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DNA Methylation-Associated Repression of Cancer-Germline Genes in Human Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells.

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Loriot, Axelle [UCL] Reister, Sven Parvizi, Gregory K Lysy, Philippe [UCL] De Smet, Charles [UCL]

Cancer-germline (CG) genes are a particular group of germline-specific genes that rely primarily on DNA methylation for repression in somatic tissues. In a wide variety of tumors, the promoter of these genes is demethylated, and their transcription is activated. The mechanism underlying this tumor-specific activation is still unclear. It was recently suggested that CG gene expression may be a hallmark of stem cells, and that expression of these genes in several tumors may reflect the expansion of constitutively expressing cancer stem cells. To clarify this issue, we carefully evaluated the expression of several CG genes in human stem cells of embryonic and adult origin. We found no or very weak expression of CG genes in these cells. Consistently, the promoter of CG genes was highly methylated in these cells. We conclude that CG genes do not qualify as "stemness" genes, and propose that their activation in cancers results from a tumor-specific activation process. STEM CELLS 2009;27:822-824.

Document type Article de périodique (Journal article) – Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Access type Accès restreint
Publication date 2009
Journal information "Stem Cells : the international journal of cell differentiation and proliferation" - Vol. 27, no. 4, p. 822-824 (2009)
Peer reviewed yes
Publisher AlphaMed Press, Inc. ((United States) Durham)
issn 1066-5099
e-issn 1549-4918
Publication status Publié
Affiliations UCL - MD/MIGE - Département de microbiologie, d'immunologie et de génétique
UCL - (SLuc) Service d'endocrinologie et diabétologie pédiatrique
MESH Subject Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Neoplastic Stem Cells - physiology ; Humans ; Genes, Neoplasm ; Gene Expression Regulation ; Embryonic Stem Cells - physiology ; Embryo, Mammalian - cytology - physiology ; DNA Methylation ; Cell Line ; Antigens, Neoplasm - genetics ; Adult Stem Cells - physiology
Links
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Bibliographic reference Loriot, Axelle ; Reister, Sven ; Parvizi, Gregory K ; Lysy, Philippe ; De Smet, Charles. DNA Methylation-Associated Repression of Cancer-Germline Genes in Human Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells.. In: Stem Cells : the international journal of cell differentiation and proliferation, Vol. 27, no. 4, p. 822-824 (2009)
Permanent URL http://hdl.handle.net/2078.1/22187