The genetic script of metastasis

• Published in: Biological reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society Vol. 95; no. 1; pp. 244 - 266
• Main Authors: Jinesh, Goodwin G., Brohl, Andrew S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.02.2020
• Subjects: Cell death; ce‐RNA; Chromosomes; Copy number; Enhancers; Genetic control; Genetic diversity; Genomic imprinting; Genomic instability; H3K27ac/acetylation; imprinting; linc‐RNA; lnc‐RNA; Mesenchyme; Metastases; Metastasis; methylation; miRNA; Mutants; Non-coding RNA; Regulatory mechanisms (biology); Therapeutic applications; Transcription; linc-RNA; imprinting; metastasis; methylation; lnc-RNA; miRNA; H3K27ac/acetylation; ce-RNA
• ISSN: 1464-7931; 1469-185X
• DOI: 10.1111/brv.12562

ABSTRACT Metastasis is a pivotal event that changes the course of cancers from benign and treatable to malignant and difficult to treat, resulting in the demise of patients. Understanding the genetic control of metastasis is thus crucial to develop efficient and sustainable targeted therapies. Here we discuss the alterations in epigenetic mechanisms, transcription, chromosomal instability, chromosome imprinting, non‐coding RNAs, coding RNAs, mutant RNAs, enhancers, G‐quadruplexes, and copy number variation to dissect the genetic control of metastasis. We conclude that the genetic control of metastasis is predominantly executed through epithelial to mesenchymal transition and evasion of cell death. We discuss how genetic regulatory mechanisms can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes to achieve sustainable control over cancer metastasis.