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Volume 3, Issue 4
J Clin Epigenet
ISSN: 2472-1158
Epigenetics 2017
November 06-08, 2017
EPIGENETICS & CHROMATIN
November 06-08, 2017 | Frankfurt, Germany
2
nd
International Congress on
J Clin Epigenet 2017, 3:4
DOI: 10.21767/2472-1158-C1-003
A translational approach for epigenetic regulation of tumor suppressor genes and microRNAs in
malignant plural mesothelioma (MPM)
Yuen Yee Cheng
Asbestos Disease Research Institute, Australia
M
alignant Plural Mesothelioma (MPM) is an aggressive cancer caused by asbestos explore. Due to heavy use of asbestos
as building material in the pass and long latency of MPM, predict the number of cases will max out during the 2020s
and 2030s. Despite the combination of cisplatin/gemcitabine treatment, there is currently no treatment option for MPM
with median survival of 9-12 months. Treatment options for MPM are mainly palliative in nature as most patients will be
confined with recurrence of the disease and resistance of chemotherapy. It is urgently needed to discover treatment options
for MPM. Using microRNA microarray study, we found down-regulation of microRNA is a common event in MPM. The re-
introduction of potential tumor suppressor microRNA in MPM led to suppression of tumor cell growth
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
Our contribution of microRNA study led to the world’s first clinical trial of microRNA replacement in MPM. We have further
discovered the down regulation of microRNAs are a result of DNA hypermethylation of their host gene promoter region.
We have planned multidiscipline studies including epigenetic regulation in MPM to understand the fundamental biology of
MPM in discovering newer treatment options. Dr. Cheng is currently the lead guest editor of the special issue “Epigenetic
Biomarkers in Cancer” to recruit high standard research publications in these areas which ultimately may contribute to newer
diagnostic tools for MPM.