Prostaglandin E2 promotes intestinal tumor growth via DNA methylation.

Xia, Dianren; Wang, Dingzhi; Kim, Sun-Hee; Katoh, Hiroshi; DuBois, Raymond N · Nat Med · 2012

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Although aberrant DNA methylation is considered to be one of the key ways by which tumor-suppressor and DNA-repair genes are silenced during tumor initiation and progression, the mechanisms underlying DNA methylation alterations in cancer remain unclear. Here we show that prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) silences certain tumor-suppressor and DNA-repair genes through DNA methylation to promote tumor growth. These findings uncover a previously unrecognized role for PGE(2) in the promotion of tumor progression.

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