Assessing DNA Methylation in Cancer Stem Cells

Methods Mol Biol. 2018:1692:157-178. doi: 10.1007/978-1-4939-7401-6_15.

Abstract

Many cancer-associated epigenetic signatures are also commonly observed in stem cells, just as epigenetic stem cell patterns are in cancer cells. DNA methylation is recognized as a hallmark of cancer development and progression. Herein, we describe two approaches to analyze DNA methylation, which can be applied to study or discover DNA methylation aberrations throughout the genome, as well as a more targeted investigation of regions of interest in cancer stem cells.

Keywords: 5mC; DNA methylation; Differentially methylated regions; Methyl capture; Methylomic; PCR; Regions of interest.

MeSH terms

  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • DNA Methylation / physiology
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism*
  • Polymerase Chain Reaction