Liver tumors form without detectable driver mutations in mice, revealing epigenetic route

Cancers can develop through epigenetic pathways even without driver gene mutations (DGMs), according to a study from Science Tokyo. Researchers uncovered the YAP1–TEAD–TET1 axis, which triggers DNA demethylation and activates multiple oncogenes in hepatocellular carcinoma. Suppressing TET1 reduced tumor formation in mice, while analysis of human liver disease data supported the relevance of these findings. This study reveals an alternative epigenetic route to cancer development and offers new insights into DGM-negative cancers.

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