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Epigenetic Stem Cell Signature in Cancer

Jan 2, 2007 cancer, methylation, research articles

Nature Genetics has published a brief communication from Marth et. al on the epigenetic stem cell signature in cancer:

    Embryonic stem cells rely on Polycomb group proteins to reversibly repress genes required for differentiation. We report that stem cell Polycomb group targets are up to 12-fold more likely to have cancer-specific promoter DNA hypermethylation than non-targets, supporting a stem cell origin of cancer in which reversible gene repression is replaced by permanent silencing, locking the cell into a perpetual state of self-renewal and thereby predisposing to subsequent malignant transformation.

Link

Update: There are great summaries and reactions to this letter available at Migrations and Pure Pedantry.

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