Epigenetically inactivated RASSF1A as a tumor biomarker

Authors

  • Dora Raos Department of Medical Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7507-0394
  • Monika Ulamec Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Ljudevit Jurak Clinical Department of Pathology and Cytology, Sestre Milosrdnice University Hospital Center, Zagreb, Croatia; Department of Pathology, University of Zagreb School of Dental Medicine and School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4843-8154
  • Ana Katusic Bojanac Department of Medical Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9078-4966
  • Floriana Bulic-Jakus University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Department of Medical Biology, Zagreb, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5538-4692
  • Davor Jezek Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Department of Histology and Embryology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1528-5462
  • Nino Sincic Department of Medical Biology, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Scientific Group for Research on Epigenetic Biomarkers, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Scientific Centre of Excellence for Reproductive and Regenerative Medicine, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2584-6654

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17305/bjbms.2020.5219

Keywords:

RASSF1A, epigenetic alteration, DNA methylation, biomarkers

Abstract

RASSF1A, one of the eight isoforms of the RASSF1 gene, is a tumor suppressor gene that influences tumor initiation and development. In cancer, RASSF1A is frequently inactivated by mutations, loss of heterozygosity, and, most commonly, by promoter hypermethylation. Epigenetic inactivation of RASSF1A was detected in various cancer types and led to significant interest; current research on RASSF1A promoter methylation focuses on its roles as an epigenetic tumor biomarker. Typically, researchers analyzed genomic DNA (gDNA) to measure the amount of RASSF1A promoter methylation. Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from liquid biopsies is a recent development showing promise as an early cancer diagnostic tool using biomarkers, such as RASSF1A. This review discusses the evidence on aberrantly methylated RASSF1A in gDNA and cfDNA from different cancer types and its utility for early cancer diagnosis, prognosis, and surveillance. We compared methylation frequencies of RASSF1A in gDNA and cfDNA in various cancer types. The weaknesses and strengths of these analyses are discussed. In conclusion, although the importance of RASSSF1A methylation to cancer has been established is included in several diagnostic panels, its diagnostic utility is still experimental.

Epigenetically inactivated RASSF1A as a tumor biomarker

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Published

01-08-2021

How to Cite

1.
Epigenetically inactivated RASSF1A as a tumor biomarker. Biomol Biomed [Internet]. 2021 Aug. 1 [cited 2024 Mar. 28];21(4):386-97. Available from: https://www.bjbms.org/ojs/index.php/bjbms/article/view/5219

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