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Cheon, H., Hur, J.K., Hwang, W. et al. Epigenetic modification of gene expression in cancer cells by terahertz demethylation. Sci Rep 13, 4930 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-31828-w
Epigenetic modification of gene expression in cancer cells by terahertz demethylation
The process of DNA methylation, a chemical process where a small molecule is added to our DNA, acting like a switch that can turn genes on (active) or off (inactive), affects our health and how our bodies function. When DNA methylation is precisely regulated, it contributes to normal gene expression. However, abnormal methylation patterns can lead to irregular gene expression, which could influence the development of cancer or other diseases. In this study, researchers studied the use of THz radiation, a type of electromagnetic radiation that can pass through materials such as clothing, paper, and plastic without damaging living tissues, making it useful for medical imaging and sensing. However, THz radiation can also interact with biological molecules and tissues, which is an area of ongoing research in biophysics due to potential health risks arising from the modification of the expression of certain genes in living cells. The study found that when exposed to 1.6 THz radiation, the DNA in cancer cells had chemical markers removed, resulting in the downregulation, a decrease in expression of specific genes that are involved in cancer pathways.
The results showed that THz radiation has the potential to modify gene expression in living cells and could be a promising tool for cancer treatment.
The study assessed the correlation between the power of THz radiation and the degree of reduction in global DNA methylation (the overall level of methylation that occurs across all of the DNA in an organism or cell) in living cells. The maximum power of THz radiation reduced the normalized degree of DNA methylation by approximately 19% as compared to the control cells. The degree of demethylation increased with the THz radiation power, indicating that THz radiation can affect genomic DNA in living cells. The study hence suggests that THz demethylation has a dependency on power, which is similar to the previous result when the experiment was conducted using isolated genomic DNA (DNA that has been extracted and purified from cells or tissues). The most effective exposure time for THz demethylation in living cells was found to be 30 minutes.
Changes in DNA methylation degree and gene expression in living melanoma cells after THz demethylation:
THz demethylation in certain cells led to a significant and immediate reduction in global DNA methylation levels, which did not recover to those of the control groups over the period of 48 hours. The alteration in global DNA methylation levels due to THz radiation could have significant implications for gene expression regulation in living melanoma (skin cancer) cells. It was important to investigate the time-dependent effects of THz demethylation on gene expression to fully understand its potential therapeutic applications in the field of cancer treatment.
Concluding discussion:
DNA methylation and demethylation play an important role in regulating gene expression and have significant potential in cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. THz radiation has been shown to modify the methylation degree and hence, gene expression in living cells. This THz demethylation technique might be an effective alternative to other demethylation methods for epigenetic cancer therapy that are being researched because it aims to reverse changes in gene expression caused by epigenetic modifications, including alterations in DNA methylation, which can promote cancer cell growth. This therapy holds promise as a potential strategy to treat cancer by targeting and restoring normal gene expression in cancer cells. The mechanism of THz demethylation in living cells is still unclear, and further research is needed to determine how methyl molecules are removed from DNA within cellular structures. The biomedical engineering techniques for epigenetic research may contribute to developing new techniques of active demethylation technologies for cancer treatment in clinical practice.
Summarised by Lia Lalkaka
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