Aberrant methylation of CpG islands (CpG-rich regions of DNA associated with the promoters of many genes) is associated with transcriptional inactivation of genes involved in tumour development. Genes involved in key DNA damage response pathways, such as cell-cycle control, apoptosis signalling and DNA repair can frequently become epigenetically silenced and methylated in tumours. This may lead to differences in intrinsic sensitivity of tumours to chemotherapy, depending on the specific function of the gene inactivated. Furthermore, chemotherapy itself may exert a selective pressure on epigenetically silenced drug sensitivity genes present in subpopulations of cells, leading to acquired chemoresistance. Clinical trials of epigenetic therapies are now in progress, and epigenetic profiling using DNA methylation will provide guidance on optimization of the use of these therapies with conventional chemotherapy, as well as helping to identify patient populations who may particularly benefit from such approaches.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
November 2004
- Cover Image
- PDF Icon PDF LinkFront Matter
- PDF Icon PDF LinkTable of Contents
Conference Article|
October 26 2004
CpG-island methylation and epigenetic control of resistance to chemotherapy
J.M. Teodoridis;
J.M. Teodoridis
1Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology, Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
G. Strathdee;
G. Strathdee
1Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology, Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
J.A. Plumb;
J.A. Plumb
1Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology, Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K.
Search for other works by this author on:
R. Brown
R. Brown
1
1Centre for Oncology and Applied Pharmacology, Cancer Research UK Beatson Laboratories, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K.
1To whom correspondence should be addressed (email r.brown@beatson.gla.ac.uk).
Search for other works by this author on:
Biochem Soc Trans (2004) 32 (6): 916–917.
Article history
Received:
June 15 2004
Citation
J.M. Teodoridis, G. Strathdee, J.A. Plumb, R. Brown; CpG-island methylation and epigenetic control of resistance to chemotherapy. Biochem Soc Trans 1 November 2004; 32 (6): 916–917. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/BST0320916
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.