Biomaterial Database

[Role of enzymatic DNA methylation in cell differentiation and carcinogenesis]. 1985

I A Khodosova

The enzymatic methylation of specific cytosine residues in DNA plays a part in controlling gene expression. Low methylation levels may be a necessary condition for gene expression. The chemical carcinogens exert their effect on the enzymatic methylation of mammalian DNA and can cause hypomethylation. Demethylated sites do not become remethylated in the subsequent cell cycles. The consequence of DNA hypomethylation may be both stimulation of cell differentiation and initiation of carcinogenesis.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008745	Methylation	Addition of methyl groups. In histo-chemistry methylation is used to esterify carboxyl groups and remove sulfate groups by treating tissue sections with hot methanol in the presence of hydrochloric acid. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Methylations
D008780	Methyltransferases	A subclass of enzymes of the transferase class that catalyze the transfer of a methyl group from one compound to another. (Dorland, 28th ed) EC 2.1.1.	Methyltransferase
D009374	Neoplasms, Experimental	Experimentally induced new abnormal growth of TISSUES in animals to provide models for studying human neoplasms.	Experimental Neoplasms,Experimental Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Experimental
D002273	Carcinogens	Substances that increase the risk of NEOPLASMS in humans or animals. Both genotoxic chemicals, which affect DNA directly, and nongenotoxic chemicals, which induce neoplasms by other mechanism, are included.	Carcinogen,Oncogen,Oncogens,Tumor Initiator,Tumor Initiators,Tumor Promoter,Tumor Promoters,Initiator, Tumor,Initiators, Tumor,Promoter, Tumor,Promoters, Tumor
D002454	Cell Differentiation	Progressive restriction of the developmental potential and increasing specialization of function that leads to the formation of specialized cells, tissues, and organs.	Differentiation, Cell,Cell Differentiations,Differentiations, Cell
D002471	Cell Transformation, Neoplastic	Cell changes manifested by escape from control mechanisms, increased growth potential, alterations in the cell surface, karyotypic abnormalities, morphological and biochemical deviations from the norm, and other attributes conferring the ability to invade, metastasize, and kill.	Neoplastic Transformation, Cell,Neoplastic Cell Transformation,Transformation, Neoplastic Cell,Tumorigenic Transformation,Cell Neoplastic Transformation,Cell Neoplastic Transformations,Cell Transformations, Neoplastic,Neoplastic Cell Transformations,Neoplastic Transformations, Cell,Transformation, Cell Neoplastic,Transformation, Tumorigenic,Transformations, Cell Neoplastic,Transformations, Neoplastic Cell,Transformations, Tumorigenic,Tumorigenic Transformations
D003596	Cytosine	A pyrimidine base that is a fundamental unit of nucleic acids.
D004247	DNA	A deoxyribonucleotide polymer that is the primary genetic material of all cells. Eukaryotic and prokaryotic organisms normally contain DNA in a double-stranded state, yet several important biological processes transiently involve single-stranded regions. DNA, which consists of a polysugar-phosphate backbone possessing projections of purines (adenine and guanine) and pyrimidines (thymine and cytosine), forms a double helix that is held together by hydrogen bonds between these purines and pyrimidines (adenine to thymine and guanine to cytosine).	DNA, Double-Stranded,Deoxyribonucleic Acid,ds-DNA,DNA, Double Stranded,Double-Stranded DNA,ds DNA
D004273	DNA, Neoplasm	DNA present in neoplastic tissue.	Neoplasm DNA
D005786	Gene Expression Regulation	Any of the processes by which nuclear, cytoplasmic, or intercellular factors influence the differential control (induction or repression) of gene action at the level of transcription or translation.	Gene Action Regulation,Regulation of Gene Expression,Expression Regulation, Gene,Regulation, Gene Action,Regulation, Gene Expression