Discovery of epigenetically silenced tumour suppressor genes in aggressive breast cancer through a computational approach.

ABSTRACT: Breast cancer is characterized by genetic and epigenetic deregulations, leading to aberrant expression of tissue-specific genes that are normally silent in healthy breast tissue. Our previous work identified the embryonic stem cell-specific gene DNMT3B, a de novo DNA methyltransferase, as aberrantly activated in breast cancer, correlating with aggressive tumour behaviour and high relapse risk, regardless of molecular subtype. Through integrative bioinformatic analyses of DNA methylation and transcriptomic data, we identified 154 genes downregulated via DNMT3B-driven promoter hypermethylation, many of which are associated with high relapse risk. Notably, the tumour suppressor gene GATA3 emerged as a primary target of functional inactivation through either loss-of

SUBMITTER: Vitte AL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12203794 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature