Interdependency Between Genetic and Epigenetic Regulatory Defects in Cancer
Por:
Recillas-Targa F.
Publicada:
1 ene 2014
Resumen:
Epigenetic regulation is understood as heritable changes in gene
expression and genome function that can occur without affecting the DNA
sequence. In its in vivo context DNA is coupled to a group of small
basic proteins that together with the DNA form the chromatin. The
organization and regulation of the chromatin alliance with multiple
nuclear functions are inconceivable without genetic information. With
the advance on the understanding of the chromatin organization of the
eukaryotic genome, it has been clear that not only genetics but also
epigenetics influence both normal human biology and diseases. As a
consequence, the basic concepts and mechanisms of cancer need to be
readdressed and viewed not only locally but also at the whole genome
scale or even, in the three-dimensional context of the cell nucleus
space. Such a vision has a larger impact than has been previously
predicted, since phenomena like aging, senescence, the entail of
nutrition, stem cell biology, and cancer are orchestrated by epigenetic
and genetic processes. Here I describe the relevance and central role of
genetic and epigenetic defects in cancer.