Epigenetic modification in chromatin machinery and its deregulation in pediatric brain tumors: Insight into epigenetic therapies

ABSTRACT

Malignancies are characterized by the reprogramming of epigenetic patterns. This reprogramming includes gains or losses in DNA methylation and disruption of normal patterns of covalent histone modifications, which are associated with changes in chromatin remodeling processes. This review will focus on the mechanisms underlying this reprogramming and, specifically, on the role of histone modification in chromatin machinery and the modifications in epigenetic processes occurring in brain cancer, with a specific focus on epigenetic therapies for pediatric brain tumors.

KEYWORDS:

• Acetylation
• brain tumor
• demethylase
• DIPG
• epigenetic
• histone
• methylation
• methyltransferase
• pediatric

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflicts of interest were disclosed.

Acknowledgments

We thank Michael Gallagher for illustration of the figures and Accixx Biomedical Consulting (www.Accixx.com) for editorial assistance.

Funding

R.H. was supported by US National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant NS093079, the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation and Rally Foundation, and the John McNicholas Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation.