DNA Methylation and Cancer – Garvan Institute

This epigenetics sketch was created by Armando Hasudungan, in cooperation with Professor Susan Clark as well as Dr Kate Patterson at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research. It has been produced for a wide, non-expert audience to highlight crucial messages regarding the role epigenetics plays in organic processes like advancement and also illness such as cancer. Find out much more: https://www.garvan.org.au/research/genomics-epigenetics

In normal, healthy cells, two epigenetic processes – DNA methylation and DNA de-methylation – are preserved in a delicate equilibrium. This balance is disrupted in cancer. Genetics marketer areas that are normally unmethylated in healthy and balanced cells frequently end up being very methylated in cancer and also the linked gene is silenced. In contrast, the non-genic areas of DNA ended up being de-methylated in cancer cells usually causing DNA instability. This topsy-turvy DNA methylation pattern indicates that the cancer cells DNA becomes de-arranged and genetics in charge of stopping cancer development, also called tumour suppressor genetics, are turned off, allowing cancers cells to grow uncontrolled.