Volume: 5, 2026
5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland:
ENVIRONMENT – PLANT – ANIMAL – PRODUCT
Abstract number: H008
DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.H008
Published online: 22 April 2026
Histone methyltransferase inhibitors as a promising strategy to overcome chemoresistance
Pola Juchaniuk
Doctoral School of the Medical University of Lublin, 7 Chodźki St., 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Corresponding author: juchaniukpola@gmail.com
Cancer remains a major global health burden and one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Despite substantial advances in anticancer therapies, including chemotherapy, treatment effectiveness is still frequently limited by the development of resistance, contributing to disease relapse and poor patient outcomes. Increasing evidence highlights the importance of epigenetic dysregulation in cancer progression and therapeutic failure. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize and critically discuss current knowledge on the role of histone methyltransferases (HMTs) in chemoresistance, as well as to evaluate the potential of HMT inhibitors as a strategy to enhance the efficacy of chemotherapy. This narrative review is based on a non-systematic analysis of the available literature. Relevant publications were identified through major biomedical and multidisciplinary databases, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing on studies addressing histone methyltransferases, their role in cancer biology, and their involvement in resistance to chemotherapy, with particular attention to research on HMT inhibitors.
The analyzed studies indicate that aberrant activity of histone methyltransferases contributes to epigenetic alterations that support cancer cell adaptation to chemotherapeutic stress. Inhibition of HMTs has been shown to modulate gene expression patterns associated with treatment response and may restore sensitivity to chemotherapy. Furthermore, preclinical evidence suggests that combining HMT inhibitors with conventional anticancer agents can enhance therapeutic outcomes. Targeting histone methyltransferases represents a promising epigenetic approach to overcoming chemoresistance. Although current findings are encouraging, further research is needed to better understand the clinical applicability of HMT inhibitors and to optimize their use in combination therapies.
Keywords: chemoresistance; epigenetics; histone methyltransferases; histone methyltransferase inhibitors; cancer therapy
How to cite
Juchaniuk P., 2026. Histone methyltransferase inhibitors as a promising strategy to overcome chemoresistance. In: 5th International PhD Students’ Conference at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Poland: Environment – Plant – Animal – Product. https://doi.org/10.24326/ICDSUPL5.H008