Cholesterol, smoking and then cancer: How things develop

Our DNA contains great number of genes. Certain genes are responsible for finding errors and fixing them. When genes mutate, errors build up, and disease often follows.

The field of epigenetics deals with the way genes are expressed or activated.

In this hot field of study, one of the most important topics is methylation — groups of atoms that help control the way our genes function. In normal human development, they turn off and on at just the right time. For example, proper methylation leads to our developing hands and feet in the womb.

But methylation can go wrong and increase our disease risk. Below are three examples of how this happens, and how research is responding.

Cholesterol and prostate cancer

When it comes to prostate cancer, the deadliest tumors are those that grow and spread rapidly. Interestingly, long-term statin use to control cholesterol has been shown to decrease the risk of the most aggressive tumor types. Because of this, doctors think too much cholesterol may play a part in how aggressive tumors are.

Angela Ting, PhD, of Cleveland Clinic’s Genomic Medicine Institute, is examining how this works through epigenetics. She and her colleagues focus on the ABCA1 gene. When this gene experiences too much methylation, cholesterol builds up. The research shows that this happens more often in aggressive tumor types.

One more reason to stop smoking

Epigenetic research is showing us that smoking may be even riskier than we thought.

Why? Because exposure to cigarette smoke seems to modify the methylation process in our bodies.

Research has examined the effects of exposure both before birth (through a mother’s smoking) and during adulthood. The results suggest smoking’s effects on methylation may help explain the link between this bad habit and cancer, plus other chronic diseases. If you need another reason to quit smoking, epigenetics may provide one.

Cowden Syndrome and cancer risk

Cowden Syndrome is usually tied to a mutation in the PTEN gene, but researchers have discovered it can have epigenetic causes, too. Certain people with Cowden Syndrome don’t have a PTEN mutation. Instead, they have abnormal methylation of the KLLN gene.

Epigenetics is a young field, but scientists learn more about it with each passing year. They can use epigenetic markers to identify and manage disease. In the near future, researchers hope to be able to use them for life-saving treatments, too.