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Jia et al. Cancer Drug Resist 2019;2:210-24 Cancer
DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2018.010 Drug Resistance

Review Open Access

Overcome cancer drug resistance by targeting
epigenetic modifications of centrosome

Zan-Hui Jia , Xing-Gang Wang , Hong Zhang 2
2
1
1 Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130000, Jilin Province, China.
2 Department of Biomedicine (DBM), University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel 4001, Switzerland.
Correspondence to: Dr. Hong Zhang, Department of Biomedicine (DBM), University Hospital, University of Basel, Basel 4001,
Switzerland. E-mail: hzhang@uhbs.ch.

How to cite this article: Jia ZH, Wang XG, Zhang H. Overcome cancer drug resistance by targeting epigenetic modifications of
centrosome. Cancer Drug Resist 2019;2:210-24. http://dx.doi.org/ 10.20517/cdr.2018.010

Received: 19 Dec 2018 First Decision: 6 Mar 2019 Revised: 18 Mar 2019 Accepted: 11 Apr 2019 Published: 19 Jun 2019

Science Editor: Aamir Ahmad Copy Editor: Cai-Hong Wang Production Editor: Huan-Liang Wu

Abstract
The centrosome is an organelle that serves as the microtubule- and actin-organizing center of human cells. Although
the centrosome is small of size, it is great important on cellular function that regulates cytoskeletal organization and
governs precise spindle orientation/positioning ensuring equal distribution of cellular components in cell division.
Epigenetic modifications to centrosome proteins can lead to centrosome aberrations, such as disorganized spindles
and centrosome amplification causing aneuploidy and genomic instability. Epigenetic disturbances are associated not
only with carcinogenesis and cancer progression, but also with drug resistance to chemotherapy. In this review, we
discuss mechanisms of epigenetic alteration during the centrosome biogenesis in cancer. We provide an update on the
current status of clinical trials that aim to target epigenetic modifications in centrosome aberrations and to thwart drug
resistance.

Keywords: Centrosome, genomic instability, epigenetic disturbance, carcinogenesis, cancer, clinical trials

INTRODUCTION
It has long been considered that the accumulation of genetic mutations in tumor suppressors and/or
oncogenes causes cancer . However, mounting evidences have emerged that alterations of every component
[1]
in the epigenetic regulatory machinery also participate in carcinogenesis . Ultimately both genetic and
[2,3]
epigenetic changes determine abnormal gene expression. Centrosomes play a key role in establishment and

© The Author(s) 2019. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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