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Not All H3K4 Methylations Are Created Equal: Mll2/COMPASS Dependency in Primordial Germ Cell Specification. Mol Cell 2017; 65:460-475.e6. [PMID: 28157506 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2017.01.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2016] [Revised: 07/16/2016] [Accepted: 01/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
The spatiotemporal regulation of gene expression is central for cell-lineage specification during embryonic development and is achieved through the combinatorial action of transcription factors/co-factors and epigenetic states at cis-regulatory elements. Here, we show that in addition to implementing H3K4me3 at promoters of bivalent genes, Mll2 (KMT2B)/COMPASS can also implement H3K4me3 at a subset of non-TSS regulatory elements, a subset of which shares epigenetic signatures of active enhancers. Our mechanistic studies reveal that association of Mll2's CXXC domain with CpG-rich regions plays an instrumental role for chromatin targeting and subsequent implementation of H3K4me3. Although Mll2/COMPASS is required for H3K4me3 implementation on thousands of loci, generation of catalytically mutant MLL2/COMPASS demonstrated that H3K4me3 implemented by this enzyme was essential for expression of a subset of genes, including those functioning in the control of transcriptional programs during embryonic development. Our findings suggest that not all H3K4 trimethylations implemented by MLL2/COMPASS are functionally equivalent.
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102
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An Evolutionary Conserved Epigenetic Mark of Polycomb Response Elements Implemented by Trx/MLL/COMPASS. Mol Cell 2017; 63:318-328. [PMID: 27447986 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.06.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2016] [Revised: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Polycomb response elements (PREs) are specific DNA sequences that stably maintain the developmental pattern of gene expression. Drosophila PREs are well characterized, whereas the existence of PREs in mammals remains debated. Accumulating evidence supports a model in which CpG islands recruit Polycomb group (PcG) complexes; however, which subset of CGIs is selected to serve as PREs is unclear. Trithorax (Trx) positively regulates gene expression in Drosophila and co-occupies PREs to antagonize Polycomb-dependent silencing. Here we demonstrate that Trx-dependent H3K4 dimethylation (H3K4me2) marks Drosophila PREs and maintains the developmental expression pattern of nearby genes. Similarly, the mammalian Trx homolog, MLL1, deposits H3K4me2 at CpG-dense regions that could serve as PREs. In the absence of MLL1 and H3K4me2, H3K27me3 levels, a mark of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), increase at these loci. By inhibiting PRC2-dependent H3K27me3 in the absence of MLL1, we can rescue expression of these loci, demonstrating a functional balance between MLL1 and PRC2 activities at these sites. Thus, our study provides rules for identifying cell-type-specific functional mammalian PREs within the human genome.
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103
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Soo BPC, Tay J, Ng S, Ho SCL, Yang Y, Chao SH. Correlation Between Expression of Recombinant Proteins and Abundance of H3K4Me3 on the Enhancer of Human Cytomegalovirus Major Immediate-Early Promoter. Mol Biotechnol 2017; 59:315-322. [DOI: 10.1007/s12033-017-0019-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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104
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Yin M, Chen Z, Ouyang Y, Zhang H, Wan Z, Wang H, Wu W, Yin X. Thrombin-induced, TNFR-dependent miR-181c downregulation promotes MLL1 and NF-κB target gene expression in human microglia. J Neuroinflammation 2017; 14:132. [PMID: 28662718 PMCID: PMC5492717 DOI: 10.1186/s12974-017-0887-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2016] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Controlling thrombin-driven microglial activation may serve as a therapeutic target for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Here, we investigated microRNA (miRNA)-based regulation of thrombin-driven microglial activation using an in vitro thrombin toxicity model applied to primary human microglia. METHODS A miRNA array identified 22 differential miRNA candidates. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) identified miR-181c as the most significantly downregulated miRNA. TargetScan analysis identified mixed lineage leukemia-1 (MLL1) as a putative gene target for miR-181c. qRT-PCR was applied to assess tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), miR-181c, and MLL1 levels following thrombin or proteinase-activated receptor-4-specific activating peptide (PAR4AP) exposure. Anti-TNF-α antibodies and tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) silencing were employed to test TNF-α/TNFR dependence. A dual-luciferase reporter system and miR-181c mimic transfection assessed whether mir-181c directly binds to and negatively regulates MLL1. Nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)-dependent luciferase reporter assays and NF-κB target gene expression were assessed in wild-type (MLL1+) and MLL1-silenced cells. RESULTS Thrombin or PAR4AP-induced miR-181c downregulation (p < 0.05) and MLL1 upregulation (p < 0.05) that were dependent upon TNF-α/TNFR. miR-181c decreased wild-type MLL1 3'-UTR luciferase reporter activity (p < 0.05), and a miR-181c mimic suppressed MLL1 expression (p < 0.05). Thrombin treatment increased, while miR-181c reduced, NF-κB activity and NF-κB target gene expression in both wild-type (MLL1+) and MLL1-silenced cells (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Thrombin-induced, TNF-α/TNFR-dependent miR-181c downregulation promotes MLL1 expression, increases NF-κB activity, and upregulates NF-κB target gene expression. As miR-181c opposes thrombin's stimulation of pro-inflammatory NF-κB activity, miR-181c mimic therapy may show promise in controlling thrombin-driven microglial activation following ICH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Yin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Zhiying Chen
- Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Yetong Ouyang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Huiyan Zhang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Zhigang Wan
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Han Wang
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China.
| | - Xiaoping Yin
- Department of Neurology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Minde Road, Nanchang, 330006, Jiangxi Province, China. .,Department of Neurology, The Affiliated Hospital of Jiujiang University, Jiujiang, 332000, Jiangxi Province, China.
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105
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Xu X, Nagel S, Quentmeier H, Wang Z, Pommerenke C, Dirks WG, Macleod RAF, Drexler HG, Hu Z. KDM3B shows tumor-suppressive activity and transcriptionally regulates HOXA1 through retinoic acid response elements in acute myeloid leukemia. Leuk Lymphoma 2017; 59:204-213. [PMID: 28540746 DOI: 10.1080/10428194.2017.1324156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
KDM3B reportedly shows both tumor-suppressive and tumor-promoting activities in leukemia. The function of KDM3B is likely cell-type dependent and its seeming functional discordance may reflect its phenotypic dependence on downstream targets. Here, we first showed the underexpression of KDM3B in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and AML cell lines with MLL-AF6/9 or PML-RARA translocations. Overexpression of KDM3B repressed colony formation of AML cell line with 5q deletion. We then performed global microarray profiling to identify potential downstream targets of KDM3B, notably HOXA1, which was verified by real time PCR and Western blotting. We further showed KDM3B binding at retinoic acid response elements (RARE) but not at the promoter region of HOXA1 gene. KDM3B knockdown resulted in increased mono-methylation but decreased di-methylation of H3K9 at RARE while eschewing the promoter region of HOXA1. Collectively, we found that KDM3B exhibits potential tumor-suppressive activity and transcriptionally modulates HOXA1 expression via RARE in AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Xu
- a Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine , The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University , Weifang , Shandong , China
| | - Stefan Nagel
- b Department of Human and Animal Cell Culture , Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Hilmar Quentmeier
- b Department of Human and Animal Cell Culture , Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Zhanju Wang
- c Department of Hematology , The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University , Weifang , Shandong , China
| | - Claudia Pommerenke
- b Department of Human and Animal Cell Culture , Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Wilhelm G Dirks
- b Department of Human and Animal Cell Culture , Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Roderick A F Macleod
- b Department of Human and Animal Cell Culture , Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Hans G Drexler
- b Department of Human and Animal Cell Culture , Leibniz-Institute DSMZ-German Collection of Microorganisms and Cell Cultures , Braunschweig , Germany
| | - Zhenbo Hu
- a Laboratory for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine , The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University , Weifang , Shandong , China.,c Department of Hematology , The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University , Weifang , Shandong , China
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106
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Cao K, Collings CK, Marshall SA, Morgan MA, Rendleman EJ, Wang L, Sze CC, Sun T, Bartom ET, Shilatifard A. SET1A/COMPASS and shadow enhancers in the regulation of homeotic gene expression. Genes Dev 2017; 31:787-801. [PMID: 28487406 PMCID: PMC5435891 DOI: 10.1101/gad.294744.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
In this study, Cao et al. identify two cis-regulatory elements (E1 and E2) functioning as shadow enhancers to regulate the early expression of the HoxA genes. Their results reveal multiple regulatory layers for Hox genes to fine-tune transcriptional programs essential for development. The homeotic (Hox) genes are highly conserved in metazoans, where they are required for various processes in development, and misregulation of their expression is associated with human cancer. In the developing embryo, Hox genes are activated sequentially in time and space according to their genomic position within Hox gene clusters. Accumulating evidence implicates both enhancer elements and noncoding RNAs in controlling this spatiotemporal expression of Hox genes, but disentangling their relative contributions is challenging. Here, we identify two cis-regulatory elements (E1 and E2) functioning as shadow enhancers to regulate the early expression of the HoxA genes. Simultaneous deletion of these shadow enhancers in embryonic stem cells leads to impaired activation of HoxA genes upon differentiation, while knockdown of a long noncoding RNA overlapping E1 has no detectable effect on their expression. Although MLL/COMPASS (complex of proteins associated with Set1) family of histone methyltransferases is known to activate transcription of Hox genes in other contexts, we found that individual inactivation of the MLL1-4/COMPASS family members has little effect on early Hox gene activation. Instead, we demonstrate that SET1A/COMPASS is required for full transcriptional activation of multiple Hox genes but functions independently of the E1 and E2 cis-regulatory elements. Our results reveal multiple regulatory layers for Hox genes to fine-tune transcriptional programs essential for development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixiang Cao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Clayton K Collings
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Stacy A Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Marc A Morgan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Emily J Rendleman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Christie C Sze
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Tianjiao Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Bartom
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA.,Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois 60611, USA
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107
