Since Conrad Waddington introduced the term “epigenetics” in 1942, its definition has wildly changed and evolved in parallel to our knowledge of the phenomenon.
Today, epigenetics is considered the study of hereditable changes in gene activity and regulation, that are not associated with modifications in the underlying DNA sequence. Over the past 80 years, the field of epigenetics has revolutionized the life sciences, changing our concept of biological processes and encompassing the spectrum of research, from basic research to translational and clinical research.
At Frontiers in Oncology, we would like to celebrate this incredible journey and the impact that epigenetic studies have had in the oncology field by introducing this special series. In this series, we would like to explore the recent advances in epigenetic studies in the most significant fields of oncological research with the greater aim of benefiting patients and cancer prevention in our communities.
Epigenetic Insights into Carcinogenesis Cancer is a heterogeneous disease that arises from progressive, multistep alterations of cellular pathways that regulate proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of normal cells.
Besides several genetic alterations, epigenetic changes, including DNA methylation, chromatin architecture, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are also associated with cancer.
In cancer cells, widespread DNA hypomethylation is coupled with locus-specific hypermethylation, leading to genomic instability and inactivation of tumor suppressor genes. Alongside aberrant DNA methylation pathways, de-regulation of histone modifications can significantly the chromatin landscape. In addition, deregulation of several classes of ncRNAs has been reported associated with aberrant expression of their genes involved in tumorigenesis and cancer progression.
The aim of this Research Topic is to provide an in-depth understanding of the epigenetic contribution to neoplastic cell transformation. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:
- The role and impact of epigenetics in tumorigenesis
- Epigenetic modifications that occur in cancers with known predispositions or driver mutations.
- The molecular crosstalk between epigenetic modifications and transcription modulators
- Molecular mechanisms of non-coding RNAs as epigenetic modulators of primary oncogenic signaling.
- Pharmacological targeting of epigenetically driven cancers
Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics or computational analysis of public genomic or transcriptomic databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent cohort or biological validation in vitro or in vivo) are out of scope for this section and will not be accepted as part of this Research Topic.
See below for other collections in the Epigenetic Insights series:
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Epigenetic Insights into Diagnostic and Therapeutic Applications -
Epigenetic Insights into Cancer Metabolism -
Epigenetic Insights into Diet and Nutrition in Cancer 