Epigenetics in Cancer: The Myelodysplastic Syndrome as a Model to Study Epigenetic Alterations as Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers

Epigenetics is characterized as hereditary changes in gene activity and expression that occur without alteration in DNA genomic sequence. It is known that epigenetics corresponds basically by two majority modifications: DNA methylation and histone modifications. Epigenetics events are reversible without primary DNA base sequence changes, resulting in possible modulation of the gene expression. The accurate DNA modifications and chromatin changes are important to normal embryonic development, to correct tissue cells differentiation, to precise cell cycle progression and cell death control. However, since epigenetics is also crucial to regulate gene expression, uncontrolled and/or incorrect modifications can unbalance the genetic expression profile and result in cellular transformation from normal to malignant cells.