Epigenetic modulation in cancer immunotherapy

Stuart J Gallagher; Elena Shklovskaya; Peter Hersey

doi:10.1016/j.coph.2017.05.006

Epigenetic modulation in cancer immunotherapy

Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2017 Aug:35:48-56. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2017.05.006. Epub 2017 Jun 10.

Authors

Stuart J Gallagher¹, Elena Shklovskaya², Peter Hersey²

Affiliations

¹ Melanoma Immunology and Oncology Group, The Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Crow's Nest 2065, Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: stuart.gallagher@sydney.edu.au.
² Melanoma Immunology and Oncology Group, The Centenary Institute, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia; Melanoma Institute Australia, Crow's Nest 2065, Sydney, Australia.

PMID: 28609681
DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2017.05.006

Abstract

The success of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy has been widely heralded. However many cancer patients do not respond to immune checkpoint therapy and some relapse due to acquired tumor resistance. Epigenetic targeting may be beneficial in cancer immunotherapy by reversing immune avoidance and escape mechanisms employed by cancer cells, as well as by modulating immune cell differentiation and function. In this manuscript we review recent findings suggesting how epigenetics may be used to improve cancer immunotherapy. We focus on the inhibitors of the CTLA4 and PD1 immune checkpoints and epigenetic modifiers of histone acetylation and methylation and DNA methylation.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
DNA Methylation
Epigenesis, Genetic*
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
Histone Methyltransferases
Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / antagonists & inhibitors
Humans
Immunotherapy*
Neoplasms / genetics
Neoplasms / immunology
Neoplasms / therapy*

Substances

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
Histone Methyltransferases
Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase