DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer
Aging and cancer, though distinct biological processes, share overlapping molecular pathways, particularly in epigenetic regulation. Among these, DNA methylation is central to mediating gene expression, maintaining cellular identity, and regulating genome stability. This review explores how age-asso...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Epigenomes |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4655/9/2/18 |
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| author | Himani Vaidya Jaroslav Jelinek Jean-Pierre J. Issa |
| author_facet | Himani Vaidya Jaroslav Jelinek Jean-Pierre J. Issa |
| author_sort | Himani Vaidya |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aging and cancer, though distinct biological processes, share overlapping molecular pathways, particularly in epigenetic regulation. Among these, DNA methylation is central to mediating gene expression, maintaining cellular identity, and regulating genome stability. This review explores how age-associated changes in DNA methylation, characterized by both global hypomethylation and focal hypermethylation, contribute to the emergence of cancer. We discuss mechanisms of DNA methylation drift, the development of epigenetic clocks, and the role of entropy and epigenetic mosaicism, in aging and tumorigenesis. Emphasis is placed on how stochastic methylation errors accumulate in aging cells and lead to epiallelic shifts and gene silencing, predisposing tissues to malignant transformation, even despite recently increased cancer incidences at younger ages. We also highlight the translational potential of DNA methylation-based biomarkers, and therapeutic targets, in age-related diseases. By framing cancer as a disease of accelerated epigenetic aging, this review offers a unifying perspective and calls for age-aware approaches to both basic research and clinical oncology. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1972bd2d1ecc4514b41b5f474151236f |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2075-4655 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Epigenomes |
| spelling | doaj-art-1972bd2d1ecc4514b41b5f474151236f2025-08-20T03:27:10ZengMDPI AGEpigenomes2075-46552025-06-01921810.3390/epigenomes9020018DNA Methylation, Aging, and CancerHimani Vaidya0Jaroslav Jelinek1Jean-Pierre J. Issa2Coriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ 08103, USACoriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ 08103, USACoriell Institute for Medical Research, Camden, NJ 08103, USAAging and cancer, though distinct biological processes, share overlapping molecular pathways, particularly in epigenetic regulation. Among these, DNA methylation is central to mediating gene expression, maintaining cellular identity, and regulating genome stability. This review explores how age-associated changes in DNA methylation, characterized by both global hypomethylation and focal hypermethylation, contribute to the emergence of cancer. We discuss mechanisms of DNA methylation drift, the development of epigenetic clocks, and the role of entropy and epigenetic mosaicism, in aging and tumorigenesis. Emphasis is placed on how stochastic methylation errors accumulate in aging cells and lead to epiallelic shifts and gene silencing, predisposing tissues to malignant transformation, even despite recently increased cancer incidences at younger ages. We also highlight the translational potential of DNA methylation-based biomarkers, and therapeutic targets, in age-related diseases. By framing cancer as a disease of accelerated epigenetic aging, this review offers a unifying perspective and calls for age-aware approaches to both basic research and clinical oncology.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4655/9/2/18DNA methylationagingcancer |
| spellingShingle | Himani Vaidya Jaroslav Jelinek Jean-Pierre J. Issa DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer Epigenomes DNA methylation aging cancer |
| title | DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer |
| title_full | DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer |
| title_fullStr | DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer |
| title_full_unstemmed | DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer |
| title_short | DNA Methylation, Aging, and Cancer |
| title_sort | dna methylation aging and cancer |
| topic | DNA methylation aging cancer |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4655/9/2/18 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT himanivaidya dnamethylationagingandcancer AT jaroslavjelinek dnamethylationagingandcancer AT jeanpierrejissa dnamethylationagingandcancer |