title: EZH2: biology, disease, and structure-based drug discovery.
abstract: EZH2 is the catalytic subunit of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which is a highly conserved histone methyltransferase that methylates lysine 27 of histone 3. Overexpression of EZH2 has been found in a wide range of cancers, including those of the prostate and breast. In this review, we address the current understanding of the oncogenic role of EZH2, including its PRC2-dependent transcriptional repression and PRC2-independent gene activation. We also discuss the connections between EZH2 and other silencing enzymes, such as DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase. We comprehensively address the architecture of the PRC2 complex and the crucial roles of each subunit. Finally, we summarize new progress in developing EZH2 inhibitors, which could be a new epigenetic therapy for cancers.
authors.affiliation: VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Jin-zhi
authors.initials: JZ
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-xi
authors.initials: XX
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: 1] VARI-SIMM Center, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China [2] Laboratory of Structural Sciences, Center for Structural Biology and Drug Discovery, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
authors.forename: H Eric
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Xu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000378:metabolism; D055808:Drug Discovery / Q000379:methods; D006655:Histone Deacetylases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; D063151:Polycomb Repressive Complex 2; D006655:Histone Deacetylases