© 2007 European Society for Medical Oncology
editorials |
Epigenetic modulation of resistance to chemotherapy?
1 Department of Oncology, Imperial College, London
2 Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, UK
* (E-mail: r.brown@beatson.gla.ac.uk)
| The first 10% of the full text of this article appears below. |
Drug sensitivity is influenced by alterations in gene expression [1]. Gene expression patterns in tumours are determined by both genetic and epigenetic changes [2]. Epigenetic changes are stable and heritable changes in gene expression resulting from modifications of DNA and associated proteins that do not involve an alteration in DNA sequence. Epigenetic modification occurs both during tumour development and during the acquisition of drug resistance and leads to altered expression of many hundreds of genes [3]. Unlike genetic changes, epigenetic modifications require active maintenance so they can be manipulated by small molecules and provide a potential therapeutic target [4]. Two common epigenetic changes are CpG island methylation and histone acetylation, both of which can be modulated using DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, respectively. DNMT inhibitors are