Open Access

Epimutation and cancer: a new carcinogenic mechanism of Lynch syndrome (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Kouji Banno
    • Iori Kisu
    • Megumi Yanokura
    • Kosuke Tsuji
    • Kenta Masuda
    • Arisa Ueki
    • Yusuke Kobayashi
    • Wataru Yamagami
    • Hiroyuki Nomura
    • Eiichiro Tominaga
    • Nobuyuki Susumu
    • Daisuke Aoki
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: June 25, 2012     https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2012.1528
  • Pages: 793-797
  • Copyright: © Banno et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License [CC BY_NC 3.0].

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Abstract

Epimutation is defined as abnormal transcriptional repression of active genes and/or abnormal activation of usually repressed genes caused by errors in epigenetic gene repression. Epimutation arises in somatic cells and the germline, and constitutional epimutation may also occur. Epimutation is the first step of tumorigenesis and can be a direct cause of carcinogenesis. Cancers associated with epimutation include Lynch syndrome (hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, HNPCC), chronic lymphocytic leukemia, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Epimutation has been shown for many tumor suppressor genes, including RB, VHL, hMLH1, APC and BRCA1, in sporadic cancers. Methylation has recently been shown in DNA from normal tissues and peripheral blood in cases of sporadic colorectal cancer and many studies show constitutive epimutation in cancers. Epimutation of DNA mismatch repair (MMR) genes (BRCA1, hMLH1 and hMSH2) involved in development familial cancers has also been found. These results have led to a focus on epimutation as a novel oncogenic mechanism.
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September 2012
Volume 41 Issue 3

Print ISSN: 1019-6439
Online ISSN:1791-2423

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Banno K, Kisu I, Yanokura M, Tsuji K, Masuda K, Ueki A, Kobayashi Y, Yamagami W, Nomura H, Tominaga E, Tominaga E, et al: Epimutation and cancer: a new carcinogenic mechanism of Lynch syndrome (Review). Int J Oncol 41: 793-797, 2012.
APA
Banno, K., Kisu, I., Yanokura, M., Tsuji, K., Masuda, K., Ueki, A. ... Aoki, D. (2012). Epimutation and cancer: a new carcinogenic mechanism of Lynch syndrome (Review). International Journal of Oncology, 41, 793-797. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2012.1528
MLA
Banno, K., Kisu, I., Yanokura, M., Tsuji, K., Masuda, K., Ueki, A., Kobayashi, Y., Yamagami, W., Nomura, H., Tominaga, E., Susumu, N., Aoki, D."Epimutation and cancer: a new carcinogenic mechanism of Lynch syndrome (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 41.3 (2012): 793-797.
Chicago
Banno, K., Kisu, I., Yanokura, M., Tsuji, K., Masuda, K., Ueki, A., Kobayashi, Y., Yamagami, W., Nomura, H., Tominaga, E., Susumu, N., Aoki, D."Epimutation and cancer: a new carcinogenic mechanism of Lynch syndrome (Review)". International Journal of Oncology 41, no. 3 (2012): 793-797. https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2012.1528