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Review

5-hydroxymethylcytosine

A new insight into epigenetics in cancer

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Pages 10-15 | Received 31 Mar 2013, Accepted 10 Nov 2013, Published online: 19 Nov 2013
 

Abstract

DNA methylation at the 5 position of cytosine (5-mC) has emerged as a key epigenetic marker that plays essential roles in various biological and pathological processes. 5-mC can be converted to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC) by the ten–eleven translocation (TET) family proteins, which is now widely recognized as the “sixth base” in the mammalian genome, following 5-mC, the “fifth base”. 5-hmC is detected to be abundant in brain and embryonic stem cells, and is also distributed in many different human tissues. Emerging evidence has shown that 5-hmC and TET family might serve unique biological roles in many biological processes such as gene control mechanisms, DNA methylation regulation, and involved in many diseases, especially cancers. In this paper we provide an overview of the role of 5-hmC as a new sight of epigenetics in human cancer.

10.4161/cbt.2714

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

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