A GROWING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GENOMIC IMPRINTING AND TUMORIGENESIS

The association between aberrations of the human genome and the develo pment of cancer is well established. Gene imprinting, defined as gene expression based on the gamete of origin, has previously been shown to be involved in this process by the loss of tumor suppressor gene regu lation. We suggest that the activation of imprinted proto-oncogenes an d growth factors may also play a vital role in tumorigenisis. Mechanis tically, this can occur when the gene is removed from its imprinted se quence area, thus escaping repression. Synteny between the human and m ouse genome provides the opportunity for targeted studies of imprinted genes suspected to be involved in cancer.