Among the most significant discoveries from cancer genomics efforts has been the critical role of epigenetic dysregulation in cancer development and progression. Studies across diverse cancer types have revealed frequent mutations in genes encoding epigenetic regulators, alterations in DNA methylation and histone modifications, and a dramatic reorganization of chromatin structure. Epigenetic changes are especially relevant to pediatric cancers, which are often characterized by a low rate of genetic mutations. The inherent reversibility of epigenetic lesions has led to an intense interest in the development of epigenetic targeted therapies. Additionally, the recent appreciation of the interplay between the epigenome and immune regulation has sparked interest in combination therapies and synergistic immunotherapy approaches. Further, the recent appreciation of epigenetic variability as a driving force in cancer evolution has suggested new roles for epigenetic therapies in limiting plasticity and resistance. Here, we review recent progress and emerging directions in the development of epigenetic targeted therapeutics and their promise across the landscape of childhood cancers.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cancers16244149 | DOI Listing |
J Immunother Cancer
January 2025
Department of Cancer and Functional Genomics, Institute of Genetics and Molecular and Cellular Biology (IGBMC), CNRS/INSERM/UNISTRA, Illkirch-Graffenstaden, France
Background: Endogenous retrovirus (ERV) elements are genomic footprints of ancestral retroviral infections within the human genome. While the dysregulation of ERV transcription has been linked to immune cell infiltration in various cancers, its relationship with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) response in solid tumors, particularly metastatic clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), remains inadequately explored.
Methods: This study analyzed patients with metastatic ccRCC from two prospective clinical trials, encompassing 181 patients receiving nivolumab in the CheckMate trials (-009 to -010 and -025) and 48 patients treated with the ipilimumab-nivolumab combination in the BIONIKK trial.
Clin Immunol
January 2025
Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Center for Big Data and Population Health of IHM, Hefei, Anhui, China; Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, Anhui, China. Electronic address:
Backgrounds: The association between chromatin accessibility in CD4 T cells and Immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN) remains unclear.
Methods: We performed the assay for transposase accessible chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on CD4 T cells. ATAC-seq and RNA-seq were conducted to identify differentially accessible regions and differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively (P < 0.
J Biol Chem
January 2025
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA. Electronic address:
Transposable element (TE) silencing in the germline is crucial for preserving genome integrity; its absence results in sterility and diminished developmental robustness. The Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway is the primary small non-coding RNA mechanism by which TEs are silenced in the germline. Three piRNA binding proteins promote the piRNA pathway function in the germline- P-element-induced wimpy testis (Piwi), Aubergine (Aub), and Argonaute 3 (Ago3).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Genet Genomics
January 2025
Key Laboratory of Exploration and Utilization of Aquatic Genetic Resources, Ministry of Education, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; International Research Center for Marine Biosciences, Ministry of Science and Technology, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Marine Biomedical Science and Technology Innovation Platform of Lin-gang Special Area, Shanghai 201306, China. Electronic address:
Temperature fluctuations challenge ectothermic species, particularly tropical fish dependent on external temperatures for physiological regulation. However, the molecular mechanisms through which low-temperature stress impacts immune responses in these species, especially in relation to chromatin accessibility and epigenetic regulation, remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigate chromatin and transcriptional changes in the head kidney and thymus tissues of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), a tropical fish of significant economic importance, under cold stress.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biochem Cell Biol
January 2025
Centre for Respiratory Research, Translational Medical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Nottingham, UK; Nottingham NIHR Biomedical Research Centre, Nottingham, UK; Biodiscovery Institute, University Park, University of Nottingham, UK. Electronic address:
Lung fibrosis, including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), is a complex and devastating disease characterised by the progressive scarring of lung tissue leading to compromised respiratory function. Aberrantly activated fibroblasts deposit extracellular matrix components into the surrounding lung tissue, impairing lung function and capacity for gas exchange. Both genetic and epigenetic factors have been found to play a role in the pathogenesis of lung fibrosis, with emerging evidence highlighting the interplay between these two regulatory mechanisms.
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