G9a Is SETting the Stage for Colorectal Oncogenesis

Abstract

Recently, Kato et al. reported recurrent activating mutations in the SET domain of histone methyltransferase G9a, driving an oncogenic cascade in melanoma. The authors also reported correlations between G9a expression and the regulation of the canonical WNT pathway. Although we could not observe such mutations in human colorectal adenocarcinoma, newly reported findings are of high relevance to colorectal cancer, as WNT target gene signatures were closely associated with G9a expression. Here, we put into perspective such new results on G9a expression in colorectal cancers and the potential relationship with tumor heterogeneity and acquisition of neoplastic stemness.

Keywords

• colorectal cancer
• epigenetics
• G9a
• driving mutations
• cancer stem cells