Affiliation:
1. From the A.I. Virtanen Institute (M.O.H., S.Y.-H.) and Department of Medicine (S.Y.-H.), University of Kuopio, and Gene Therapy Unit (S.Y.-H.), Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland.
Abstract
DNA methylation is a form of epigenetic modification of the genome that can regulate gene expression. Hypermethylation of CpG islands in the promoter areas leads to decreased gene expression, whereas promoters of actively transcribed genes remain nonmethylated. Because of cellular proliferation and monoclonality of at least some of the lesion cells, atherosclerotic lesions have been compared with benign vascular tumors.
1,2
However, although genetic and epigenetic background favors neoplastic transformation, atherosclerotic plaques never develop to malignant tumors. Among cancer cells, common features are genome-wide hypomethylation, which correlates with transformation and tumor progression. Recent studies have shown that DNA methylation changes occur also during atherogenesis and may contribute to the lesion development.
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Subject
Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
Cited by
96 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献，注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献，订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献