The emerging insights into catalytic or non-catalytic roles of TET proteins in tumors and neural development

Oncotarget. 2016 Sep 27;7(39):64512-64525. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.11412.

Abstract

The Ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins have been recently identified as critical regulators in epigenetic modification, especially in the methylation of cytosine in DNA. TET-mediated DNA oxidation plays prominent roles in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes, especially in tumor and neural development. TET proteins execute stepwise enzymatic conversion of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). In addition to the more proverbial enzymatic role of TET proteins, TET proteins also possess non-enzymatic activity, through interacting with some epigenetic modifiers. In this review article, we focus on TET proteins dual activities (catalytic or non-catalytic) in tumor and neural development. Hence, the clarification of TET proteins dual activities will contribute to our further understanding of neural development and may open the possibility of new therapeutic avenues to human tumors.

Keywords: TET proteins; cancer; epigenetics; glioma; neural development.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • 5-Methylcytosine / analogs & derivatives
  • 5-Methylcytosine / metabolism
  • Animals
  • DNA Methylation
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Humans
  • Neoplasm Proteins / chemistry
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / enzymology*
  • Neoplasms / genetics
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / chemistry
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neurogenesis* / genetics
  • Neurons / enzymology*
  • Protein Conformation
  • Signal Transduction
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • 5-hydroxymethylcytosine
  • 5-Methylcytosine