title: Epi-Drugs and Epi-miRs: Moving Beyond Current Cancer Therapies.
abstract: Epigenetic modifications determine phenotypic characteristics in a reversible, stable and genotype-independent manner. Epigenetic modifications mainly encompass CpG island methylation and histone modifications, both being important in the pathogenesis of malignancies. The reversibility of epigenetic phenomenon provides a suitable therapeutic option that is reactivation of epigenetically silenced tumor-suppressor genes. Inhibition of DNA methyltransferase, histone deacetylase and Aurora B kinase, individually or collectively, could feasibly prevent or reverse the impact of epigenetic silencing. MicroRNAs [miRNAs] are an important layer of epigenetic controlling of gene expression, and serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as treatment targets for several types of cancer. miRNAs are involved inepigenetically silencing or activation of genes, tumor suppressor genes and oncogenes, and their modulation opens new horizons for designing novel cancer therapeutic agents.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salarinia
authors.forename: Amirhossein
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sahebkar
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Peyvandi
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
authors.forename: Mahmoud Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jaafari
authors.forename: Maryam Matbou
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Riahi
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ebrahimnejad
authors.forename: Javid Sadri
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Nahand
authors.forename: Jamshid
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hadjati
authors.forename: Mobina Ostadi
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Asrami
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fadaei
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. r_salehi@med.mui.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Rasoul
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Salehi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Biotechnology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran. Mirzaeih911@mums.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Hamed
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mirzaei
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019175:DNA Methylation / Q000187:drug effects; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic / Q000187:drug effects; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D035683:MicroRNAs; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors; D035683:MicroRNAs; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases