Leveraging epigenetics to enhance the efficacy of immunotherapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epigenetic mechanisms regulate chromatin accessibility patterns that govern interaction of transcription machinery with genes and their cis-regulatory elements. Mutations that affect epigenetic mechanisms are common in cancer. Because epigenetic modifications are reversible many anticancer strategies targeting these mechanisms are currently under development and in clinical trials.

Main body

Here we review evidence suggesting that epigenetic therapeutics can deactivate immunosuppressive gene expression or reprogram tumor cells to activate antigen presentation mechanisms. In addition, the dysregulation of epigenetic mechanisms commonly observed in cancer may alter the immunogenicity of tumor cells and effectiveness of immunotherapies.

Conclusions

Therapeutic

SUBMITTER: Licht JD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8130138 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature