title: The role of DNA hypermethylation in the pathogenesis and prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
abstract: The hallmark of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a progressive appearance of malignant cell behavior that is triggered by the evolution of altered gene function. ALL has traditionally been viewed as a genetic disease, however, epigenetic defects also play an important role. DNA promoter methylation has gained increasing recognition as an important mechanism for transcriptional silencing of cancer related genes. The hypermethylation-associated inactivation affects virtually all of the pathways in the ALL cellular network, such as the cell cycle, apoptosis and adhesion. The identification of these methylation abnormalities and elucidation of the mechanistic events surrounding them are of prime importance, as the methylation status of ALL cells can be used as prognostic biomarker and also can be manipulated in vivo with demethylating agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Reina Sofia Hospital, 14004 Cordoba, Spain. peperosa@teleline.es
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Roman-Gomez
authors.forename: Juan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Castillejo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jimenez
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.forename: Anabel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Heiniger
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Torres
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D002453:Cell Cycle; D018899:CpG Islands; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics*; D015973:Gene Expression Regulation, Leukemic; D020868:Gene Silencing; D006801:Humans; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000209:etiology* / Q000235:genetics*; D011379:Prognosis; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D015996:Survival Rate; D014158:Transcription, Genetic
chemical_list: D004273:DNA, Neoplasm