Dados do Resumo

Título

Application of Epigenetic in Cancer Treatment

Introdução

Epigenetic is a terminology referring to the heritable changes that can alter gene expression due to chemical or structure changes without altering the primary DNA sequence. These changes are capable of active or inactive a certain gene as these changes is wide-ranging, impacting the aspects of the cells functions and development, emergence of diseases and even for the understanding and/or treatment of cancer. This project will approach the implications of epigenetics as a method for cancer treatment.

Objetivo

To promote an overview of the epigenetics mechanism in cancer diseases, such as their relevance on treatments on practician clinician, relating concepts of various methods of gene therapy, corresponding to gene editing and gene silencing.

Métodos

It was done elaborated research using various articles found on UpToDate and PubMed, comparing the capacitated studies using the key words ‘epigenetics’ ‘cancer treatment’ and ‘gene therapy’ during the conclusion of this subject. Thus, a comparison between the article’s conclusions and results was made to provide acknowledge and theoretical basement to this work. The methods descripted on the bibliographic references includes unlike gene therapy, which is a technique that provides a new gene in a separate vector, altering the endogenous genomic sequence of a cell, making highly specific genomic alterations in a target cell. The genome is edited in a dividing cell by cutting the specific part of the DNA and replaced by the altered sequence in the repairing process, introduced by a template that is delivered into the target cell containing the endonuclease enzyme. Can be selected for the editing process pluripotent stem cells, a mature somatic cell such as T lymphocyte or even multipotent stem cell of a specific tissue.

Resultados

It can be affirmed that any type of cancer is epigenetically abnormal, containing an epigenetic signature such as the insertion of a phenotype in cells that can expand the replicative potential and increasing resistance to apoptosis. The alterations include methylation changes that can lead to the activation of the oncogenes, as in the hypomethylation of the RAS oncogenes. The DNA sequence variants can also be seen in solid tumors. The epigenetic can be used identifying patterns to predict response to different types of cancer therapy, by the fact that epigenetic marks are reversible, translating to a great potential of gene reprogramming. Manipulating gene expression by the addition of enzymes that can remove the epigenetic marks that causes cancer are already therapeutically useful in cancer treatments. The gene therapy also shows its benefits on protecting noncancerous cells from toxicity as in chemotherapy, providing a better life quality for the patient in treatment, altering immune cells to express the chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to destroy cancer cells.

Conclusões

Epigenetics has been proving efficient in cancer treatments, being capable of provide a less aggressive alternative to cancer patients. Is also a hallmark of the advance of the science on genetics areas, showing impressive mechanisms of gene changes in different types of cells, giving the possibility of various types of treatments.

Palavras Chave

epigenetic; Early Detection of Cancer