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Pradeepa MM, McKenna F, Taylor GCA, Bengani H, Grimes GR, Wood AJ, Bhatia S, Bickmore WA. Psip1/p52 regulates posterior Hoxa genes through activation of lncRNA Hottip. PLoS Genet 2017; 13:e1006677. [PMID: 28384324 PMCID: PMC5383017 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been implicated in various biological functions including the regulation of gene expression, however, the functionality of lncRNAs is not clearly understood and conflicting conclusions have often been reached when comparing different methods to investigate them. Moreover, little is known about the upstream regulation of lncRNAs. Here we show that the short isoform (p52) of a transcriptional co-activator-PC4 and SF2 interacting protein (Psip1), which is known to be involved in linking transcription to RNA processing, specifically regulates the expression of the lncRNA Hottip-located at the 5' end of the Hoxa locus. Using both knockdown and knockout approaches we show that Hottip expression is required for activation of the 5' Hoxa genes (Hoxa13 and Hoxa10/11) and for retaining Mll1 at the 5' end of Hoxa. Moreover, we demonstrate that artificially inducing Hottip expression is sufficient to activate the 5' Hoxa genes and that Hottip RNA binds to the 5' end of Hoxa. By engineering premature transcription termination, we show that it is the Hottip lncRNA molecule itself, not just Hottip transcription that is required to maintains active expression of posterior Hox genes. Our data show a direct role for a lncRNA molecule in regulating the expression of developmentally-regulated mRNA genes in cis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madapura M. Pradeepa
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
- School of biological sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Fionnuala McKenna
- School of biological sciences, University of Essex, Colchester, United Kingdom
| | - Gillian C. A. Taylor
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Hemant Bengani
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Graeme R. Grimes
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew J. Wood
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Shipra Bhatia
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy A. Bickmore
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine at University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
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108
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Nayak A, Reck A, Morsczeck C, Müller S. Flightless-I governs cell fate by recruiting the SUMO isopeptidase SENP3 to distinct HOX genes. Epigenetics Chromatin 2017; 10:15. [PMID: 28344658 PMCID: PMC5364561 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-017-0122-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Despite recent studies on the role of ubiquitin-related SUMO modifier in cell fate decisions, our understanding on precise molecular mechanisms of these processes is limited. Previously, we established that the SUMO isopeptidase SENP3 regulates chromatin assembly of the MLL1/2 histone methyltransferase complex at distinct HOX genes, including the osteogenic master regulator DLX3. A comprehensive mechanism that regulates SENP3 transcriptional function was not understood. Results Here, we identified flightless-I homolog (FLII), a member of the gelsolin family of actin-remodeling proteins, as a novel regulator of SENP3. We demonstrate that FLII is associated with SENP3 and the MLL1/2 complex. We further show that FLII determines SENP3 recruitment and MLL1/2 complex assembly on the DLX3 gene. Consequently, FLII is indispensible for H3K4 methylation and proper loading of active RNA polymerase II at this gene locus. Most importantly, FLII-mediated SENP3 regulation governs osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells. Conclusion Altogether, these data reveal a crucial functional interconnection of FLII with the sumoylation machinery that converges on epigenetic regulation and cell fate determination. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13072-017-0122-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arnab Nayak
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Medical School, University Hospital Building 75, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anja Reck
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christian Morsczeck
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Regensburg, 93042 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Müller
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Goethe University Medical School, University Hospital Building 75, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60590 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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109
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Vedadi M, Blazer L, Eram MS, Barsyte-Lovejoy D, Arrowsmith CH, Hajian T. Targeting human SET1/MLL family of proteins. Protein Sci 2017; 26:662-676. [PMID: 28160335 PMCID: PMC5368065 DOI: 10.1002/pro.3129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2016] [Revised: 01/18/2017] [Accepted: 01/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The SET1 family of proteins, and in particular MLL1, are essential regulators of transcription and key mediators of normal development and disease. Here, we summarize the detailed characterization of the methyltransferase activity of SET1 complexes and the role of the key subunits, WDR5, RbBP5, ASH2L, and DPY30. We present new data on full kinetic characterization of human MLL1, MLL3, SET1A, and SET1B trimeric, tetrameric, and pentameric complexes to elaborate on substrate specificities and compare our findings with what has been reported before. We also review exciting recent work identifying potent inhibitors of oncogenic MLL1 function through disruption of protein–protein interactions within the MLL1 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Masoud Vedadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8
| | - Levi Blazer
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7
| | - Mohammad S Eram
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7
| | | | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7.,Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 2M9
| | - Taraneh Hajian
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7
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110
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Meeks JJ, Shilatifard A. Multiple Roles for the MLL/COMPASS Family in the Epigenetic Regulation of Gene Expression and in Cancer. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CANCER BIOLOGY-SERIES 2017. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-cancerbio-050216-034333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Joshua J. Meeks
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
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111
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Lintas C, Persico AM. Unraveling molecular pathways shared by Kabuki and Kabuki-like syndromes. Clin Genet 2017; 94:283-295. [PMID: 28139835 DOI: 10.1111/cge.12983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2016] [Accepted: 01/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Kabuki syndrome (KS) is a rare genetic syndrome characterized by a typical facial gestalt, variable degrees of intellectual disability, organ malformations, postnatal growth retardation and skeletal abnormalities. So far, KMT2D or KDM6A mutation has been identified as the main cause of KS, accounting for 56%-75% and 3%-8% of cases, respectively. Patients without mutations in 1 of the 2 causative KS genes are often referred to as affected by Kabuki-like syndrome. Overall, they represent approximately 30% of KS cases, pointing toward substantial genetic heterogeneity for this condition. Here, we review all currently available literature describing KS-like phenotypes (or phenocopies) associated with genetic variants located in loci different from KMT2D and KDM6A . We also report on a new KS phenocopy harboring a 5 Mb de novo deletion in chr10p11.22-11.21. An enrichment analysis aimed at identifying functional Gene Ontology classes shared by the 2 known KS causative genes and by new candidate genes currently associated with KS-like phenotypes primarily converges upon abnormal chromatin remodeling and transcriptional dysregulation as pivotal to the pathophysiology of KS phenotypic hallmarks. The identification of mutations in genes belonging to the same functional pathways of KMT2D and KDM6A can help design molecular screenings targeted to KS-like phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Lintas
- Unit of Child and Adolescent NeuroPsychiatry, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy.,Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry and Neurogenetics, Department of Medicine, University Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - A M Persico
- Unit of Child and Adolescent NeuroPsychiatry, "G. Martino" University Hospital, University of Messina, Messina, Italy.,Mafalda Luce Center for Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Milan, Italy
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112
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Xie W, Nagarajan S, Baumgart SJ, Kosinsky RL, Najafova Z, Kari V, Hennion M, Indenbirken D, Bonn S, Grundhoff A, Wegwitz F, Mansouri A, Johnsen SA. RNF40 regulates gene expression in an epigenetic context-dependent manner. Genome Biol 2017; 18:32. [PMID: 28209164 PMCID: PMC5314486 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-017-1159-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2016] [Accepted: 01/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Monoubiquitination of H2B (H2Bub1) is a largely enigmatic histone modification that has been linked to transcriptional elongation. Because of this association, it has been commonly assumed that H2Bub1 is an exclusively positively acting histone modification and that increased H2Bub1 occupancy correlates with increased gene expression. In contrast, depletion of the H2B ubiquitin ligases RNF20 or RNF40 alters the expression of only a subset of genes. Results Using conditional Rnf40 knockout mouse embryo fibroblasts, we show that genes occupied by low to moderate amounts of H2Bub1 are selectively regulated in response to Rnf40 deletion, whereas genes marked by high levels of H2Bub1 are mostly unaffected by Rnf40 loss. Furthermore, we find that decreased expression of RNF40-dependent genes is highly associated with widespread narrowing of H3K4me3 peaks. H2Bub1 promotes the broadening of H3K4me3 to increase transcriptional elongation, which together lead to increased tissue-specific gene transcription. Notably, genes upregulated following Rnf40 deletion, including Foxl2, are enriched for H3K27me3, which is decreased following Rnf40 deletion due to decreased expression of the Ezh2 gene. As a consequence, increased expression of some RNF40-“suppressed” genes is associated with enhancer activation via FOXL2. Conclusion Together these findings reveal the complexity and context-dependency whereby one histone modification can have divergent effects on gene transcription. Furthermore, we show that these effects are dependent upon the activity of other epigenetic regulatory proteins and histone modifications. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-017-1159-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanhua Xie
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Sankari Nagarajan
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Simon J Baumgart
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Robyn Laura Kosinsky
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Zeynab Najafova
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Vijayalakshmi Kari
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Magali Hennion
- Research Group for Computational Systems Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Griesebachstraße 5, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Daniela Indenbirken
- Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Bonn
- Research Group for Computational Systems Biology, German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), Griesebachstraße 5, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Adam Grundhoff
- Heinrich Pette Institute, Leibniz Institute for Experimental Virology, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florian Wegwitz
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ahmed Mansouri
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Max-Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry, Am Fassberg, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.,Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch-Strasse 40, 37075, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Department of General, Visceral and Pediatric Surgery, Göttingen Center for Molecular Biosciences, University Medical Center Göttingen, Justus-von-Liebig-Weg 11, 37077, Göttingen, Germany.
