Crosstalk between epigenetic regulation and metabolic reprogramming in hepatocellular carcinoma

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most prevalent form of primary liver cancer and is characterized by high mortality rates and a lack of effective therapeutic options. HCC cells undergo extensive metabolic reprogramming, including alterations in glycolytic, lipid, and amino acid metabolism, among other processes. These metabolic changes are often accompanied by widespread alterations in the epigenetic landscape, including DNA methylation, post-transcriptional modifications, non-coding RNA dysregulation, and histone modifications. A thorough understanding of how epigenetic modifications and metabolic reprogramming interact in HCC is critical for elucidating the mechanisms underlying hepatocarcinogenesis and developing new treatment approaches against HCC. In this review, we systematically introduce the molecular biological basis of each epigenetic modification and then summarize the latest research progress on the epigenetic regulation of metabolism in HCC, with the goal of linking these two frontier fields to provide novel insights into the treatment of HCC.