Role of EZH2 in cancer stem cells: from biological insight to a therapeutic target

// Yiping Wen 1,* , Jing Cai 1,* , Yaya Hou 1 , Zaiju Huang 1 and Zehua Wang 1 1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Zehua Wang, email: // Keywords : EZH2, cancer stem cells, sphere, histone lysine methylation, polycomb repressive complex Received : November 02, 2016 Accepted : March 02, 2017 Published : March 22, 2017 Abstract Epigenetic modifications in cancer stem cells largely result in phenotypic and functional heterogeneity in many solid tumors. Increasing evidence indicates that enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), the catalytic subunit of Polycomb repressor complex 2, is highly expressed in cancer stem cells of numerous malignant tumors and has a critical function in cancer stem cell expansion and maintenance. Here, we review up-to-date information regarding EZH2 expression patterns, functions, and molecular mechanisms in cancer stem cells in various malignant tumors and discuss the therapeutic potential of targeting EZH2 in tumors.