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113
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Lu C, Paschall AV, Shi H, Savage N, Waller JL, Sabbatini ME, Oberlies NH, Pearce C, Liu K. The MLL1-H3K4me3 Axis-Mediated PD-L1 Expression and Pancreatic Cancer Immune Evasion. J Natl Cancer Inst 2017; 109:2962333. [PMID: 28131992 DOI: 10.1093/jnci/djw283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 171] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2016] [Revised: 09/21/2016] [Accepted: 10/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is one of the cancers where anti-PD-L1/PD-1 immunotherapy has been unsuccessful. What confers pancreatic cancer resistance to checkpoint immunotherapy is unknown. The aim of this study is to elucidate the underlying mechanism of PD-L1 expression regulation in the context of pancreatic cancer immune evasion. METHODS Pancreatic cancer mouse models and human specimens were used to determine PD-L1 and PD-1 expression and cancer immune evasion. Histone methyltransferase inhibitors, RNAi, and overexpression were used to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanism of PD-L1 expression regulation. All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS PD-L1 is expressed in 60% to 90% of tumor cells in human pancreatic carcinomas and in nine of 10 human pancreatic cancer cell lines. PD-1 is expressed in 51.2% to 52.1% of pancreatic tumor-infiltrating cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). Tumors grow statistically significantly faster in FasL-deficient mice than in wild-type mice (P = .03-.001) and when CTLs are neutralized (P = .03-<.001). H3K4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) is enriched in the cd274 promoter in pancreatic tumor cells. MLL1 directly binds to the cd274 promoter to catalyze H3K4me3 to activate PD-L1 transcription in tumor cells. Inhibition or silencing of MLL1 decreases the H3K4me3 level in the cd274 promoter and PD-L1 expression in tumor cells. Accordingly, inhibition of MLL1 in combination with anti-PD-L1 or anti-PD-1 antibody immunotherapy effectively suppresses pancreatic tumor growth in a FasL- and CTL-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS The Fas-FasL/CTLs and the MLL1-H3K4me3-PD-L1 axis play contrasting roles in pancreatic cancer immune surveillance and evasion. Targeting the MLL1-H3K4me3 axis is an effective approach to enhance the efficacy of checkpoint immunotherapy against pancreatic cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunwan Lu
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Amy V Paschall
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Huidong Shi
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Natasha Savage
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Jennifer L Waller
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Maria E Sabbatini
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Nicholas H Oberlies
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Cedric Pearce
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
| | - Kebin Liu
- Affiliations of authors: Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (CL, AVP, KL), Department of Pathology (NS), and Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology (JLW), Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA; Georgia Cancer Center (CL, AVP, HS, KL) and Department of Biological Sciences (MES), Augusta University, Augusta, GA; Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, Augusta, GA (CL, AVP, KL); Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro, NC (NHO); Mycosynthetix, Inc., Hillsborough, NC (CP)
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114
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Liang K, Volk AG, Haug JS, Marshall SA, Woodfin AR, Bartom ET, Gilmore JM, Florens L, Washburn MP, Sullivan KD, Espinosa JM, Cannova J, Zhang J, Smith ER, Crispino JD, Shilatifard A. Therapeutic Targeting of MLL Degradation Pathways in MLL-Rearranged Leukemia. Cell 2017; 168:59-72.e13. [PMID: 28065413 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2016.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2016] [Revised: 08/26/2016] [Accepted: 12/07/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Chromosomal translocations of the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) gene with various partner genes result in aggressive leukemia with dismal outcomes. Despite similar expression at the mRNA level from the wild-type and chimeric MLL alleles, the chimeric protein is more stable. We report that UBE2O functions in regulating the stability of wild-type MLL in response to interleukin-1 signaling. Targeting wild-type MLL degradation impedes MLL leukemia cell proliferation, and it downregulates a specific group of target genes of the MLL chimeras and their oncogenic cofactor, the super elongation complex. Pharmacologically inhibiting this pathway substantially delays progression, and it improves survival of murine leukemia through stabilizing wild-type MLL protein, which displaces the MLL chimera from some of its target genes and, therefore, relieves the cellular oncogenic addiction to MLL chimeras. Stabilization of MLL provides us with a paradigm in the development of therapies for aggressive MLL leukemia and perhaps for other cancers caused by translocations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiwei Liang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th St., Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Andrew G Volk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Jeffrey S Haug
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th St., Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Stacy A Marshall
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Ashley R Woodfin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Elizabeth T Bartom
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Joshua M Gilmore
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th St., Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Laurence Florens
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th St., Kansas City, MO 64110, USA
| | - Michael P Washburn
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th St., Kansas City, MO 64110, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS 66150, USA
| | - Kelly D Sullivan
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome & Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joaquin M Espinosa
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome & Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Joseph Cannova
- Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA; Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Jiwang Zhang
- Oncology Institute, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA; Department of Pathology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Edwin R Smith
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - John D Crispino
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 303 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, Il 60611, USA
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, IL 60611, USA; Stowers Institute for Medical Research, 1000 E. 50th St., Kansas City, MO 64110, USA; Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, 320 E. Superior St., Chicago, Il 60611, USA.
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115
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Wu S, Yang Z, Ye R, An D, Li C, Wang Y, Wang Y, Huang Y, Liu H, Li F, He L, Sun D, Yu Y, Li Q, Huang P, Zhang M, Zhao X, Bi T, Zhuang X, Zhang L, Lu J, Sun X, Zhou F, Liu C, Yang G, Hou Y, Fan Z, Cai Z. Novel variants in MLL confer to bladder cancer recurrence identified by whole-exome sequencing. Oncotarget 2016; 7:2629-45. [PMID: 26625313 PMCID: PMC4823060 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.6380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Accepted: 10/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is distinguished by high rate of recurrence after surgery, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here we performed the whole-exome sequencing of 37 BC individuals including 20 primary and 17 recurrent samples in which the primary and recurrent samples were not from the same patient. We uncovered that MLL, EP400, PRDM2, ANK3 and CHD5 exclusively altered in recurrent BCs. Specifically, the recurrent BCs and bladder cancer cells with MLL mutation displayed increased histone H3 tri-methyl K4 (H3K4me3) modification in tissue and cell levels and showed enhanced expression of GATA4 and ETS1 downstream. What's more, MLL mutated bladder cancer cells obtained with CRISPR/Cas9 showed increased ability of drug-resistance to epirubicin (a chemotherapy drug for bladder cancer) than wild type cells. Additionally, the BC patients with high expression of GATA4 and ETS1 significantly displayed shorter lifespan than patients with low expression. Our study provided an overview of the genetic basis of recrudescent bladder cancer and discovered that genetic alterations of MLL were involved in BC relapse. The increased modification of H3K4me3 and expression of GATA4 and ETS1 would be the promising targets for the diagnosis and therapy of relapsed bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Wu
- The Affiliated Luohu Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen Luohu Hospital Group, Shenzhen, China.,Department of Urological Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhao Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Ye
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Dan An
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chong Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yitian Wang
- Department of Urological Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yongqiang Wang
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yi Huang
- Department of Urological Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | | | | | - Luyun He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Da Sun
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuan Yu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jingxiao Lu
- Department of Urological Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xiaojuan Sun
- Department of Urological Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Fangjian Zhou
- Department of Urology, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chunxiao Liu
- Department of Urology, Zhujiang Hospital of Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guosheng Yang
- Guangdong Second People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Zusen Fan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhiming Cai
- Department of Urological Surgery, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
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116
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Iguchi E, Safgren SL, Marks DL, Olson RL, Fernandez-Zapico ME. Pancreatic Cancer, A Mis-interpreter of the Epigenetic Language. THE YALE JOURNAL OF BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE 2016; 89:575-590. [PMID: 28018146 PMCID: PMC5168833] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality in the U.S. with close to 40,000 deaths per year. Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) represents approximately 90 percent of all pancreatic cancer cases and is the most lethal form of the disease. Current therapies for PDAC are ineffective and most patients cannot be treated by surgical resection. Most research efforts have primarily focused on how genetic alterations cause, alter progression, contribute to diagnosis, and influence PDAC management. Over the past two decades, a model has been advanced of PDAC initiation and progression as a multi-step process driven by the acquisition of mutations leading to loss of tumor suppressors and activation of oncogenes. The recognition of the essential roles of these genetic alterations in the development of PDAC has revolutionized our knowledge of this disease. However, none of these findings have turned into effective treatment for this dismal malignancy. In recent years, studies in the areas of chromatin modifications, and non-coding RNAs have uncovered mechanisms for regulating gene expression which occur independently of genetic alterations. Chromatin-based mechanisms are interwoven with microRNA-driven regulation of protein translation to create an integrated epigenetic language, which is grossly dysregulated in PDAC. Thus in PDAC, key tumor suppressors that are well established to play a role in PDAC may be repressed, and oncogenes can be upregulated secondary to epigenetic alterations. Unlike mutations, epigenetic changes are potentially reversible. Given this feature of epigenetic mechanisms, it is conceivable that targeting epigenetic-based events promoting and maintaining PDAC could serve as foundation for the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches for this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriko Iguchi
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | - David L. Marks
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Rachel L. Olson
- Schulze Center for Novel Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
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117
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Shen EY, Jiang Y, Javidfar B, Kassim B, Loh YHE, Ma Q, Mitchell AC, Pothula V, Stewart AF, Ernst P, Yao WD, Martin G, Shen L, Jakovcevski M, Akbarian S. Neuronal Deletion of Kmt2a/Mll1 Histone Methyltransferase in Ventral Striatum is Associated with Defective Spike-Timing-Dependent Striatal Synaptic Plasticity, Altered Response to Dopaminergic Drugs, and Increased Anxiety. Neuropsychopharmacology 2016; 41:3103-3113. [PMID: 27485686 PMCID: PMC5101561 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2016.144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Lysine (K) methyltransferase 2a (Kmt2a) and other regulators of H3 lysine 4 methylation, a histone modification enriched at promoters and enhancers, are widely expressed throughout the brain, but molecular and cellular phenotypes in subcortical areas remain poorly explored. We report that Kmt2a conditional deletion in postnatal forebrain is associated with excessive nocturnal activity and with absent or blunted responses to stimulant and dopaminergic agonist drugs, in conjunction with near-complete loss of spike-timing-dependent long-term potentiation in medium spiny neurons (MSNs). Selective ablation of Kmt2a, but not the ortholog Kmt2b, in adult ventral striatum/nucleus accumbens neurons markedly increased anxiety scores in multiple behavioral paradigms. Striatal transcriptome sequencing in adult mutants identified 262 Kmt2a-sensitive genes, mostly downregulated in Kmt2a-deficient mice. Transcriptional repression includes the 5-Htr2a serotonin receptor, strongly associated with anxiety- and depression-related disorders in human and animal models. Consistent with the role of Kmt2a in promoting gene expression, the transcriptional regulators Bahcc1, Isl1, and Sp9 were downregulated and affected by H3K4 promoter hypomethylation. Therefore, Kmt2a regulates synaptic plasticity in striatal neurons and provides an epigenetic drug target for anxiety and dopamine-mediated behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yan Jiang
- Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA
| | | | | | - Yong-Hwee E Loh
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Qi Ma
- Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | - Patricia Ernst
- University of Colorado School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Wei-Dong Yao
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Gilles Martin
- Brudnick Neuropsychiatric Research Institute, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Li Shen
- Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mira Jakovcevski
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany,Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2, 80804 Munich, Germany, Tel: +49 89 30622 643, E-mail:
| | - Schahram Akbarian
- Department of Psychiatry, New York, NY, USA,Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Hess Center for Science and Medicine, Floor 9 Room 105, 1470 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10029, USA, Tel: +1 212 824 8984, E-mail:
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118
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Zhang Q, Ding S, Zhang H, Long H, Wu H, Zhao M, Chan V, Lau CS, Lu Q. Increased Set1 binding at the promoter induces aberrant epigenetic alterations and up-regulates cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate response element modulator alpha in systemic lupus erythematosus. Clin Epigenetics 2016; 8:126. [PMID: 27904655 PMCID: PMC5122196 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-016-0294-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Up-regulated cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate response element modulator α (CREMα) which can inhibit IL-2 and induce IL-17A in T cells plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This research aimed to investigate the mechanisms regulating CREMα expression in SLE. RESULTS From the chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) microarray data, we found a sharply increased H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) amount at the CREMα promoter in SLE CD4+ T cells compared to controls. Then, by ChIP and real-time PCR, we confirmed this result. Moreover, H3K4me3 amount at the promoter was positively correlated with CREMα mRNA level in SLE CD4+ T cells. In addition, a striking increase was observed in SET domain containing 1 (Set1) enrichment, but no marked change in mixed-lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1) enrichment at the CREMα promoter in SLE CD4+ T cells. We also proved Set1 enrichment was positively correlated with both H3K4me3 amount at the CREMα promoter and CREMα mRNA level in SLE CD4+ T cells. Knocking down Set1 with siRNA in SLE CD4+ T cells decreased Set1 and H3K4me3 enrichments, and elevated the levels of DNMT3a and DNA methylation, while the amounts of H3 acetylation (H3ac) and H4 acetylation (H4ac) didn't alter greatly at the CREMα promoter. All these changes inhibited the expression of CREMα, then augmented IL-2 and down-modulated IL-17A productions. Subsequently, we observed that DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 3a enrichment at the CREMα promoter was down-regulated significantly in SLE CD4+ T cells, and H3K4me3 amount was negatively correlated with both DNA methylation level and DNMT3a enrichment at the CREMα promoter in SLE CD4+ T cells. CONCLUSIONS In SLE CD4+ T cells, increased Set1 enrichment up-regulates H3K4me3 amount at the CREMα promoter, which antagonizes DNMT3a and suppresses DNA methylation within this region. All these factors induce CREMα overexpression, consequently result in IL-2 under-expression and IL-17A overproduction, and contribute to SLE at last. Our findings provide a novel approach in SLE treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Zhang
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
| | - Shu Ding
- Department of Dermatology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
| | - Huilin Zhang
- Emergency Department, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
| | - Hai Long
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
| | - Haijing Wu
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
| | - Ming Zhao
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
| | - Vera Chan
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Chak-Sing Lau
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Qianjin Lu
- Department of Dermatology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011 China
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119
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Dafflon C, Craig VJ, Méreau H, Gräsel J, Schacher Engstler B, Hoffman G, Nigsch F, Gaulis S, Barys L, Ito M, Aguadé-Gorgorió J, Bornhauser B, Bourquin JP, Proske A, Stork-Fux C, Murakami M, Sellers WR, Hofmann F, Schwaller J, Tiedt R. Complementary activities of DOT1L and Menin inhibitors in MLL-rearranged leukemia. Leukemia 2016; 31:1269-1277. [PMID: 27840424 DOI: 10.1038/leu.2016.327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 09/16/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chromosomal rearrangements of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL/KMT2A) gene leading to oncogenic MLL-fusion proteins occur in ~10% of acute leukemias and are associated with poor clinical outcomes, emphasizing the need for new treatment modalities. Inhibition of the DOT1-like histone H3K79 methyltransferase (DOT1L) is a specific therapeutic approach for such leukemias that is currently being tested in clinical trials. However, in most MLL-rearranged leukemia models responses to DOT1L inhibitors are limited. Here, we performed deep-coverage short hairpin RNA sensitizer screens in DOT1L inhibitor-treated MLL-rearranged leukemia cell lines and discovered that targeting additional nodes of MLL complexes concomitantly with DOT1L inhibition bears great potential for superior therapeutic results. Most notably, combination of a DOT1L inhibitor with an inhibitor of the MLL-Menin interaction markedly enhanced induction of differentiation and cell killing in various MLL disease models including primary leukemia cells, while sparing normal hematopoiesis and leukemias without MLL rearrangements. Gene expression analysis on human and murine leukemic cells revealed that target genes of MLL-fusion proteins and MYC were suppressed more profoundly upon combination treatment. Our findings provide a strong rationale for a novel targeted combination therapy that is expected to improve therapeutic outcomes in patients with MLL-rearranged leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Dafflon
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - V J Craig
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - H Méreau
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - J Gräsel
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - B Schacher Engstler
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - G Hoffman
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Developmental and Molecular Pathways, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - F Nigsch
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Developmental and Molecular Pathways, Basel, Switzerland
| | - S Gaulis
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - L Barys
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Ito
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - J Aguadé-Gorgorió
- Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - B Bornhauser
- Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - J-P Bourquin
- Department of Oncology, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - A Proske
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - C Stork-Fux
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Murakami
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - W R Sellers
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - F Hofmann
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
| | - J Schwaller
- Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - R Tiedt
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Disease Area Oncology, Basel, Switzerland
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Yu Q, Liu Y, Zheng X, Zhu Q, Shen Z, Wang H, He H, Lin N, Jiang H, Yu L, Zeng S. Histone H3 Lysine 4 Trimethylation, Lysine 27 Trimethylation, and Lysine 27 Acetylation Contribute to the Transcriptional Repression of Solute Carrier Family 47 Member 2 in Renal Cell Carcinoma. Drug Metab Dispos 2016; 45:109-117. [DOI: 10.1124/dmd.116.073734] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/02/2016] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
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122
