Antiproliferative effects of DNA methyltransferase 3B depletion are not associated with DNA demethylation.

ABSTRACT: Silencing of genes by hypermethylation contributes to cancer progression and has been shown to occur with increased frequency at specific genomic loci. However, the precise mechanisms underlying the establishment and maintenance of aberrant methylation marks are still elusive. The de novo DNA methyltransferase 3B (DNMT3B) has been suggested to play an important role in the generation of cancer-specific methylation patterns. Previous studies have shown that a reduction of DNMT3B protein levels induces antiproliferative effects in cancer cells that were attributed to the demethylation and reactivation of tumor suppressor genes. However, methylation changes have not been analyzed in detail yet. Using RNA interference we reduced DNMT3B protein levels in colon cancer cell lines. Our results con

SUBMITTER: Hagemann S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3341356 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature