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Xue Z, Qin L, Xuan H, Luo K, Huang M, Xie L, Su Y, Xu L, Harsh J, Dale B, Shi X, Chen X, Kaniskan HÜ, Jin J, Wen H. A potent and selective ENL degrader suppresses oncogenic gene expression and leukemia progression. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado1432. [PMID: 39196923 PMCID: PMC11352836 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/30/2024]
Abstract
The histone acylation reader eleven-nineteen leukemia (ENL) plays a pivotal role in sustaining oncogenesis in acute leukemias, particularly in mixed-lineage leukemia-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemia. ENL relies on its reader domain to recognize histone lysine acylation promoting oncogenic gene expression and leukemia progression. Here, we report the development of MS41, a highly potent and selective von Hippel-Lindau-recruiting ENL degrader that effectively inhibits the growth of ENL-dependent leukemia cells. MS41-induced ENL degradation reduces the chromatin occupancy of ENL-associated transcription elongation machinery, resulting in the suppression of key oncogenic gene expression programs and the activation of differentiation genes. MS41 is well-tolerated in vivo and substantially suppresses leukemia progression in a xenograft mouse model of MLL-r leukemia. Notably, MS41 also induces the degradation of mutant ENL proteins identified in Wilms' tumors. Our findings emphasize the therapeutic potential of pharmacological ENL degradation for treating ENL-dependent cancers, making MS41 not only a valuable chemical probe but also potential anticancer therapeutic for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoyu Xue
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Lihuai Qin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences, and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Hongwen Xuan
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Kaixiu Luo
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences, and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Mengying Huang
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yangzhou Su
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Longxia Xu
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Josiah Harsh
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Brandon Dale
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences, and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Xiaobing Shi
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - H Ümit Kaniskan
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences, and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences, and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, NY, New York, USA
| | - Hong Wen
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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2
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Kealy L, Runting J, Thiele D, Scheer S. An emerging maestro of immune regulation: how DOT1L orchestrates the harmonies of the immune system. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1385319. [PMID: 38962004 PMCID: PMC11219580 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1385319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The immune system comprises a complex yet tightly regulated network of cells and molecules that play a critical role in protecting the body from infection and disease. The activity and development of each immune cell is regulated in a myriad of ways including through the cytokine milieu, the availability of key receptors, via tailored intracellular signalling cascades, dedicated transcription factors and even by directly modulating gene accessibility and expression; the latter is more commonly known as epigenetic regulation. In recent years, epigenetic regulators have begun to emerge as key players involved in modulating the immune system. Among these, the lysine methyltransferase DOT1L has gained significant attention for its involvement in orchestrating immune cell formation and function. In this review we provide an overview of the role of DOT1L across the immune system and the implications of this role on health and disease. We begin by elucidating the general mechanisms of DOT1L-mediated histone methylation and its impact on gene expression within immune cells. Subsequently, we provide a detailed and comprehensive overview of recent studies that identify DOT1L as a crucial regulator of immune cell development, differentiation, and activation. Next, we discuss the potential mechanisms of DOT1L-mediated regulation of immune cell function and shed light on how DOT1L might be contributing to immune cell homeostasis and dysfunction. We then provide food for thought by highlighting some of the current obstacles and technical limitations precluding a more in-depth elucidation of DOT1L's role. Finally, we explore the potential therapeutic implications of targeting DOT1L in the context of immune-related diseases and discuss ongoing research efforts to this end. Overall, this review consolidates the current paradigm regarding DOT1L's role across the immune network and emphasises its critical role in governing the healthy immune system and its potential as a novel therapeutic target for immune-related diseases. A deeper understanding of DOT1L's immunomodulatory functions could pave the way for innovative therapeutic approaches which fine-tune the immune response to enhance or restore human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Kealy
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Jessica Runting
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel Thiele
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Sebastian Scheer
- Immunity Program, The Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
- Department of Infection and Immunity, Luxembourg Institute of Health, Esch-sur-Alzette, Luxembourg
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3
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Ooga M. Chromatin structure in totipotent mouse early preimplantation embryos. J Reprod Dev 2024; 70:152-159. [PMID: 38462486 PMCID: PMC11153117 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2023-106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Totipotency refers to the ability of a single cell to give rise to all the different cell types in the body. Terminally differentiated germ cells (sperm and oocytes) undergo reprogramming, which results in the acquisition of totipotency in zygotes. Since the 1990s, numerous studies have focused on the mechanisms of totipotency. With the emergence of the concept of epigenetic reprogramming, which is important for the undifferentiated and differentiated states of cells, the epigenomes of germ cells and fertilized oocytes have been thoroughly analyzed. However, in early immunostaining studies, detailed epigenomic information was difficult to obtain. In recent years, the explosive development of next-generation sequencing has made it possible to acquire genome-wide information and the rise of genome editing has facilitated the analysis of knockout mice, which was previously difficult. In addition, live imaging can effectively analyze zygotes and 2-cell embryos, for which the number of samples is limited, and provides biological insights that cannot be obtained by other methods. In this review, the progress of our research using these advanced techniques is traced back from the present to its earliest years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masatoshi Ooga
- Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Kanagawa 252-5201, Japan
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4
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Mabe NW, Perry JA, Malone CF, Stegmaier K. Pharmacological targeting of the cancer epigenome. NATURE CANCER 2024; 5:844-865. [PMID: 38937652 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-024-00777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic dysregulation is increasingly appreciated as a hallmark of cancer, including disease initiation, maintenance and therapy resistance. As a result, there have been advances in the development and evaluation of epigenetic therapies for cancer, revealing substantial promise but also challenges. Three epigenetic inhibitor classes are approved in the USA, and many more are currently undergoing clinical investigation. In this Review, we discuss recent developments for each epigenetic drug class and their implications for therapy, as well as highlight new insights into the role of epigenetics in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel W Mabe
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jennifer A Perry
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Clare F Malone
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Kimberly Stegmaier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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5
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Yang Y, Ahmad E, Premkumar V, Liu A, Ashikur Rahman SM, Nikolovska‐Coleska Z. Structural studies of intrinsically disordered MLL-fusion protein AF9 in complex with peptidomimetic inhibitors. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5019. [PMID: 38747396 PMCID: PMC11094776 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
AF9 (MLLT3) and its paralog ENL(MLLT1) are members of the YEATS family of proteins with important role in transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory complexes. These proteins are two common MLL fusion partners in MLL-rearranged leukemias. The oncofusion proteins MLL-AF9/ENL recruit multiple binding partners, including the histone methyltransferase DOT1L, leading to aberrant transcriptional activation and enhancing the expression of a characteristic set of genes that drive leukemogenesis. The interaction between AF9 and DOT1L is mediated by an intrinsically disordered C-terminal ANC1 homology domain (AHD) in AF9, which undergoes folding upon binding of DOT1L and other partner proteins. We have recently reported peptidomimetics that disrupt the recruitment of DOT1L by AF9 and ENL, providing a proof-of-concept for targeting AHD and assessing its druggability. Intrinsically disordered proteins, such as AF9 AHD, are difficult to study and characterize experimentally on a structural level. In this study, we present a successful protein engineering strategy to facilitate structural investigation of the intrinsically disordered AF9 AHD domain in complex with peptidomimetic inhibitors by using maltose binding protein (MBP) as a crystallization chaperone connected with linkers of varying flexibility and length. The strategic incorporation of disulfide bonds provided diffraction-quality crystals of the two disulfide-bridged MBP-AF9 AHD fusion proteins in complex with the peptidomimetics. These successfully determined first series of 2.1-2.6 Å crystal complex structures provide high-resolution insights into the interactions between AHD and its inhibitors, shedding light on the role of AHD in recruiting various binding partner proteins. We show that the overall complex structures closely resemble the reported NMR structure of AF9 AHD/DOT1L with notable difference in the conformation of the β-hairpin region, stabilized through conserved hydrogen bonds network. These first series of AF9 AHD/peptidomimetics complex structures are providing insights of the protein-inhibitor interactions and will facilitate further development of novel inhibitors targeting the AF9/ENL AHD domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Yang
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Ejaz Ahmad
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Vidhya Premkumar
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Alicen Liu
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - S. M. Ashikur Rahman
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Zaneta Nikolovska‐Coleska
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Rogel Cancer CenterUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
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6
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Rossmann MP, Palis J. Developmental regulation of primitive erythropoiesis. Curr Opin Hematol 2024; 31:71-81. [PMID: 38415349 DOI: 10.1097/moh.0000000000000806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this review, we present an overview of recent studies of primitive erythropoiesis, focusing on advances in deciphering its embryonic origin, defining species-specific differences in its developmental regulation, and better understanding the molecular and metabolic pathways involved in terminal differentiation. RECENT FINDINGS Single-cell transcriptomics combined with state-of-the-art lineage tracing approaches in unperturbed murine embryos have yielded new insights concerning the origin of the first (primitive) erythroid cells that arise from mesoderm-derived progenitors. Moreover, studies examining primitive erythropoiesis in rare early human embryo samples reveal an overall conservation of primitive erythroid ontogeny in mammals, albeit with some interesting differences such as localization of erythropoietin (EPO) production in the early embryo. Mechanistically, the repertoire of transcription factors that critically regulate primitive erythropoiesis has been expanded to include regulators of transcription elongation, as well as epigenetic modifiers such as the histone methyltransferase DOT1L. For the latter, noncanonical roles aside from enzymatic activity are being uncovered. Lastly, detailed surveys of the metabolic and proteomic landscape of primitive erythroid precursors reveal the activation of key metabolic pathways such as pentose phosphate pathway that are paralleled by a striking loss of mRNA translation machinery. SUMMARY The ability to interrogate single cells in vivo continues to yield new insights into the birth of the first essential organ system of the developing embryo. A comparison of the regulation of primitive and definitive erythropoiesis, as well as the interplay of the different layers of regulation - transcriptional, epigenetic, and metabolic - will be critical in achieving the goal of faithfully generating erythroid cells in vitro for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlies P Rossmann
- Department of Biomedical Genetics and Wilmot Cancer Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center
| | - James Palis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, New York, USA
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7
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Narbey R, Mouchel-Vielh E, Gibert JM. The H3K79me3 methyl-transferase Grappa is involved in the establishment and thermal plasticity of abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster females. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9547. [PMID: 38664546 PMCID: PMC11045721 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-60184-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Temperature sensitivity of abdominal pigmentation in Drosophila melanogaster females allows to investigate the mechanisms underlying phenotypic plasticity. Thermal plasticity of pigmentation is due to modulation of tan and yellow expression, encoding pigmentation enzymes. Furthermore, modulation of tan expression by temperature is correlated to the variation of the active histone mark H3K4me3 on its promoter. Here, we test the role of the DotCom complex, which methylates H3K79, another active mark, in establishment and plasticity of pigmentation. We show that several components of the DotCom complex are involved in the establishment of abdominal pigmentation. In particular, Grappa, the catalytic unit of this complex, plays opposite roles on pigmentation at distinct developmental stages. Indeed, its down-regulation from larval L2 to L3 stages increases female adult pigmentation, whereas its down-regulation during the second half of the pupal stage decreases adult pigmentation. These opposite effects are correlated to the regulation of distinct pigmentation genes by Grappa: yellow repression for the early role and tan activation for the late one. Lastly, reaction norms measuring pigmentation along temperature in mutants for subunits of the DotCom complex reveal that this complex is not only involved in the establishment of female abdominal pigmentation but also in its plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphaël Narbey
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR 7622, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, 9 Quai St-Bernard, 75005, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuèle Mouchel-Vielh
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR 7622, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, 9 Quai St-Bernard, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Jean-Michel Gibert
- Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement, UMR 7622, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, 9 Quai St-Bernard, 75005, Paris, France.
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8
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Singh PR, Dadireddy V, Udupa S, Kalladi SM, Shee S, Khosla S, Rajmani RS, Singh A, Ramakumar S, Nagaraja V. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis methyltransferase Rv2067c manipulates host epigenetic programming to promote its own survival. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8497. [PMID: 38129415 PMCID: PMC10739865 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43940-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis has evolved several mechanisms to counter host defense arsenals for its proliferation. Here we report that M. tuberculosis employs a multi-pronged approach to modify host epigenetic machinery for its survival. It secretes methyltransferase (MTase) Rv2067c into macrophages, trimethylating histone H3K79 in a non-nucleosomal context. Rv2067c downregulates host MTase DOT1L, decreasing DOT1L-mediated nucleosomally added H3K79me3 mark on pro-inflammatory response genes. Consequent inhibition of caspase-8-dependent apoptosis and enhancement of RIPK3-mediated necrosis results in increased pathogenesis. In parallel, Rv2067c enhances the expression of SESTRIN3, NLRC3, and TMTC1, enabling the pathogen to overcome host inflammatory and oxidative responses. We provide the structural basis for differential methylation of H3K79 by Rv2067c and DOT1L. The structures of Rv2067c and DOT1L explain how their action on H3K79 is spatially and temporally separated, enabling Rv2067c to effectively intercept the host epigenetic circuit and downstream signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakruti R Singh
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Shubha Udupa
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Shashwath Malli Kalladi
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Somnath Shee
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Sanjeev Khosla
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh (CSIR -IMTech), Chandigarh, India
| | - Raju S Rajmani
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Amit Singh
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Valakunja Nagaraja
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India.
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, India.
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9
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Wille CK, Neumann EN, Deshpande AJ, Sridharan R. DOT1L interaction partner AF10 controls patterning of H3K79 methylation and RNA polymerase II to maintain cell identity. Stem Cell Reports 2023; 18:2451-2463. [PMID: 37995701 PMCID: PMC10724070 DOI: 10.1016/j.stemcr.2023.10.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2023] [Revised: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone 3 lysine 79 methylation (H3K79me) is enriched on gene bodies proportional to gene expression levels and serves as a strong barrier for the reprogramming of somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). DOT1L is the sole histone methyltransferase that deposits all three orders-mono (me1), di (me2), and tri (me3) methylation-at H3K79. Here, we leverage genetic and chemical approaches to parse the specific functions of orders of H3K79me in maintaining cell identity. DOT1L interacts with AF10 (Mllt10), which recognizes unmodified H3K27 and boosts H3K79me2/3 methylation. AF10 deletion evicts H3K79me2/3 and reorganizes H3K79me1 to the transcription start site to facilitate iPSC formation in the absence of steady-state transcriptional changes. Instead, AF10 loss redistributes RNA polymerase II to a uniquely pluripotent pattern at highly expressed, rapidly transcribed housekeeping genes. Taken together, we reveal a specific mechanism for H3K79me2/3 located at the gene body in reinforcing cell identity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral K Wille
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
| | - Edwin N Neumann
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA
| | - Aniruddha J Deshpande
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rupa Sridharan
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53715, USA; Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
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10
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Aoi Y, Shilatifard A. Transcriptional elongation control in developmental gene expression, aging, and disease. Mol Cell 2023; 83:3972-3999. [PMID: 37922911 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2023.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The elongation stage of transcription by RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II) is central to the regulation of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental cues in metazoan. Dysregulated transcriptional elongation has been associated with developmental defects as well as disease and aging processes. Decades of genetic and biochemical studies have painstakingly identified and characterized an ensemble of factors that regulate RNA Pol II elongation. This review summarizes recent findings taking advantage of genetic engineering techniques that probe functions of elongation factors in vivo. We propose a revised model of elongation control in this accelerating field by reconciling contradictory results from the earlier biochemical evidence and the recent in vivo studies. We discuss how elongation factors regulate promoter-proximal RNA Pol II pause release, transcriptional elongation rate and processivity, RNA Pol II stability and RNA processing, and how perturbation of these processes is associated with developmental disorders, neurodegenerative disease, cancer, and aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Aoi
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Simpson Querrey Institute for Epigenetics, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
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11
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Li X, Wu X, Nie S, Zhao J, Yao Y, Wu F, Mishra CB, Ashraf-Uz-Zaman M, Moku BK, Song Y. Discovery, Structure-Activity Relationship and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Protein-Protein Interactions between AF9/ENL and AF4 or DOT1L. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5283. [PMID: 37958457 PMCID: PMC10650850 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15215283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal translocations involving the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene cause 5-10% acute leukemias with poor clinical outcomes. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) between the most frequent MLL fusion partner proteins AF9/ENL and AF4 or histone methyltransferase DOT1L are drug targets for MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemia. Several benzothiophene-carboxamide compounds were identified as novel inhibitors of these PPIs with IC50 values as low as 1.6 μM. Structure-activity relationship studies of 77 benzothiophene and related indole and benzofuran compounds show that a 4-piperidin-1-ylphenyl or 4-pyrrolidin-1-ylphenyl substituent is essential for the activity. The inhibitors suppressed expression of MLL target genes HoxA9, Meis1 and Myc, and selectively inhibited proliferation of MLL-r and other acute myeloid leukemia cells with EC50 values as low as 4.7 μM. These inhibitors are useful chemical probes for biological studies of AF9/ENL, as well as pharmacological leads for further drug development against MLL-r and other leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaowei Wu
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Shenyou Nie
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Jidong Zhao
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Yuan Yao
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Fangrui Wu
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Chandra Bhushan Mishra
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Md Ashraf-Uz-Zaman
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Bala Krishna Moku
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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12
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Nil Z, Deshwar AR, Huang Y, Barish S, Zhang X, Choufani S, Le Quesne Stabej P, Hayes I, Yap P, Haldeman-Englert C, Wilson C, Prescott T, Tveten K, Vøllo A, Haynes D, Wheeler PG, Zon J, Cytrynbaum C, Jobling R, Blyth M, Banka S, Afenjar A, Mignot C, Robin-Renaldo F, Keren B, Kanca O, Mao X, Wegner DJ, Sisco K, Shinawi M, Wangler MF, Weksberg R, Yamamoto S, Costain G, Bellen HJ. Rare de novo gain-of-function missense variants in DOT1L are associated with developmental delay and congenital anomalies. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1919-1937. [PMID: 37827158 PMCID: PMC10645550 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Misregulation of histone lysine methylation is associated with several human cancers and with human developmental disorders. DOT1L is an evolutionarily conserved gene encoding a lysine methyltransferase (KMT) that methylates histone 3 lysine-79 (H3K79) and was not previously associated with a Mendelian disease in OMIM. We have identified nine unrelated individuals with seven different de novo heterozygous missense variants in DOT1L through the Undiagnosed Disease Network (UDN), the SickKids Complex Care genomics project, and GeneMatcher. All probands had some degree of global developmental delay/intellectual disability, and most had one or more major congenital anomalies. To assess the pathogenicity of the DOT1L variants, functional studies were performed in Drosophila and human cells. The fruit fly DOT1L ortholog, grappa, is expressed in most cells including neurons in the central nervous system. The identified DOT1L variants behave as gain-of-function alleles in flies and lead to increased H3K79 methylation levels in flies and human cells. Our results show that human DOT1L and fly grappa are required for proper development and that de novo heterozygous variants in DOT1L are associated with a Mendelian disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelha Nil
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ashish R Deshwar
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yan Huang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Scott Barish
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Sanaa Choufani
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Polona Le Quesne Stabej
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ian Hayes
- Genetic Health Service New Zealand- Northern Hub, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Patrick Yap
- Genetic Health Service New Zealand- Northern Hub, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Carolyn Wilson
- Mission Fullerton Genetics Center, Asheville, NC 28803, USA
| | - Trine Prescott
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Kristian Tveten
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Arve Vøllo
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital of Østfold, 1714 Grålum, Norway
| | - Devon Haynes
- Division of Genetics, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children - Orlando Health, Orlando, FL, USA; Clinical Genetics Service, Guy's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, England, UK
| | - Patricia G Wheeler
- Division of Genetics, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children - Orlando Health, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Jessica Zon
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl Cytrynbaum
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rebekah Jobling
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Moira Blyth
- North of Scotland Regional Genetics Service, Clinical Genetics Centre, Ashgrove House, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Siddharth Banka
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, M13 9WL Manchester, UK; Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Health Innovation Manchester, M13 9WL Manchester, UK
| | - Alexandra Afenjar
- Service de génétique, CRMR des malformations et maladies congénitales du cervelet et CRMR déficience intellectuelle, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Cyril Mignot
- Sorbonne Université, Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière and Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France; Centre de Référence Déficiences Intellectuelles de Causes Rares, Paris, France
| | | | - Boris Keren
- AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département de Génétique, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiao Mao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410005, China; Clinical Research Center for Placental Medicine in Hunan Province, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Daniel J Wegner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kathleen Sisco
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Marwan Shinawi
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael F Wangler
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rosanna Weksberg
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gregory Costain
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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13
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Johannessen JA, Formica M, Haukeland ALC, Bråthen NR, Al Outa A, Aarsund M, Therrien M, Enserink JM, Knævelsrud H. The human leukemic oncogene MLL-AF4 promotes hyperplastic growth of hematopoietic tissues in Drosophila larvae. iScience 2023; 26:107726. [PMID: 37720104 PMCID: PMC10504488 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemias are among the leukemic subtypes with poorest survival, and treatment options have barely improved over the last decades. Despite increasing molecular understanding of the mechanisms behind these hematopoietic malignancies, this knowledge has had poor translation into the clinic. Here, we report a Drosophila melanogaster model system to explore the pathways affected in MLL-r leukemia. We show that expression of the human leukemic oncogene MLL-AF4 in the Drosophila hematopoietic system resulted in increased levels of circulating hemocytes and an enlargement of the larval hematopoietic organ, the lymph gland. Strikingly, depletion of Drosophila orthologs of known interactors of MLL-AF4, such as DOT1L, rescued the leukemic phenotype. In agreement, treatment with small-molecule inhibitors of DOT1L also prevented the MLL-AF4-induced leukemia-like phenotype. Taken together, this model provides an in vivo system to unravel the genetic interactors involved in leukemogenesis and offers a system for improved biological understanding of MLL-r leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie A. Johannessen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Miriam Formica
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Aina Louise C. Haukeland
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Nora Rojahn Bråthen
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Amani Al Outa
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Miriam Aarsund
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marc Therrien
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Laboratory of Intracellular Signaling, Université de Montréal, C.P. 6128, Succursale Centre-Ville, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
- Département de pathologie et de biologie cellulaire, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jorrit M. Enserink
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Section for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Department of Biosciences, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Helene Knævelsrud
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Centre for Cancer Cell Reprogramming, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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14
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Gilan O, Talarmain L, Bell CC, Neville D, Knezevic K, Ferguson DT, Boudes M, Chan YC, Davidovich C, Lam EYN, Dawson MA. CRISPR-ChIP reveals selective regulation of H3K79me2 by Menin in MLL leukemia. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1592-1606. [PMID: 37679565 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin regulation involves the selective recruitment of chromatin factors to facilitate DNA repair, replication and transcription. Here we demonstrate the utility of coupling unbiased functional genomics with chromatin immunoprecipitation (CRISPR-ChIP) to identify the factors associated with active chromatin modifications in mammalian cells. Specifically, an integrated reporter containing a cis-regulatory element of interest and a single guide RNA provide a chromatinized template for a direct readout for regulators of histone modifications associated with actively transcribed genes such as H3K4me3 and H3K79me2. With CRISPR-ChIP, we identify all the nonredundant COMPASS complex members required for H3K4me3 and demonstrate that RNA polymerase II is dispensable for the maintenance of H3K4me3. As H3K79me2 has a putative oncogenic function in leukemia cells driven by MLL translocations, using CRISPR-ChIP we reveal a functional partitioning of H3K79 methylation into two distinct regulatory units: an oncogenic DOT1L complex directed by the MLL fusion protein in a Menin-dependent manner and a separate endogenous DOT1L complex, where catalytic activity is directed by MLLT10. Overall, CRISPR-ChIP provides a powerful tool for the unbiased interrogation of the mechanisms underpinning chromatin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Gilan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Laure Talarmain
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Charles C Bell
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel Neville
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kathy Knezevic
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel T Ferguson
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marion Boudes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yih-Chih Chan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chen Davidovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- EMBL-Australia, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Enid Y N Lam
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark A Dawson
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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15
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Zhao X, Li X, Sun H, Zhao X, Gao T, Shi P, Chen F, Liu L, Lu X. Dot1l cooperates with Npm1 to repress endogenous retrovirus MERVL in embryonic stem cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8970-8986. [PMID: 37522386 PMCID: PMC10516645 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dot1l is a histone methyltransferase without a SET domain and is responsible for H3K79 methylation, which marks active transcription. In contradiction, Dot1l also participates in silencing gene expression. The target regions and mechanism of Dot1l in repressing transcription remain enigmatic. Here, we show that Dot1l represses endogenous retroviruses in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Specifically, the absence of Dot1l led to the activation of MERVL, which is a marker of 2-cell-like cells. In addition, Dot1l deletion activated the 2-cell-like state and predisposed ESCs to differentiate into trophectoderm lineage. Transcriptome analysis revealed activation of 2-cell genes and meiotic genes by Dot1l deletion. Mechanistically, Dot1l interacted with and co-localized with Npm1 on MERVL, and depletion of Npm1 similarly augmented MERVL expression. The catalytic activity and AT-hook domain of Dot1l are important to suppress MERVL. Notably, Dot1l-Npm1 restricts MERVL by regulating protein level and deposition of histone H1. Furthermore, Dot1l is critical for Npm1 to efficiently interact with histone H1 and inhibit ubiquitination of H1 whereas Npm1 is essential for Dot1l to interact with MERVL. Altogether, we discover that Dot1l represses MERVL through chaperoning H1 by collaborating with Npm1. Importantly, our findings shed light on the non-canonical transcriptional repressive role of Dot1l in ESCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Haiyang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Tingting Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Panpan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Fuquan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xinyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
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16
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Crump NT, Smith AL, Godfrey L, Dopico-Fernandez AM, Denny N, Harman JR, Hamley JC, Jackson NE, Chahrour C, Riva S, Rice S, Kim J, Basrur V, Fermin D, Elenitoba-Johnson K, Roeder RG, Allis CD, Roberts I, Roy A, Geng H, Davies JOJ, Milne TA. MLL-AF4 cooperates with PAF1 and FACT to drive high-density enhancer interactions in leukemia. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5208. [PMID: 37626123 PMCID: PMC10457349 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40981-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Aberrant enhancer activation is a key mechanism driving oncogene expression in many cancers. While much is known about the regulation of larger chromosome domains in eukaryotes, the details of enhancer-promoter interactions remain poorly understood. Recent work suggests co-activators like BRD4 and Mediator have little impact on enhancer-promoter interactions. In leukemias controlled by the MLL-AF4 fusion protein, we use the ultra-high resolution technique Micro-Capture-C (MCC) to show that MLL-AF4 binding promotes broad, high-density regions of enhancer-promoter interactions at a subset of key targets. These enhancers are enriched for transcription elongation factors like PAF1C and FACT, and the loss of these factors abolishes enhancer-promoter contact. This work not only provides an additional model for how MLL-AF4 is able to drive high levels of transcription at key genes in leukemia but also suggests a more general model linking enhancer-promoter crosstalk and transcription elongation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas T Crump
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK.
- Hugh and Josseline Langmuir Centre for Myeloma Research, Centre for Haematology, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, W12 0NN, UK.
| | - Alastair L Smith
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Laura Godfrey
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Ana M Dopico-Fernandez
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Nicholas Denny
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Joe R Harman
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Joseph C Hamley
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Nicole E Jackson
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Catherine Chahrour
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Simone Riva
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Siobhan Rice
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Jaehoon Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon, 34141, South Korea
| | - Venkatesha Basrur
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Damian Fermin
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kojo Elenitoba-Johnson
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Robert G Roeder
- Laboratory of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - C David Allis
- Laboratory of Chromatin Biology and Epigenetics, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, 10065, USA
| | - Irene Roberts
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Anindita Roy
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DU, UK
| | - Huimin Geng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James O J Davies
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX3 9DS, UK.
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17
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Malla AB, Yu H, Farris D, Kadimi S, Lam TT, Cox AL, Smith ZD, Lesch BJ. DOT1L bridges transcription and heterochromatin formation at mammalian pericentromeres. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e56492. [PMID: 37317657 PMCID: PMC10398668 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202256492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Repetitive DNA elements are packaged in heterochromatin, but many require bursts of transcription to initiate and maintain long-term silencing. The mechanisms by which these heterochromatic genome features are transcribed remain largely unknown. Here, we show that DOT1L, a conserved histone methyltransferase that modifies lysine 79 of histone H3 (H3K79), has a specialized role in transcription of major satellite repeats to maintain pericentromeric heterochromatin and genome stability. We find that H3K79me3 is selectively enriched relative to H3K79me2 at repetitive elements in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), that DOT1L loss compromises pericentromeric satellite transcription, and that this activity involves possible coordination between DOT1L and the chromatin remodeler SMARCA5. Stimulation of transcript production from pericentromeric repeats by DOT1L participates in stabilization of heterochromatin structures in mESCs and cleavage-stage embryos and is required for preimplantation viability. Our findings uncover an important role for DOT1L as a bridge between transcriptional activation of repeat elements and heterochromatin stability, advancing our understanding of how genome integrity is maintained and how chromatin state is set up during early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aushaq B Malla
- Department of GeneticsYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Haoming Yu
- Department of GeneticsYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Delaney Farris
- Department of GeneticsYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | | | - TuKiet T Lam
- Keck MS & Proteomics ResourceYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and BiochemistryYale UniversityNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Andy L Cox
- Department of GeneticsYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Zachary D Smith
- Department of GeneticsYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Stem Cell CenterYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
| | - Bluma J Lesch
- Department of GeneticsYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
- Yale Cancer CenterYale School of MedicineNew HavenCTUSA
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18
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Wang C, Zhang R. The effect of ITLN1, XCL2 and DOT1L variants on knee osteoarthritis risk in the Han population. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 2023; 143:4821-4831. [PMID: 36773049 DOI: 10.1007/s00402-023-04799-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a complex multifactorial disease, in which genetic factors account for 50% of the risk of osteoarthritis. This study investigated the association between ITLN1, XCL2 and DOT1L variants and KOA risk in the Han population. METHODS We applied Agena MassARRAY technology platform to genotype five single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 710 KOA patients and 709 controls. The correlation between ITLN1, XCL2 and DOT1L SNPs (rs2274908, rs4282797, rs4301615 and rs3815308) and KOA risk was calculated by logistic regression analysis, with odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Also, the relationship between genotypes at these different loci and clinical parameters (White blood cell, Eosinophil ratio, Neutrophil count, Eosinophil count, Monocyte ratio and Monocyte count) among patients and controls was analyzed. RESULTS In the overall results, rs2274908, rs4301615 and rs3815308 were correlated with KOA susceptibility. After gender stratification analysis, ITLN1 rs2274908 and XCL2 rs4301615 were related to an increased risk of KOA in males, and ITLN1 rs2274908 and DOT1L rs3815308 were related to an increased risk of KOA in females. After age stratification analysis, ITLN1 rs2274908 and XCL2 rs4301615 were correlated with an increased risk of KOA in people aged > 65 year old. After smoking stratification analysis and drinking stratification analysis, ITLN1 rs2274908, XCL2 rs4301615 and DOT1L rs3815308 were still associated with the risk of KOA. CONCLUSION In short, ITLN1 rs2274908, XCL2 rs4301615 and DOT1L rs3815308 were related to KOA risk in the Han population, which was helpful to clarify the pathogenesis of these sites in KOA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Wang
- Department of Massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, No. 116, Huanghe Road, Urumqi, 830000, Xinjiang, China
| | - Ruichun Zhang
- Department of Massage, Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, No. 116, Huanghe Road, Urumqi, 830000, Xinjiang, China.
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19
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Hu H, Muntean AG. The YEATS domain epigenetic reader proteins ENL and AF9 and their therapeutic value in leukemia. Exp Hematol 2023; 124:15-21. [PMID: 37295550 PMCID: PMC10527611 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2023] [Revised: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have uncovered similarities and differences between 2 highly homologous epigenetic reading proteins, namely, ENL (MLLT1) and AF9 (MLLT3) with therapeutic implications. The importance of these proteins has traditionally been exemplified by their involvement in chromosomal translocations with the mixed-lineage leukemia gene (MLL; aka KMT2a). MLL rearrangements occur in a subset of acute leukemias and generate potent oncogenic MLL-fusion proteins that impact epigenetic and transcriptional regulation. Leukemic patients with MLL rearrangements display intermediate-to-poor prognoses, necessitating further mechanistic research. Several protein complexes involved in regulating RNA polymerase II transcription and the epigenetic landscape are hijacked in MLL-r leukemia, which include ENL and AF9. Recent biochemical studies have defined a highly homologous YEATS domain in ENL and AF9 that binds acylated histones, which aids in the localization and retention of these proteins to transcriptional targets. In addition, detailed characterization of the homologous ANC-1 homology domain (AHD) on ENL and AF9 revealed differential association with transcriptional activating and repressing complexes. Importantly, CRISPR knockout screens have demonstrated a unique role for wild-type ENL in leukemic stem cell function, whereas AF9 appears important for normal hematopoietic stem cells. In this perspective, we examine the ENL and AF9 proteins with attention to recent work characterizing the epigenetic reading YEATS domains and AHD on both wild-type proteins and when fused to MLL. We summarized the drug development efforts and their therapeutic potential and assess ongoing research that has refined our understanding of how these proteins function, which continues to reveal new therapeutic avenues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiangyu Hu
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Andrew G Muntean
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI.
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20
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Zhang J, Yang T, Han M, Wang X, Yang W, Guo N, Ren Y, Cui W, Li S, Zhao Y, Zhai X, Jia L, Yang J, Wu C, Wang L. Gain-of-function mutations in the catalytic domain of DOT1L promote lung cancer malignant phenotypes via the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2023; 9:eadc9273. [PMID: 37256945 PMCID: PMC10413674 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adc9273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Lung cancer is a lethal malignancy lacking effective therapies. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic enzyme mutations are closely related to the malignant phenotype of lung cancer. Here, we identified a series of gain-of-function mutations in the histone methyltransferase DOT1L. The strongest of them is R231Q, located in the catalytic DOT domain. R231Q can enhance the substrate binding ability of DOT1L. Moreover, R231Q promotes cell growth and drug resistance of lung cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic studies also revealed that the R231Q mutant specifically activates the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway by enriching H3K79me2 on the RAF1 promoter and epigenetically regulating the expression of downstream targets. The combination of a DOT1L inhibitor (SGC0946) and a MAPK/ERK axis inhibitor (binimetinib) can effectively reverse the R231Q-induced phenomena. Our results reveal gain-of-function mutations in an epigenetic enzyme and provide promising insights for the precise treatment of lung cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
| | - Ting Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
| | - Mei Han
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
| | - Weiming Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
| | - Ning Guo
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
| | - Yong Ren
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital of Central Theater Command of People's Liberation Army, Wuhan 430070, China
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Shangxiao Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yongshan Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xin Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lina Jia
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Jingyu Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Chunfu Wu
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lihui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
- Benxi Institute of Pharmaceutical Research, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Benxi 117004, China
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21
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Malla AB, Rainsford SR, Smith ZD, Lesch BJ. DOT1L promotes spermatid differentiation by regulating expression of genes required for histone-to-protamine replacement. Development 2023; 150:dev201497. [PMID: 37082969 PMCID: PMC10259660 DOI: 10.1242/dev.201497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
Unique chromatin remodeling factors orchestrate dramatic changes in nuclear morphology during differentiation of the mature sperm head. A crucial step in this process is histone-to-protamine exchange, which must be executed correctly to avoid sperm DNA damage, embryonic lethality and male sterility. Here, we define an essential role for the histone methyltransferase DOT1L in the histone-to-protamine transition. We show that DOT1L is abundantly expressed in mouse meiotic and postmeiotic germ cells, and that methylation of histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79), the modification catalyzed by DOT1L, is enriched in developing spermatids in the initial stages of histone replacement. Elongating spermatids lacking DOT1L fail to fully replace histones and exhibit aberrant protamine recruitment, resulting in deformed sperm heads and male sterility. Loss of DOT1L results in transcriptional dysregulation coinciding with the onset of histone replacement and affecting genes required for histone-to-protamine exchange. DOT1L also deposits H3K79me2 and promotes accumulation of elongating RNA Polymerase II at the testis-specific bromodomain gene Brdt. Together, our results indicate that DOT1L is an important mediator of transcription during spermatid differentiation and an indispensable regulator of male fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aushaq B. Malla
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | | | - Zachary D. Smith
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Stem Cell Center, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
| | - Bluma J. Lesch
- Department of Genetics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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22
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Wei W, Zhao Y, Chai Y, Shou S, Jin H. A novel role of DOT1L in kidney diseases. Mol Biol Rep 2023; 50:5415-5423. [PMID: 37085741 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-023-08415-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND We systematically summarized the structure and biological function of DOT1L in detail, and further discussed the role of DOT1L in kidney diseases through different mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS We first described the role of DOT1L in various kidney diseases including AKI, CKD, DN and kidney tumor diseases. CONCLUSIONS A better understanding of DOT1L as a histone methylase based on characteristics of regulating telomere silencing, transcriptional extension, DNA damage repair and cell cycle could lead to the development of new therapeutic targets for various kidney diseases, thereby improving the prognosis of kidney disease patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wei
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China
| | - Yibo Zhao
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanfen Chai
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China
| | - Songtao Shou
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
| | - Heng Jin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin, 300052, People's Republic of China.
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23
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Komata Y, Kanai A, Maeda T, Inaba T, Yokoyama A. MOZ/ENL complex is a recruiting factor of leukemic AF10 fusion proteins. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1979. [PMID: 37031220 PMCID: PMC10082848 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37712-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Changes in the transcriptional machinery cause aberrant self-renewal of non-stem hematopoietic progenitors. AF10 fusions, such as CALM-AF10, are generated via chromosomal translocations, causing malignant leukemia. In this study, we demonstrate that AF10 fusion proteins cause aberrant self-renewal via ENL, which binds to MOZ/MORF lysine acetyltransferases (KATs). The interaction of ENL with MOZ, via its YEATS domain, is critical for CALM-AF10-mediated leukemic transformation. The MOZ/ENL complex recruits DOT1L/AF10 fusion complexes and maintains their chromatin retention via KAT activity. Therefore, inhibitors of MOZ/MORF KATs directly suppress the functions of AF10 fusion proteins, thereby exhibiting strong antitumor effects on AF10 translocation-induced leukemia. Combinatorial inhibition of MOZ/MORF and DOT1L cooperatively induces differentiation of CALM-AF10-leukemia cells. These results reveal roles for the MOZ/ENL complex as an essential recruiting factor of the AF10 fusion/DOT1L complex, providing a rationale for using MOZ/MORF KAT inhibitors in AF10 translocation-induced leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yosuke Komata
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer Center, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-0052, Japan
| | - Akinori Kanai
- Laboratory of Systems Genomics, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Sciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, the University of Tokyo, Kashiwa, Chiba, 277-0882, Japan
- Department of Molecular Oncology and Leukemia Program Project, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan
| | - Takahiro Maeda
- Division of Precision Medicine, Kyushu University Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Fukuoka, Fukuoka, 812-8582, Japan
| | - Toshiya Inaba
- Department of Molecular Oncology and Leukemia Program Project, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 734-8553, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yokoyama
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer Center, Tsuruoka, Yamagata, 997-0052, Japan.
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24
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Huynh MT, Sengupta B, Krajewski WA, Lee TH. Effects of Histone H2B Ubiquitylations and H3K79me 3 on Transcription Elongation. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:537-548. [PMID: 36857155 PMCID: PMC10023449 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications of histone proteins often mediate gene regulation by altering the global and local stability of the nucleosome, the basic gene-packing unit of eukaryotes. We employed semisynthetic approaches to introduce histone H2B ubiquitylations at K34 (H2BK34ub) and K120 (H2BK120ub) and H3K79 trimethylation (H3K79me3). With these modified histones, we investigated their effects on the kinetics of transcription elongation by RNA polymerase II (Pol II) using single-molecule FRET. Pol II pauses at several locations within the nucleosome for a few seconds to minutes, which governs the overall transcription efficiency. We found that H2B ubiquitylations suppress pauses and shorten the pause durations near the nucleosome entry while H3K79me3 shortens the pause durations and increases the rate of RNA elongation near the center of the nucleosome. We also found that H2BK34ub facilitates partial rewrapping of the nucleosome upon Pol II passage. These observations suggest that H2B ubiquitylations promote transcription elongation and help maintain the chromatin structure by inducing and stabilizing nucleosome intermediates and that H3K79me3 facilitates Pol II progression possibly by destabilizing the local structure of the nucleosome. Our results provide the mechanisms of how these modifications coupled by a network of regulatory proteins facilitate transcription in two different regions of the nucleosome and help maintain the chromatin structure during active transcription.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mai T. Huynh
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA
| | - Bhaswati Sengupta
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA
| | - Wladyslaw A. Krajewski
- N. K. Koltsov Institute of Developmental Biology of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vavilova str. 26, Moscow, 119334, Russia
| | - Tae-Hee Lee
- Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA 16801, USA
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25
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Falnes PØ, Małecki JM, Herrera MC, Bengtsen M, Davydova E. Human seven-β-strand (METTL) methyltransferases - conquering the universe of protein lysine methylation. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:104661. [PMID: 36997089 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.104661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
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26
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Neuronal Dot1l Activity Acts as a Mitochondrial Gene-Repressor Associated with Human Brain Aging via H3K79 Hypermethylation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021387. [PMID: 36674903 PMCID: PMC9862808 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation of histone 3 at lysine 79 (H3K79) and its catalyst, a disrupter of telomeric silencing (DOT1l), have been coupled to multiple forms of stress, such as bioenergetic and ER challenges. However, studies on H3K79 methylation and Dot1l in the (aging) brain and neurons are limited. This, together with the increasing evidence of a dynamic neuroepigenome, made us wonder if H3K79 methylation and its activator Dot1l could play important roles in brain aging and associated disorders. In aged humans, we found strong and consistent global hypermethylation of H3K79 in neurons. Specific in dopaminergic neurons, we found a strong increase in H3K79 methylation in lipofucsin positive neurons, which are linked to pathology. In animals, where we conditionally removed Dot1l, we found a rapid loss of H3K79 methylation. As a consequence, we found some decrease in specific dopaminergic genes, and surprisingly, a clear up-regulation of almost all genes belonging to the family of the respiratory chain. These data, in relation to the observed increase in global H3K79 methylation, suggest that there is an inverse relationship between H3K79 methylation and the capacity of energy metabolism in neuronal systems.
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27
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Wu X, Xie Y, Zhao K, Lu J. Targeting the super elongation complex for oncogenic transcription driven tumor malignancies: Progress in structure, mechanisms and small molecular inhibitor discovery. Adv Cancer Res 2023; 158:387-421. [PMID: 36990537 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic transcription activation is associated with tumor development and resistance derived from chemotherapy or target therapy. The super elongation complex (SEC) is an important complex regulating gene transcription and expression in metazoans closely related to physiological activities. In normal transcriptional regulation, SEC can trigger promoter escape, limit proteolytic degradation of transcription elongation factors and increase the synthesis of RNA polymerase II (POL II), and regulate many normal human genes to stimulate RNA elongation. Dysregulation of SEC accompanied by multiple transcription factors in cancer promotes rapid transcription of oncogenes and induce cancer development. In this review, we summarized recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of SEC in regulating normal transcription, and importantly its roles in cancer development. We also highlighted the discovery of SEC complex target related inhibitors and their potential applications in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China; Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqiu Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China; Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kehao Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China.
| | - Jing Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China.
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28
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Wen H, Shi X. Histone Readers and Their Roles in Cancer. Cancer Treat Res 2023; 190:245-272. [PMID: 38113004 PMCID: PMC11395558 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-45654-1_8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Histone proteins in eukaryotic cells are subjected to a wide variety of post-translational modifications, which are known to play an important role in the partitioning of the genome into distinctive compartments and domains. One of the major functions of histone modifications is to recruit reader proteins, which recognize the epigenetic marks and transduce the molecular signals in chromatin to downstream effects. Histone readers are defined protein domains with well-organized three-dimensional structures. In this Chapter, we will outline major histone readers, delineate their biochemical and structural features in histone recognition, and describe how dysregulation of histone readout leads to human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong Wen
- Van Andel Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Xiaobing Shi
- Van Andel Institute, 333 Bostwick Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
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29
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Hu H, Saha N, Yang Y, Ahmad E, Lachowski L, Shrestha U, Premkumar V, Ropa J, Chen L, Teahan B, Grigsby S, Marschalek R, Nikolovska-Coleska Z, Muntean AG. The ENL YEATS epigenetic reader domain critically links MLL-ENL to leukemic stem cell frequency in t(11;19) Leukemia. Leukemia 2023; 37:190-201. [PMID: 36435883 PMCID: PMC11246743 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01765-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
MLL (KMT2a) translocations are found in ~10% of acute leukemia patients, giving rise to oncogenic MLL-fusion proteins. A common MLL translocation partner is ENL and associated with a poor prognosis in t(11;19) patients. ENL contains a highly conserved N-terminal YEATS domain that binds acetylated histones and interacts with the PAF1c, an epigenetic regulator protein complex essential for MLL-fusion leukemogenesis. Recently, wild-type ENL, and specifically the YEATS domain, was shown to be essential for leukemic cell growth. However, the inclusion and importance of the YEATS domain in MLL-ENL-mediated leukemogenesis remains unexplored. We found the YEATS domain is retained in 84.1% of MLL-ENL patients and crucial for MLL-ENL-mediated leukemogenesis in mouse models. Mechanistically, deletion of the YEATS domain impaired MLL-ENL fusion protein binding and decreased expression of pro-leukemic genes like Eya1 and Meis1. Point mutations that disrupt YEATS domain binding to acetylated histones decreased stem cell frequency and increased MLL-ENL-mediated leukemia latency. Therapeutically, YEATS containing MLL-ENL leukemic cells display increased sensitivity to the YEATS inhibitor SGC-iMLLT compared to control AML cells. Our results demonstrate that the YEATS domain is important for MLL-ENL fusion protein-mediated leukemogenesis and exposes an "Achilles heel" that may be therapeutically targeted for treating t(11;19) patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsiangyu Hu
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Nirmalya Saha
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yuting Yang
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ejaz Ahmad
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Lauren Lachowski
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Uttar Shrestha
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Vidhya Premkumar
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - James Ropa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Indiana University School of Medicine, 950 West Walnut Street, R2-302, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5181, USA
| | - Lili Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Blaine Teahan
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Sierrah Grigsby
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Rolf Marschalek
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology / Diagnostic Center of Acute Leukemia, University of Frankfurt, Frankfurt/Main, Germany
| | | | - Andrew G Muntean
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, USA.
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30
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Cai Q, Guo H, Fang R, Hua Y, Zhu Y, Zheng X, Yan J, Wang J, Hu Y, Zhang C, Zhang C, Duan R, Kong F, Zhang S, Chen D, Ji S. A Toll-dependent Bre1/Rad6-cact feedback loop in controlling host innate immune response. Cell Rep 2022; 41:111795. [PMID: 36516751 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The Toll signaling pathway was initially identified for its involvement in the control of early embryogenesis. It was later shown to be also part of a major innate immune pathway controlling the expression of anti-microbial peptides in many eukaryotes including humans; cactus, the essential negative regulator of this pathway in flies, was found to be induced in parallel to the Toll-dependent activation process during immune defenses. We were interested in the mechanisms of this dual effect and provide here evidence that upon pathogenic stimuli, dorsal, one of the transcription factors of the fly Toll pathway, can induce the expression of the E3 ligase Bre1. We further show that Bre1 complexes with the E2 Rad6 to mono-ubiquitinate histone H2B and to promote the transcription of cactus to achieve homeostasis of the Toll immune response. Our studies characterize a Toll signal-dependent regulatory machinery in governing the Toll pathway in Drosophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingshuang Cai
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Huimin Guo
- Center for Biological Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Rong Fang
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Yongzhi Hua
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Yangyang Zhu
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Xianrui Zheng
- Zhangzhou Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University, Zhangzhou 363000, Fujian, China
| | - Jing Yan
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Jiale Wang
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Yixuan Hu
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Chuchu Zhang
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Renjie Duan
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Fanrui Kong
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Shikun Zhang
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China
| | - Di Chen
- Sino-French Hoffmann Institute, School of Basic Medical Science, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou 511436, Guangdong, China.
| | - Shanming Ji
- Center for Developmental Biology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, Anhui, China.
