Six epigenetic characteristics have been identified as the new Epigenetic Hallmarks of Cancer, which complement the widely recognized Hallmarks of Cancer. Researchers determined that for a cell to undergo malignant transformation, it needs to exhibit various degrees of six distinct epigenetic features, which range from alterations in DNA methylation to significant reorganizations within the cell nucleus.
For the first time, cancer-related deaths have outpaced those caused by cardiovascular disease. According to the NIH, one in two men and one in three women in the U.S. will face a cancer diagnosis.
Cancer is a complicated condition marked by numerous cellular and molecular changes that contribute to its onset and development. Over the past ten years, scientists have worked to clarify these complexities by creating a unified framework for research. This effort led to the creation of the 14 Hallmarks of Cancer, which encapsulate common abnormalities found in all tumors.
Among these Hallmarks are the ability to spread to other areas (metastasis), rampant cellular growth, and the survival of transformed cells. Initially, it was believed that these traits were mainly due to genetic factors (like mutations), but genetics alone does not adequately account for the adaptable and evolving nature of human tumors or their quick ability to resist treatments. This suggested the involvement of other mechanisms, with epigenetic regulation of genetic information emerging as a strong contender.
An article recently published in the journal Cancer Discovery, a leading publication of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), was led by Dr. Manel Esteller, a Research Professor at ICREA and the Chair of Genetics at the School of Medicine, University of Barcelona. The article outlines the epigenetic features that help define tumors and grant them remarkable adaptability and survival skills in challenging microenvironments, thereby preventing cell death.
Dr. Esteller comments, “After over 25 years of researching chemical alterations in DNA and its associated proteins, we now have a clearer understanding of the epigenetic changes that are commonly found in many human tumors.” He adds, “In this publication, esteemed experts in this domain, under my guidance, have come together to introduce these six characteristics that define the epigenetic changes in tumors. This is aimed at enhancing the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of the disease.”
The expert team has identified the six epigenetic hallmarks present in transformed cells as follows: the inactivation of anti-cancer genes due to excessive DNA methylation; reactivation of ancient viral sequences embedded in our genome; altered histone protein modifications that govern gene expression; rearrangement of the three-dimensional structure of the cell nucleus; an instability in the epigenetic landscape that promotes cancer evolution; and a “love-hate” dynamic with genetic mutations where both types of changes communicate and amplify one another.
While cancer epigenetics is an expanding field with firm foundational knowledge, Dr. Esteller emphasizes, “It’s vital to acknowledge that these principles are not set in stone. Future findings, aided by groundbreaking technologies like single-cell analysis and artificial intelligence, may unveil new guidelines defining the epigenetic hallmarks of cancer.”
