Mechanisms of Biological Actions of Inositol and InsP6 III: Epigenetics, Telomerase, Angiogenesis

Abstract

Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone modifications etc., are also important in cancer formation. InsP₆ reverses the carcinogen-induced epigenetic changes in at least two different carcinogen-induced lung cancer models. InsP₆ has also been found to repress telomerase activity in prostate and brain cancers. For cancer to metastasize, the cells need access to blood vessels to disseminate. Formation of new blood vessels - angiogenesis facilitates the process. InsP₆ has been demonstrated to inhibit angiogenesis both in vitro and in vivo. This is mediated by suppression of proangiogenic factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF).

Keywords: Angiopoietin, calreticulin, FGF, histone modification, hypermethylation, iNOS, matrix metalloproteinase, microRNA, microvessel density, MMP, PDGF, TERT, telomerase reverse transcriptase, TRAMP, vasostatin, VEGF.