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Independence of epigenetic and genetic diversity in AML

Nature Medicine volume 22, pages 708–709 (2016)Cite this article

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A new study provides the first insights into epigenetic heterogeneity in AML. The study highlights a striking independence of genetic and epigenetic variation, and links the kinetics of epigenetic change to clinical outcome.

There is a growing realization that tumors are individual, dynamic ecosystems, which consist of heterogeneous cell populations that differ at the genetic and molecular level, and that this diversity facilitates their evolutionary 'fitness' and ability to weather selective pressures such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy1. The genetic heterogeneity of tumors has been known for decades from cytogenetic studies and, more recently, our understanding has been further refined by multiple population-based2 studies and a handful of single-cell-sequencing studies3 across a number of tumors. However, the degree and contribution of other measures of cellular heterogeneity, such as epigenetic variance, are poorly understood4.

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Figure 1: Independence of epigenetic and genetic heterogeneity during the progression of AML.

Marina Corral Spence/Nature Publishing Group

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. UK; the Department of Haematology, Daniel Sasca and Brian J.P. Huntly are at the Wellcome Trust–MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK; the Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, UK; and the Cambridge Cancer Center, Cambridge, UK.,

    Daniel Sasca & Brian J P Huntly

  2. the Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK,

    Daniel Sasca & Brian J P Huntly

  3. Daniel Sasca is also a Postdoctoral Fellow of the Mildred-Scheel Organisation, German Cancer Aid.,

    Daniel Sasca

Authors
  1. Daniel Sasca
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  2. Brian J P Huntly
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Correspondence to Brian J P Huntly.

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The authors declare no competing financial interests.

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Sasca, D., Huntly, B. Independence of epigenetic and genetic diversity in AML. Nat Med 22, 708–709 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1038/nm.4136

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