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Cancer Epigenetics pp 469–485Cite as

Epigenetic Inhibitors

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Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 1238))

Abstract

Traditional treatments for cancer include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and surgery. Recently, epigenetic inhibitors have been found to be very effective in cancer treatment. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone deacetylation, and microRNA (miRNA) expression are capable of silencing the expression of tumor suppressor genes and inducing oncogenes, leading to clonal proliferation of tumor cells. Methyltransferase inhibitors and histone deacetylase inhibitors have attracted the attention of researchers and clinicians because they provide an alternative therapeutic regime in some diseases, including cancer.

Epigenetic changes are characterized by altered gene expression without any changes in the nucleotide sequences of DNA. In addition, epigenetic changes are dynamic and can be reversed by epigenetic inhibitors. Drugs that inhibit DNA methylation or histone deacetylation have been studied for the reactivation of tumor suppressor genes and repression of cancer cell growth. Epigenetic inhibitors work alone or in combination with other therapeutic agents. To date, several epigenetic inhibitors have been approved for cancer treatment. The main challenge in the field of epigenetic inhibitors is their lack of specificity. Their mechanisms of action and potential in treating cancer are described in this article.

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Acknowledgements

We are thankful to Christie Kaefer and Britt Reid of the Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program of NIH-NCI for critically reading the manuscript and offering suggestions; we thank Christopher Krauss for typing the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Methods and Technologies Branch, Epidemiology and Genomics Research Program, Division of Cancer Control and Population Sciences, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA

    Mukesh Verma

  2. Department of Biological Sciences and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Elizabeth City State University, University of North Carolina, Campus Box 930, 1704 Weeksville Road, Elizabeth City, NC, 27909, USA

    Hirendra Nath Banerjee

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  1. Mukesh Verma
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  2. Hirendra Nath Banerjee
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Correspondence to Hirendra Nath Banerjee .

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  1. National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA

    Mukesh Verma

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Verma, M., Banerjee, H.N. (2015). Epigenetic Inhibitors. In: Verma, M. (eds) Cancer Epigenetics. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 1238. Humana Press, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1804-1_24

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1804-1_24

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