摘要：

s: AACR Special Conference on Developmental Biology and Cancer; November 30 - December 3, 2015; Boston, Massachusetts Heterogeneity of cancer cells between and within tumors is a major obstacle toward understanding and treatment of cancers. Variability of epigenetic states is one of the major contributor to both intertumor and intratumor heterogeneity. In breast cancer luminal and basal-like breast tumors have very different molecular and clinical profiles. However, even in individual tumors there is variability among cells for these features. The determinants of luminal cell phenotypes are fairly well understood and major transcriptional regulators have been identified. In contrast, transcriptional determinants of basal-like breast tumors are still poorly defined and high variability is observed among individual tumors. We have investigated molecular regulators of luminal and basal-like phenotypes by applying somatic cell genetics and cellular reprogramming approaches combined with comprehensive molecular profiling. We found that the basal-like state is predominantly dominant and it is defined mainly by epigenetic mechanisms. We have also identified candidate epigenetic and transcriptional regulators of basal-like cellular states. Modulation of epigenetic regulators may decrease intratumor heterogeneity and in combination with other agents could improve the efficacy of cancer therapies. Citation Format: Kornelia Polyak. Epigenetic heterogeneity in breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Developmental Biology and Cancer; Nov 30-Dec 3, 2015; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(4_Suppl):Abstract nr IA28.

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