EPIDIACAN
Development of sensitive methodologies for exploitation of early epigenetic marker diagnosis in major types of cancer
| Coordinatore | ETHNIKO IDRYMA EREVNON
Organization address
address: Vassileos Constantinou Avenue 48 contact info |
| Nazionalità Coordinatore | Greece [EL] |
| Totale costo | 3˙959˙200 € |
| EC contributo | 2˙843˙859 € |
| Programma | FP7-HEALTH
Specific Programme "Cooperation": Health |
| Code Call | FP7-HEALTH-2009-single-stage |
| Funding Scheme | CP-FP |
| Anno di inizio | 2010 |
| Periodo (anno-mese-giorno) | 2010-01-01 - 2012-12-31 |
Partecipanti
| # | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
ETHNIKO IDRYMA EREVNON
Organization address
address: Vassileos Constantinou Avenue 48 contact info |
EL (ATHENS) | coordinator | 504˙584.00 |
| 2 |
UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM FREIBURG
Organization address
address: HUGSTETTER STRASSE 49 contact info |
DE (FREIBURG) | participant | 499˙500.00 |
| 3 |
BIOMEDICAL SCIENCES RESEARCH CENTER ALEXANDER FLEMING
Organization address
address: Al. Fleming Street 34 contact info |
EL (VARI-ATHENS) | participant | 411˙200.00 |
| 4 |
CENTRE EUROPEEN DE RECHERCHE EN BIOLOGIE ET MEDECINE
Organization address
address: Rue Laurent Fries 1 contact info |
FR (ILLKIRCH GRAFFENSTADEN) | participant | 401˙999.00 |
| 5 |
TARGOS MOLECULAR PATHOLOGY GMBH
Organization address
address: GERMANIASTRASSE 7 contact info |
DE (KASSEL) | participant | 365˙400.00 |
| 6 |
THE CHANCELLOR, MASTERS AND SCHOLARS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD
Organization address
address: University Offices, Wellington Square contact info |
UK (OXFORD) | participant | 331˙176.00 |
| 7 |
"INSTITUTO PORTUGUES DE ONCOLOGIA DO PORTO FRANCISCO GENTIL, EPE"
Organization address
address: RUA ANTONIO BERNARDINO ALMEIDA contact info |
PT (PORTO) | participant | 330˙000.00 |
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Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)
'Cancer is one of the major causes of mortality. Epithelial cells become malignant after accumulating genetic mutations followed by morphological changes in the epithelium. DNA Alterations include stable genetic changes in oncogenes, tumor suppressor genes and reversible epigenetic changes. Different forms of epigenetic mechanisms have been shown to modify the expression of key genes during tumour progression. Promoter DNA hypermethylation of tumour suppressor genes or DNA repair genes, and covalent histone modifications appear in early stages of neoplasia. Methods to identify early markers in different types of cancer are being developed, although very few are specific and sensitive enough to be applied in the clinic. The aim of the present proposal is to develop sensitive and specific methodologies to identify early epigenetic markers for major types of cancer, like prostate and colorectal cancer. This project is based on recent findings that selected covalent histone modifications and their modifying enzymes can be early markers of tumourigenesis. For this purpose, the following will be applied. a) selected covalent histone modification like acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination among others b) their modifying enzymes, like DNA (de)methylases and histone (de)acetylases, (de)methyltransferases c) appropriate diagnostic methods and tests for detection of selected markers in clinical samples. These markers are revealed from studies in cell and animal models as well from patient cohorts. Non-invasive diagnostic methods based on technologies developed in the participating organizations will be tested in clinical samples. Appropriately selected clinical samples will be utilized according to EU and national ethical procedures. The major task of this consortium will be the development of methods to be applied in the clinic for the immediate benefit of cancer patients.'
Descrizione progetto (Article)
Understanding the mechanisms underlying cancer still poses a major challenge to the scientific community. Apart from accumulation of genetic abnormalities, it has become evident that reversible epigenetic modifications of the genetic material can also contribute to oncogenesis. In particular, promoter DNA methylation of tumour suppressor or DNA repair genes have been linked to tumour progression.
To aid the detection of epigenetic markers in cancer, the EU-funded Epidiacan project is developing novel methodologies. The consortium is concentrating on prostate and colorectal cancer for diagnosing selected covalent histone modifications (acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination). Additionally, the enzymes involved in these processes, such as histone (de)acetylases and (de)methyltransferases, are being investigated.
Various models and antibody-based tools have so far been developed to study the role of epigenetic changes in cancer progression. The ultimate goal is to bring such diagnostic tools to the clinic for the efficient and sensitive detection of epigenetic biomarkers in patients.
Based on the principle that histone modifications and their enzymes could act as markers of early oncogenesis, the Epidiacan project is hoping to be able to prognose cancer. These non-invasive diagnostic approaches are expected to advance existing methods of cancer detection and improve the life expectancy of millions of cancer sufferers.