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Cui M, Bai M, Zheng L, Bao Y, Sun L, Yu C, Sun Y, Song Z, Wang G, Yu Z, Li Y, Huang Y. Discovery and Verification of Key Liver Cancer Genes and Alternative Splicing Events Based on Second-Generation Sequencing Data Analysis. Biol Pharm Bull 2021; 44:1433-1444. [PMID: 34602553 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignant liver disease in the world. Existing screening and early diagnosis methods are not highly sensitive for HCC, and patients are likely to develop the disease to the middle and advanced stages before being diagnosed. Therefore, finding new and efficient diagnosis and treatment methods has become an urgent problem. We aimed at finding and verifying new liver cancer markers by combining informatics analysis with experimental exploration to provide new ideas and methods for the diagnosis and treatment of clinical liver cancer. We used two different bioinformatic pipelines to analyze sequencing data of clinical liver cancer samples and identify differentially expressed genes and key variants after combining them with The Cancer Genome Atlas sequencing data. Then, we explored the functions and mechanisms of the key variants to identify potential liver cancer markers. Through bioinformatic analysis of sequencing data, 139 differentially expressed genes were found, including 53 upregulated genes and 86 downregulated genes. Through enrichment and alternative splicing event analysis of sequencing data, we found nine key variants with exon skipping events. Metallothionein 1E (MT1E)-203 was found to be a key variant that influenced cell proliferation through the p53 cell cycle pathway through cell viability and proliferation assays, and MT1E-203 lost the ability to bind two zinc ions due to exon skipping according to the structure prediction of MT1E-203. MT1E-203 is a potential biomarker for HCC and may play an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Cui
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Miao Bai
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Lihua Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Yongli Bao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Luguo Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Chunlei Yu
- Research Center of Agriculture and Medicine Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University
| | - Ying Sun
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Zhenbo Song
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
| | - Guannan Wang
- Research Center of Agriculture and Medicine Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University
| | - Zhenxiang Yu
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, the First Hospital of Jilin University
| | - Yuxin Li
- Research Center of Agriculture and Medicine Gene Engineering of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University
| | - Yanxin Huang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Druggable Gene and Protein Screening, Northeast Normal University
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Sanceau J, Gougelet A. Epigenetic mechanisms of liver tumor resistance to immunotherapy. World J Hepatol 2021; 13:979-1002. [PMID: 34630870 PMCID: PMC8473495 DOI: 10.4254/wjh.v13.i9.979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver tumor, which stands fourth in rank of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The incidence of HCC is constantly increasing in correlation with the epidemic in diabetes and obesity, arguing for an urgent need for new treatments for this lethal cancer refractory to conventional treatments. HCC is the paradigm of inflammation-associated cancer, since more than 80% of HCC emerge consecutively to cirrhosis associated with a vast remodeling of liver microenvironment. In the recent decade, immunomodulatory drugs have been developed and have given impressive results in melanoma and later in several other cancers. In the present review, we will discuss the recent advancements concerning the use of immunotherapies in HCC, in particular those targeting immune checkpoints, used alone or in combination with other anti-cancers agents. We will address why these drugs demonstrate unsatisfactory results in a high proportion of liver cancers and the mechanisms of resistance developed by HCC to evade immune response with a focus on the epigenetic-related mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Sanceau
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris, Paris 75006, France
| | - Angélique Gougelet
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, Sorbonne Université, Inserm, Université de Paris, Paris 75006, France
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Guo Y, Zhao YR, Liu H, Xin Y, Yu JZ, Zang YJ, Xu QG. EHMT2 promotes the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma by epigenetically silencing APC expression. Cell Biosci 2021; 11:152. [PMID: 34344448 PMCID: PMC8335875 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-021-00663-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide, alone accounts for over half (466,100) of new cancer cases and 422,100 deaths based on the average year incidence rates of 2009 to 2011 in China. Due to unclear and complex underlying mechanisms for HCC development, effective therapy for HCC is still unavailable. The Wnt-β-catenin pathway is a critical contributor of HCC pathogenesis: 40-70% of HCCs from patients harbor the nuclear accumulation of β-catenin protein. However, the mechanisms for β-catenin activation are not fully understood. METHODS The deletion of EHMT2 in Hep3B and Huh1 cells was achieved by transiently transfecting cells with pX459 plasmids, which carry EHMT2 specific small guide RNA (sgRNA) sequences for Cas9 protein. All experiments were performed in triplicate and repeated more than three times. RESULTS In the present study, we observed that EHMT2 (but not EHMT1) mRNA and protein levels were significantly elevated in HCC compared with normal controls. Next, the results of Ki67 staining, as well as MTT, soft-agar and xenograft assays, in wild-type and EHMT2-/- Hep3B and Huh1 cancer stem cells collectively revealed that the elevation of EHMT2 expression is required for the tumorigenesis of HCC. Meanwhile, we found that elevated EHMT2 expression contributes to the activation of Wnt-β-catenin signaling: deletion of EHMT2 in Hep3B or Huh1 cells promoted the cytoplasmic localization of β-catenin and restrained the expression of Wnt-β-catenin signaling targets such as Myc, CCND1, MMP-7, etc. We demonstrated that EMHT2 directly mediates the H3K9me2 methylation of the APC promoter to epigenetically silence its expression. More intriguingly, our findings also showed that UNC0642, a specific inhibitor of EHMT2, exhibits anti-tumorigenesis effects in HCC both in vitro and in vivo, which were largely abolished by deletion of EHMT2 or overexpression of APC in Hep3B and Huh1 cells. CONCLUSION Altogether, our observations emphasize that the EHMT2-APC axis is a critical contributor to Wnt-β-catenin pathway activation in HCC, and UNC0642 may be a potential candidate for target drug treatment of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Guo
- Liver Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China
| | - Yan-Rong Zhao
- Liver Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China
| | - Huan Liu
- Organ Transplantation Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China
| | - Yang Xin
- Liver Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China
| | - Jian-Zhi Yu
- Liver Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China
| | - Yun-Jin Zang
- Liver Disease Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China.
| | - Qing-Guo Xu
- Organ Transplantation Center, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China. .,Lead Contact, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, 59 Haier Blvd, Qingdao, 266000, Shandong, China.
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Cheng CLH, Tsang FHC, Wei L, Chen M, Chin DWC, Shen J, Law CT, Lee D, Wong CCL, Ng IOL, Wong CM. Bromodomain-containing protein BRPF1 is a therapeutic target for liver cancer. Commun Biol 2021; 4:888. [PMID: 34285329 PMCID: PMC8292510 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02405-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic deregulation plays an essential role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. Bromodomains are epigenetic "readers" of histone acetylation. Recently, bromodomain inhibitors have exhibited promising therapeutic potential for cancer treatment. Using transcriptome sequencing, we identified BRPF1 (bromodomain and PHD finger containing 1) as the most significantly upregulated gene among the 43 bromodomain-containing genes in human HCC. BRPF1 upregulation was significantly associated with poor patient survival. Gene ablation or pharmacological inactivation of BRPF1 significantly attenuated HCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo. BRPF1 was involved in cell cycle progression, senescence and cancer stemness. Transcriptome sequencing revealed that BRPF1 is a master regulator controlling the expression of multiple key oncogenes, including E2F2 and EZH2. We demonstrated that BRPF1 activated E2F2 and EZH2 expression by facilitating promoter H3K14 acetylation through MOZ/MORF complex. In conclusion, BRPF1 is frequently upregulated in human HCCs. Targeting BRPF1 may be an approach for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol Lai-Hung Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Felice Hoi-Ching Tsang
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Mengnuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Don Wai-Ching Chin
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Jialing Shen
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Cheuk-Ting Law
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Derek Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Carmen Chak-Lui Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong. .,Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam, Hong Kong.
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Histone Methyltransferase G9a Promotes the Development of Renal Cancer through Epigenetic Silencing of Tumor Suppressor Gene SPINK5. OXIDATIVE MEDICINE AND CELLULAR LONGEVITY 2021; 2021:6650781. [PMID: 34336110 PMCID: PMC8294961 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6650781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2021] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Background Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 2–3% of malignant tumors in adults, while clear cell renal cell carcinoma accounts for 70–85% of kidney cancer cases, with an increasing incidence worldwide. G9a is the second histone methyltransferase found in mammals, catalyzing lysine and histone methylation. It regulates gene transcription by catalyzing histone methylation and interacting with transcription factors to alter the tightness of histone-DNA binding. The main purpose of this study is to explore the role and mechanism of G9a in renal cell carcinoma. Methods Firstly, we investigated the expression of G9a in 80 clinical tissues and four cell lines. Then, we explored the effect of G9a-specific inhibitor UNC0638 on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of two renal cancer cell lines (786-O, SN12C). In order to study the specific mechanism, G9a knocking down renal cancer cell line was constructed by lentivirus. Finally, we identified the downstream target genes of G9a using ChIP experiments and rescue experiments. Results The results showed that the specific G9a inhibitor UNC0638 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of kidney cancer in vivo and in vitro; similar results were obtained after knocking down G9a. Meanwhile, we demonstrated that SPINK5 was one of the downstream target genes of G9a through ChIP assay and proved that G9a downregulate the expression of SPINK5 by methylation of H3K9me2. Therefore, targeting G9a might be a new approach to the treatment of kidney cancer. Conclusion G9a was upregulated in renal cancer and could promote the development of renal cancer in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we identified SPINK5 as one of the downstream target genes of G9a. Therefore, targeting G9a might be a new treatment for kidney cancer.
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Shen J, Liu T, Bei Q, Xu S. Comprehensive Landscape of Ovarian Cancer Immune Microenvironment Based on Integrated Multi-Omics Analysis. Front Oncol 2021; 11:685065. [PMID: 34222009 PMCID: PMC8247482 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.685065] [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] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer has a low response rate to immunotherapy and a complex immune microenvironment that regulates its treatment outcomes. Understanding the immune microenvironment and its molecular basis is of great clinical significance in the effort to improve immunotherapy response and outcomes. To determine the characteristics of the immune microenvironment in ovarian cancer, we stratified ovarian cancer patients into three immune subtypes (C1, C2, and C3) using immune-related genes based on gene expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and found that these three subtypes had significant differences in immune characteristics and prognosis. Methylation and copy number variant analysis showed that the immune checkpoint genes that influenced immune response were significantly hypermethylated and highly deleted in the immunosuppressive C3 subtype, suggesting that epigenetic therapy may be able to reverse the efficacy of immunotherapy. In addition, the mutation frequencies of BRCA2 and CDK12 were significantly higher in the C2 subtype than in the other two subtypes, suggesting that mutation of DNA repair-related genes significantly affects the prognosis of ovarian cancer patients. Our study further elucidated the molecular characteristics of the immune microenvironment of ovarian cancer, which providing an effective hierarchical method for the immunotherapy of ovarian cancer patients, and has clinical relevance to the design of new immunotherapies and a reasonable combination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiacheng Shen
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tingwei Liu
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiaoli Bei
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaohua Xu
- Department of Gynecology, Shanghai First Maternity and Infant Hospital, School of Life Sciences and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
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Role of Nitric Oxide in Gene Expression Regulation during Cancer: Epigenetic Modifications and Non-Coding RNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22126264. [PMID: 34200849 PMCID: PMC8230456 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) has been identified and described as a dual mediator in cancer according to dose-, time- and compartment-dependent NO generation. The present review addresses the different epigenetic mechanisms, such as histone modifications and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), miRNA and lncRNA, which regulate directly or indirectly nitric oxide synthase (NOS) expression and NO production, impacting all hallmarks of the oncogenic process. Among lncRNA, HEIH and UCA1 develop their oncogenic functions by inhibiting their target miRNAs and consequently reversing the inhibition of NOS and promoting tumor proliferation. The connection between miRNAs and NO is also involved in two important features in cancer, such as the tumor microenvironment that includes key cellular components such as tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and cancer stem cells (CSCs).
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58
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Xia S, Wu J, Zhou W, Zhang M, Zhao K, Liu J, Tian D, Liao J. SLC7A2 deficiency promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by enhancing recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressors cells. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:570. [PMID: 34108444 PMCID: PMC8190073 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-021-03853-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The main reason for poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients is high metastasis and recurrence. Cancer progression depends on a tumor-supportive microenvironment. Therefore, illustrating the mechanisms of tumor immunity in underlying HCC metastasis is essential. Here, we report a novel role of solute carrier family 7 member 2 (SLC7A2), a member of the solute carrier family, in HCC metastasis. The reduction of SLC7A2 was an independent and significant risk factor for the survival of HCC patients. Upregulation of SLC7A2 decreased HCC invasion and metastasis, whereas downregulation of SLC7A2 promoted HCC invasion and metastasis. We further found that deficient SLC7A2 medicated the upregulation of CXCL1 through PI3K/Akt/NF-kκB pathway to recruit myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs), exerting tumor immunosuppressive effect. Moreover, we found that G9a-mediated di-methylation of H3K9 (H3K9me2) silenced the expression of SLC7A2 to suppress HCC metastasis and immune escape. In conclusion, G9a-mediated silencing of SLC7A2 exerts unexpected functions in cancer metastasis by fostering a tumor-supportive microenvironment through CXCL1 secretion and MDSCs recruitment. Thus, SLC7A2 may provide new mechanistic insight into the cancer-promoting property of MDSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suhong Xia
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Jingwen Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Wangdong Zhou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Mingyu Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Kai Zhao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Jingmei Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China
| | - Dean Tian
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China. .,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
| | - Jiazhi Liao
- Department of Gastroenterology, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China. .,Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, Tongji Hospital of Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, Hubei Province, China.
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Duan YC, Zhang SJ, Shi XJ, Jin LF, Yu T, Song Y, Guan YY. Research progress of dual inhibitors targeting crosstalk between histone epigenetic modulators for cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 222:113588. [PMID: 34107385 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Revised: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal epigenetics is a critical hallmark of human cancers. Anticancer drug discovery directed at histone epigenetic modulators has gained impressive advances with six drugs available for cancer therapy and numerous other candidates undergoing clinical trials. However, limited therapeutic profile, drug resistance, narrow safety margin, and dose-limiting toxicities pose intractable challenges for their clinical utility. Because histone epigenetic modulators undergo intricate crosstalk and act cooperatively to shape an aberrant epigenetic profile, co-targeting histone epigenetic modulators with a different mechanism of action has rapidly emerged as an attractive strategy to overcome the limitations faced by the single-target epigenetic inhibitors. In this review, we summarize in detail the crosstalk of histone epigenetic modulators in regulating gene transcription and the progress of dual epigenetic inhibitors targeting this crosstalk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying-Chao Duan
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China.
| | - Shao-Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Xiao-Jing Shi
- Laboratory Animal Center, Academy of Medical Science, Zhengzhou University, 450052, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Lin-Feng Jin
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Tong Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Yu Song
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China
| | - Yuan-Yuan Guan
- School of Pharmacy, Xinxiang Medical University, 453003, Xinxiang, Henan Province, PR China.
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Histone Methyltransferase G9a-Promoted Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Is Targeted by Liver-Specific Hsa-miR-122. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102376. [PMID: 34069116 PMCID: PMC8157135 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Targeting epigenetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) provides therapeutic options in addition to traditional treatments. The aim of our study was to evaluate the potential of targeting histone methyltransferase G9a in the development of a therapeutic target. We confirmed the prognostic values of mRNA and protein levels of G9a expression in HCC respectively from public database and tissue microarray. We also confirmed the aggressive phenotypes supported by G9a in both HBV+ and HBV− HCC cells. The identification of a regulation axis between liver-specific tumor suppressor miR-122 and G9a further supported the important roles of G9a during the tumorigenesis and progression of HCC. Combination of lower miR-122 and higher G9a levels may provide prognostic potential for poor clinical outcomes and therapeutic potential for epigenetic targeting therapies. Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) accounts for the majority of primary liver cancers, which is the second most lethal tumor worldwide. Epigenetic deregulation is a common trait observed in HCC. Recently, increasing evidence suggested that the G9a histone methyltransferase might be a novel regulator of HCC development. However, several HCC cell lines were recently noted to have HeLa cell contamination or to have been derived from non-hepatocellular origin, suggesting that functional validation of G9a in proper HCC models is still required. Herein, we first confirmed that higher G9a messenger RNA and protein expression levels were correlated with poor overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates of HCC patients from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset and our recruited HCC cohort. In an in vitro functional evaluation of HCC cells, HCC36 (hepatitis B virus-positive (HBV+) and Mahlavu (HBV−)) cells showed that G9a participated in promoting cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration/invasion abilities. Moreover, orthotopic inoculation of G9a-depleted Mahlavu cells in NOD-SCID mice also resulted in a significantly decreased tumor burden compared to the control group. Furthermore, after surveying microRNA (miRNA; miR) prediction databases, we identified the liver-specific miR-122 as a G9a-targeting miRNA. In various HCC cell lines, we observed that miR-122 expression levels tended to be inversely correlated to G9a expression levels. In clinical HCC specimens, a significant inverse correlation of miR-122 and G9a mRNA expression levels was also observed. Functionally, the colony formation and invasive ability were attenuated in miR-122-overexpressing HCC cells. HCC patients with low miR-122 and high G9a expression levels had the worst OS and DFS rates compared to others. Together, our results confirmed the importance of altered G9a expression during HCC progression and discovered that a novel liver-specific miR-122-G9a regulatory axis exists.
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Zhou M, Zhang X, Liu C, Nie D, Li S, Lai P, Jin Y. Targeting protein lysine methyltransferase G9A impairs self-renewal of chronic myelogenous leukemia stem cells via upregulation of SOX6. Oncogene 2021; 40:3564-3577. [PMID: 33931742 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-01799-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 04/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
The application of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in clinic has revolutionized chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) treatment, but fails to eliminate leukemia stem cells (LSCs), which are considered as roots of drug resistance and disease relapse. Thus, eradication of LSCs may be a promising strategy for curing CML. In this study, we found that protein lysine methyltransferase G9A was overexpressed in CML LSCs. The upregulation of G9A by BCR-ABL was independent on its tyrosine kinase activity. Knockdown of G9A by shRNAs or pharmacological inhibition of G9A by UNC0642 significantly suppressed survival and impaired self-renewal capacity of CML LSCs. Inhibition of G9a eradicated LSCs in CML mice driven by BCR-ABL gene and dramatically prolonged survival of the mice. Ex vivo treatment with G9A inhibitor inhibited long-term engraftment of CML CD34+ cells in immunodeficient mice. Mechanically, tumor suppressor SOX6 was identified as a direct target of G9A in CML LSCs by RNA-seq analysis. Silencing Sox6 at least partially rescued G9a knockdown-mediated LSCs elimination in vivo. Our findings improve the understanding of LSC regulation network and validate G9A as a therapeutic target in CML LSCs. Targeting G9A may be considered as an additional strategy for the treatment of patients with CML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhou
- Jinan University Institute of Tumor Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiuli Zhang
- Jinan University Institute of Tumor Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Jinan University Institute of Tumor Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.,Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Postdoctoral Research Station, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Danian Nie
- Department of Hematology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuyi Li
- Jinan University Institute of Tumor Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Peilong Lai
- Department of Hematology, Guangdong General Hospital/Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanli Jin
- Jinan University Institute of Tumor Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
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62
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Abdullah O, Omran Z, Hosawi S, Hamiche A, Bronner C, Alhosin M. Thymoquinone Is a Multitarget Single Epidrug That Inhibits the UHRF1 Protein Complex. Genes (Basel) 2021; 12:genes12050622. [PMID: 33922029 PMCID: PMC8143546 DOI: 10.3390/genes12050622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Silencing of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) through epigenetic mechanisms, mainly via abnormal promoter DNA methylation, is considered a main mechanism of tumorigenesis. The abnormal DNA methylation profiles are transmitted from the cancer mother cell to the daughter cells through the involvement of a macromolecular complex in which the ubiquitin-like containing plant homeodomain (PHD), and an interesting new gene (RING) finger domains 1 (UHRF1), play the role of conductor. Indeed, UHRF1 interacts with epigenetic writers, such as DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1), histone methyltransferase G9a, erasers like histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1), and functions as a hub protein. Thus, targeting UHRF1 and/or its partners is a promising strategy for epigenetic cancer therapy. The natural compound thymoquinone (TQ) exhibits anticancer activities by targeting several cellular signaling pathways, including those involving UHRF1. In this review, we highlight TQ as a potential multitarget single epidrug that functions by targeting the UHRF1/DNMT1/HDAC1/G9a complex. We also speculate on the possibility that TQ might specifically target UHRF1, with subsequent regulatory effects on other partners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omeima Abdullah
- College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia; (O.A.); (Z.O.)
| | - Ziad Omran
- College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia; (O.A.); (Z.O.)
| | - Salman Hosawi
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Ali Hamiche
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR7104, INSERM U964, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France; (A.H.); (C.B.)
| | - Christian Bronner
- Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, CNRS UMR7104, INSERM U964, Université de Strasbourg, 67404 Illkirch, France; (A.H.); (C.B.)
| | - Mahmoud Alhosin
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Medical Research Center, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +966-597-959-354
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63
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Zeisel MB, Guerrieri F, Levrero M. Host Epigenetic Alterations and Hepatitis B Virus-Associated Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10081715. [PMID: 33923385 PMCID: PMC8071488 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10081715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent primary malignancy of the liver and a leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Although much progress has been made in HCC drug development in recent years, treatment options remain limited. The major cause of HCC is chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Despite the existence of a vaccine, more than 250 million individuals are chronically infected by HBV. Current antiviral therapies can repress viral replication but to date there is no cure for chronic hepatitis B. Of note, inhibition of viral replication reduces but does not eliminate the risk of HCC development. HBV contributes to liver carcinogenesis by direct and indirect effects. This review summarizes the current knowledge of HBV-induced host epigenetic alterations and their association with HCC, with an emphasis on the interactions between HBV proteins and the host cell epigenetic machinery leading to modulation of gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirjam B. Zeisel
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 Mixte CLB, Université de Lyon 1 (UCBL1), 69003 Lyon, France;
- Correspondence: (M.B.Z.); (M.L.)
| | - Francesca Guerrieri
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 Mixte CLB, Université de Lyon 1 (UCBL1), 69003 Lyon, France;
| | - Massimo Levrero
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), UMR Inserm 1052 CNRS 5286 Mixte CLB, Université de Lyon 1 (UCBL1), 69003 Lyon, France;
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, Hôpital Croix Rousse, Service d’Hépato-Gastroentérologie, 69004 Lyon, France
- Correspondence: (M.B.Z.); (M.L.)
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64
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Decoding the Roles of Long Noncoding RNAs in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063137. [PMID: 33808647 PMCID: PMC8003515 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. HCC is associated with several etiological factors, including HBV/HCV infections, cirrhosis, and fatty liver diseases. However, the molecular mechanism underlying HCC development remains largely elusive. The advent of high-throughput sequencing has unveiled an unprecedented discovery of a plethora of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). Despite the lack of coding capacity, lncRNAs have key roles in gene regulation through interacting with various biomolecules. It is increasingly evident that the dysregulation of lncRNAs is inextricably linked to HCC cancer phenotypes, suggesting that lncRNAs are potential prognostic markers and therapeutic targets. In light of the emerging research in the study of the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in HCC, we discuss the association of lncRNAs with HCC. We link the biological processes influenced by lncRNAs to cancer hallmarks in HCC and describe the associated functional mechanisms. This review sheds light on future research directions, including the potential therapeutic applications of lncRNAs.
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65
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Xu P, Sun X, Song X, Peng Y, He B, Wu Z, Zhu J. Prognostic value of lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio and histone methyltransferase G9a histone methyltransferase in patients with double expression lymphoma: A retrospective observational study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2021; 100:e24449. [PMID: 33530253 PMCID: PMC7850655 DOI: 10.1097/md.0000000000024449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT In patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, MYC combined with Bcl2 and/or Bcl6-based protein expression is called double expression lymphoma (DEL). R-DA-EPOCH program chemotherapy is typically recommended because these patients often have a poor prognosis. Although numerous factors affect survival of patients with DEL, the roles of the tumor biomarker histone methyltransferase G9a (G9a) and the lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) are unknown.We performed a retrospective analysis of data from 51 patients. These patients were newly diagnosed with DEL and treated with R-DA-EPOCH at Taizhou People' s Hospital and Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital between June 2014 and December 2019. Receiver operator characteristic curve results were used to calculate the LMR cutoff value. We used an immunohistochemical analysis to examine G9a expression in DEL tissues. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to determine progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) characteristics. Cox proportional-hazards models were constructed for univariate and multivariate analyses to examine the prognostic values of LMRs and G9a in patients with DEL.The cutoff value for LMR was 2.18. The 5-year PFS rate was 35.3%, and the 5-year OS rate was 39.2%. Patients with DEL with lower LMRs and who were G9a-positive predicted inferior PFS and OS. Univariate analysis revealed that patients with elevated LDH levels, high National Comprehensive Cancer Network International Prognostic Index (NCCN-IPI) scores, LMRs ≤2.18, and G9a-positive results had relatively poorer PFS and OS. The multivariate analysis revealed that LMRs ≤2.18 and a G9a-positive result were independent prognostic factors for PFS and OS in patients with DEL treated with R-DA-EPOCH.The study results suggested that peripheral blood LMRs were an important marker for evaluation of prognosis in patients with DEL. High expression of G9a was associated with worse outcomes, indicating that G9a may serve as a prognostic biomarker for patients with DEL who undergo R-DA-EPOCH program chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pei Xu
- Department of Hematology, the People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou
| | - Xiaolin Sun
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Medical College, Yangzhou University
| | - Xuyan Song
- Department of Hematology, the People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou
| | - Yaqian Peng
- Department of Hematology, the People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou
| | - Bin He
- Department of Hematology, Northern Jiangsu People's Hospital, Yangzhou, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhengdong Wu
- Department of Hematology, the People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou
| | - Jianfeng Zhu
- Department of Hematology, the People's Hospital of Taizhou, Taizhou
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66
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Nakatsuka T, Tateishi K, Kato H, Fujiwara H, Yamamoto K, Kudo Y, Nakagawa H, Tanaka Y, Ijichi H, Ikenoue T, Ishizawa T, Hasegawa K, Tachibana M, Shinkai Y, Koike K. Inhibition of histone methyltransferase G9a attenuates liver cancer initiation by sensitizing DNA-damaged hepatocytes to p53-induced apoptosis. Cell Death Dis 2021; 12:99. [PMID: 33468997 PMCID: PMC7815717 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-020-03381-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
While the significance of acquired genetic abnormalities in the initiation of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has been established, the role of epigenetic modification remains unknown. Here we identified the pivotal role of histone methyltransferase G9a in the DNA damage-triggered initiation of HCC. Using liver-specific G9a-deficient (G9aΔHep) mice, we revealed that loss of G9a significantly attenuated liver tumor initiation caused by diethylnitrosamine (DEN). In addition, pharmacological inhibition of G9a attenuated the DEN-induced initiation of HCC. After treatment with DEN, while the induction of γH2AX and p53 were comparable in the G9aΔHep and wild-type livers, more apoptotic hepatocytes were detected in the G9aΔHep liver. Transcriptome analysis identified Bcl-G, a pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family member, to be markedly upregulated in the G9aΔHep liver. In human cultured hepatoma cells, a G9a inhibitor, UNC0638, upregulated BCL-G expression and enhanced the apoptotic response after treatment with hydrogen peroxide or irradiation, suggesting an essential role of the G9a-Bcl-G axis in DNA damage response in hepatocytes. The proposed mechanism was that DNA damage stimuli recruited G9a to the p53-responsive element of the Bcl-G gene, resulting in the impaired enrichment of p53 to the region and the attenuation of Bcl-G expression. G9a deletion allowed the recruitment of p53 and upregulated Bcl-G expression. These results demonstrate that G9a allows DNA-damaged hepatocytes to escape p53-induced apoptosis by silencing Bcl-G, which may contribute to the tumor initiation. Therefore, G9a inhibition can be a novel preventive strategy for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuma Nakatsuka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Keisuke Tateishi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.
| | - Hiroyuki Kato
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Fujiwara
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan.,Division of Gastroenterology, The Institute for Adult Diseases, Asahi Life Foundation, 2-2-6 Bakurocho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo, 103-0002, Japan
| | - Keisuke Yamamoto
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yotaro Kudo
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hayato Nakagawa
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yasuo Tanaka
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Hideaki Ijichi
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Tsuneo Ikenoue
- Division of Clinical Genome Research, Advanced Clinical Research Center, Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8639, Japan
| | - Takeaki Ishizawa
- Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Hasegawa
- Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Makoto Tachibana
- Laboratory of Epigenome Dynamics, Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, 1-3 Yamadaoka, Suita, 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yoichi Shinkai
- Cellular Memory Laboratory, RIKEN Cluster for Pioneering Research, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Koike
- Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
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67
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Wang K, Huang W, Chen R, Lin P, Zhang T, Ni YF, Li H, Wu J, Sun XX, Geng JJ, Zhu YM, Nan G, Zhang W, Chen X, Zhu P, Bian H, Chen ZN. Di-methylation of CD147-K234 Promotes the Progression of NSCLC by Enhancing Lactate Export. Cell Metab 2021; 33:160-173.e6. [PMID: 33406400 DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2020] [Revised: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
CD147 is a tumor-associated glycoprotein that regulates cell metabolism. However, CD147 methylation and its subsequent role in cancer cell metabolism remain unclear. Here, we detect CD147 di-methylation in 16 non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. CD147 is di-methylated to CD147-K234me2 by lysine methyltransferase 5A (KMT5A). The increase in KMT5A expression boosts the levels of CD147-K234me2, further promoting the interaction between CD147 and monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4), which enhances the translocation of MCT4 from the cytoplasm to the membrane. Overexpression of CD147-K234me2 and KMT5A enhances glycolysis and lactate export in NSCLC cells. Clinical analysis shows that high CD147-K234me2 expression is significantly related to cancer progression and overall survival, and has prognostic significance in individuals with NSCLC, especially for those in the early stages. Our findings indicate that CD147-K234me2 plays a critical role in cancer metabolism, and it can be a highly promising therapeutic target for NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Wang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wan Huang
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ruo Chen
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peng Lin
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yun-Feng Ni
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Hao Li
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiao Wu
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiu-Xuan Sun
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jie-Jie Geng
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yu-Meng Zhu
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Gang Nan
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xi Chen
- College of Chemistry and Materials Science, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, Shaanxi, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China; Department of Clinical Immunology, PLA Specialized Research Institute of Rheumatology and Immunology, Xijing Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Huijie Bian
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Zhi-Nan Chen
- National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine and Department of Cell Biology, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi'an 710032, Shaanxi, China.
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Saha N, Muntean AG. Insight into the multi-faceted role of the SUV family of H3K9 methyltransferases in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2020; 1875:188498. [PMID: 33373647 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2020.188498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2020] [Revised: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence implicates histone H3 lysine 9 methylation in tumorigenesis. The SUV family of H3K9 methyltransferases, which include G9a, GLP, SETDB1, SETDB2, SUV39H1 and SUV39H2 deposit H3K9me1/2/3 marks at euchromatic and heterochromatic regions, catalyzed by their conserved SET domain. In cancer, this family of enzymes can be deregulated by genomic alterations and transcriptional mis-expression leading to alteration of transcriptional programs. In solid and hematological malignancies, studies have uncovered pro-oncogenic roles for several H3K9 methyltransferases and accordingly, small molecule inhibitors are being tested as potential therapies. However, emerging evidence demonstrate onco-suppressive roles for these enzymes in cancer development as well. Here, we review the role H3K9 methyltransferases play in tumorigenesis focusing on gene targets and biological pathways affected due to misregulation of these enzymes. We also discuss molecular mechanisms regulating H3K9 methyltransferases and their influence on cancer. Finally, we describe the impact of H3K9 methylation on therapy induced resistance in carcinoma. Converging evidence point to multi-faceted roles for H3K9 methyltransferases in development and cancer that encourages a deeper understanding of these enzymes to inform novel therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmalya Saha
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States of America
| | - Andrew G Muntean
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States of America.
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69
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Jan S, Dar MI, Wani R, Sandey J, Mushtaq I, Lateef S, Syed SH. Targeting EHMT2/ G9a for cancer therapy: Progress and perspective. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 893:173827. [PMID: 33347828 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase-2, also known as G9a, is a ubiquitously expressed SET domain-containing histone lysine methyltransferase linked with both facultative and constitutive heterochromatin formation and transcriptional repression. It is an essential developmental gene and reported to play role in embryonic development, establishment of proviral silencing in ES cells, tumor cell growth, metastasis, T-cell immune response, cocaine induced neural plasticity and cognition and adaptive behavior. It is mainly responsible for carrying out mono, di and tri methylation of histone H3K9 in euchromatin. G9a levels are elevated in many cancers and its selective inhibition is known to reduce the cell growth and induce autophagy, apoptosis and senescence. We carried out a thorough search of online literature databases including Pubmed, Scopus, Journal websites, Clinical trials etc to gather the maximum possible information related to the G9a. The main messages from the cited papers are presented in a systematic manner. Chemical structures were drawn by Chemdraw software. In this review, we shed light on current understanding of structure and biological activity of G9a, the molecular events directing its targeting to genomic regions and its post-translational modification. Finally, we discuss the current strategies to target G9a in different cancers and evaluate the available compounds and agents used to inhibit G9a functions. The review provides the present status and future directions of research in targeting G9a and provides the basis to persuade the development of novel strategies to target G9a -related effects in cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suraya Jan
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Mohd Ishaq Dar
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Rubiada Wani
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Jagjeet Sandey
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Iqra Mushtaq
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Sammar Lateef
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Sajad Hussain Syed
- CSIR, Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Sanatnagar, 190005, Srinagar, Kashmir, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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70
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Sun T, Zhang K, Pangeni RP, Wu J, Li W, Du Y, Guo Y, Chaurasiya S, Arvanitis L, Raz DJ. G9a Promotes Invasion and Metastasis of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer through Enhancing Focal Adhesion Kinase Activation via NF-κB Signaling Pathway. Mol Cancer Res 2020; 19:429-440. [PMID: 33298547 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-20-0557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Potential roles of euchromatic histone methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2 or G9a) in invasion and metastasis are not well understood in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we investigated the effect and underlying mechanisms of G9a and therapeutic implications of targeting G9a in the invasion and metastasis of NSCLC. Overexpression of G9a significantly enhanced in vitro proliferation and invasion, while knockdown of G9a drastically suppressed in vivo growth and metastasis of A549 and H1299 NSCLC cells. Knockdown or inhibition of G9a significantly decreased the expression of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) protein and activation of FAK pathway. In addition, defactinib, a potent FAK inhibitor, partially abolished the G9a-enhanced invasion in these NSCLC cells. Furthermore, targeting G9a was found to suppress NF-κB transcriptional activity in NSCLC cells through stabilizing NF-κB inhibitor alpha (IκBα), while an NF-κB inhibitor Parthenilide partially abolished the G9a-enhanced FAK activation, which suggests that G9a-enhanced invasion and activation of FAK is mediated by elevated NF-κB activity. Notably, a strong positive correlation between the IHC staining of G9a and phosphorylated FAK proteins was identified in H1299 xenografts and 159 cases of NSCLC tissues (R = 0.408). IMPLICATIONS: The findings of this study strongly demonstrate that G9a may promote invasion and metastasis of NSCLC cells by enhancing FAK signaling pathway via elevating NF-κB transcriptional activity, indicating potential significance and therapeutic implications of these pathways in the invasion and metastasis of NSCLCs that overexpress G9a protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting Sun
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California.,Laboratory of Surgery, the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Keqiang Zhang
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California.
| | - Rajendra P Pangeni
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
| | - Jun Wu
- Division of Comparative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
| | - Wendong Li
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
| | - Yong Du
- Laboratory of Surgery, the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, China
| | - Yuming Guo
- Division of Comparative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
| | | | - Leonidas Arvanitis
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California
| | - Dan J Raz
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, California.
