetics), unfortunately, is shadowed by the fact that we scientists have failed to live to the promise of gene therapy, and therefore, these genes cannot be replaced to cure the patients. On the contrary, both DNA methylation and chromatin-mediated inactivation of tumor suppressor genes (epigenetics), for example, are reversible as demonstrated by the relative success of emerging therapies. Therefore, epigenetics with its molecular basis (DNA methylation and chromatin modification) is among the most promising areas of cancer research and is a nascent field in pancreatic cancer research. Recent findings. Here, we review and update novel findings on epigenetics as it applies to pancreatic cancer. Summary. Special focus has been given to novel potential therapeutic targets and currently available drugs, which are emerging from this exciting new field of pancreatic cancer research.
KW - Chromatin-modifying proteins
KW - Epigenetics
KW - Heterochromatin protein 1
KW - Pancreatic cancer
KW - Polycomb
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55549090720&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=55549090720&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1097/MOG.0b013e32830b111d
DO - 10.1097/MOG.0b013e32830b111d
M3 - Review article
C2 - 19122501
AN - SCOPUS:55549090720
SN - 0267-1379
VL - 24
SP - 597
EP - 602
JO - Current Opinion in Gastroenterology
JF - Current Opinion in Gastroenterology
IS - 5
ER -