Advances in the research of reciprocal interconnections between DNA methylation and microRNA regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma
10.3781/j.issn.1000-7431.2012.06.014
- Author:
Bi-Jun QIU
1
Author Information
1. Department of Liver Surgery
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
DNA methylation;
Liver neoplasms;
MicroRNAs
- From:
Tumor
2012;32(6):471-474
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the major type of primary liver cancer and also one of the most malignant tumors in human beings. The mechanism of HCC development has not been clarified. Epigenetic mechanism may play a key role in the development and progression of cancer. The research on the regulation of miRNAs (microRNAs) and the methylation of DNA belongs to the scope of epigenetics. Studies have shown that DNA methylation and miRNA may play a crucial role during the hepatocarcinogenesis respectively or synergistically. MiRNAs comprise many species of short non-coding RNA which regulate the gene expression post-transcriptionally. Studies have demonstrated that DNA methylation and histone modification not only regulate the expression of protein-encoding genes, but also regulate the expression of miRNAs. Some miRNAs such as miR-125b, miR-1-1, miR-124, miR-203 and miR-191 aberrantly expressed in HCC were regulated by epigenetic mechanism. Furthermore, another subset of miRNAs controls the expressions of key molecules in epigenetic pathways, and sequentially alters the epigenetic status of the whole genome. This review summarizes the advances in the research of reciprocal interconnections between DNA methylation and microRNA regulation in the development and progression of hepatocellular carcinoma. © 2012 by Tumor.
