Collateral Victim or Rescue Worker?-The Role of Histone Methyltransferases in DNA Damage Repair and Their Targeting for Therapeutic Opportunities in Cancer

Disrupted DNA damage signaling greatly threatens cell integrity and plays significant roles in cancer. With recent advances in understanding the human genome and gene regulation in the context of DNA damage, chromatin biology, specifically biology of histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), has emerged as a popular field of study with great promise for cancer therapeutics. Here, we discuss how key histone methylation pathways contribute to DNA damage repair and impact tumorigenesis within this context, as well as the potential for their targeting as part of therapeutic strategies in cancer.

Automated summary

Disrupted DNA damage signaling poses a significant threat to cell integrity and is closely associated with cancer development. Recent advances in chromatin biology, particularly in histone post-translational modifications, have shown great promise for cancer therapeutics. Key histone methylation pathways play a crucial role in DNA damage repair and tumorigenesis, making them potential targets for cancer treatment strategies.