Abnormal patterns of DNA methylation in human neoplasia: Potential consequences for tumor progression

摘要: An imbalance of DNA methylation, involving widespread hypomethylation, regional hypermethylation and increased cellular capacity for is characteristic human neoplasia. This begins in preneoplastic cells becomes more extensive throughout subsequent stages tumor progression. In normal cells, a primary function methylation may be to modulate compartmentalization ensure that areas transcriptionally active chromatin replicate earlier than the bulk inactive chromatin. We argue here altered patterns observed during progression, especially hypermethylation, mark--or even help establish--abnormalities organization. turn, these changes structure may, through direct transcriptional inactivation genes, predisposition mutations, allelic deletions, mediate progressive losses gene expression associated with development.