DNA Methylation Analysis Methods for Cancer Research

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification mechanism, interacting with histone modification, changing the structure of chromatin and regulating gene expression. Meanwhile, there is a close relationship with cell proliferation, aging, cancer and other life phenomena. DNA methylation includes DNA undermethylation and local high CpG island methylation on the whole genome. By the help of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), DNA methylation can be completed. With the development of further research on epigenetics and DNA methylation, genomic methylation detection technology has got rapid development. DNA methylation detection methods can be divided into the following categories: methylation detection, gene-specific methylation detection and searching new methylation sites. Researches on DNA methylation showed that abnormal genomic DNA methylation and tumor is closely related to the occurrence and development of DNA hypomethylation and undermethylation, which can cause abnormal expression of genes and lead to cancer. At the same time, the change of DNA methylation also provides a new way for tumor detection and treatment, which provides a new way for the treatment of cancer. In this paper, the current main analysis methods and research progress of DNA methylation were summarized and discussed preliminarily. Moreover, the relationship of abnormal DNA methylation with the occurrence and development of cancer were reviewed.