Global DNA hypomethylation coupled to cellular transformation and metastatic ability

Global DNA hypomethylation and DNA hypermethylation of promoter regions are frequently detected in human cancers. Although many studies have suggested a contribution to carcinogenesis, it is still unclear whether the aberrant DNA hypomethylation observed in tumors is a consequence or a cause of cancer. Here, we show that the enforced expression of Stella (also known as PGC7 and Dppa3) induced not only global DNA demethylation but also transformation of NIH3T3 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of Stella enhanced the metastatic ability of B16 melanoma cells, presumably through the induction of metastasis-related genes. These results provide new insights into the function of global DNA hypomethylation in carcinogenesis.