肿瘤DNA异常甲基化与组蛋白修饰

Aberrant DNA Methylation and Histone Modification in Tumor

基因启动子区域异常甲基化是肿瘤抑制基因失活的一个关键机制 ,与肿瘤每一步形成有关的基因也能靠这种机制失活。DNA甲基化抑制剂如 5氮杂脱氧胞苷 (5AZA)能逆转这种表观遗传学事件 ,说明可以用它治疗肿瘤。染色质的结构对基因表达调控也起重要作用 ,组蛋白中包含低乙酰化赖氨酸的染色质有一个紧密的结构 ,对转录起抑制作用。组蛋白去乙酰化酶 (HDAC)抑制剂能够使染色质结构开放 ,激活抑制肿瘤生长的某些基因 ,这些组蛋白去乙酰化抑制剂也可用于肿瘤治疗。DNA甲基化与组蛋白去乙酰化的联合作用可以用于沉寂基因转录 ,具体分子机理牵涉到甲基化CpG岛结合蛋白吸附到甲基化启动子上 ,以及吸附组蛋白去乙酰化酶形成抑制转录的复合物 ,这两种表观遗传学修饰代表了用 5AZA和HDAC抑制剂治疗干预的靶位点 ,这两种试剂联合使用显示有重新激活肿瘤抑制基因和增强抗肿瘤细胞增殖的协同效果 ,应当作为表观遗传学治疗肿瘤的新方法加以研究。

Hypermethylation of promoter is the key mechanism of tumor suppressor gene inactivation. The inhibitor of DNA methylation such as 5-azadeoxycytidine(5AZA) can reverse this epigenetic event, suggesting that it can be used for tumor treatment. The chromosome structure also plays a very important role in gene regulation, the chromatin containing hypoacetylated lysine in histone has a compact structure, which can inhibit transcription. The inhibitory agent of histone deacetylase (HDAC) can open chromosome structure, and it can also be used for treating tumors. Combined use of 5AZA and HDAC has better effect in the reactivation of tumor suppressor gene, which should be explored as a new tumor therapy.