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The Role of Histone Modifications and Variants in Regulating Gene Expression in Breast Cancer

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Abstract

The role of epigenetic phenomena in cancer biology is increasingly being recognized. Here we focus on the mechanisms and enzymes involved in regulating histone methylation and acetylation, and the modulation of histone variant expression and deposition. Implications of these epigenetic marks for tumor development, progression and invasiveness are discussed with a particular emphasis on breast cancer progression.

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Abbreviations

ER:

estrogen receptor

PR:

progesterone receptor

HDAC:

histone deacetylase

HAT:

histone acetylase

PRMT:

protein arginine methyltransferase

KMT:

lysine methyltransferase

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Acknowledgments

MD is supported by a CNRS postdoctoral fellowship. We thank Marie Vandromme for sharing her expertise with histone modifying enzymes, team members for fruitful discussions and colleagues for their understanding that much interesting work cannot be cited due to space limitations.

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  1. Université de Toulouse, LBME, 118 route de Narbonne, 31062, Toulouse, France

    Mathieu Dalvai & Kerstin Bystricky

  2. CNRS, LBME-UMR5099, 31062, Toulouse, France

    Mathieu Dalvai & Kerstin Bystricky

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  1. Mathieu Dalvai
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Correspondence to Kerstin Bystricky.

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Dalvai, M., Bystricky, K. The Role of Histone Modifications and Variants in Regulating Gene Expression in Breast Cancer. J Mammary Gland Biol Neoplasia 15, 19–33 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10911-010-9167-z

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