Epigenetic silencing of the Dopamine Receptor D4 in medulloblastoma

Epigenetic alterations such as DNA methylation and histone modifications are common events in cancer. Therefore, the search for novel epigenetically deregulated genes in cancer is promising as they might represent novel biomarkers or targets for therapy. Furthermore, our understanding of epigenetic deregulation will improve our understanding of tumor development and progression. We have previously identified the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4) as a novel methylation target in pediatric brain tumors. DRD4 is a G protein-coupled receptor and widely expressed throughout the central nervous system. Tumor-specific DNA-me…