Abstract book (download .pdf file) - Redox and Inflammation ...

Novel mechanisms of transcriptional control in differentiation and cancer
Luciano Di Croce
Epigenetic events in Cancer, CRG/ICREA, Dr. Aiguader 88, Barcelona
Understanding the genetic basis of cancers has been a topic of intense research, and hundreds
of gene mutations have been identified that can cause carcenogenesis. However, in the past
few years, increasing evidence has suggested that mutations are not the only genetic changes
that lead to cancer. Indeed, perturbations of chromatin structure and of other epigenetic
mechanisms can cause inappropriate gene expression and genomic instability, resulting in
cellular transformation and malignant outgrowth.
I will discuss the role of several protein complexes that are involved in chromatin dynamics
and metabolism, which when altered could participate in the establishment and maintenance
of the aberrant silencing of tumor suppressor genes during transformation. Our data suggested
that the ZRF1, Polycomb group of proteins (PcG) and the histone variant macroH2A are -
with different timing and kinetics - involved in setting up an altered chromatin structure with
aberrant gene silencing in cancer cells. Furthermore, the role of ubiquitylated H2A, and its
localization in the human genome will also be discussed.
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