Pericentromeric demethylation and chromosomal instability induced by chemicals

Background Chromosomal instability, aneuploidy in particular, plays an important role in the initiation, progression and aggressiveness of cancer cells. However, the mechanisms implicated in the formation of aneuploid cells are still not fully understood. DNA methylation is critical for condensation of chromatin and for determination of patterns of genetic expression in somatic cells. Pericentromeric heterochromatin form highly methylated chromosome regions, which sometimes are altered inducing different forms of chromosomal instability, including ruptures, centromere decondensation, formation of isochromosomes and other chromosomal aberrations. However, the role of pericentromeric heterochromatin methylation in the formation of aneuploid cells and the mechanisms implicated in this alteration are not known. In this work we evaluated the role of pericentromeric methylation in the formation of aneuploid cells induced by chemical substances.