Epigenetic stem cell signature in cancer
M Widschwendter, H Fiegl, D Egle, E Mueller-Holzner… - Nature …, 2007 - nature.com
Nature genetics, 2007•nature.com
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.
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.
Abstract
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.
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