Risk for Colorectal Cancer is Increased by Obesity-related Gene Expression Changes
Colorectal cancer is an age-related disease traditionally seen in populations over the age of 50. In recent years, colorectal cancer has become more prevalent in younger individuals, and obesity is thought to be a major risk factor. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this increased risk remains unclear. Since DNA methylation …
Mitochondrial epigenetics: Effects beyond the nuclear genome
From playing a role in heritable changes to somatic mutations, including associations with diet, exercise, and other lifestyle interventions, epigenetics is progressively becoming implicated in a wide variety of activities and diseases. While the role of epigenetics has been predominately thought of in terms of genomic DNA, a clear …
The Battle for HOXC10 in the War Against Breast Cancer
Tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are both treatment options for patients with breast tumors that express estrogen receptor (ER) α and that require estrogen for growth. Tamoxifen competes with estrogen in binding to the ER, but does not activate the receptor. In comparison, AIs lower estrogen levels in the body …