The Ewing Family of Tumors (ET) is the second most common malignancy of bone and soft tissue in children and young adults. The ET-specific fusion protein EWS/FLI1 induces the expression of the histone methyltransferase EZH2 (enhancer of zeste, Drosophila, homolog 2). EZH2 inhibits neuronal and endothelial differentiation and promotes expression of stem cell markers, thus maintaining the undifferentiated and highly malignant ET phenotype via epigenetic gene regulation. Additionally, EZH2 occupies promoter regions of putative tumor suppressor as well as oncogenic miRNAs and influences Argonaute Protein 2 expression. This study demonstrates the pivotal role of EZH2 as well as the involvement of Argonaute proteins and non-coding RNAs in ET pathogenesis and discloses new therapeutic modalities for the use of epigenetic drugs or miRNA therapeutics.
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The Ewing Family of Tumors (ET) is the second most common malignancy of bone and soft tissue in children and young adults. The ET-specific fusion protein EWS/FLI1 induces the expression of the histone methyltransferase EZH2 (enhancer of zeste, Drosophila, homolog 2). EZH2 inhibits neuronal and endothelial differentiation and promotes expression of stem cell markers, thus maintaining the undifferentiated and highly malignant ET phenotype via epigenetic gene regulation. Additionally, EZH2 occupies...
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