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Su CH, Lin IH, Tzeng TY, Hsieh WT, Hsu MT. Regulation of IL-20 Expression by Estradiol through KMT2B-Mediated Epigenetic Modification. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0166090. [PMID: 27806114 PMCID: PMC5091760 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0166090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cytokines are low molecular weight regulatory proteins, or glycoproteins, with both tumor-promoting and inhibitory effects on breast cancer growth. Different cytokines play important roles in breast cancer initiation and progression. Here, we show that of the 39 interleukin (IL) genes, IL-20 is the only gene over-expressed in MCF-7 cells treated with estradiol (E2) and that induction of IL-20 expression by estrogen was epigenetically regulated. Methylation of histone H3K4 in the IL-20 promoter was shown to occur via the specific recruitment of KMT2B by estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), but not by other members of the mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) family of histone methyltransferases. Depletion of KMT2B, or IL-20, disrupts estrogen signaling, attenuates cell proliferation, reduces colony formation, and results in cell cycle arrest. Furthermore, we demonstrated that KMT2B-mediated epigenetic modification also affected the expression of several ERα target genes. IL-20 and KMT2B expression were also associated with ERα-positive breast cancer tissues. We have revealed an important role for KMT2B in the epigenetic transcriptional regulation of cytokine IL-20, and other ERα-responsive genes, in breast cancer cells. Inhibition of IL-20 and KMT2B may have therapeutic benefits in ERα-positive breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Hsin Su
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - I-Hsuan Lin
- The Center of Translational Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tsai-Yu Tzeng
- VYM Genome Research Center, National Yang-Ming University, University System of Taiwan, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Wen-Ting Hsieh
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Ming-Ta Hsu
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Life Science, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, Republic of China
- Chien-Tien Hsu Cancer Research Foundation, Taipei 11221, Taiwan, Republic of China
- * E-mail:
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123
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Sze CC, Shilatifard A. MLL3/MLL4/COMPASS Family on Epigenetic Regulation of Enhancer Function and Cancer. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Med 2016; 6:cshperspect.a026427. [PMID: 27638352 DOI: 10.1101/cshperspect.a026427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
During development, precise spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression are coordinately controlled by cis-regulatory modules known as enhancers. Their crucial role in development helped spur numerous studies aiming to elucidate the functional properties of enhancers within their physiological and disease contexts. In recent years, the role of enhancer malfunction in tissue-specific tumorigenesis is increasingly investigated. Here, we direct our focus to two primary players in enhancer regulation and their role in cancer pathogenesis: MLL3 and MLL4, members of the COMPASS family of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferases, and their complex-specific subunit UTX, a histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylase. We review the most recent evidence on the underlying roles of MLL3/MLL4 and UTX in cancer and highlight key outstanding questions to help drive future research and contribute to our fundamental understanding of cancer and facilitate identification of therapeutic opportunities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christie C Sze
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Robert H. Lurie NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics and Robert H. Lurie NCI Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60611
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124
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Liu L, Lei I, Karatas H, Li Y, Wang L, Gnatovskiy L, Dou Y, Wang S, Qian L, Wang Z. Targeting Mll1 H3K4 methyltransferase activity to guide cardiac lineage specific reprogramming of fibroblasts. Cell Discov 2016; 2:16036. [PMID: 27924221 PMCID: PMC5113048 DOI: 10.1038/celldisc.2016.36] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2016] [Accepted: 09/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Generation of induced cardiomyocytes (iCMs) directly from fibroblasts offers a great opportunity for cardiac disease modeling and cardiac regeneration. A major challenge of iCM generation is the low conversion rate. To address this issue, we attempted to identify small molecules that could potentiate the reprogramming ability towards cardiac fate by removing inhibitory roadblocks. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts as the starting cell source, we first screened 47 cardiac development related epigenetic and transcription factors, and identified an unexpected role of H3K4 methyltransferase Mll1 and related factor Men1 in inhibiting iCM reprogramming. We then applied small molecules (MM408 and MI503) of Mll1 pathway inhibitors and observed an improved efficiency in converting embryonic fibroblasts and cardiac fibroblasts into functional cardiomyocyte-like cells. We further observed that these inhibitors directly suppressed the expression of Mll1 target gene Ebf1 involved in adipocyte differentiation. Consequently, Mll1 inhibition significantly decreased the formation of adipocytes during iCM induction. Therefore, Mll1 inhibitors likely increased iCM efficiency by suppressing alternative lineage gene expression. Our studies show that targeting Mll1 dependent H3K4 methyltransferase activity provides specificity in the process of cardiac reprogramming. These findings shed new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying cardiac conversion of fibroblasts and provide novel targets and small molecules to improve iCM reprogramming for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liu Liu
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Ienglam Lei
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Hacer Karatas
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yangbing Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; McAllister Heart Institute University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Leonid Gnatovskiy
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Yali Dou
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, 1301 Catherine , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Shaomeng Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan College of Pharmacy, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Li Qian
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; McAllister Heart Institute University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Zhong Wang
- Department of Cardiac Surgery, Frankel Cardiovascular Center, The University of Michigan , Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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125
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Poynter ST, Kadoch C. Polycomb and trithorax opposition in development and disease. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2016; 5:659-688. [PMID: 27581385 DOI: 10.1002/wdev.244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 05/07/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Early discoveries in chromatin biology and epigenetics heralded new insights into organismal development. From these studies, two mediators of cellular differentiation were discovered: the Polycomb group (PcG) of transcriptional repressors, and the trithorax group (trxG) of transcriptional activators. These protein families, while opposed in function, work together to coordinate the appropriate cellular developmental programs that allow for both embryonic stem cell self-renewal and differentiation. Recently, both the PcG and trxG chromatin modulators have been observed to be deregulated in a wide spectrum diseases including developmental disorders and cancer. To understand the impact of these findings we outline the past, present, and future. WIREs Dev Biol 2016, 5:659-688. doi: 10.1002/wdev.244 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven T Poynter
- Chemical Biology Program, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.,Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Cigall Kadoch
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA. .,Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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126
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Ntziachristos P, Abdel-Wahab O, Aifantis I. Emerging concepts of epigenetic dysregulation in hematological malignancies. Nat Immunol 2016; 17:1016-24. [PMID: 27478938 PMCID: PMC5134743 DOI: 10.1038/ni.3517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The past decade brought a revolution in understanding of the structure, topology and disease-inducing lesions of RNA and DNA, fueled by unprecedented progress in next-generation sequencing. This technological revolution has also affected understanding of the epigenome and has provided unique opportunities for the analysis of DNA and histone modifications, as well as the first map of the non-protein-coding genome and three-dimensional (3D) chromosomal interactions. Overall, these advances have facilitated studies that combine genetic, transcriptomics and epigenomics data to address a wide range of issues ranging from understanding the role of the epigenome in development to targeting the transcription of noncoding genes in human cancer. Here we describe recent insights into epigenetic dysregulation characteristic of the malignant differentiation of blood stem cells based on studies of alterations that affect epigenetic complexes, enhancers, chromatin, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), RNA splicing, nuclear topology and the 3D conformation of chromatin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Panagiotis Ntziachristos
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Omar Abdel-Wahab
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
- Leukemia Service, Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Iannis Aifantis
- Department of Pathology and Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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127
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Alicea-Velázquez NL, Shinsky SA, Loh DM, Lee JH, Skalnik DG, Cosgrove MS. Targeted Disruption of the Interaction between WD-40 Repeat Protein 5 (WDR5) and Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL)/SET1 Family Proteins Specifically Inhibits MLL1 and SETd1A Methyltransferase Complexes. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:22357-22372. [PMID: 27563068 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m116.752626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2016] [Revised: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
MLL1 belongs to the SET1 family of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4) methyltransferases, composed of MLL1-4 and SETd1A/B. MLL1 translocations are present in acute leukemias, and mutations in several family members are associated with cancer and developmental disorders. MLL1 associates with a subcomplex containing WDR5, RbBP5, ASH2L, and DPY-30 (WRAD), forming the MLL1 core complex required for H3K4 mono- and dimethylation and transcriptional activation. Core complex assembly requires interaction of WDR5 with the MLL1 Win (WDR5 interaction) motif, which is conserved across the SET1 family. Agents that mimic the SET1 family Win motif inhibit the MLL1 core complex and have become an attractive approach for targeting MLL1 in cancers. Like MLL1, other SET1 family members interact with WRAD, but the roles of the Win motif in complex assembly and enzymatic activity remain unexplored. Here, we show that the Win motif is necessary for interaction of WDR5 with all members of the human SET1 family. Mutation of the Win motif-WDR5 interface severely disrupts assembly and activity of MLL1 and SETd1A complexes but only modestly disrupts MLL2/4 and SETd1B complexes without significantly altering enzymatic activity in vitro Notably, in the absence of WDR5, MLL3 interacts with RAD and shows enhanced activity. To further probe the role of the Win motif-WDR5 interaction, we designed a peptidomimetic that binds WDR5 (Kd ∼3 nm) and selectively inhibits activity of MLL1 and SETd1A core complexes within the SET1 family. Our results reveal that SET1 family complexes with the weakest Win motif-WDR5 interaction are more susceptible to Win motif-based inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nilda L Alicea-Velázquez
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210 and
| | - Stephen A Shinsky
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210 and
| | - Daniel M Loh
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210 and
| | - Jeong-Heon Lee
- the Biology Department, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - David G Skalnik
- the Biology Department, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202
| | - Michael S Cosgrove
- From the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, SUNY Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, New York 13210 and
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128
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D'Urso A, Takahashi YH, Xiong B, Marone J, Coukos R, Randise-Hinchliff C, Wang JP, Shilatifard A, Brickner JH. Set1/COMPASS and Mediator are repurposed to promote epigenetic transcriptional memory. eLife 2016; 5:e16691. [PMID: 27336723 DOI: 10.7554/elife.16691.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023] Open
Abstract
In yeast and humans, previous experiences can lead to epigenetic transcriptional memory: repressed genes that exhibit mitotically heritable changes in chromatin structure and promoter recruitment of poised RNA polymerase II preinitiation complex (RNAPII PIC), which enhances future reactivation. Here, we show that INO1 memory in yeast is initiated by binding of the Sfl1 transcription factor to the cis-acting Memory Recruitment Sequence, targeting INO1 to the nuclear periphery. Memory requires a remodeled form of the Set1/COMPASS methyltransferase lacking Spp1, which dimethylates histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me2). H3K4me2 recruits the SET3C complex, which plays an essential role in maintaining this mark. Finally, while active INO1 is associated with Cdk8(-) Mediator, during memory, Cdk8(+) Mediator recruits poised RNAPII PIC lacking the Kin28 CTD kinase. Aspects of this mechanism are generalizable to yeast and conserved in human cells. Thus, COMPASS and Mediator are repurposed to promote epigenetic transcriptional poising by a highly conserved mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina D'Urso
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Yoh-Hei Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Bin Xiong
- Department of Statistics, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Jessica Marone
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Robert Coukos
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | | | - Ji-Ping Wang
- Department of Statistics, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Jason H Brickner
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
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129
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D'Urso A, Takahashi YH, Xiong B, Marone J, Coukos R, Randise-Hinchliff C, Wang JP, Shilatifard A, Brickner JH. Set1/COMPASS and Mediator are repurposed to promote epigenetic transcriptional memory. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27336723 PMCID: PMC4951200 DOI: 10.7554/elife.16691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 88] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Accepted: 06/22/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
In yeast and humans, previous experiences can lead to epigenetic transcriptional memory: repressed genes that exhibit mitotically heritable changes in chromatin structure and promoter recruitment of poised RNA polymerase II preinitiation complex (RNAPII PIC), which enhances future reactivation. Here, we show that INO1 memory in yeast is initiated by binding of the Sfl1 transcription factor to the cis-acting Memory Recruitment Sequence, targeting INO1 to the nuclear periphery. Memory requires a remodeled form of the Set1/COMPASS methyltransferase lacking Spp1, which dimethylates histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me2). H3K4me2 recruits the SET3C complex, which plays an essential role in maintaining this mark. Finally, while active INO1 is associated with Cdk8- Mediator, during memory, Cdk8+ Mediator recruits poised RNAPII PIC lacking the Kin28 CTD kinase. Aspects of this mechanism are generalizable to yeast and conserved in human cells. Thus, COMPASS and Mediator are repurposed to promote epigenetic transcriptional poising by a highly conserved mechanism. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16691.001 Cells respond to stressful conditions by changing which of their genes are switched on. Such stress-specific genes are typically switched off again when the conditions improve, but can remain primed and ready to be switched on again when needed. This phenomenon is known as “epigenetic transcriptional memory” and allows for a faster or stronger response to the same stress in the future. In fact, these memories can last for a long time, even after the cell divides many times. Inside cells, most of the DNA is wrapped tightly around proteins called histones. To activate – or transcribe – a gene, the DNA must be re-packaged to allow better access for specific proteins including the enzyme called RNA polymerase II. This repackaging involves a number of changes including chemical modification of the histone proteins. Genes that have been previously transcribed under stress are packaged in a different way so that they are poised and ready for the next time they are needed. However, the details of this process were not clear. Using yeast as a model, D'Urso et al. have dissected the changes that are responsible for priming genes to respond to future events. The yeast gene INO1, which shows transcriptional memory, was studied in cells by characterizing the proteins bound at and around the gene and the histone modifications in the region. D'Urso et al. found that a protein called SfI1 bound to this gene only during transcriptional memory and that this binding was critical to start the phenomenon. Further experiments showed that transcriptional memory also required altering two protein complexes that normally bind to genes when they are switched on. One complex, which includes an enzyme that modifies histones, was altered so that the histones at the INO1 gene were marked in a unique way. The other complex was responsible for recruiting an inactive, poised form of RNA polymerase II to the gene, which allowed the gene to be activated when needed. In addition, D'Urso found that other genes that show transcriptional memory in yeast, as well as such genes in human cells, were also marked in the same ways. A future challenge will be to understand how different conditions in different organisms can lead to transcriptional memory. Further studies could also explore how this memory phenomenon is inherited and how it influences an organism’s fitness. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16691.002
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Affiliation(s)
- Agustina D'Urso
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Yoh-Hei Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Bin Xiong
- Department of Statistics, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Jessica Marone
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Robert Coukos
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | | | - Ji-Ping Wang
- Department of Statistics, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
| | - Ali Shilatifard
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Chicago, United States
| | - Jason H Brickner
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, United States
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130
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Carugo A, Genovese G, Seth S, Nezi L, Rose JL, Bossi D, Cicalese A, Shah PK, Viale A, Pettazzoni PF, Akdemir KC, Bristow CA, Robinson FS, Tepper J, Sanchez N, Gupta S, Estecio MR, Giuliani V, Dellino GI, Riva L, Yao W, Di Francesco ME, Green T, D'Alesio C, Corti D, Kang Y, Jones P, Wang H, Fleming JB, Maitra A, Pelicci PG, Chin L, DePinho RA, Lanfrancone L, Heffernan TP, Draetta GF. In Vivo Functional Platform Targeting Patient-Derived Xenografts Identifies WDR5-Myc Association as a Critical Determinant of Pancreatic Cancer. Cell Rep 2016; 16:133-147. [PMID: 27320920 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2016.05.063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2016] [Accepted: 05/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatment regimens for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) yield poor 5-year survival, emphasizing the critical need to identify druggable targets essential for PDAC maintenance. We developed an unbiased and in vivo target discovery approach to identify molecular vulnerabilities in low-passage and patient-derived PDAC xenografts or genetically engineered mouse model-derived allografts. Focusing on epigenetic regulators, we identified WDR5, a core member of the COMPASS histone H3 Lys4 (H3K4) MLL (1-4) methyltransferase complex, as a top tumor maintenance hit required across multiple human and mouse tumors. Mechanistically, WDR5 functions to sustain proper execution of DNA replication in PDAC cells, as previously suggested by replication stress studies involving MLL1, and c-Myc, also found to interact with WDR5. We indeed demonstrate that interaction with c-Myc is critical for this function. By showing that ATR inhibition mimicked the effects of WDR5 suppression, these data provide rationale to test ATR and WDR5 inhibitors for activity in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Carugo
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy.
| | - Giannicola Genovese
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sahil Seth
- Institute for Applied Cancer Science, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Luigi Nezi
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Johnathon Lynn Rose
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Daniela Bossi
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Angelo Cicalese
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy
| | | | - Andrea Viale
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Piergiorgio Francesco Pettazzoni
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Kadir Caner Akdemir
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Frederick Scott Robinson
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - James Tepper
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Nora Sanchez
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Sonal Gupta
- Sheikh Ahmed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Marcos Roberto Estecio
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Virginia Giuliani
- Institute for Applied Cancer Science, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gaetano Ivan Dellino
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Laura Riva
- Center for Genomic Science of IIT@SEMM, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Wantong Yao
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Maria Emilia Di Francesco
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Institute for Applied Cancer Science, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Tessa Green
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Carolina D'Alesio
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Denise Corti
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ya'an Kang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Philip Jones
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Institute for Applied Cancer Science, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Huamin Wang
- Department of Pathology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jason Bates Fleming
- Department of Surgical Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Sheikh Ahmed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Center for Pancreatic Cancer Research, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pier Giuseppe Pelicci
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy; Department of Oncology and Hemato-oncology, University of Milan, Milan 20139, Italy
| | - Lynda Chin
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Institute for Applied Cancer Science, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Luisa Lanfrancone
- Department of Experimental Oncology, European Institute of Oncology, Milan 20139, Italy.