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31
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Lei H, Zhang SQ, Bai H, Zhao HY, Sun J, Chuai H, Xin M. Discovery of Novel, Potent, and Selective Small-Molecule Menin-Mixed Lineage Leukemia Interaction Inhibitors through Attempting Introduction of Hydrophilic Groups. J Med Chem 2022; 65:13413-13435. [PMID: 36173787 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Introduction of the N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy group to pyrido[3,2-d]pyrimidine led to the discovery of menin-mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) interaction inhibitor C20. C20 showed strong binding affinity to menin protein and achieved sub-micromolar potency in cell growth inhibition. C20 had good selectivity for the inhibition of the interaction between menin and MLL in the kinase profile evaluation. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that C20 possessed good stability and low clearance rate in liver microsomes and acceptable bioavailability in rats. Subsequent oral administration of C20 showed potent antitumor activity in the MV4;11 subcutaneous xenograft models of MLL-rearranged leukemia. The docking study showed that C20 bound highly with menin, and the N,N-dimethylaminoethoxy group occupied the F9 pocket of menin. This study proved that introducing a hydrophilic group into the F9 pocket of menin would be a new strategy for the design of menin-MLL interaction inhibitors with potent binding affinity and improved physical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Lei
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
| | - San-Qi Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
| | - Huanrong Bai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
| | - Hong-Yi Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
| | - Jiajia Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
| | - Hongyan Chuai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
| | - Minhang Xin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi710061, P. R. China
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32
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Wille CK, Sridharan R. Connecting the DOTs on Cell Identity. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:906713. [PMID: 35733849 PMCID: PMC9207516 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.906713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
DOT1-Like (DOT1L) is the sole methyltransferase of histone H3K79, a modification enriched mainly on the bodies of actively transcribing genes. DOT1L has been extensively studied in leukemia were some of the most frequent onco-fusion proteins contain portions of DOT1L associated factors that mislocalize H3K79 methylation and drive oncogenesis. However, the role of DOT1L in non-transformed, developmental contexts is less clear. Here we assess the known functional roles of DOT1L both in vitro cell culture and in vivo models of mammalian development. DOT1L is evicted during the 2-cell stage when cells are totipotent and massive epigenetic and transcriptional alterations occur. Embryonic stem cell lines that are derived from the blastocyst tolerate the loss of DOT1L, while the reduction of DOT1L protein levels or its catalytic activity greatly enhances somatic cell reprogramming to induced pluripotent stem cells. DOT1L knockout mice are embryonically lethal when organogenesis commences. We catalog the rapidly increasing studies of total and lineage specific knockout model systems that show that DOT1L is broadly required for differentiation. Reduced DOT1L activity is concomitant with increased developmental potential. Contrary to what would be expected of a modification that is associated with active transcription, loss of DOT1L activity results in more upregulated than downregulated genes. DOT1L also participates in various epigenetic networks that are both cell type and developmental stage specific. Taken together, the functions of DOT1L during development are pleiotropic and involve gene regulation at the locus specific and global levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Coral K. Wille
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Coral K. Wille, , Rupa Sridharan,
| | - Rupa Sridharan
- Wisconsin Institute for Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- Department of Cell and Regenerative Biology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
- *Correspondence: Coral K. Wille, , Rupa Sridharan,
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33
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Yuan Y, Du L, Tan R, Yu Y, Jiang J, Yao A, Luo J, Tang R, Xiao Y, Sun H. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluations of DOT1L Peptide Mimetics Targeting the Protein-Protein Interactions between DOT1L and MLL-AF9/MLL-ENL. J Med Chem 2022; 65:7770-7785. [PMID: 35612819 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
On the basis of a previously identified DOT1L peptide mimetic (compound 3), a series of novel peptide mimetics were designed and synthesized. These compounds can potently bind to AF9 and ENL either in cell-free binding assays or in leukemia cells, and selectively inhibit the growth of leukemia cells containing mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) fusion proteins. The most potent compound 12 exhibited comparable anticancer cellular activities to those of EPZ5676, a clinical stage enzymatic inhibitor of DOT1L in several leukemia cell lines containing MLL fusion proteins. Mechanism studies for compound 12 indicated that it did not affect the global methylation of H3K79 catalyzed by DOT1L but could effectively suppress the methylation of H3K79 at MLL fusion proteins targeted genes and inhibit the expressions of these genes. Our studies thus demonstrated that inhibiting the protein-protein interactions between DOT1L and MLL fusion proteins is a potentially effective strategy for the treatment of MLL rearranged leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rongliang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yifan Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jinxin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Aihong Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jiajun Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rui Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haiying Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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Khan SU, Khan MU, Kalsoom F, Khan MI, Gao S, Unar A, Zubair M, Bilal M. Mechanisms of gene regulation by histone degradation in adaptation of yeast: an overview of recent advances. Arch Microbiol 2022; 204:287. [PMID: 35482104 DOI: 10.1007/s00203-022-02897-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Histones are important component of eukaryotic cells chromatin and consist of arginine and lysine residues. Histones play an important role in the protection of DNA. Their contents significantly affect high-level chromatin structure formation, gene expression, DNA replication, and other important life activities. Protein degradation is an important regulatory mechanism of histone content. Recent studies have revealed that modification of amino acid sequence is directly related to histone breakdown. In addition, histone degradation is closely related to covalent modifications, such as ubiquitination and acetylation, which are considered to be driving factors in gene regulation. Gene regulation is an important mechanism in adaptation to the environment and survival of species. With the introduction of highly efficient technology, various mutations in histones have been identified in yeast. In the field of epigenetics and the transmission of chromatin states, two widely used model organisms are the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Higher eukaryotes can use their silent loci to maintain their epigenetic states and providing the base to investigate mechanisms underlying development. Therfore, both species have contributed a plethora of information on these mechanisms in both yeast and higher eukaryotes. This study focuses on the role of histone modifications in controlling telomeric silencing in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and centromeric silencing in S. pombe as examples of genetic loci that demonstrate epigenetic inheritance. In view of recent advances, this review focuses on the post-translational modification of histone amino acid residues and reviews the relationship between histone degradation and amino acid residue modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Safir Ullah Khan
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at the Microscale, School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China
| | - Munir Ullah Khan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Macromolecular Synthesis and Functionalization, Department of Polymer Science and Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, People's Republic of China
| | - Fadia Kalsoom
- Department of Microbiology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon, 16499, Republic of Korea
| | - Muhammad Imran Khan
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China.
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale and the Center for Biomedical Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Pathology, District headquarters hospital, Jhang, 35200, Punjab Province, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
| | - Shuang Gao
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China
| | - Ahsanullah Unar
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Zubair
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China
- The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, School of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, People's Republic of China
| | - Muhammad Bilal
- School of Life Science and Food Engineering, Huaiyin Institute of Technology, Huaian, 223003, People's Republic of China.
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35
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Alexandrova E, Salvati A, Pecoraro G, Lamberti J, Melone V, Sellitto A, Rizzo F, Giurato G, Tarallo R, Nassa G, Weisz A. Histone Methyltransferase DOT1L as a Promising Epigenetic Target for Treatment of Solid Tumors. Front Genet 2022; 13:864612. [PMID: 35495127 PMCID: PMC9043692 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.864612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The histone lysine methyltransferase DOT1L (DOT1-like histone lysine methyltransferase) is responsible for the epigenetic regulation of gene expression through specific methylation of lysine79 residue of histone H3 (H3K79) in actively transcribed genes. Its normal activity is crucial for embryonic development and adult tissues functions, whereas its aberrant functioning is known to contribute to leukemogenesis. DOT1L is the only lysine methyltransferase that does not contain a SET domain, which is a feature that allowed the development of selective DOT1L inhibitors that are currently investigated in Phase I clinical trials for cancer treatment. Recently, abnormal expression of this enzyme has been associated with poor survival and increased aggressiveness of several solid tumors. In this review evidences of aberrant DOT1L expression and activity in breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, and other solid tumors, and its relationships with biological and clinical behavior of the disease and response to therapies, are summarized. Current knowledge of the structural basis of DOT1L ability to regulate cell proliferation, invasion, plasticity and stemness, cell cycle progression, cell-to-cell signaling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and chemoresistance, through cooperation with several molecular partners including noncoding RNAs, is also reviewed. Finally, available options for the treatment of therapeutically challenging solid tumors by targeting DOT1L are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Alexandrova
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Annamaria Salvati
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Medical Genomics Program and Division of Oncology, AOU “S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pecoraro
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Jessica Lamberti
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Viola Melone
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Assunta Sellitto
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Roberta Tarallo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giovanni Nassa
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giovanni Nassa, ; Alessandro Weisz,
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Medical Genomics Program and Division of Oncology, AOU “S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giovanni Nassa, ; Alessandro Weisz,
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36
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Li X, Yao Y, Wu F, Song Y. A proteolysis-targeting chimera molecule selectively degrades ENL and inhibits malignant gene expression and tumor growth. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:41. [PMID: 35395864 PMCID: PMC8994274 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01258-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chromosome translocations involving mixed lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1) cause acute leukemia in most infants and 5–10% children/adults with dismal clinical outcomes. Most frequent MLL1-fusion partners AF4/AFF4, AF9/ENL and ELL, together with CDK9/cyclin-T1, constitute super elongation complexes (SEC), which promote aberrant gene transcription, oncogenesis and maintenance of MLL1-rearranged (MLL1-r) leukemia. Notably, ENL, but not its paralog AF9, is essential for MLL1-r leukemia (and several other cancers) and therefore a drug target. Moreover, recurrent ENL mutations are found in Wilms tumor, the most common pediatric kidney cancer, and play critical roles in oncogenesis. Methods Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) molecules were designed and synthesized to degrade ENL. Biological activities of these compounds were characterized in cell and mouse models of MLL1-r leukemia and other cancers. Results Compound 1 efficiently degraded ENL with DC50 of 37 nM and almost depleted it at ~ 500 nM in blood and solid tumor cells. AF9 (as well as other proteins in SEC) was not significantly decreased. Compound 1-mediated ENL reduction significantly suppressed malignant gene signatures, selectively inhibited cell proliferation of MLL1-r leukemia and Myc-driven cancer cells with EC50s as low as 320 nM, and induced cell differentiation and apoptosis. It exhibited significant antitumor activity in a mouse model of MLL1-r leukemia. Compound 1 can also degrade a mutant ENL in Wilms tumor and suppress its mediated gene transcription. Conclusion Compound 1 is a novel chemical probe for cellular and in vivo studies of ENL (including its oncogenic mutants) and a lead compound for further anticancer drug development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13045-022-01258-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Fangrui Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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37
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Feoli A, Viviano M, Cipriano A, Milite C, Castellano S, Sbardella G. Lysine methyltransferase inhibitors: where we are now. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:359-406. [PMID: 35441141 PMCID: PMC8985178 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00196e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein lysine methyltransferases constitute a large family of epigenetic writers that catalyse the transfer of a methyl group from the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine to histone- and non-histone-specific substrates. Alterations in the expression and activity of these proteins have been linked to the genesis and progress of several diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, and growing defects, hence they represent interesting targets for new therapeutic approaches. Over the past two decades, the identification of modulators of lysine methyltransferases has increased tremendously, clarifying the role of these proteins in different physio-pathological states. The aim of this review is to furnish an updated outlook about the protein lysine methyltransferases disclosed modulators, reporting their potency, their mechanism of action and their eventual use in clinical and preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Feoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Monica Viviano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Alessandra Cipriano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Ciro Milite
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Gianluca Sbardella
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
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38
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Yi Y, Ge S. Targeting the histone H3 lysine 79 methyltransferase DOT1L in MLL-rearranged leukemias. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:35. [PMID: 35331314 PMCID: PMC8944089 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01251-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupting the methylation of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L)-mediated histone H3 lysine 79 has been implicated in MLL fusion-mediated leukemogenesis. Recently, DOT1L has become an attractive therapeutic target for MLL-rearranged leukemias. Rigorous studies have been performed, and much progress has been achieved. Moreover, one DOT1L inhibitor, EPZ-5676, has entered clinical trials, but its clinical activity is modest. Here, we review the recent advances and future trends of various therapeutic strategies against DOT1L for MLL-rearranged leukemias, including DOT1L enzymatic activity inhibitors, DOT1L degraders, protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors, and combinatorial interventions. In addition, the limitations, challenges, and prospects of these therapeutic strategies are discussed. In summary, we present a general overview of DOT1L as a target in MLL-rearranged leukemias to provide valuable guidance for DOT1L-associated drug development in the future. Although a variety of DOT1L enzymatic inhibitors have been identified, most of them require further optimization. Recent advances in the development of small molecule degraders, including heterobifunctional degraders and molecular glues, provide valuable insights and references for DOT1L degraders. However, drug R&D strategies and platforms need to be developed and preclinical experiments need to be performed with the purpose of blocking DOT1L-associated PPIs. DOT1L epigenetic-based combination therapy is worth considering and exploring, but the therapy should be based on a thorough understanding of the regulatory mechanism of DOT1L epigenetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yi
- Departments of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenglei Ge
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Middle Street, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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39
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Khirsariya P, Pospíŝil P, Maier L, Boudný M, Babáŝ M, Kroutil OE, Mráz M, Vácha R, Paruch K. Synthesis and Profiling of Highly Selective Inhibitors of Methyltransferase DOT1L Based on Carbocyclic C-Nucleosides. J Med Chem 2022; 65:5701-5723. [PMID: 35302777 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Histone methyltransferase DOT1L is an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of hematological malignancies. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and profiling of new DOT1L inhibitors based on nonroutine carbocyclic C-nucleoside scaffolds. The experimentally observed SAR was found to be nontrivial as seemingly minor changes of individual substituents resulted in significant changes in the affinity to DOT1L. Molecular modeling suggested that these trends could be related to significant conformational changes of the protein upon interaction with the inhibitors. The compounds 22 and (-)-53 (MU1656), carbocyclic C-nucleoside analogues of the natural nucleoside derivative EPZ004777, and the clinical candidate EPZ5676 (pinometostat) potently and selectively inhibit DOT1L in vitro as well as in the cell. The most potent compound MU1656 was found to be more metabolically stable and significantly less toxic in vivo than pinometostat itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Khirsariya
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,International Clinical Research Center, Center for Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Patrik Pospíŝil
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáŝ Maier
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,International Clinical Research Center, Center for Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Boudný
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Jihlavska 20, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Babáŝ
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondr Ej Kroutil
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Mráz
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Jihlavska 20, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Vácha
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Paruch
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,International Clinical Research Center, Center for Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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40
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Sun D, Wang W, Guo F, Pitter MR, Du W, Wei S, Grove S, Vatan L, Chen Y, Kryczek I, Fearon ER, Fang JY, Zou W. DOT1L affects colorectal carcinogenesis via altering T cell subsets and oncogenic pathway. Oncoimmunology 2022; 11:2052640. [PMID: 35309733 PMCID: PMC8928792 DOI: 10.1080/2162402x.2022.2052640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic inflammation and oncogenic pathway activation are key-contributing factors in colorectal cancer pathogenesis. However, colorectal intrinsic mechanisms linking these two factors in cancer development are poorly defined. Here, we show that intestinal epithelial cell (IEC)-specific deletion of Dot1l histone methyltransferase (Dot1lΔIEC) reduced H3K79 dimethylation (H3K79me2) in IECs and inhibited intestinal tumor formation in ApcMin- and AOM-DSS-induced colorectal cancer models. IEC-Dot1l abrogation was accompanied by alleviative colorectal inflammation and reduced Wnt/β-catenin signaling activation. Mechanistically, Dot1l deficiency resulted in an increase in Foxp3+RORϒ+ regulatory T (Treg) cells and a decrease in inflammatory Th17 and Th22 cells, thereby reducing local inflammation in the intestinal tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, Dot1l deficiency caused a reduction of H3K79me2 occupancies in the promoters of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling genes, thereby diminishing Wnt/β-catenin oncogenic signaling pathway activation in colorectal cancer cells. Clinically, high levels of tumor H3K79me2 were detected in patients with colorectal carcinomas as compared to adenomas, and negatively correlated with RORϒ+FOXP3+ Treg cells. Altogether, we conclude that DOT1L is an intrinsic molecular node connecting chronic immune activation and oncogenic signaling pathways in colorectal cancer. Our work suggests that targeting the DOT1L pathway may control colorectal carcinogenesis. Significance: IEC-intrinsic DOT1L controls T cell subset balance and key oncogenic pathway activation, impacting colorectal carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danfeng Sun
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Weichao Wang
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Fangfang Guo
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Michael R. Pitter
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Renji Hospital, Shanghai, China
| | - Wan Du
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Shuang Wei
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Sara Grove
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Linda Vatan
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Yingxuan Chen
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Ilona Kryczek
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Eric R. Fearon
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Jing-Yuan Fang
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
| | - Weiping Zou
- Departments of Surgery,University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine Affiliated Renji Hospital, Shanghai, China
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Yeewa R, Chaiya P, Jantrapirom S, Shotelersuk V, Lo Piccolo L. Multifaceted roles of YEATS domain-containing proteins and novel links to neurological diseases. Cell Mol Life Sci 2022; 79:183. [PMID: 35279775 PMCID: PMC11071958 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04218-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The so-called Yaf9, ENL, AF9, Taf14, and Sas5 (YEATS) domain-containing proteins, hereafter referred to as YD proteins, take control over the transcription by multiple steps of regulation either involving epigenetic remodelling of chromatin or guiding the processivity of RNA polymerase II to facilitate elongation-coupled mRNA 3' processing. Interestingly, an increasing amount of evidence suggest a wider repertoire of YD protein's functions spanning from non-coding RNA regulation, RNA-binding proteins networking, post-translational regulation of a few signalling transduction proteins and the spindle pole formation. However, such a large set of non-canonical roles is still poorly characterized. Notably, four paralogous of human YEATS domain family members, namely eleven-nineteen-leukaemia (ENL), ALL1-fused gene from chromosome 9 protein (AF9), YEATS2 and glioma amplified sequence 41 (GAS41), have a strong link to cancer yet new findings also highlight a potential novel role in neurological diseases. Here, in an attempt to more comprehensively understand the complexity of four YD proteins and to gain more insight into the novel functions they may accomplish in the neurons, we summarized the YD protein's networks, systematically searched and reviewed the YD genetic variants associated with neurodevelopmental disorders and finally interrogated the model organism Drosophila melanogaster.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ranchana Yeewa
- Centre of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Pawita Chaiya
- Centre of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Salinee Jantrapirom
- Drosophila Centre for Human Diseases and Drug Discovery (DHD), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand
| | - Vorasuk Shotelersuk
- Centre of Excellence for Medical Genomics, Medical Genomics Cluster, Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Excellence Centre for Genomics and Precision Medicine, The Thai Red Cross Society, King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Luca Lo Piccolo
- Centre of Multidisciplinary Technology for Advanced Medicine (CMUTEAM), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
- Musculoskeletal Science and Translational Research Centre (MSTR), Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang, Chiang Mai, 50200, Thailand.
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Kabra A, Bushweller J. The Intrinsically Disordered Proteins MLLT3 (AF9) and MLLT1 (ENL) - Multimodal Transcriptional Switches With Roles in Normal Hematopoiesis, MLL Fusion Leukemia, and Kidney Cancer. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167117. [PMID: 34174329 PMCID: PMC8695629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
AF9 (MLLT3) and ENL (MLLT1) are members of the YEATS family (named after the five proteins first shown to contain this domain: Yaf9, ENL, AF9, Taf14, Sas5) defined by the presence of a YEATS domain. The YEATS domain is an epigenetic reader that binds to acetylated and crotonylated lysines, unlike the bromodomain which can only bind to acetylated lysines. All members of this family have been shown to be components of various complexes with roles in chromatin remodeling, histone modification, histone variant deposition, and transcriptional regulation. MLLT3 is a critical regulator of hematopoiesis with a role in maintaining the hematopoietic stem or progenitor cell (HSPC) population. Approximately 10% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patients harbor a translocation involving MLL (mixed lineage leukemia). In the context of MLL fusion patients with AML and ALL, MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL fusions are observed in 34 and 31% of the patients, respectively. The intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain of MLLT3 (AHD, ANC1 homology domain) undergoes coupled binding and folding upon interaction with partner proteins AF4, DOT1L, BCOR, and CBX8. Backbone dynamics studies of the complexes suggest a role for dynamics in function. Inhibitors of the interaction of the intrinsically disordered AHD with partner proteins have been described, highlighting the feasibility of targeting intrinsically disordered regions. MLLT1 undergoes phase separation to enhance recruitment of the super elongation complex (SEC) and drive transcription. Mutations in MLLT1 observed in Wilms tumor patients enhance phase separation and transcription to drive an aberrant gene expression program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kabra
- Dept. of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States
| | - John Bushweller
- Dept. of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States; Dept. of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, United States.
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Abstract
Protein degradation is a fundamental feature of cellular life, and malfunction of this process is implicated in human disease. Ubiquitin tagging is the best characterized mechanism of targeting a protein for degradation; however, there are a growing number of distinct mechanisms which have also been identified that carry out this essential function. For example, covalent tagging of proteins with sequestosome-1 targets them for selective autophagy. Degradation signals are not exclusively polypeptides such as ubiquitin, NEDD8, and sequestosome-1. Phosphorylation, acetylation, and methylation are small covalent additions that can also direct protein degradation. The diversity of substrate sequences and overlap with other pleotrophic functions for these smaller signaling moieties has made their characterization more challenging. However, these small signals might be responsible for orchestrating a large portion of the protein degradation activity in the cell. As such, there has been increasing interest in lysine methylation and associated lysine methyltransferases (KMTs), beyond canonical histone protein modification, in mediating protein degradation in a variety of contexts. This review focuses on the current evidence for lysine methylation as a protein degradation signal with a detailed discussion of the class of enzymes responsible for this phenomenon.