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Rahman Z, Bazaz MR, Devabattula G, Khan MA, Godugu C. Targeting H3K9 methyltransferase G9a and its related molecule GLP as a potential therapeutic strategy for cancer. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 2020; 35:e22674. [PMID: 33283949 DOI: 10.1002/jbt.22674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
H3K9 methyltransferase (G9a) and its relevant molecule GLP are the SET domain proteins that specifically add mono, di and trimethyl groups on to the histone H3K9, which lead to the transcriptional inactivation of chromatin and reduce the expression of cancer suppressor genes, which trigger growth and progress of several cancer types. Various studies have demonstrated that overexpression of H3K9 methyltransferase G9a and GLP in different kinds of tumors, like lung, breast, bladder, colon, cervical, gastric, skin cancers, hepatocellular carcinoma and hematological malignancies. Several G9a and GLP inhibitors such as BIX-01294, UNC0642, A-366 and DCG066 were developed to combat various cancers; however, there is a need for more effective and less toxic compounds. The current molecular docking study suggested that the selected new compounds such as ninhydrin, naphthoquinone, cysteamine and disulfide cysteamine could be suitable molecules as a G9a and GLP inhibitors. Furthermore, detailed cell based and preclinical animal studies are required to confirm their properties. In the current review, we discussed the role of G9a and GLP mediated epigenetic regulation in the cancers. A thorough literature review was done related to G9a and GLP. The databases used extensively for retrieval of information were PubMed, Medline, Scopus and Science-direct. Further, molecular docking was performed using Maestro Schrodinger version 9.2 software to investigate the binding profile of compounds with Human G9a HMT (PDB ID: 3FPD, 3RJW) and Human GLP MT (PDB ID: 6MBO, 6MBP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziaur Rahman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Mohd Rabi Bazaz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Geetanjali Devabattula
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Mohd Abrar Khan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Chandraiah Godugu
- Department of Regulatory Toxicology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Shrestha R, Mohankumar K, Jin UH, Martin G, Safe S. The Histone Methyltransferase Gene G9A Is Regulated by Nuclear Receptor 4A1 in Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma Cells. Mol Cancer Ther 2020; 20:612-622. [PMID: 33277444 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-20-0474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2020] [Revised: 09/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The histone methyltransferase G9A (EHMT2) gene catalyzes methylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9), and this gene silencing activity contributes to the tumor promoter-like activity of G9A in several tumor types including alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS). Previous studies show the orphan nuclear receptor 4A1 (NR4A1, Nur77) is overexpressed in rhabdomyosarcoma and exhibits pro-oncogenic activity. In this study, we show that knockdown of NR4A1 in ARMS cells decreased expression of G9A mRNA and protein. Moreover, treatment of ARMS cells with several bis-indole-derived NR4A1 ligands (antagonists) including 1,1-bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)methane (CDIM8), 3,5-dimethyl (3,5-(CH3)2), and 3-bromo-5-methoxy (3-Br-5-OCH3) analogs also decreased G9A expression. Furthermore, NR4A1 antagonists also decreased G9A expression in breast, lung, liver, and endometrial cancer cells confirming that G9A is an NR4A1-regulated gene in ARMS and other cancer cell lines. Mechanistic studies showed that the NR4A1/Sp1 complex interacted with the GC-rich 511 region of the G9A promoter to regulate G9A gene expression. Moreover, knockdown of NR4A1 or treatment with NR4A1 receptor antagonists decreased overall H3K9me2, H3K9me2 associated with the PTEN promoter, and PTEN-regulated phospho-Akt. In vivo studies showed that the NR4A1 antagonist (3-Br-5-OCH3) inhibited tumor growth in athymic nude mice bearing Rh30 ARMS cells and confirmed that G9A was an NR4A1-regulated gene that can be targeted by NR4A1 receptor antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rupesh Shrestha
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Kumaravel Mohankumar
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Un-Ho Jin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Gregory Martin
- Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
| | - Stephen Safe
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. .,Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas
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Fernández-Barrena MG, Arechederra M, Colyn L, Berasain C, Avila MA. Epigenetics in hepatocellular carcinoma development and therapy: The tip of the iceberg. JHEP Rep 2020; 2:100167. [PMID: 33134907 PMCID: PMC7585149 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhepr.2020.100167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a deadly tumour whose causative agents are generally well known, but whose pathogenesis remains poorly understood. Nevertheless, key genetic alterations are emerging from a heterogeneous molecular landscape, providing information on the tumorigenic process from initiation to progression. Among these molecular alterations, those that affect epigenetic processes are increasingly recognised as contributing to carcinogenesis from preneoplastic stages. The epigenetic machinery regulates gene expression through intertwined and partially characterised circuits involving chromatin remodelers, covalent DNA and histone modifications, and dedicated proteins reading these modifications. In this review, we summarise recent findings on HCC epigenetics, focusing mainly on changes in DNA and histone modifications and their carcinogenic implications. We also discuss the potential drugs that target epigenetic mechanisms for HCC treatment, either alone or in combination with current therapies, including immunotherapies.
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Key Words
- 5acC, 5-acetylcytosine
- 5fC, 5-formylcytosine
- 5hmC, 5-hydoxymethyl cytosine
- 5mC, 5-methylcytosine
- Acetyl-CoA, acetyl coenzyme A
- BER, base excision repair
- BRD, bromodomain
- CDA, cytidine deaminase
- CGI, CpG island
- CIMP, CGI methylator phenotype
- CTLA-4, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4
- DNMT, DNA methyltransferase
- DNMTi, DNMT inhibitor
- Epigenetics
- FAD, flavin adenine dinucleotide
- HAT, histone acetyltransferases
- HCC, hepatocellular carcinoma
- HDAC, histone deacetylase
- HDACi, HDAC inhibitor
- HDM, histone demethylase
- HMT, histone methyltransferase
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- KMT, lysine methyltransferase
- LSD/KDM, lysine specific demethylases
- NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
- NK, natural killer
- NPC, nasopharyngeal carcinoma
- PD-L1, programmed cell death ligand-1
- PD1, programmed cell death protein 1
- PHD, plant homeodomain
- PTM, post-translational modification
- SAM, S-adenosyl-L-methionine
- TDG, thymidine-DNA-glycosylase
- TERT, telomerase reverse transcriptase
- TET, ten-eleven translocation
- TME, tumour microenvironment
- TSG, tumour suppressor gene
- Therapy
- UHRF1, ubiquitin like with PHD and ring finger domains 1
- VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor
- ncRNAs, non-coding RNAs
- α-KG, α-ketoglutarate
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Affiliation(s)
- Maite G. Fernández-Barrena
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), Madrid, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - María Arechederra
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Leticia Colyn
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), Madrid, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matias A. Avila
- Hepatology Program CIMA, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
- National Institute for the Study of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases (CIBERehd, Carlos III Health Institute), Madrid, Spain
- IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
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Hwang S, Kim S, Kim K, Yeom J, Park S, Kim I. Euchromatin histone methyltransferase II (EHMT2) regulates the expression of ras-related GTP binding C (RRAGC) protein. BMB Rep 2020. [PMID: 32684241 PMCID: PMC7704221 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2020.53.11.055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Dimethylation of the histone H3 protein at lysine residue 9 (H3K9) is mediated by euchromatin histone methyltransferase II (EHMT2) and results in transcriptional repression of target genes. Recently, chemical inhibition of EHMT2 was shown to induce various physiological outcomes, including endoplasmic reticulum stress-associated genes transcription in cancer cells. To identify genes that are transcriptionally repressed by EHMT2 during apoptosis, and cell stress responses, we screened genes that are upregulated by BIX-01294, a chemical inhibitor of EHMT2. RNA sequencing analyses revealed 77 genes that were upregulated by BIX-01294 in all four hepatic cell carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. These included genes that have been impli-cated in apoptosis, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and others. Among these genes, the one encoding the stress-response protein Ras-related GTPase C (RRAGC) was upregulated in all BIX-01294-treated HCC cell lines. We confirmed the regulatory roles of EHMT2 in RRAGC expression in HCC cell lines using proteomic analyses, chromatin immune precipitation (ChIP) assay, and small guide RNA-mediated loss-of-function experiments. Upregulation of RRAGC was limited by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), suggesting that ROS are involved in EHMT2-mediated transcriptional regulation of stress-response genes in HCC cells. Finally, combined treatment of cells with BIX-01294 and 5-Aza-cytidine induced greater upregulation of RRAGC protein expression. These findings suggest that EHMT2 suppresses expression of the RRAGC gene in a ROS-dependent manner and imply that EHMT2 is a key regulator of stress-responsive gene expression in liver cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supyong Hwang
- Biomedical Research Center, ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Soyoung Kim
- Biomedical Research Center, ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Kyungkon Kim
- Biomedical Research Center, ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Convergence Medicine Research Center (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Jeonghun Yeom
- Convergence Medicine Research Center (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Sojung Park
- Biomedical Research Center, ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
| | - Inki Kim
- Biomedical Research Center, ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Convergence Medicine Research Center (CREDIT), ASAN Institute for Life Sciences, ASAN Medical Center, Seoul 05505, Korea
- Department of Convergence Medicine, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, Korea
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The Role of Histone Acetylation-/Methylation-Mediated Apoptotic Gene Regulation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21238894. [PMID: 33255318 PMCID: PMC7727670 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21238894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2020] [Revised: 10/31/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics, an inheritable phenomenon, which influences the expression of gene without altering the DNA sequence, offers a new perspective on the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is projected to account for a significant share of HCC incidence due to the growing prevalence of various metabolic disorders. One of the major molecular mechanisms involved in epigenetic regulation, post-translational histone modification seems to coordinate various aspects of NASH which will further progress to HCC. Mounting evidence suggests that the orchestrated events of cellular and nuclear changes during apoptosis can be regulated by histone modifications. This review focuses on the current advances in the study of acetylation-/methylation-mediated histone modification in apoptosis and the implication of these epigenetic regulations in HCC. The reversibility of epigenetic alterations and the agents that can target these alterations offers novel therapeutic approaches and strategies for drug development. Further molecular mechanistic studies are required to enhance information governing these epigenetic modulators, which will facilitate the design of more effective diagnosis and treatment options.
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Ma W, Han C, Zhang J, Song K, Chen W, Kwon H, Wu T. The Histone Methyltransferase G9a Promotes Cholangiocarcinogenesis Through Regulation of the Hippo Pathway Kinase LATS2 and YAP Signaling Pathway. Hepatology 2020; 72:1283-1297. [PMID: 31990985 PMCID: PMC7384937 DOI: 10.1002/hep.31141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2019] [Accepted: 12/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant epithelial tumor of the biliary tree with poor prognosis. In the current study, we present evidence that the histone-lysine methyltransferase G9a is up-regulated in human CCA and that G9a enhances CCA cell growth and invasiveness through regulation of the Hippo pathway kinase large tumor suppressor 2 (LATS2) and yes-associated protein (YAP) signaling pathway. APPROACH AND RESULTS Kaplan-Meier survival analysis revealed that high G9a expression is associated with poor prognosis of CCA patients. In experimental systems, depletion of G9a by small interfering RNA/short hairpin RNA or inhibition of G9a by specific pharmacological inhibitors (UNC0642 and UNC0631) significantly inhibited human CCA cell growth in vitro and in severe combined immunodeficient mice. Increased G9a expression was also observed in mouse CCA induced by hydrodynamic tail vein injection of notch intracellular domain (NICD) and myr-Akt. Administration of the G9a inhibitor UNC0642 to NICD/Akt-injected mice reduced the growth of CCA, in vivo. These findings suggest that G9a inhibition may represent an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CCA. Mechanistically, our data show that G9a-derived dimethylated H3K9 (H3K9me2) silenced the expression of the Hippo pathway kinase LATS2, and this effect led to subsequent activation of oncogenic YAP. Consequently, G9a depletion or inhibition reduced the level of H3K9me2 and restored the expression of LATS2 leading to YAP inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide evidence for an important role of G9a in cholangiocarcinogenesis through regulation of LATS2-YAP signaling and suggest that this pathway may represent a potential therapeutic target for CCA treatment.
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The role of histone methylation in the development of digestive cancers: a potential direction for cancer management. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:143. [PMID: 32747629 PMCID: PMC7398912 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00252-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Digestive cancers are the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide and have high risks of morbidity and mortality. Histone methylation, which is mediated mainly by lysine methyltransferases, lysine demethylases, and protein arginine methyltransferases, has emerged as an essential mechanism regulating pathological processes in digestive cancers. Under certain conditions, aberrant expression of these modifiers leads to abnormal histone methylation or demethylation in the corresponding cancer-related genes, which contributes to different processes and phenotypes, such as carcinogenesis, proliferation, metabolic reprogramming, epithelial–mesenchymal transition, invasion, and migration, during digestive cancer development. In this review, we focus on the association between histone methylation regulation and the development of digestive cancers, including gastric cancer, liver cancer, pancreatic cancer, and colorectal cancer, as well as on its clinical application prospects, aiming to provide a new perspective on the management of digestive cancers.
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78
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Amjadi M, Hallaj T, Hildebrandt N. A sensitive homogeneous enzyme assay for euchromatic histone-lysine-N-methyltransferase 2 (G9a) based on terbium-to-quantum dot time-resolved FRET. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2020; 11:173-179. [PMID: 34336605 PMCID: PMC8314039 DOI: 10.34172/bi.2021.23] [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] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
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Introduction: Histone modifying enzymes include several classes of enzymes that are responsible for various post-translational modifications of histones such as methylation and acetylation. They are important epigenetic factors, which may involve several diseases and so their assay, as well as screening of their inhibitors, are of great importance. Herein, a bioassay based on terbium-to-quantum dot (Tb-to-QD) time-resolved Förster resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) was developed for monitoring the activity of G9a, the euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2. Overexpression of G9a has been reported in some cancers such as ovarian carcinoma, lung cancer, multiple myeloma and brain cancer. Thus, inhibition of this enzyme is important for therapeutic purposes. Methods: In this assay, a biotinylated peptide was used as a G9a substrate in conjugation with streptavidin-coated ZnS/CdSe QD as FRET acceptor, and an anti-mark antibody labeled with Tb as a donor. Time-resolved fluorescence was used for measuring FRET ratios. Results: We examined three QDs, with emission wavelengths of 605, 655 and 705 nm, as FRET acceptors and investigated FRET efficiency between the Tb complex and each of them. Since the maximum FRET efficiency was obtained for Tb to QD705 (more than 50%), this pair was exploited for designing the enzyme assay. We showed that the method has excellent sensitivity and selectivity for the determination of G9a at concentrations as low as 20 pM. Furthermore, the designed assay was applied for screening of an enzyme inhibitor, S-(5’-Adenosyl)-L-homocysteine (SAH). Conclusion: It was shown that Tb-to-QD FRET is an outstanding platform for developing a homogenous assay for the G9a enzyme and its inhibitors. The obtained results confirmed that this assay was quite sensitive and could be used in the field of inhibitor screening.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Amjadi
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Tooba Hallaj
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran.,Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Cellular and Molecular Medicine Institute, Urmia University of Medical Sciences, Urmia, Iran
| | - Niko Hildebrandt
- NanoBioPhotonics (nanofret.com), Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), Université Paris-Saclay, Université Paris-Sud, CNRS, CEA, Orsay, France.,Laboratoire Chimie Organique, Bioorganique, Réactivité et Analyse (COBRA), Université de Rouen Normandie, CNRS, INSA, 76821 Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
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79
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Kato S, Weng QY, Insco ML, Chen KY, Muralidhar S, Pozniak J, Diaz JMS, Drier Y, Nguyen N, Lo JA, van Rooijen E, Kemeny LV, Zhan Y, Feng Y, Silkworth W, Powell CT, Liau BB, Xiong Y, Jin J, Newton-Bishop J, Zon LI, Bernstein BE, Fisher DE. Gain-of-Function Genetic Alterations of G9a Drive Oncogenesis. Cancer Discov 2020; 10:980-997. [PMID: 32269030 PMCID: PMC7334057 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-19-0532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 04/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulators, when genomically altered, may become driver oncogenes that mediate otherwise unexplained pro-oncogenic changes lacking a clear genetic stimulus, such as activation of the WNT/β-catenin pathway in melanoma. This study identifies previously unrecognized recurrent activating mutations in the G9a histone methyltransferase gene, as well as G9a genomic copy gains in approximately 26% of human melanomas, which collectively drive tumor growth and an immunologically sterile microenvironment beyond melanoma. Furthermore, the WNT pathway is identified as a key tumorigenic target of G9a gain-of-function, via suppression of the WNT antagonist DKK1. Importantly, genetic or pharmacologic suppression of mutated or amplified G9a using multiple in vitro and in vivo models demonstrates that G9a is a druggable target for therapeutic intervention in melanoma and other cancers harboring G9a genomic aberrations. SIGNIFICANCE: Oncogenic G9a abnormalities drive tumorigenesis and the "cold" immune microenvironment by activating WNT signaling through DKK1 repression. These results reveal a key druggable mechanism for tumor development and identify strategies to restore "hot" tumor immune microenvironments.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 890.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shinichiro Kato
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Qing Yu Weng
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Megan L Insco
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Kevin Y Chen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Sathya Muralidhar
- Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Joanna Pozniak
- Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Joey Mark S Diaz
- Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Yotam Drier
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Nhu Nguyen
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Jennifer A Lo
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Ellen van Rooijen
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Lajos V Kemeny
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Yao Zhan
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Yang Feng
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Whitney Silkworth
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - C Thomas Powell
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts
| | - Brian B Liau
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - Yan Xiong
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York
| | - Julia Newton-Bishop
- Institute of Medical Research at St James's, University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Leonard I Zon
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Stem Cell Program and Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Bradley E Bernstein
- Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts
- Department of Pathology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | - David E Fisher
- Cutaneous Biology Research Center, Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, Massachusetts.
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Chen P, Qian Q, Zhu Z, Shen X, Yu S, Yu Z, Sun R, Li Y, Guo D, Fan H. Increased expression of EHMT2 associated with H3K9me2 level contributes to the poor prognosis of gastric cancer. Oncol Lett 2020; 20:1734-1742. [PMID: 32724416 PMCID: PMC7377055 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.11694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Di-methylated lysine 9 of histone H3 (H3K9me2), regulated by histone methyltransferases, is involved in the epigenetic regulation of tumor-associated genes. The present study aimed to evaluate whether the H3K9me2 methylation level is associated with the expression level of euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2) in the prognosis of gastric cancer (GC). H3K9me2 methylation level and EHMT2 expression level were detected by immunohistochemistry in 118 GC samples. The clinicopathological significance of H3K9me2 and EHMT2 in patients with GC was assessed using a paired Student's t-test, χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier analysis with a log-rank test and Cox's proportional hazard analysis. Strong positive immunostaining of H3K9me2 and EHMT2 was observed in cancerous tissues compared with adjacent non-cancerous tissues. Positive immunostaining of EHMT2 and H3K9me2 was associated with lymph node metastasis, pathological grade and tumor-node-metastasis stage. H3K9me2 expression level was increased in tumor tissue and associated with worse specific-disease and disease-free survival time. In addition, EHMT2 protein expression levels were associated with the expression levels of H3K9me2. Low expression levels of H3K9me2 and EHMT2 predicted a better prognosis of patients with GC. The survival time of patients with a high expression of H3K9me2 and/or EHMT2 was significantly shorter compared with that of the patients with a low expression of H3K9me2 and/or EHMT2. In conclusion, an overexpression pattern of H3K9me2 and/or EHMT2 may be associated with clinicopathological features of GC and may be predictor markers of progression and prognosis in patients with GC, in addition to putative therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Chen
- Department of Oncology, Yancheng First People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224005, P.R. China
| | - Qi Qian
- Department of Oncology, Yancheng First People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224005, P.R. China
| | - Zhiyuan Zhu
- Department of Oncology, Yancheng First People's Hospital, Yancheng, Jiangsu 224005, P.R. China
| | - Xiaohui Shen
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Shenling Yu
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China.,Institute of Life Sciences, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210018, P.R. China
| | - Zhenghong Yu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210002, P.R. China
| | - Rui Sun
- Department of Pathology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Yiping Li
- Department of Pathology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
| | - Didi Guo
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China.,Institute of Life Sciences, The Key Laboratory of Developmental Genes and Human Diseases, Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210018, P.R. China
| | - Hong Fan
- Department of Medical Genetics and Developmental Biology, Medical School of Southeast University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210009, P.R. China
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Xu T, Li L, Liu YC, Cao W, Chen JS, Hu S, Liu Y, Li LY, Zhou H, Meng XM, Huang C, Zhang L, Li J, Zhou H. CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies in liver diseases: from feasibility to future diversity. Int J Biol Sci 2020; 16:2283-2295. [PMID: 32760197 PMCID: PMC7378651 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.33481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver diseases are one of the leading causes of mortality in the world, mainly caused by different etiological agents, alcohol consumption, viruses, drug intoxication, and malnutrition. The maturation of gene therapy has heralded new avenues for developing effective interventions for these diseases. Derived from a remarkable microbial defense system, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated proteins 9 system (CRISPR/Cas9 system) is driving innovative applications from basic biology to biotechnology and medicine. Recently, the mutagenic function of CRISPR/Cas9 system has been widely adopted for genome and disease research. In this review, we describe the development and applications of CRISPR/Cas9 system on liver diseases for research or translational applications, while highlighting challenges as well as future avenues for innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Li Li
- Department of Pathology and Pathophysiology, and Bone Marrow Transplantation Center of the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Hematology, Zhejiang University & Zhejiang Engineering Laboratory for Stem Cell and Immunotherapy, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-chen Liu
- Key Laboratory of Medical Reprogramming Technology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518039, China
| | - Wei Cao
- Shenzhen Qianhai Icecold IT Co., Ltd. China
| | - Jia-si Chen
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Shuang Hu
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Ying Liu
- Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui, PR China
| | - Liang-yun Li
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Hong Zhou
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
- Anhui Provincial Cancer Hospital, West Branch of The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-ming Meng
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Lei Zhang
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Jun Li
- Inflammation and Immune Mediated Diseases Laboratory of Anhui Province, Anhui Institute of Innovative Drugs, School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
- Institute for Liver Diseases of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, China
| | - Huan Zhou
- National Drug Clinical Trial Institution, the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College
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82
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Zhang XY, Rajagopalan D, Chung TH, Hooi L, Toh TB, Tian JS, Rashid MBMA, Sahib NRBM, Gu M, Lim JJ, Wang W, Chng WJ, Jha S, Chow EKH. Frequent upregulation of G9a promotes RelB-dependent proliferation and survival in multiple myeloma. Exp Hematol Oncol 2020; 9:8. [PMID: 32477831 PMCID: PMC7243326 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-020-00164-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Multiple myeloma is an incurable hematological malignancy characterized by a heterogeneous genetic and epigenetic landscape. Although a number of genetic aberrations associated with myeloma pathogenesis, progression and prognosis have been well characterized, the role of many epigenetic aberrations in multiple myeloma remain elusive. G9a, a histone methyltransferase, has been found to promote disease progression, proliferation and metastasis via diverse mechanisms in several cancers. A role for G9a in multiple myeloma, however, has not been previously explored. Methods Expression levels of G9a/EHMT2 of multiple myeloma cell lines and control cells Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs) were analyzed. Correlation of G9a expression and overall survival of multiple myeloma patients were analyzed using patient sample database. To further study the function of G9a in multiple myeloma, G9a depleted multiple myeloma cells were built by lentiviral transduction, of which proliferation, colony formation assays as well as tumorigenesis were measured. RNA-seq of G9a depleted multiple myeloma with controls were performed to explore the downstream mechanism of G9a regulation in multiple myeloma. Results G9a is upregulated in a range of multiple myeloma cell lines. G9a expression portends poorer survival outcomes in a cohort of multiple myeloma patients. Depletion of G9a inhibited proliferation and tumorigenesis in multiple myeloma. RelB was significantly downregulated by G9a depletion or small molecule inhibition of G9a/GLP inhibitor UNC0642, inducing transcription of proapoptotic genes Bim and BMF. Rescuing RelB eliminated the inhibition in proliferation and tumorigenesis by G9a depletion. Conclusions In this study, we demonstrated that G9a is upregulated in most multiple myeloma cell lines. Furthermore, G9a loss-of-function analysis provided evidence that G9a contributes to multiple myeloma cell survival and proliferation. This study found that G9a interacts with NF-κB pathway as a key regulator of RelB in multiple myeloma and regulates RelB-dependent multiple myeloma survival. G9a therefore is a promising therapeutic target for multiple myeloma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi Yun Zhang
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore.,2Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
| | - Deepa Rajagopalan
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Tae-Hoon Chung
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Lissa Hooi
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Tan Boon Toh
- 3The N.1 Institute for Health (N.1), National University of Singapore, Center for Life Sciences, 28 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117456 Singapore
| | - Johann Shane Tian
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | | | - Noor Rashidha Bte Meera Sahib
- 5Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597 Singapore
| | - Mengjie Gu
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore.,5Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597 Singapore
| | - Jhin Jieh Lim
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Wilson Wang
- 6Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, National University of Singapore, Kent Ridge, Singapore, 119074 Singapore
| | - Wee Joo Chng
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore.,2Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 119228 Singapore.,7National University Cancer Institute, National University Health System, Singapore, 119228 Singapore
| | - Sudhakar Jha
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore.,8Department of Biochemistry, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Edward Kai-Hua Chow
- 1Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, Centre for Translational Medicine, National University of Singapore, (MD6) #13-01G, 14 Medical Drive, Singapore, 117599 Singapore.,5Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117597 Singapore
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83
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SETD3 is regulated by a couple of microRNAs and plays opposing roles in proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma. Clin Sci (Lond) 2020; 133:2085-2105. [PMID: 31654063 DOI: 10.1042/cs20190666] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 09/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
A previous study reported that histone methyltransferase SETD3 is up-regulated in tumor tissues of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and is associated with the growth of HCC. However, the clinical significance and the effect of SETD3 on HCC metastasis remain unclear. In the present study, both the protein and mRNA expression levels of SETD3 were measured in a larger cohort of HCC patients. The results showed that the protein level of SETD3 in HCC tissues was significantly higher than that in non-tumorous tissues, which was inconsistent with the mRNA expression level of SETD3. The high protein level of SETD3 in HCC tissues was significantly associated with male gender, poor pathological differentiation, liver cirrhosis and unfavorable prognosis of HCC patients. Subsequently, we demonstrated that SETD3 could be regulated at post-transcriptional step by a couple of miRNAs (miR-16, miR-195 and miR-497). Additionally, in vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that SETD3 played opposing roles in proliferation and metastasis of HCC: promoting proliferation but inhibiting metastasis. Mechanistic experiments revealed that doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) was a downstream target of SETD3. SETD3 could increase the DNA methylation level of DCLK1 promoter to inhibit the transcription of DCLK1. Further study revealed that DCLK1/PI3K/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2 (MMP-2) was an important pathway that mediated the effect of SETD3 on HCC metastasis. In conclusion, the present study revealed that SETD3 is associated with tumorigenesis and is a promising biomarker for predicting the prognosis of HCC patients after surgical resection. In addition, SETD3 plays inhibitory role in HCC metastasis partly through DCLK1/PI3K/MMP-2 pathway.
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84
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Dai QX, Liao YH, Deng XH, Xiao XL, Zhang L, Zhou L. A novel epigenetic signature to predict recurrence-free survival in patients with colon cancer. Clin Chim Acta 2020; 508:54-60. [PMID: 32423860 DOI: 10.1016/j.cca.2020.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Revised: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation plays an important role in the initiation and progression of colon cancer. The aim of the present study was to perform a comprehensive analysis of DNA methylation and gene expression profiles in order to develop a signature to predict recurrence-free survival (RFS) of colon cancer. METHODS DNA methylation and mRNA expression data were obtained from TCGA database, and were analyzed using an R package MethylMix. Functional enrichment analysis was performed on statistically significant genes identified by MethylMix criteria. The epigenetic signature and nomogram associated with the RFS of colon cancer were established by the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox model. Additionally, a joint survival analysis of gene expression and methylation was performed to identify potential prognostic factors for patients with colon cancer. RESULTS A total of 179 differentially methylated genes were obtained using MethylMix algorithm. An epigenetic signature for RFS was developed using LASSO. Patients with high-risk had significantly worse RFS than those with low-risk. The signature is independent of clinicopathological variables and indicated better predictive power than other clinicopathological variables in patients with colon cancer. Moreover, joint survival analysis of gene expression and methylation revealed that seven methylated genes could be independent prognostic factors for RFS in colon cancer. CONCLUSIONS Our proposed epigenetic signature presents potential prognostic significance in assessing recurrence risk stratification for patients with colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Xin Dai
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, The Affiliated Ganzhou Hospital of Nanchang University, 18 Meiguan Avenue, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Yong-Hui Liao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, The Affiliated Ganzhou Hospital of Nanchang University, 18 Meiguan Avenue, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Deng
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, The Affiliated Ganzhou Hospital of Nanchang University, 18 Meiguan Avenue, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Xiu-Lin Xiao
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, The Affiliated Ganzhou Hospital of Nanchang University, 18 Meiguan Avenue, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Long Zhang
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, The Affiliated Ganzhou Hospital of Nanchang University, 18 Meiguan Avenue, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China
| | - Lin Zhou
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary surgery, The Affiliated Ganzhou Hospital of Nanchang University, 18 Meiguan Avenue, Ganzhou, Jiangxi 341000, China.
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85
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Overexpression of PSAT1 regulated by G9A sustains cell proliferation in colorectal cancer. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2020; 5:47. [PMID: 32300099 PMCID: PMC7162942 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-0147-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2019] [Revised: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
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86
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Chen M, Wong CM. The emerging roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A) deregulation in liver carcinogenesis. Mol Cancer 2020; 19:44. [PMID: 32111216 PMCID: PMC7047367 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-020-01172-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 201] [Impact Index Per Article: 50.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is a common cancer worldwide. Although the etiological factors of liver carcinogenesis are well defined, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely elusive. Epigenetic deregulations, such as aberrant DNA methylation and histone modifications, play a critical role in liver carcinogenesis. Analogous to DNA and core histone proteins, reversible chemical modifications on mRNA have recently been recognized as important regulatory mechanisms to control gene expression. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent internal mRNA modification in mammalian cells. m6A modification is important for controlling many cellular and biological processes. Deregulation of m6A modification has been recently implicated in human carcinogenesis, including liver cancer. In this review, we summarize the recent findings on m6A regulation and its biological impacts in normal and cancer cells. We will focus on the deregulation of m6A modification and m6A regulators in liver diseases and liver cancers. We will highlight the clinical relevance of m6A deregulation in liver cancer. We will also discuss the potential of exploiting m6A modification for cancer diagnosis and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengnuo Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.
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87
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Costantini L, Molinari R, Farinon B, Merendino N. Retinoic Acids in the Treatment of Most Lethal Solid Cancers. J Clin Med 2020; 9:E360. [PMID: 32012980 PMCID: PMC7073976 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9020360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the use of oral administration of pharmacological all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) concentration in acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL) patients was approved for over 20 years and used as standard therapy still to date, the same use in solid cancers is still controversial. In the present review the literature about the top five lethal solid cancers (lung, stomach, liver, breast, and colon cancer), as defined by The Global Cancer Observatory of World Health Organization, and retinoic acids (ATRA, 9-cis retinoic acid, and 13-cis retinoic acid, RA) was compared. The action of retinoic acids in inhibiting the cell proliferation was found in several cell pathways and compartments: from membrane and cytoplasmic signaling, to metabolic enzymes, to gene expression. However, in parallel in the most aggressive phenotypes several escape routes have evolved conferring retinoic acids-resistance. The comparison between different solid cancer types pointed out that for some cancer types several information are still lacking. Moreover, even though some pathways and escape routes are the same between the cancer types, sometimes they can differently respond to retinoic acid therapy, so that generalization cannot be made. Further studies on molecular pathways are needed to perform combinatorial trials that allow overcoming retinoic acids resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Costantini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences (DEB), Tuscia University, Largo dell’Università snc, 01100 Viterbo, Italy
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88
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Gu M, Toh TB, Hooi L, Lim JJ, Zhang X, Chow EKH. Nanodiamond-Mediated Delivery of a G9a Inhibitor for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy. ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES 2019; 11:45427-45441. [PMID: 31718136 DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b16323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary liver cancer with high mortality but limited therapeutic options. Epigenetic regulations including DNA methylation and histone modification control gene expressions and play a crucial role during tumorigenesis. G9a, also known as EHMT2 (euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2), is a histone methyltransferase predominantly responsible for dimethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9). G9a has been shown to play a key role in promoting tumor progression. Recent studies have identified that G9a is a critical mediator of HCC pathogenesis. UNC0646 is a G9a inhibitor that has shown potent in vitro efficacy. However, due to its water insolubility, the in vivo efficacy of UNC0646 is not satisfactory. In this study, nanodiamonds (NDs) were utilized as a drug delivery platform to improve in vivo delivery of this small-molecule inhibitor. Our results showed that ND-UNC0646 complexes could be rapidly synthesized by physical adsorption, meanwhile possessing favorable drug delivery properties and was able to improve the dispersibility of UNC0646 in water, therefore making it amenable for intravenous administration. The release profile of UNC0646 from ND-UNC0646 was demonstrated to be pH-responsive. Moreover, ND-UNC0646 maintained the biological functionality of UNC0646, with higher efficacy in reducing H3K9 methylation as well as enhanced invasion suppressive effects. Most importantly, increased in vivo efficacy was demonstrated using an orthotopic HCC mouse model, which paves the way of translating this small-molecule inhibitor toward HCC treatment. Our work demonstrates the potential of NDs in the clinical application for HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengjie Gu
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine , National University of Singapore , 117600 , Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore , National University of Singapore , 117599 , Singapore
| | - Tan Boon Toh
- The N.1 Institute for Health , National University of Singapore , 117456 , Singapore
| | - Lissa Hooi
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore , National University of Singapore , 117599 , Singapore
| | - Jhin Jieh Lim
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore , National University of Singapore , 117599 , Singapore
| | - Xiyun Zhang
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore , National University of Singapore , 117599 , Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine , National University of Singapore , 119228 , Singapore
| | - Edward Kai-Hua Chow
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine , National University of Singapore , 117600 , Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore , National University of Singapore , 117599 , Singapore
- The N.1 Institute for Health , National University of Singapore , 117456 , Singapore
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89
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Sun J, Wang J, Zhang N, Yang R, Chen K, Kong D. Whole transcriptome analysis of chemically induced hepatocellular carcinoma using RNA-sequencing analysis. FEBS Open Bio 2019; 9:1900-1908. [PMID: 31433574 PMCID: PMC6823285 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.12724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2019] [Revised: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA‐sequencing (RNA‐Seq) is a useful method to explore the molecular events in cells and tissues at the transcriptional level. However, comprehensive transcriptome analysis of hepatocarcinogenesis and progression is lacking. In this study, we aimed to characterize a dimethylnitrosamine (DEN) and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4; DEN+CCl4)‐induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mouse model by RNA‐Seq. In total, 2033 genes were up‐regulated and 841 genes were down‐regulated after DEN and CCl4 stimulation. The differentially expressed genes were highly enriched for the Gene Ontology terms oxoacid metabolic process, carboxylic acid metabolic process, and organic acid metabolic process. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis revealed that the top five significantly overrepresented pathways were metabolic pathways, chemical carcinogenesis, steroid hormone biosynthesis, retinol metabolism and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450. Moreover, a protein‐protein interaction network analysis indicated that Rous sarcoma oncogene (Src) may play a key role in DEN+CCl4‐induced HCC. These results provide a comprehensive overview of transcriptome events in DEN+CCl4‐induced HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Sun
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Na Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Renjun Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Keyang Chen
- Department of Hygiene Inspection and Quarantine, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Derun Kong
- Department of Gastroenterology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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90
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Hu Y, Zheng Y, Dai M, Wang X, Wu J, Yu B, Zhang H, Cui Y, Kong W, Wu H, Yu X. G9a and histone deacetylases are crucial for Snail2-mediated E-cadherin repression and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2019; 110:3442-3452. [PMID: 31432592 PMCID: PMC6825017 DOI: 10.1111/cas.14173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Functional E-cadherin loss, a hallmark of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), is important for metastasis. However, the mechanism of Snail2 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) EMT and metastasis remains unclear. Here, we showed that Snail2 was upregulated in primary HCC, and significantly increased during transforming growth factor-β-induced liver cell EMT. Snail2-overexpressing and knockdown cell lines have been established to determine its function in EMT in HCC. H3K9 methylation was upregulated and H3K4 and H3K56 acetylation were downregulated at the E-cadherin promoter in Snail2-overexpressing cancer cells. Furthermore, Snail2 interacted with G9a and histone deacetylases (HDACs) to form a complex to suppress E-cadherin transcription. Snail2 overexpression enhanced migration and invasion in HCC cells, whereas G9a and HDAC inhibition significantly reversed this effect. Moreover, Snail2 overexpression in cancer cells increased tumor metastasis and shortened survival time in mice, whereas G9a and HDAC inhibitors extended survival. Our study not only reveals a critical mechanism underlying the epigenetic regulation of EMT but also suggests novel treatment strategies for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Hu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yayuan Zheng
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Mingrui Dai
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xueju Wang
- Pathology Department, China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jiaxin Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Bin Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Haihong Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yinqiu Cui
- School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Kong
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Hui Wu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xianghui Yu
- National Engineering Laboratory for AIDS Vaccine, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China.,Key Laboratory for Molecular Enzymology and Engineering, The Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun, China
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91
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Zhao J, Chen HQ, Yang HF, Li Y, Chen DJ, Huang YJ, He LX, Zheng CF, Wang LQ, Wang J, Zhang N, Cao J, Liu JY, Shu WQ, Liu WB. Epigenetic silencing of ALX4 regulates microcystin-LR induced hepatocellular carcinoma through the P53 pathway. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 683:317-330. [PMID: 31132711 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2019] [Revised: 05/10/2019] [Accepted: 05/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies have shown that microcystin-LR (MC-LR) is one of the principal factors that cause liver cancer. Previously we have found that Aristaless-like Homeobox 4 (ALX4) was differentially expressed in MC-LR-induced malignant transformed L02 cells. However, the expression regulation, role and molecular mechanism of ALX4 during the process of liver cancer induced by MC-LR are still unclear. The expression of ALX4 was detected by quantitative reverse-transcription PCR and Western blot in MC-LR induced malignantly transformed cell and rat models. Methylation status of ALX4 promoter region was evaluated by methylation-specific PCR and bisulfite genomic sequencing. The anti-tumor effects of ALX4 on MC-LR induced liver cancer were identified in vitro and in vivo. ALX4 expression was progressively down-regulated in MC-LR-induced malignantly transformed L02 cells and the MC-LR exposed rat models. ALX4 promoter regions were highly methylated in malignantly transformed cells, while treatment with demethylation agent 5-aza-dC significantly increased ALX4 expression. Functional studies showed that overexpression of ALX4 inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion and metastasis in vitro and in vivo, blocks the G1/S phase and promotes the apoptosis. Conversely, knockdown of ALX4 promotes cell proliferation, migration and invasion. Mechanism study found that ALX4 exerts its antitumor function through the P53 pathway, C-MYC and MMP9. More importantly, ALX4 expression level showed a negative relation with serum MC-LR levels in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Our results suggested that ALX4 was inactivated by DNA methylation and played a tumor suppressor function through the P53 pathway in MC-LR induced liver cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Zhao
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China; College of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, PR China
| | - Hong-Qiang Chen
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Hui-Fang Yang
- College of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, PR China
| | - Yan Li
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China; The Calmette International Hospital, Kunming 650224, PR China
| | - Dong-Jiao Chen
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China; College of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, PR China
| | - Yu-Jing Huang
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Li-Xiong He
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Chuan-Fen Zheng
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Ling-Qiao Wang
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Jia Wang
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Na Zhang
- College of Public Health and Management, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan 750004, PR China
| | - Jia Cao
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Jin-Yi Liu
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China
| | - Wei-Qun Shu
- Department of Environmental Hygiene, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.
| | - Wen-Bin Liu
- Institute of Toxicology, College of Preventive Medicine, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University), Chongqing 400038, PR China.
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92
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Wei X, Gu X, Ma M, Lou C. Long noncoding RNA HCP5 suppresses skin cutaneous melanoma development by regulating RARRES3 gene expression via sponging miR-12. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:6323-6335. [PMID: 31496735 PMCID: PMC6698080 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s195796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective This research aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) HCP5 in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). Materials and methods Survival analysis was performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-SKCM data and SKCM patients’ clinical data. Primary SKCM cells were derived from patients’ pathologic tissue specimens. HCP5 overexpression was achieved by lentiviral transduction. Malignancy of SKCM cells was evaluated in vitro by cell proliferation, colony formation, apoptosis and transwell invasion assays. RARRES3 knockdown was achieved by siRNA transfection. DIANA microT-CDS algorithm was used to predict miRNAs that might interact with HCP5 and 3ʹ untranslated region of RARRES3 mRNA. microRNA target luciferase reporter assay and AGO2-RNA immunoprecipitation were used to verify the interaction between HCP5, 3ʹ UTR of RARRES3 mRNA and miR-1286. Results HCP5 level was decreased in SKCM tissue specimens compared to noncancerous counterparts. Low expression of HCP5 was associated with SKCM patients’ poor overall survival and disease progression. HCP5 overexpression significantly reduced the malignancy of primary SKCM cells in vitro. RARRES3 was found as a HCP5-co-expressing gene in SKCM cells. HCP5 overexpression significantly increased RARRES3 expression in SKCM cells. RARRES3 knockdown partially abolished the anti-SKCM effect of HCP5 overexpression. MiR-1286 was found interacting with both HCP5 and 3ʹ UTR of RARRES3 mRNA. Conclusion HCP5 is a cancer-suppressive lncRNA in SKCM. HCP5 overexpression decreased SKCM cell malignancy in vitro by upregulating RARRES3, possibly via sponging miR-1286.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Chunxiang Lou
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, the Third Hospital of Ji'nan, Jinan, Shandong 250132, People's Republic of China
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93
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Jiang C, Meng L, Yang B, Luo X. Application of CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technique in the study of cancer treatment. Clin Genet 2019; 97:73-88. [PMID: 31231788 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, gene editing, especially that using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)/Cas9, has made great progress in the field of gene function. Rapid development of gene editing techniques has contributed to their significance in the field of medicine. Because the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing tool is not only powerful but also has features such as strong specificity and high efficiency, it can accurately and rapidly screen the whole genome, facilitating the administration of gene therapy for specific diseases. In the field of tumor research, CRISPR/Cas9 can be used to edit genomes to explore the mechanisms of tumor occurrence, development, and metastasis. In these years, this system has been increasingly applied in tumor treatment research. CRISPR/Cas9 can be used to treat tumors by repairing mutations or knocking out specific genes. To date, numerous preliminary studies have been conducted on tumor treatment in related fields. CRISPR/Cas9 holds great promise for gene-level tumor treatment. Personalized and targeted therapy based on CRISPR/Cas9 will possibly shape the development of tumor therapy in the future. In this study, we review the findings of CRISPR/Cas9 for tumor treatment research to provide references for related future studies on the pathogenesis and clinical treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyang Jiang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Lingxiang Meng
- Department of Anorectal Surgery, Anorectal Surgery Center, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingjun Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Luo
- Department of Radiotherapy, The Second Hospital of PingLiang City, Second Affiliated Hospital of Gansu Medical College, PingLiang, People's Republic of China
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94
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Bayo J, Fiore EJ, Dominguez LM, Real A, Malvicini M, Rizzo M, Atorrasagasti C, García MG, Argemi J, Martinez ED, Mazzolini GD. A comprehensive study of epigenetic alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma identifies potential therapeutic targets. J Hepatol 2019; 71:78-90. [PMID: 30880225 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhep.2019.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2018] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS A causal link has recently been established between epigenetic alterations and hepatocarcinogenesis, indicating that epigenetic inhibition may have therapeutic potential. We aimed to identify and target epigenetic modifiers that show molecular alterations in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS We studied the molecular-clinical correlations of epigenetic modifiers including bromodomains, histone acetyltransferases, lysine methyltransferases and lysine demethylases in HCC using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data of 365 patients with HCC. The therapeutic potential of epigenetic inhibitors was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. RNA sequencing analysis and its correlation with expression and clinical data in the TCGA dataset were used to identify expression programs normalized by Jumonji lysine demethylase (JmjC) inhibitors. RESULTS Genetic alterations, aberrant expression, and correlation between tumor expression and poor patient prognosis of epigenetic enzymes are common events in HCC. Epigenetic inhibitors that target bromodomain (JQ-1), lysine methyltransferases (BIX-1294 and LLY-507) and JmjC lysine demethylases (JIB-04, GSK-J4 and SD-70) reduce HCC aggressiveness. The pan-JmjC inhibitor JIB-04 had a potent antitumor effect in tumor bearing mice. HCC cells treated with JmjC inhibitors showed overlapping changes in expression programs related with inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of cell death. JmjC inhibition reverses an aggressive HCC gene expression program that is also altered in patients with HCC. Several genes downregulated by JmjC inhibitors are highly expressed in tumor vs. non-tumor parenchyma, and their high expression correlates with a poor prognosis. We identified and validated a 4-gene expression prognostic signature consisting of CENPA, KIF20A, PLK1, and NCAPG. CONCLUSIONS The epigenetic alterations identified in HCC can be used to predict prognosis and to define a subgroup of high-risk patients that would potentially benefit from JmjC inhibitor therapy. LAY SUMMARY In this study, we found that mutations and changes in expression of epigenetic modifiers are common events in human hepatocellular carcinoma, leading to an aggressive gene expression program and poor clinical prognosis. The transcriptional program can be reversed by pharmacological inhibition of Jumonji enzymes. This inhibition blocks hepatocellular carcinoma progression, providing a novel potential therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Bayo
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Esteban J Fiore
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Luciana M Dominguez
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Alejandrina Real
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Mariana Malvicini
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Manglio Rizzo
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Catalina Atorrasagasti
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Mariana G García
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina
| | - Josepmaria Argemi
- Center for Liver Diseases, Pittsburgh Research Center, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Elisabeth D Martinez
- Department of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA; Hamon Center for Therapeutic Oncology Research, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Guillermo D Mazzolini
- Gene Therapy Laboratory, Instituto de Investigaciones en Medicina Traslacional, Facultad de Ciencias Biomédicas, CONICET, Universidad Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina; Liver Unit, Hospital Universitario Austral, Derqui-Pilar, Argentina.
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95
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Cao H, Li L, Yang D, Zeng L, Yewei X, Yu B, Liao G, Chen J. Recent progress in histone methyltransferase (G9a) inhibitors as anticancer agents. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 179:537-546. [PMID: 31276898 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.06.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2019] [Revised: 06/26/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression without changing the DNA sequence - a change in phenotype without a change in genotype. Epigenetic abnormalities can lead to serious diseases such as cancer in organisms. Histone methylation is one of the several manifestations of epigenetics, and requires specific enzymes to catalyze, for example, G9a, which is a histone methyl transferase. G9a catalyzes the methylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9) and histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27). In addition, G9a also plays an essential role in DNA replication, damage and repair, and gene expression by regulating DNA methylation. Moreover, G9a has been found to be overexpressed in many tumor cells and is associated with the occurrence and development of tumors. Because of its unique characteristics, G9a has become a very promising target for anti-cancer agents. Over the last decade, dozens of G9a inhibitors have been discovered as potential anticancer therapeutic agents. In this review, we summarize and classify current G9a inhibitors, the challenges and future direction are also discussed in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Cao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Ling Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Deying Yang
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Liming Zeng
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Xie Yewei
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China
| | - Bin Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Guochao Liao
- Joint Laboratory for Translational Cancer Research of Chinese Medicine of the Ministry of Education of the People's Republic of China, International Institute for Translational Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, 510006, China.
| | - Jianjun Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
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96
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Law CT, Wei L, Tsang FHC, Chan CYK, Xu IMJ, Lai RKH, Ho DWH, Lee JMF, Wong CCL, Ng IOL, Wong CM. HELLS Regulates Chromatin Remodeling and Epigenetic Silencing of Multiple Tumor Suppressor Genes in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatology 2019; 69:2013-2030. [PMID: 30516846 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most lethal cancer worldwide. Increasing evidence shows that epigenetic alterations play an important role in human carcinogenesis. Deregulation of DNA methylation and histone modifications have recently been characterized in HCC, but the significance of chromatin remodeling in liver carcinogenesis remains to be explored. In this study, by systematically analyzing the expression of chromatin remodeling genes in human HCCs, we found that helicase, lymphoid-specific (HELLS), an SWI2/SNF2 chromatin remodeling enzyme, was remarkably overexpressed in HCC. Overexpression of HELLS correlated with more aggressive clinicopathological features and poorer patient prognosis compared to patients with lower HELLS expression. We further showed that up-regulation of HELLS in HCC was conferred by hyperactivation of transcription factor specificity protein 1 (SP1). To investigate the functions of HELLS in HCC, we generated both gain-of-function and loss-of-function models by the CRISPR activation system, lentiviral short hairpin RNA, and the CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing system. We demonstrated that overexpression of HELLS augmented HCC cell proliferation and migration. In contrast, depletion of HELLS reduced HCC growth and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, inactivation of HELLS led to metabolic reprogramming and reversed the Warburg effect in HCC cells. Mechanistically, by integrating analysis of RNA sequencing and micrococcal nuclease sequencing, we revealed that overexpression of HELLS increased nucleosome occupancy, which obstructed the accessibility of enhancers and hindered formation of the nucleosome-free region (NFR) at the transcription start site. Though this mechanism, up-regulation of HELLS mediated epigenetic silencing of multiple tumor suppressor genes including E-cadherin, FBP1, IGFBP3, XAF1 and CREB3L3 in HCC. Conclusion: Our data reveal that HELLS is a key epigenetic driver of HCC; by altering the nucleosome occupancy at the NFR and enhancer, HELLS epigenetically suppresses multiple tumor suppressor genes to promote HCC progression.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antigens, CD/metabolism
- Cadherins/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/enzymology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/etiology
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
- DNA Helicases/genetics
- DNA Helicases/metabolism
- Epigenesis, Genetic
- Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
- Genes, Tumor Suppressor
- Humans
- Liver Neoplasms, Experimental/enzymology
- Liver Neoplasms, Experimental/etiology
- Mice, Knockout
- Mice, Nude
- Neoplasm Metastasis
- Nucleosomes/metabolism
- Sp1 Transcription Factor/metabolism
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheuk-Ting Law
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Lai Wei
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
| | - Felice Ho-Ching Tsang
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
| | - Cerise Yuen-Ki Chan
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Iris Ming-Jing Xu
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Robin Kit-Ho Lai
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Daniel Wai-Hung Ho
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Joyce Man-Fong Lee
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Carmen Chak-Lui Wong
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Irene Oi-Lin Ng
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
| | - Chun-Ming Wong
- Department of Pathology, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Liver Research, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong
- The University of Hong Kong Shenzhen Institute of Research and Innovation, Shenzhen, China
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Zheng BN, Ding CH, Chen SJ, Zhu K, Shao J, Feng J, Xu WP, Cai LY, Zhu CP, Duan W, Ding J, Zhang X, Luo C, Xie WF. Targeting PRMT5 Activity Inhibits the Malignancy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma by Promoting the Transcription of HNF4α. Am J Cancer Res 2019; 9:2606-2617. [PMID: 31131056 PMCID: PMC6525986 DOI: 10.7150/thno.32344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Liver cancer stem cells (LCSCs) are responsible for the initiation, progression and chemoresistance of liver cancer. However, no agent targeting LCSC is available in the clinic to date. Here, we investigated the effects of targeting protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5), an epigenetic regulator, on LCSCs and HCC using a novel PRMT5 inhibitor DW14800. Methods: Tumor spheroid formation culture was used to enrich LCSCs and assess their self-renewal capability. Human alpha-1-antitrypsin (A1AT) ELISA, acetylated low-density lipoprotein (ac-LDL) uptake, periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) reactions and senescence associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity assays were performed to examine the differentiation status of HCC cells. The effects of DW14800 on HCC malignancy were assessed in HCC cell lines and on an HCC xenograft model in mice. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was applied to clarify the transcriptional regulation of HNF4α by PRMT5-mediated Histone H4 arginine-3 symmetrical dimethylation (H4R3me2s). Results: Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the expression of PRMT5 was upregulated in LCSCs. DW14800 specifically decreased the symmetrical dimethylation of arginine residues in HCC cells. Treatment of DW14800 suppressed the self-renewal capacity of LCSCs while re-establishing hepatocyte-specific characteristics in HCC cells. DW14800 displayed antitumor effects in HCC cells in vitro and in xenograft HCC in vivo. Importantly, ChIP assay showed that PRMT5 and H4R3me2s bound to the promoter region of HNF4α gene, and DW14800 increased the expression of HNF4α via reducing the H4R3me2s levels and enhancing the transcription of HNF4α. Conclusions: Our data revealed the significance of targeting PRMT5 activity in LCSC elimination and HCC differentiation, and proposed that DW14800 may represent a promising therapeutic agent for HCC in the clinic.
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98
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Qadi SA, Hassan MA, Sheikh RA, Baothman OA, Zamzami MA, Choudhry H, Al-Malki AL, Albukhari A, Alhosin M. Thymoquinone-Induced Reactivation of Tumor Suppressor Genes in Cancer Cells Involves Epigenetic Mechanisms. Epigenet Insights 2019; 12:2516865719839011. [PMID: 31058255 PMCID: PMC6452588 DOI: 10.1177/2516865719839011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The epigenetic silencing of tumor suppressor genes (TSGs) is a common finding in several solid and hematological tumors involving various epigenetic readers and writers leading to enhanced cell proliferation and defective apoptosis. Thymoquinone (TQ), the major biologically active compound of black seed oil, has demonstrated anticancer activities in various tumors by targeting several pathways. However, its effects on the epigenetic code of cancer cells are largely unknown. In the present study, we performed RNA sequencing to investigate the anticancer mechanisms of TQ-treated T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cell line (Jurkat cells) and examined gene expression using different tools. We found that many key epigenetic players, including ubiquitin-like containing plant homeodomain (PHD) and really interesting new gene (RING) finger domains 1 (UHRF1), DNMT1,3A,3B, G9A, HDAC1,4,9, KDM1B, and KMT2A,B,C,D,E, were downregulated in TQ-treated Jurkat cells. Interestingly, several TSGs, such as DLC1, PPARG, ST7, FOXO6, TET2, CYP1B1, SALL4, and DDIT3, known to be epigenetically silenced in various tumors, including acute leukemia, were upregulated, along with the upregulation of several downstream pro-apoptotic genes, such as RASL11B, RASD1, GNG3, BAD, and BIK. Data obtained from RNA sequencing were confirmed using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) in Jurkat cells, as well as in a human breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-468 cells). We found that the decrease in cell proliferation and in the expression of UHRF1, DNMT1, G9a, and HDAC1 genes in both cancer cell (Jurkat cells and MDA-MB-468 cells) lines depends on the TQ dose. Our results indicate that the use of TQ as an epigenetic drug represents a promising strategy for epigenetic therapy for both solid and blood tumors by targeting both DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahad A Qadi
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed A Hassan
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Hadhramout University, Mukalla, Yemen
| | - Ryan A Sheikh
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Othman As Baothman
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mazin A Zamzami
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer Metabolism and Epigenetic Unit, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Center for Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani Choudhry
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer Metabolism and Epigenetic Unit, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Center for Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Ashwag Albukhari
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Center for Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mahmoud Alhosin
- Biochemistry Department, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer Metabolism and Epigenetic Unit, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Cancer and Mutagenesis Unit, King Fahd Center for Medical Research, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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99
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Bhat AV, Palanichamy Kala M, Rao VK, Pignata L, Lim HJ, Suriyamurthy S, Chang KT, Lee VK, Guccione E, Taneja R. Epigenetic Regulation of the PTEN-AKT-RAC1 Axis by G9a Is Critical for Tumor Growth in Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma. Cancer Res 2019; 79:2232-2243. [PMID: 30833420 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-18-2676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Revised: 12/17/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) is an aggressive pediatric cancer with poor prognosis. As transient and stable modifications to chromatin have emerged as critical mechanisms in oncogenic signaling, efforts to target epigenetic modifiers as a therapeutic strategy have accelerated in recent years. To identify chromatin modifiers that sustain tumor growth, we performed an epigenetic screen and found that inhibition of lysine methyltransferase G9a significantly affected the viability of ARMS cell lines. Targeting expression or activity of G9a reduced cellular proliferation and motility in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. Transcriptome and chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing analysis provided mechanistic evidence that the tumor-suppressor PTEN was a direct target gene of G9a. G9a repressed PTEN expression in a methyltransferase activity-dependent manner, resulting in increased AKT and RAC1 activity. Re-expression of constitutively active RAC1 in G9a-deficient tumor cells restored oncogenic phenotypes, demonstrating its critical functions downstream of G9a. Collectively, our study provides evidence for a G9a-dependent epigenetic program that regulates tumor growth and suggests targeting G9a as a therapeutic strategy in ARMS. SIGNIFICANCE: These findings demonstrate that RAC1 is an effector of G9a oncogenic functions and highlight the potential of G9a inhibitors in the treatment of ARMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akshay V Bhat
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Monica Palanichamy Kala
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Vinay Kumar Rao
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Luca Pignata
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Huey Jin Lim
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sudha Suriyamurthy
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Kenneth T Chang
- Department of Pathology, KK Women and Children's Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Victor K Lee
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Ernesto Guccione
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Reshma Taneja
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
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100
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Bárcena-Varela M, Caruso S, Llerena S, Álvarez-Sola G, Uriarte I, Latasa MU, Urtasun R, Rebouissou S, Alvarez L, Jimenez M, Santamaría E, Rodriguez-Ortigosa C, Mazza G, Rombouts K, San José-Eneriz E, Rabal O, Agirre X, Iraburu M, Santos-Laso A, Banales JM, Zucman-Rossi J, Prósper F, Oyarzabal J, Berasain C, Ávila MA, Fernández-Barrena MG. Dual Targeting of Histone Methyltransferase G9a and DNA-Methyltransferase 1 for the Treatment of Experimental Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Hepatology 2019; 69:587-603. [PMID: 30014490 DOI: 10.1002/hep.30168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications such as DNA and histone methylation functionally cooperate in fostering tumor growth, including that of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Pharmacological targeting of these mechanisms may open new therapeutic avenues. We aimed to determine the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanism of action of our dual G9a histone-methyltransferase and DNA-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) inhibitor in human HCC cells and their crosstalk with fibrogenic cells. The expression of G9a and DNMT1, along with that of their molecular adaptor ubiquitin-like with PHD and RING finger domains-1 (UHRF1), was measured in human HCCs (n = 268), peritumoral tissues (n = 154), and HCC cell lines (n = 32). We evaluated the effect of individual and combined inhibition of G9a and DNMT1 on HCC cell growth by pharmacological and genetic approaches. The activity of our lead compound, CM-272, was examined in HCC cells under normoxia and hypoxia, human hepatic stellate cells and LX2 cells, and xenograft tumors formed by HCC or combined HCC+LX2 cells. We found a significant and correlative overexpression of G9a, DNMT1, and UHRF1 in HCCs in association with poor prognosis. Independent G9a and DNMT1 pharmacological targeting synergistically inhibited HCC cell growth. CM-272 potently reduced HCC and LX2 cells proliferation and quelled tumor growth, particularly in HCC+LX2 xenografts. Mechanistically, CM-272 inhibited the metabolic adaptation of HCC cells to hypoxia and induced a differentiated phenotype in HCC and fibrogenic cells. The expression of the metabolic tumor suppressor gene fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (FBP1), epigenetically repressed in HCC, was restored by CM-272. Conclusion: Combined targeting of G9a/DNMT1 with compounds such as CM-272 is a promising strategy for HCC treatment. Our findings also underscore the potential of differentiation therapy in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefano Caruso
- Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors, Inserm U1162, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris 13, IUH, France
| | - Susana Llerena
- Marqués de Valdecilla University Hospital, Santander, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gloria Álvarez-Sola
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - Iker Uriarte
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
| | - M Ujue Latasa
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Raquel Urtasun
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Sandra Rebouissou
- Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors, Inserm U1162, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris 13, IUH, France
| | - Laura Alvarez
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | | | - Eva Santamaría
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Ortigosa
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Giuseppe Mazza
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Krista Rombouts
- Institute for Liver and Digestive Health, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Edurne San José-Eneriz
- Oncohematology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Obdulia Rabal
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Xabier Agirre
- Oncohematology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maria Iraburu
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Alvaro Santos-Laso
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Biodonostia Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, Ikerbasque, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Jesus M Banales
- CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Biodonostia Research Institute, Donostia University Hospital, Ikerbasque, San Sebastian, Spain
| | - Jessica Zucman-Rossi
- Functional Genomics of Solid Tumors, Inserm U1162, Université Paris Descartes, Université Paris Diderot, Université Paris 13, IUH, France
| | - Felipe Prósper
- Oncohematology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Julen Oyarzabal
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carmen Berasain
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Matías A Ávila
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maite G Fernández-Barrena
- Hepatology Program, Cima-University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.,CIBERehd, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra-IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
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