Epigenetic events play a prominent role during cancer development. This is 
evident from the fact that almost all cancer types show aberrant DNA 
methylation. These abnormal DNA methylation levels are not restricted to just a 
few genes but affect the whole genome. Previous studies have shown genome-wide 
DNA hypomethylation and gene-specific hypermethylation to be a hallmark of most 
cancers. Molecules like DNA methyltransferase act as effectors of epigenetic 
reprogramming. In the present study we have examined the possibility that the 
reprogramming genes themselves undergo epigenetic modifications reflecting their 
changed transcriptional status during cancer development. Comparison of DNA 
methylation status between the normal and cervical cancer samples was carried 
out at the promoters of a few reprogramming molecules. Our study revealed 
statistically significant DNA methylation differences within the promoter of 
DNMT3L. A regulator of de novo DNA methyltransferases DNMT3A and DNMT3B, DNMT3L 
promoter was found to have lost DNA methylation to varying levels in 14 out of 
15 cancer cervix samples analysed. The present study highlights the importance 
of DNA methylation profile at DNMT3L promoter not only as a promising biomarker 
for cervical cancer, which is the second most common cancer among women 
worldwide, but also provides insight into the possible role of DNMT3L in cancer 
development.