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Wang J, Zhong W, Su H, Xu J, Yang D, Liu X, Zhu YZ. Histone Methyltransferase Dot1L Contributes to RIPK1 Kinase-Dependent Apoptosis in Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion. J Am Heart Assoc 2021; 10:e022791. [PMID: 34796721 PMCID: PMC9075366 DOI: 10.1161/jaha.121.022791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Background Neuron apoptosis is a pivotal process for brain damage in cerebral ischemia. Dot1L (disruptor of telomeric silencing 1‐like) is only known histone H3K79 methyltransferase. It is not clear whether the role and mechanism of Dot1L on cerebral ischemia is related to regulate neuron apoptosis. Methods and Results We use a combination of mice middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke and neurons exposed to oxygen‐glucose deprivation followed by reoxygenation to investigate the role and mechanism of Dot1L on cerebral ischemia. We find knockdown or inhibition of Dot1L reversed ischemia‐induced neuronal apoptosis and attenuated the neurons injury treated by oxygen‐glucose deprivation followed by reoxygenation. Further, blockade of Dot1L prevents RIPK1 (receptor‐interacting protein kinase 1)‐dependent apoptosis through increased RIPK1 K63‐ubiquitylation and decreased formation of RIPK1/Caspase 8 complexes. In line with this, H3K79me3 enrichment in the promoter region of deubiquitin‐modifying enzyme A20 and deubiquitinase cylindromatosis gene promotes the increasing expression in oxygen‐glucose deprivation followed by reoxygenation ‐induced neuronal cells, on the contrary, oxygen‐glucose deprivation followed by reoxygenation decreases H3K79me3 level in the promoter region of ubiquitin‐modifying enzyme cIAP1 (cellular inhibitors of apoptosis proteins), and both these factors ultimately cause K63‐deubiquitination of RIPK1. Importantly, knockdown or inhibition of Dot1L in vivo attenuates apoptosis in middle cerebral artery occlusion mice and reduces the extent of middle cerebral artery occlusion ‐induced brain injury. Conclusions These data support for the first time, to our knowledge, that Dot1L regulating RIPK1 to the apoptotic death trigger contributes to cerebral ischemia injury. Therefore, targeting Dot1L serves as a new therapeutic strategy for ischemia stroke.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinghuan Wang
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China
| | - Wen Zhong
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China
| | - Haibi Su
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China
| | - Jie Xu
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China
| | - Di Yang
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China
| | - Xinhua Liu
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China
| | - Yi Zhun Zhu
- Department of Pharmacology School of PharmacyHuman Phenome InstituteFudan University Shanghai China.,State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine and School of Pharmacy Macau University of Science and Technology Macau China
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A DOT1B/Ribonuclease H2 Protein Complex Is Involved in R-Loop Processing, Genomic Integrity, and Antigenic Variation in Trypanosoma brucei. mBio 2021; 12:e0135221. [PMID: 34749530 PMCID: PMC8576533 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01352-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The parasite Trypanosoma brucei periodically changes the expression of protective variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) to evade its host’s immune system in a process known as antigenic variation. One route to change VSG expression is the transcriptional activation of a previously silent VSG expression site (ES), a subtelomeric region containing the VSG genes. Homologous recombination of a different VSG from a large reservoir into the active ES represents another route. The conserved histone methyltransferase DOT1B is involved in transcriptional silencing of inactive ES and influences ES switching kinetics. The molecular machinery that enables DOT1B to execute these regulatory functions remains elusive, however. To better understand DOT1B-mediated regulatory processes, we purified DOT1B-associated proteins using complementary biochemical approaches. We identified several novel DOT1B interactors. One of these was the RNase H2 complex, previously shown to resolve RNA-DNA hybrids, maintain genome integrity, and play a role in antigenic variation. Our study revealed that DOT1B depletion results in an increase in RNA-DNA hybrids, accumulation of DNA damage, and ES switching events. Surprisingly, a similar pattern of VSG deregulation was observed in RNase H2 mutants. We propose that both proteins act together in resolving R-loops to ensure genome integrity and contribute to the tightly regulated process of antigenic variation.
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Gibert JM, Peronnet F. The Paramount Role of Drosophila melanogaster in the Study of Epigenetics: From Simple Phenotypes to Molecular Dissection and Higher-Order Genome Organization. INSECTS 2021; 12:884. [PMID: 34680653 PMCID: PMC8537509 DOI: 10.3390/insects12100884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Drosophila melanogaster has played a paramount role in epigenetics, the study of changes in gene function inherited through mitosis or meiosis that are not due to changes in the DNA sequence. By analyzing simple phenotypes, such as the bristle position or cuticle pigmentation, as read-outs of regulatory processes, the identification of mutated genes led to the discovery of major chromatin regulators. These are often conserved in distantly related organisms such as vertebrates or even plants. Many of them deposit, recognize, or erase post-translational modifications on histones (histone marks). Others are members of chromatin remodeling complexes that move, eject, or exchange nucleosomes. We review the role of D. melanogaster research in three epigenetic fields: Heterochromatin formation and maintenance, the repression of transposable elements by piRNAs, and the regulation of gene expression by the antagonistic Polycomb and Trithorax complexes. We then describe how genetic tools available in D. melanogaster allowed to examine the role of histone marks and show that some histone marks are dispensable for gene regulation, whereas others play essential roles. Next, we describe how D. melanogaster has been particularly important in defining chromatin types, higher-order chromatin structures, and their dynamic changes during development. Lastly, we discuss the role of epigenetics in a changing environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-Michel Gibert
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement (LBD), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Peronnet
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire de Biologie du Développement (LBD), Institut de Biologie Paris Seine (IBPS), Sorbonne Université, 75005 Paris, France
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Sasca D, Guezguez B, Kühn MWM. Next generation epigenetic modulators to target myeloid neoplasms. Curr Opin Hematol 2021; 28:356-363. [PMID: 34267079 DOI: 10.1097/moh.0000000000000673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Comprehensive sequencing studies aimed at determining the genetic landscape of myeloid neoplasms have identified epigenetic regulators to be among the most commonly mutated genes. Detailed studies have also revealed a number of epigenetic vulnerabilities. The purpose of this review is to outline these vulnerabilities and to discuss the new generation of drugs that exploit them. RECENT FINDINGS In addition to deoxyribonucleic acid-methylation, novel epigenetic dependencies have recently been discovered in various myeloid neoplasms and many of them can be targeted pharmacologically. These include not only chromatin writers, readers, and erasers but also chromatin movers that shift nucleosomes to allow access for transcription. Inhibitors of protein-protein interactions represent a novel promising class of drugs that allow disassembly of oncogenic multiprotein complexes. SUMMARY An improved understanding of disease-specific epigenetic vulnerabilities has led to the development of second-generation mechanism-based epigenetic drugs against myeloid neoplasms. Many of these drugs have been introduced into clinical trials and synergistic drug combination regimens have been shown to enhance efficacy and potentially prevent drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Sasca
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz
| | - Borhane Guezguez
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael W M Kühn
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Pulmonary Medicine, University Medical Center, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz
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Richter WF, Shah RN, Ruthenburg AJ. Non-canonical H3K79me2-dependent pathways promote the survival of MLL-rearranged leukemia. eLife 2021; 10:64960. [PMID: 34263728 PMCID: PMC8315800 DOI: 10.7554/elife.64960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
MLL-rearranged leukemia depends on H3K79 methylation. Depletion of this transcriptionally activating mark by DOT1L deletion or high concentrations of the inhibitor pinometostat downregulates HOXA9 and MEIS1, and consequently reduces leukemia survival. Yet, some MLL-rearranged leukemias are inexplicably susceptible to low-dose pinometostat, far below concentrations that downregulate this canonical proliferation pathway. In this context, we define alternative proliferation pathways that more directly derive from H3K79me2 loss. By ICeChIP-seq, H3K79me2 is markedly depleted at pinometostat-downregulated and MLL-fusion targets, with paradoxical increases of H3K4me3 and loss of H3K27me3. Although downregulation of polycomb components accounts for some of the proliferation defect, transcriptional downregulation of FLT3 is the major pathway. Loss-of-FLT3-function recapitulates the cytotoxicity and gene expression consequences of low-dose pinometostat, whereas overexpression of constitutively active STAT5A, a target of FLT3-ITD-signaling, largely rescues these defects. This pathway also depends on MLL1, indicating combinations of DOT1L, MLL1 and FLT3 inhibitors should be explored for treating FLT3-mutant leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- William F Richter
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Rohan N Shah
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Pritzker School of Medicine, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
| | - Alexander J Ruthenburg
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, United States
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49
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Wu F, Nie S, Yao Y, Huo T, Li X, Wu X, Zhao J, Lin YL, Zhang Y, Mo Q, Song Y. Small-molecule inhibitor of AF9/ENL-DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 interactions suppresses malignant gene expression and tumor growth. Theranostics 2021; 11:8172-8184. [PMID: 34373735 PMCID: PMC8344022 DOI: 10.7150/thno.56737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosome translocations involving mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene cause acute leukemia with a poor prognosis. MLL is frequently fused with transcription cofactors AF4 (~35%), AF9 (25%) or its paralog ENL (10%). The AHD domain of AF9/ENL binds to AF4, its paralog AFF4, or histone-H3 lysine-79 (H3K79) methyltransferase DOT1L. Formation of AF9/ENL/AF4/AFF4-containing super elongation complexes (SEC) and the catalytic activity of DOT1L are essential for MLL-rearranged leukemia. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) between AF9/ENL and DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 are therefore a potential drug target. Methods: Compound screening followed by medicinal chemistry was used to find inhibitors of such PPIs, which were examined for their biological activities against MLL-rearranged leukemia and other cancer cells. Results: Compound-1 was identified to be a novel small-molecule inhibitor of the AF9/ENL-DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 interaction with IC50s of 0.9-3.5 µM. Pharmacological inhibition of the PPIs significantly reduced SEC and DOT1L-mediated H3K79 methylation in the leukemia cells. Gene profiling shows compound-1 significantly suppressed the gene signatures related to onco-MLL, DOT1L, HoxA9 and Myc. It selectively inhibited proliferation of onco-MLL- or Myc-driven cancer cells and induced cell differentiation and apoptosis. Compound-1 exhibited strong antitumor activity in a mouse model of MLL-rearranged leukemia. Conclusions: The AF9/ENL-DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 interactions are validated to be an anticancer target and compound-1 is a useful in vivo probe for biological studies as well as a pharmacological lead for further drug development.
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50
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Yokoyama A. Leukemogenesis via aberrant self-renewal by the MLL/AEP-mediated transcriptional activation system. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:3935-3944. [PMID: 34251718 PMCID: PMC8486200 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeostasis of the hematopoietic system is achieved in a hierarchy, with hematopoietic stem cells at the pinnacle. Because only hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can self-renew, the size of the hematopoietic system is strictly controlled. In hematopoietic reconstitution experiments, 1 HSC can reconstitute the entire hematopoietic system, whereas 50 multipotent progenitors cannot. This indicates that only HSCs self-renew, whereas non-HSC hematopoietic progenitors are programmed to differentiate or senesce. Oncogenic mutations of the mixed lineage leukemia gene (MLL) overcome this "programmed differentiation" by conferring the self-renewing ability to non-HSC hematopoietic progenitors. In leukemia, mutated MLL proteins constitutively activate a broad range of previously transcribed CpG-rich promoters by an MLL-mediated transcriptional activation system. This system promotes self-renewal by replicating an expression profile similar to that of the mother cell in its daughter cells. In this transcriptional activation system, MLL binds to unmethylated CpG-rich promoters and recruits RNA polymerase II. MLL recruits p300/CBP through its transcriptional activation domain, which acetylates histone H3 at lysines 9, 18, and 27. The AF4 family/ENL family/P-TEFb complex (AEP) binds to acetylated H3K9/18/27 to activate transcription. Gene rearrangements of MLL with AEP- or CBP/p300-complex components generate constitutively active transcriptional machinery of this transcriptional activation system, which causes aberrant self-renewal of leukemia stem cells. Inhibitors of the components of this system effectively decrease their leukemogenic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiko Yokoyama
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer Center, Tsuruoka, Japan.,National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan
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