Global DNA methylomes reveal oncogenic-associated 5-hydroxylmethylated cytosine (5hmC) signatures in the cell-free DNA of cancer patients.

ABSTRACT: Characterization of tumor epigenetic aberrations is integral to understanding the mechanisms of tumorigenesis and provide diagnostic, prognostic, and predictive information of high clinical relevance. Among the different tumor-associated epigenetic signatures, 5 methyl-cytosine (5mC) and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) are the two most well-characterized DNA methylation alterations linked to cancer pathogenesis. 5hmC has a tissue-specific distribution and its abundance is subjected to changes in tumor DNA, making it a promising biomarker. Detecting tumor-related DNA methylation alterations in tissues is highly invasive, while the analysis of the cell-free DNA (cfDNA) is poised to supplement, if not replace, surgical biopsies. Despite many studies attempted to identify new epigenetic targets

SUBMITTER: Rech GE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11759829 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature