Epigenetic mechanisms of plant-derived anticancer drugs.
Epigenetic mechanisms are essential for normal development and maintenance of adult life. Disruption of epigenetic processes results in deregulated gene expression and leads to life-threatening diseases, in particular, cancer. Global epigenetic alterations are a hallmark of cancer. Cancer epigenetics revealed the deregulation of all components of the epigenetic machinery including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin structure, and non-coding RNAs. Drugs targeting epigenetic processes, or "epi-drugs", are at the forefront of drug discovery, and plant-derived compounds have shown promise. Most of the plant-derived anticancer drugs that work through epigenetic mechanisms are polyphenols; the others are alkaloids, organosulfur compounds, and terpenoids. This review focuses on the epigenetic machinery and its basis for cancer therapy, highlights plant-derived anticancer drugs with epigenetic mechanisms of action, and discusses their potential use in epigenetic therapy.
Division Experimental Tumorpathology, Institute for Pathology, University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany.
Regine
R
Schneider-Stock
Akram
A
Ghantous
Khuloud
K
Bajbouj
Melody
M
Saikali
Nadine
N
Darwiche
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics; D059808:Polyphenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D011499:Protein Processing, Post-Translational / Q000187:drug effects; D034622:RNA Interference
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D006657:Histones; D059808:Polyphenols