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Review
. 2022 Nov 18:13:1059617.
doi: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1059617. eCollection 2022.

Multilevel view on chromatin architecture alterations in cancer

Maria Gridina  1 , Veniamin Fishman  1
Affiliations
Review

Multilevel view on chromatin architecture alterations in cancer

Maria Gridina et al. Front Genet. .

Abstract

Chromosomes inside the nucleus are not located in the form of linear molecules. Instead, there is a complex multilevel genome folding that includes nucleosomes packaging, formation of chromatin loops, domains, compartments, and finally, chromosomal territories. Proper spatial organization play an essential role for the correct functioning of the genome, and is therefore dynamically changed during development or disease. Here we discuss how the organization of the cancer cell genome differs from the healthy genome at various levels. A better understanding of how malignization affects genome organization and long-range gene regulation will help to reveal the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and evolution.

Keywords: 3D genome organization; cancer; chromatin organization; chromosome territories; topologically associated domain.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest

Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Levels of chromatin architecture organization in normal and cancer cells. (A) Chromosome territories change location in the nucleus of a cancer cell. Some chromatin regions can be up-regulated as a result of moving from the silent environment of lamina-associated domains to a nuclear interior. Entanglement between some chromosomes increases in the nucleus of a cancer cell. Chromosome territories repositioning and intermingling can facilitate certain translocation formation. (B) Compartment switching is in cancer cells, which is followed by expression alteration. Long-range interactions between different types of compartments are increased in cancer cells. (C,D) Topologically associating domains (TADs) reorganize in cancer cells. The appearance of new TAD may destroy the regulation of oncogenes or tumor-suppressor genes (C). Fusion of TADs in different epigenetic states could lead to the formation of new regulatory landscape and upregulation of repressed genes (D).
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