Epigenetic modulation of cytokine expression in gastric cancer: influence on angiogenesis, metastasis and chemoresistance

Front Immunol. 2024 Feb 22:15:1347530. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1347530. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Cytokines are proteins that act in the immune response and inflammation and have been associated with the development of some types of cancer, such as gastric cancer (GC). GC is a malignant neoplasm that ranks fifth in incidence and third in cancer-related mortality worldwide, making it a major public health issue. Recent studies have focused on the role these cytokines may play in GC associated with angiogenesis, metastasis, and chemoresistance, which are key factors that can affect carcinogenesis and tumor progression, quality, and patient survival. These inflammatory mediators can be regulated by epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone protein modification, and non-coding RNA, which results in the silencing or overexpression of key genes in GC, presenting different targets of action, either direct or mediated by modifications in key genes of cytokine-related signaling pathways. This review seeks insight into the relationship between cytokine-associated epigenetic regulation and its potential effects on the different stages of development and chemoresistance in GC.

Keywords: angiogenesis; chemoresistance; cytokines; epigenetic regulation; gastric cancer (GC); metastasis.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Angiogenesis
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Humans
  • Stomach Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Stomach Neoplasms* / genetics
  • Stomach Neoplasms* / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines

Grants and funding

The author(s) declare financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. This work was supported by National FONDECYT projects: 3210629 (BM-L), 1210440 (PB)); National FONDEF Idea project ID21I10027 (PB); Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy (IMII) (ICN2021_045) (PB).