REVIEW

Cell Research, 15(4):272-280, Apr 2005

The altered DNA methylation pattern and its implications in liver cancer

Jing De ZHU^1,2,*

¹The State-key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Jiaotong University, LN 2200/25, Xietu Road, Shanghai 200032, China.
²The Collage of Life Sciences, Zhejiang Science and Technology University, Xiasha University District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China.

Correspondence: Jing De ZHU +86-21-64224285 (phone) zhujingde@yahoo.com or zhujingde@sh163.net

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Abstract

DNA methylation is the most intensively studied epigenetic phenomenon, disturbances of which result in changes in gene transcription, thus exerting drastic imparts onto biological behaviors of cancer. Both the global demethylation and the local hypermethylation have been widely reported in all types of tumors, providing both challenges and opportunities for a better understanding and eventually controlling of the malignance. However, we are still in the very early stage of information accumulation concerning the tumor associated changes in DNA methylation pattern. A number of excellent recent reviews have covered this issue in depth. Therefore, this review will summarize our recent data on DNA methylation profiling in cancers. Perspectives for the future direction in this dynamic and exciting field will also be given.

Keywords: DNA methylation, epigenetics, liver cancer, tumor staging and classification.