title: Epigenetic regulation leading to induced pluripotency drives cancer development in vivo.
abstract: Somatic cells can be reprogrammed into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by the transient expression of reprogramming factors. During the reprogramming process, somatic cells acquire the ability to undergo unlimited proliferation, which is also an important characteristic of cancer cells, while their underlying DNA sequence remains unchanged. Based on the characteristics shared between pluripotent stem cells and cancer cells, the potential involvement of the factors leading to reprogramming toward pluripotency in cancer development has been discussed. Recent in vivo reprogramming studies provided some clues to understanding the role of reprogramming-related epigenetic regulation in cancer development. It was shown that premature termination of the in vivo reprogramming result in the development of tumors that resemble pediatric cancers. Given that epigenetic modifications play a central role during reprogramming, failed reprogramming-associated cancer development may have provided a proof of concept for epigenetics-driven cancer development in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Department of Medicine, Gifu University Graduate School of Medicine, Gifu 501-1194, Japan.
authors.forename: Kotaro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ohnishi
authors.affiliation: Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Semi
authors.affiliation: Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan; Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8507, Japan. Electronic address: y-yamada@cira.kyoto-u.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Yasuhiro
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
mesh_terms: D065150:Cellular Reprogramming; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D057026:Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*
keywords: Cancer; DNA methylation; Reprogramming; iPS cells