DNA methylation of channel-related genes in cancers.

Halima Ouadid-Ahidouch, Lise Rodat-Despoix, Fabrice Matifat, Gilles Morin, Ahmed Ahidouch

Journal: Biochimica et biophysica acta 2015;1848(10 Pt B):2621-8

PMID: 25703813

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Abstract

DNA methylation at CpG sites is an epigenetic mechanism that regulates cellular gene expression. In cancer cells, aberrant methylation is correlated with the abnormalities in expression of genes that are known to be involved in the particular characteristics of cancer cells such as proliferation, apoptosis, migration or invasion. During the past 30 years, accumulating data have definitely convinced the scientific community that ion channels are involved in cancerogenesis and cancer properties. As they are situated at the cell surface, they might be prime targets in the development of new therapeutic strategies besides their potential use as prognostic factors. Despite the progress in our understanding of the remodeling of ion channels in cancer cells, the molecular mechanisms underlying their over- or down-expression remained enigmatic. In this review, we aimed to summarize the available data on gene promoter methylation of ion channels and to investigate their clinical significance as novel biomarkers in cancer. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Membrane channels and transporters in cancers.

Address: UFR Sciences, EA 4667, Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of Picardie Jules Verne, SFR CAP-SANTE (FED 4231), Amiens, France. Electronic address: [email protected].; UFR Sciences, EA 4667, Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of Picardie Jules Verne, SFR CAP-SANTE (FED 4231), Amiens, France.; EA 4666 and Department of Molecular and Clinical Genetics, Amiens University Hospital, University of Picardie Jules Verne, Amiens, France.; UFR Sciences, EA 4667, Laboratory of Cell and Molecular Physiology, University of Picardie Jules Verne, SFR CAP-SANTE (FED 4231), Amiens, France; Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Zohr University, Agadir Morocco.

DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2015.02.015