DNA, EPIGENETICS AND PROSTATE CANCER
Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers in men, and it is becoming increasingly clear how important it is to study not only the DNA itself, but also the "control mechanisms" that regulate the functioning of our genes.
Epigenetics is precisely this: the study of how genes are "switched on" or "switched off" without changing their basic structure. It's like having a light switch that can be turned on or off, even if the light bulb always remains the same. One of these most important switches is called "DNA methylation".
CpG ISLANDS AND GENES "SWITCHED OFF" BY THE TUMOR
In prostate cancer, what often happens is that certain genes important for keeping cell growth under control are "switched off" when they shouldn't be. This happens particularly in specific areas of DNA called "CpG islands", which are rich in two chemical components (cytosine and guanine). When these areas are modified incorrectly, they can silence fundamental genes such as GSTP1, APC and RARb2.
EARLY DIAGNOSIS AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGIES
The good news is that these changes can become very useful "warning signs" for doctors. By analyzing them, it is possible to diagnose the tumor earlier and understand how aggressive it is, allowing for more targeted treatments for each individual patient.
Thanks to increasingly advanced technologies, many other areas of DNA have been identified that behave abnormally in prostate cancer. This is helping to better understand how this disease originates and develops.
NEW EPIGENETIC DRUGS: A CONCRETE HOPE
A particularly promising aspect concerns new therapies. It has been observed that there are drugs called "DNA methyltransferase inhibitors" that can "re-ignite" the genes that had been switched off by the tumor. These drugs have proven effective especially in patients with advanced disease who no longer responded to traditional treatments.
CONCLUSIONS AND ITALIAN RESEARCH
The study conducted by Dr. Francesco Barletta, a URI researcher, demonstrates how analyzing these changes in DNA not only helps to better understand prostate cancer, but also represents a concrete path to develop more precise diagnostic tests and more effective innovative therapies.
Barletta F, Bandini M, Cirulli GO, Zaurito P, Lucianò R, Giannese F, Scotti GM, Oneto C, Tenace N, Scarfò F, Morelli MJ, Lazarevic D, De Cobelli F, Ponzoni M, Doglioni C, Tonon G, Gandaglia G, Montorsi F, Briganti A.
DNA methylation alterations in prostate cancer: from diagnosis to treatment.
Transl Androl Urol 2025;14(2):454-462.
doi: 10.21037/tau-24-382
