Peter Anthony Jones , Ph.D, D.Sc.

Research Interests

Cytosine methylation is essential for normal mammalian development yet contributes substantially to the development of human cancer The function of cytosine methylation is not completely understood but it is thought to be part of a mechanism to silence genes in a heritable fashion. Alterations in this silencing mechanism can contribute to the heritable inactivation of tumor suppressor genes thus contributing to the malignant phenotype.

My laboratory studies DNA methylation in human cancer.We are focused on the biochemical mechanisms by which cytosine methylation patterns are changed particularly with respect to the cell cycle and in determining how this process is involved in the transformation of human cells. We are interested in fundamental aspects of the control of DNA methylation as it relates to the de novo methylation of the promoter regions of tumor suppressor genes. This epigenetic mechanism by which tumor suppressor genes can be inactivated may be an important pathway which contributes to carcinogenesis in a wide variety of tumors.

Degrees

University of London, PHD, 1973

Fellowships

CHLA, 1973 - 1975
Univ. Stellenbosch.So Africa , 1975 - 1977

PUBLICATIONS

Selected Publications

Nguyen CT, Weisenberger DJ, Velicescu M, Gonzales FA, Lin JC, Liang G, Jones PA. Histone H3-lysine 9 methylation is associated with aberrant gene silencing in cancer cells and is rapidly reversed by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. Cancer Res. [ 2002 ] Nov 15;62(22):6456-61. PubMed

Jones PA. An epigenetic approach for finding tumor suppressors. Cell Cycle. [ 2003 ] Jan-Feb;2(1):25-6. PubMed

Cheng JC, Matsen CB, Gonzales FA, Ye W, Greer S, Marquez VE, Jones PA, Selker EU. Inhibition of DNA methylation and reactivation of silenced genes by zebularine. J Natl Cancer Inst. [ 2003 ] Mar 5;95(5):399-409. PubMed

Hsieh CL, Jones PA. Meddling with methylation. Nat Cell Biol. [ 2003 ] Jun;5(6):502-4. PubMed

Jones PA. Epigenetics in carcinogenesis and cancer prevention. Ann N Y Acad Sci. [ 2003 ] Mar;983:213-9. PubMed