title: The Role of Methylation in Breast Cancer Susceptibility and Treatment.
abstract: DNA methylation is a critical mechanism of epigenetic modification involved in gene expression programming, that can promote the development of several cancers, including breast cancer. The methylation of CpG islands by DNA methyltransferases is reversible and has been shown to modify the transcriptional activity of key proliferation genes or transcription factors involved in suppression or promotion of cell growth. Indeed, aberrant methylation found in gene promoters is a hallmark of cancer that could be used as non-intrusive biomarker in body fluids such as blood and plasma for early detection of breast cancer. Many biomarker genes have been evaluated for breast cancer detection. However, in the absence of a unique biomarker having the sufficient specificity and sensitivity, a panel of multiple genes should be used. Treatments targeting aberrant methylation by DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, which trigger re-expression of silenced genes, are now available and allow for better treatment efficiency.
authors.affiliation: CHU de Quebec Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Marie-Christine
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Pouliot
authors.affiliation: CHU de Quebec Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Yvan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Labrie
authors.affiliation: CHU de Quebec Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Diorio
authors.affiliation: CHU de Quebec Research Centre, Laval University, Quebec, Canada francine.durocher@crchudequebec.ulaval.ca.
authors.forename: Francine
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Durocher
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000378:metabolism; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D018899:CpG Islands / Q000235:genetics; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D004248:DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases
keywords: CpG islands; DNA methylation; biomarkers; breast cancer; review; treatment