Cervical cancer and DNA methylation

Abstract:

Cervical cancer develops gradually over many years through several stages ranging from cervical intraepithelial neoplasia to invasive cancer. The progression of cervical precancerous lesions essentially depends on the presence of persistent infection with oncogenic types of human papillomavirus. In addition, epigenetic events play a significant role in the development and progression of cancer in general. Epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation in the promoter region of genes where transcription is initiated, results in inactivation and silencing of many genes. Transcriptional silencing through DNA methylation of critical growth regulators and tumour suppressor genes plays a major role in cancer. This deregulated epigenetic event in cancer can be reversed by DNA methylation inhibitors. In cervical cancer, altered DNA methylation is described for more than 200 genes, including tumour suppressor genes, representing potential biomarkers of cervical lesions. However, for now, change in methylation of any of the described gene does not fully meet the criteria of sufficient sensitivity and specificity for population screening. 

Key words:
cervical intraepithelial neoplasm; epigenetics; human papillomavirus; uterine cervical neoplasms