title: The rationale and use of hypomethylation agents in adult acute myeloid leukemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Epigenetic deregulation of gene expression is a newly recognized mechanism that leads to hematologic malignancies such as leukemia and myelodysplastic syndromes. DNA methylation is one of the most commonly occurring epigenetic events.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The rationale and use of hypomethylation agents in adult acute myeloid leukemia are discussed. Data in this review came from the published literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In leukemias, alterations in DNA methylation are characterized by the hypermethylation of several genes. Hypermethylation represses transcription of the promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes leading to gene silencing. This change is reversible making it an important therapeutic target. Drugs such as methyltranferase inhibitors including 5-azacytidine and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine, and histone deacetylase inhibitors are being used in the treatment of these hematological malignancies.
authors.affiliation: Hôpital Edouard Herriot, Leukemia Unit, Service d'Hématologie, Hospices Civils de Lyon, 69437 Lyon cedex 03, France +33 4 72 11 73 95 ; +33 4 72 11 74 04 ; xavier.thomas@chu-lyon.fr.
authors.forename: Xavier
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Thomas
authors.forename: Youcef
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chelghoum
authors.forename: Fiorenza
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Barraco
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Troncy