کد مقاله | کد نشریه | سال انتشار | مقاله انگلیسی | نسخه تمام متن |
---|---|---|---|---|
1946693 | 1537284 | 2011 | 5 صفحه PDF | دانلود رایگان |
Germline cell differentiation is controlled by a specific set of genes whose expression is tightly locked into the repressed state in somatic cells. Large-scale epigenome alterations, now evidenced in nearly all cancers, lead to aberrant activation of these normally silenced genes, as attested by the many reports describing the expression of testis-specific factors, known as cancer-testis genes, in various cancer cells. Here, based on the literature, we argue that off-context activity of some of the testis-specific epigenome regulators can reprogram the somatic cell epigenome toward a malignant state by favoring self-renewal and sustaining cell proliferation under stressful conditions, thereby constituting a major oncogenic mechanism.
Research highlights
► This review discusses the very exciting possibility that the off-context activity of germline-specific genes initiates a process of epigenetic reprogramming and could strongly contribute to malignant transformation.
Journal: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta (BBA) - Gene Regulatory Mechanisms - Volume 1809, Issues 4–6, April–June 2011, Pages 221–225