| | | | - Giulio Francesco Draetta
- Department of Genomic Medicine, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Institute for Applied Cancer Science, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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131
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Li Y, Schulz VP, Deng C, Li G, Shen Y, Tusi BK, Ma G, Stees J, Qiu Y, Steiner LA, Zhou L, Zhao K, Bungert J, Gallagher PG, Huang S. Setd1a and NURF mediate chromatin dynamics and gene regulation during erythroid lineage commitment and differentiation. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:7173-88. [PMID: 27141965 PMCID: PMC5009724 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2015] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The modulation of chromatin structure is a key step in transcription regulation in mammalian cells and eventually determines lineage commitment and differentiation. USF1/2, Setd1a and NURF complexes interact to regulate chromatin architecture in erythropoiesis, but the mechanistic basis for this regulation is hitherto unknown. Here we showed that Setd1a and NURF complexes bind to promoters to control chromatin structural alterations and gene activation in a cell context dependent manner. In human primary erythroid cells USF1/2, H3K4me3 and the NURF complex were significantly co-enriched at transcription start sites of erythroid genes, and their binding was associated with promoter/enhancer accessibility that resulted from nucleosome repositioning. Mice deficient for Setd1a, an H3K4 trimethylase, in the erythroid compartment exhibited reduced Ter119/CD71 positive erythroblasts, peripheral blood RBCs and hemoglobin levels. Loss of Setd1a led to a reduction of promoter-associated H3K4 methylation, inhibition of gene transcription and blockade of erythroid differentiation. This was associated with alterations in NURF complex occupancy at erythroid gene promoters and reduced chromatin accessibility. Setd1a deficiency caused decreased associations between enhancer and promoter looped interactions as well as reduced expression of erythroid genes such as the adult β-globin gene. These data indicate that Setd1a and NURF complexes are specifically targeted to and coordinately regulate erythroid promoter chromatin dynamics during erythroid lineage differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau 519020, China
| | - Vincent P Schulz
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Changwang Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Guangyao Li
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Yong Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Betsabeh K Tusi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Gina Ma
- Public Health Studies, The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
| | - Jared Stees
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Yi Qiu
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA UF health Cancer center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Laurie A Steiner
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Lei Zhou
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA UF health Cancer center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Keji Zhao
- Systems Biology Center, NHLBI, National Institute of Health, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
| | - Jörg Bungert
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Patrick G Gallagher
- Department of Pediatrics, Pathology, and Genetics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Suming Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, State Key laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Avenida Wai Long, Taipa, Macau 519020, China Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA UF health Cancer center, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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132
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Zhao Z, Wang L, Di L. Compartmentation of metabolites in regulating epigenome of cancer. Mol Med 2016; 22:349-360. [PMID: 27258652 DOI: 10.2119/molmed.2016.00051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Covalent modification of DNA and histones are important epigenetic events and the genome wide reshaping of epigenetic markers is common in cancer. The epigenetic markers are produced by enzymatic reactions and some of these reactions require the presence of metabolites as cofactors (termed Epigenetic Enzyme Required Metabolites, EERMs). Recent studies found that the abundance of these EERMs correlates with epigenetic enzyme activities. Also, the subcellular compartmentation, especially the nuclear localization of these EERMs may play a role in regulating the activities of epigenetic enzymes. Moreover, gene specific recruitment of enzymes which produce the EERMs in the proximity of the epigenetic modification events accompanying the gene expression regulation, were proposed. Therefore, it is of importance to summarize these findings of the EERMs in regulating the epigenetic modifications at both DNA and histone levels, and to understand how EERMs contribute to cancer development by addressing their global versus local distribution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Zhao
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Li Wang
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China.,Metabolomics Core, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
| | - Lijun Di
- Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Macau, Macau SAR, China
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133
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Ferry JJ, Smith RF, Denney N, Walsh CP, McCauley L, Qian J, Ma H, Horiuchi KY, Howitz KT. Development and Use of Assay Conditions Suited to Screening for and Profiling of SET-Domain-Targeted Inhibitors of the MLL/SET1 Family of Lysine Methyltransferases. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2016; 13:221-34. [PMID: 26065558 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2015.646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Methylation of histone H3 lysine-4 (H3K4) is an important, regulatory, epigenetic post-translational modification associated with actively transcribed genes. In humans, the principal mediators of this modification are part of the MLL/SET1 family of methyltransferases, which comprises six members, MLLs1-4 and SET1A/SET1B. Aberrations in the structure, expression, and regulation of these enzymes are implicated in various disease states, making them important potential targets for drug discovery, particularly for oncology indications. The MLL/SET1 family members are most enzymatically active when part of a "core complex," the catalytic SET-domain-containing subunits bound to a subcomplex consisting of the proteins WDR5, RbBP5, Ash2L and a homodimer of DPY-30 (WRAD2). The necessity of MLL/SET1 members to bind WRAD2 for full activity is the basis of a particular drug development strategy, which seeks to disrupt the interaction between the MLL/SET1 subunits and WDR5. This strategy is not without its theoretical and practical drawbacks, some of which relate to the ease with which complexes of Escherichia coli-expressed MLL/SET1 and WRAD2 fall apart. As an alternative strategy, we explore ways to stabilize the complex, focusing on the use of an excess of WRAD2 to drive the binding equilibria toward complex formation while maintaining low concentrations of the catalytic subunits. The purpose of this approach is to seek inhibitors that bind the SET domain, an approach proven successful with the related, but inherently more stable, enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph J Ferry
- 1 Department of Biochemistry, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Robert F Smith
- 2 Department of Protein Sciences, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Natalie Denney
- 2 Department of Protein Sciences, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Colin P Walsh
- 2 Department of Protein Sciences, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Lauren McCauley
- 2 Department of Protein Sciences, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Jie Qian
- 3 Department of Cell Biology, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Haiching Ma
- 2 Department of Protein Sciences, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Kurumi Y Horiuchi
- 1 Department of Biochemistry, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
| | - Konrad T Howitz
- 2 Department of Protein Sciences, Reaction Biology Corporation , Malvern, Pennsylvania
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134
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Ha SD, Reid C, Meshkibaf S, Kim SO. Inhibition of Interleukin 1β (IL-1β) Expression by Anthrax Lethal Toxin (LeTx) Is Reversed by Histone Deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) Inhibition in Murine Macrophages. J Biol Chem 2016; 291:8745-55. [PMID: 26912657 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m115.695809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Many pathogenic microbes often release toxins that subvert the host's immune responses to render the environment suitable for their survival and proliferation. LeTx is one of the toxins causing immune paralysis by cleaving and inactivating the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinases (MEKs). Here, we show that inhibition of the histone deacetylase 8 (HDAC8) by either the HDAC8-specific inhibitor PCI-34051 or small interference (si)RNAs rendered LeTx-exposed murine macrophages responsive to LPS in pro-IL-1β production. HDAC8 selectively targeted acetylated histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27Ac), which is known to associate with active enhancers. LeTx induced HDAC8 expression, in part through inhibiting p38 MAPK, which resulted in a decrease of H3K27Ac levels. Inhibition of HDAC8 increased H3K27Ac levels and enhanced NF-κB-mediated pro-IL-1β enhancer and messenger RNA production in LeTx-exposed macrophages. Collectively, this study demonstrates a novel role of HDAC8 in LeTx immunotoxicity and regulation of pro-IL-1β production likely through eRNAs. Targeting HDAC8 could be a strategy for enhancing immune responses in macrophages exposed to LeTx or other toxins that inhibit MAPKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soon-Duck Ha
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Siebens-Drake Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6G 2V4, Canada
| | - Chantelle Reid
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Siebens-Drake Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6G 2V4, Canada
| | - Shahab Meshkibaf
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Siebens-Drake Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6G 2V4, Canada
| | - Sung Ouk Kim
- From the Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Infectious Diseases Research Group, Siebens-Drake Research Institute, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario N6G 2V4, Canada
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135
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Structural basis for activity regulation of MLL family methyltransferases. Nature 2016; 530:447-52. [PMID: 26886794 DOI: 10.1038/nature16952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 160] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 12/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The mixed lineage leukaemia (MLL) family of proteins (including MLL1-MLL4, SET1A and SET1B) specifically methylate histone 3 Lys4, and have pivotal roles in the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in haematopoiesis and development. The methyltransferase activity of MLL1, by itself severely compromised, is stimulated by the three conserved factors WDR5, RBBP5 and ASH2L, which are shared by all MLL family complexes. However, the molecular mechanism of how these factors regulate the activity of MLL proteins still remains poorly understood. Here we show that a minimized human RBBP5-ASH2L heterodimer is the structural unit that interacts with and activates all MLL family histone methyltransferases. Our structural, biochemical and computational analyses reveal a two-step activation mechanism of MLL family proteins. These findings provide unprecedented insights into the common theme and functional plasticity in complex assembly and activity regulation of MLL family methyltransferases, and also suggest a universal regulation mechanism for most histone methyltransferases.
