title: Promoter methylated microRNAs: potential therapeutic targets in gastric cancer.
abstract: Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth most commonly diagnosed type of cancer worldwide and has the second highest mortality rate of all cancer types. Classical genetics alone does not fully explain how GC occurs; however, epigenetics provides a partial explanation with regard to the cause of cancer. DNA methylation, the best‑known type of epigenetic marker, represses the expression of tumor‑suppressor genes and is involved in the pathogenesis of various types of human cancer, including GC. Micro (mi)RNAs are critical in the initiation, progression, metastasis and invasion of GC through gene regulation. The dysregulation of miRNAs is widely recognized as a hallmark of cancer. Recently, studies concerning DNA methylation of miRNAs in GC have been frequently reported, and these studies deepen the knowledge of how epigenetic regulation of miRNAs results in GC pathogenesis and indicate novel therapeutic strategies for GC. The present review provides an overview of the reported DNA methylation of miRNAs in GC.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Center of Translational Medicine, Wuxi Second Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Xiaoqiang
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Center of Translational Medicine, Wuxi Second Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiazeng
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Xia
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery and Center of Translational Medicine, Wuxi Second Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214002, P.R. China.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yan
mesh_terms: D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases