Ten-eleven translocation methyl cytosine dioxygenase(TET)-1, one of the important protein in DNA demethylation pathway, is found in acute myeloid leukemia and is associated with chromosomal translocation t(10;11) (q22;q23) in patients with leukemia. The C-terminal dioxygenase district is the main catalytic functional domain of TET-1, can oxidized five methylcytosine(5-mC) into 5-hydroxymethyl cytosine. TET-1 plays a role in embryogenesis, somatic cell reprogramming, tumorigenesis, development of nerve cells, and regulation of cell differentiation and proliferation in adult cells by participating in demethylation and regulation of DNA gene expression. The hydroxy methylation of 5-mC in the TET-1 protein has elucidated the diversity and complexity of DNA gene expression. This mechanism has also been used in stem cell proliferation, differentiation, and tumorigenesis for functional studies of many physiological phenomena to provide novel interpretation for the occurrence and development of diseases.
