title: DNA methylation and personalized medicine.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Variation in the expression of drug-response-related genes contributes significantly to interindividual differences in drug response. DNA methylation is one of the most common epigenetic modifications that control gene expression. DNA methylation may occur in genes encoding drug metabolizing enzymes (DMEs), drug transporters and drug targets, and can thereby alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of drugs. In this review, we discuss recent advances in pharmacoepigenetics with a focus on DNA methylation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The literature search focusing on DNA methylation of drug-response-related genes and DNA methylation-related SNPs in pharmacogenomics was carried out using the PUBMED database and a combination of keywords including DNA methylation, drug response, DMEs, drug transporters, drug target and SNPs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An extensive range of research has contributed to our understanding of how DNA methylation of drug-response-related genes alters their function. This is particularly well studied in cancer chemotherapy and drug resistance. The impact of polymorphisms of miRNAs in these processes requires further study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DNA methylation-related genetic variation is an increasingly recognized mechanism for altered drug-response and disease susceptibility. These new discoveries require assimilation into the practice of personalized medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Pharmacogenetics Research Institute, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Hunan Key laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.forename: H-H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: X-P
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport / Q000235:genetics; D019175:DNA Methylation; D004351:Drug Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics; D010597:Pharmacogenetics / Q000379:methods*; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D026901:Membrane Transport Proteins; D035683:MicroRNAs
keywords: DNA methylation; drug response; single nucleotide polymorphisms