MGMT expression contributes to temozolomide resistance in H3K27M-Mutant diffuse midline gliomas and MGMT silencing to temozolomide sensitivity in IDH-mutant gliomas

Abstract

Histone H3 mutations are frequently found in diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs), which include diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas and thalamic gliomas. These tumors have dismal prognoses. Recent evidence suggests that one reason for the poor prognoses is that O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter frequently lacks methylation in DMGs. This review compares the epigenetic changes brought about by histone mutations to those by isocitrate dehydrogenase-mutant gliomas, which frequently have methylated MGMT promoters and are known to be sensitive to temozolomide.