Rb/E2F pathway and the repressors Polycomb group in cancer

Abstract

The coordinated contribution of the E2F-family of transcription factors is critical for the proper control of the cell cycle with consequences in the cellular homeostasis. Such kind of regulation requires a renewed vision of the control of the cell cycle through the basis of epigenetic mechanisms. One of such regulatory components is the Polycomb Group (PcG) of proteins which have been involved in cancer development through the anomalous regulation, at an epigenetic level, of tumour suppressor genes such as BRC1, p16, and p53, among others. In particular, the tumour suppressor gene Retinoblastoma (Rb) plays a central role in the regulation of the cell cycle and is regulated by PcG proteins. The relationship among E2F members, PcG and Rb has not been examined in detail. Here, we describe the epigenetic interaction among these proteins, their association with epigenetic processes and their contribution to cancer development.