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136
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Blum R. Stepping inside the realm of epigenetic modifiers. Biomol Concepts 2016; 6:119-36. [PMID: 25915083 DOI: 10.1515/bmc-2015-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to regulate gene expression in response to environmental alterations is vital for the endurance of all cells. However, unlike bacteria and unicellular organisms, cells of multicellular eukaryotes have developed this competency in a highly sophisticated manner, which ultimately allows for multiple lineages of differentiated cells. To maintain stability and generate progeny, differentiated cells must remain lineage-committed through numerous cell generations, and therefore their transcriptional modus operandi ought to be memorized and transmittable. To preserve the specialized characteristics of differentiated cells, it is crucial that transcriptional alterations that are triggered by specific external or intrinsic stimuli can last also after stimuli fading and propagate onto daughter cells. The unique composition of DNA and histones, and their ability to acquire a variety of epigenetic modifications, enables eukaryotic chromatin to assimilate cellular plasticity and molecular memory. The most well-studied types of epigenetic modifiers are covalently modifying DNA or histones, mostly in a reversible manner. Additional epigenetic mechanisms include histone variant replacement, energy-utilizing remodeling factors, and noncoding transcripts assembled with modifying complexes. Working with multifunctional complexes including transcription factors, epigenetic modifiers have the potential to dictate a variety of transcriptional programs underlying all cellular lineages, while utilizing in each the same source DNA as their substrates.
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137
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Li J, Zhu S, Ke XX, Cui H. Role of several histone lysine methyltransferases in tumor development. Biomed Rep 2016; 4:293-299. [PMID: 26998265 PMCID: PMC4774316 DOI: 10.3892/br.2016.574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of cancer epigenetics has been evolving rapidly in recent decades. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications and microRNAs. Histone modifications are important markers of function and chromatin state. Aberrant histone methylation frequently occurs in tumor development and progression. Multiple studies have identified that histone lysine methyltransferases regulate gene transcription through the methylation of histone, which affects cell proliferation and differentiation, cell migration and invasion, and other biological characteristics. Histones have variant lysine sites for different levels of methylation, catalyzed by different lysine methyltransferases, which have numerous effects on human cancers. The present review focused on the most recent advances, described the key function sites of histone lysine methyltransferases, integrated significant quantities of data to introduce several compelling histone lysine methyltransferases in various types of human cancers, summarized their role in tumor development and discussed their potential mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifu Li
- Cell Biology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
| | - Shunqin Zhu
- School of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Xue Ke
- Cell Biology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- Cell Biology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
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138
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Fang L, Zhang J, Zhang H, Yang X, Jin X, Zhang L, Skalnik DG, Jin Y, Zhang Y, Huang X, Li J, Wong J. H3K4 Methyltransferase Set1a Is A Key Oct4 Coactivator Essential for Generation of Oct4 Positive Inner Cell Mass. Stem Cells 2016; 34:565-80. [PMID: 26785054 DOI: 10.1002/stem.2250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2015] [Accepted: 10/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Limited core transcription factors and transcriptional cofactors have been shown to govern embryonic stem cell (ESC) transcriptional circuitry and pluripotency, but the molecular interactions between the core transcription factors and cofactors remains ill defined. Here, we analyzed the protein-protein interactions between Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and Myc (abbreviated as OSKM) and a large panel of cofactors. The data reveal both specific and common interactions between OSKM and cofactors. We found that among the SET1/MLL family H3K4 methyltransferases, Set1a specifically interacts with Oct4 and this interaction is independent of Wdr5. Set1a is recruited to and required for H3K4 methylation at the Oct4 target gene promoters and transcriptional activation of Oct4 target genes in ESCs, and consistently Set1a is required for ESC maintenance and induced pluripotent stem cell generation. Gene expression profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation-seq analyses demonstrate the broad involvement of Set1a in Oct4 transcription circuitry and strong enrichment at TSS sites. Gene knockout study demonstrates that Set1a is not only required for mouse early embryonic development but also for the generation of Oct4-positive inner cell mass. Together our study provides valuable information on the molecular interactions between OSKM and cofactors and molecular mechanisms for the functional importance of Set1a in ESCs and early development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan Fang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and National Resource Center for Mutant Mice, Nanjing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hui Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoqin Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xueling Jin
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - David G Skalnik
- Biology Department, School of Science, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Ying Jin
- Department of Molecular Development, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yong Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Signaling and Disease Research, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xingxu Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Model Animals for Disease Study, Model Animal Research Center of Nanjing University and National Resource Center for Mutant Mice, Nanjing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiwen Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiemin Wong
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, China
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139
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Ma L, Bai Y, Pu H, Gou F, Dai M, Wang H, He J, Zheng T, Cheng N. Histone Methylation in Nickel-Smelting Industrial Workers. PLoS One 2015. [PMID: 26474320 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140339]] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Nickel is an essential trace metal naturally found in the environment. It is also common in occupational settings, where it associates with various levels of both occupational and nonoccupational exposure In vitro studies have shown that nickel exposure can lead to intracellular accumulation of Ni2+, which has been associated with global decreases in DNA methylation, increases in chromatin condensation, reductions in H3K9me2, and elevated levels of H3K4me3. Histone modifications play an important role in modulating chromatin structure and gene expression. For example, tri-methylation of histone H3k4 has been found to be associated with transcriptional activation, and tri-methylation of H3k27 has been found to be associated with transcriptional repression. Aberrant histone modifications have been found to be associated with various human diseases, including cancer. The purpose of this work was to identify biomarkers for populations with occupational nickel exposure and to examine the relationship between histone methylation and nickel exposure. This may provide a scientific indicator of early health impairment and facilitate exploration of the molecular mechanism underlying cancer pathogenesis. METHODS One hundred and forty subjects with occupational exposure to Ni and 140 referents were recruited. H3K4 and H3K27 trimethylation levels were measured in subjects' blood cells. RESULTS H3K4me3 levels were found to be higher in nickel smelting workers (47.24±20.85) than in office workers (22.65±8.81; P = 0.000), while the opposite was found for levels of H3K27me3(nickel smelting workers, 13.88± 4.23; office workers, 20.67± 5.96; P = 0.000). H3K4me3 was positively (r = 0.267, P = 0.001) and H3K27 was negatively (r = -0.684, P = 0.000) associated with age and length of service in smelting workers. CONCLUSION This study indicated that occupational exposure to Ni is associated with alterations in levels of histone modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Ma
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Yana Bai
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Hongquan Pu
- Workers' Hospital of Jinchuan Company, Jinchuan Group CO., LTD, Jinchang, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Faxiang Gou
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Min Dai
- Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hui Wang
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Jie He
- Cancer Institute and Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Tongzhang Zheng
- School of Public Health, Yale University, 60 College Street, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Ning Cheng
- School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China; College of Basic Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, P.R. China
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140
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Histone Methylation in Nickel-Smelting Industrial Workers. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0140339. [PMID: 26474320 PMCID: PMC4608576 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0140339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2014] [Accepted: 09/24/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nickel is an essential trace metal naturally found in the environment. It is also common in occupational settings, where it associates with various levels of both occupational and nonoccupational exposure In vitro studies have shown that nickel exposure can lead to intracellular accumulation of Ni2+, which has been associated with global decreases in DNA methylation, increases in chromatin condensation, reductions in H3K9me2, and elevated levels of H3K4me3. Histone modifications play an important role in modulating chromatin structure and gene expression. For example, tri-methylation of histone H3k4 has been found to be associated with transcriptional activation, and tri-methylation of H3k27 has been found to be associated with transcriptional repression. Aberrant histone modifications have been found to be associated with various human diseases, including cancer. The purpose of this work was to identify biomarkers for populations with occupational nickel exposure and to examine the relationship between histone methylation and nickel exposure. This may provide a scientific indicator of early health impairment and facilitate exploration of the molecular mechanism underlying cancer pathogenesis. Methods One hundred and forty subjects with occupational exposure to Ni and 140 referents were recruited. H3K4 and H3K27 trimethylation levels were measured in subjects’ blood cells. Results H3K4me3 levels were found to be higher in nickel smelting workers (47.24±20.85) than in office workers (22.65±8.81; P = 0.000), while the opposite was found for levels of H3K27me3(nickel smelting workers, 13.88± 4.23; office workers, 20.67± 5.96; P = 0.000). H3K4me3 was positively (r = 0.267, P = 0.001) and H3K27 was negatively (r = -0.684, P = 0.000) associated with age and length of service in smelting workers. Conclusion This study indicated that occupational exposure to Ni is associated with alterations in levels of histone modification.
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141
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Zhang H, Li M, Gao Y, Jia C, Pan X, Cao P, Zhao X, Zhang J, Chang W. Structural implications of Dpy30 oligomerization for MLL/SET1 COMPASS H3K4 trimethylation. Protein Cell 2015; 6:147-51. [PMID: 25542209 PMCID: PMC4312765 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-014-0127-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Zhang
- Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
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142
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Hayward AG, Joshi P, Skromne I. Spatiotemporal analysis of zebrafishhoxgene regulation by Cdx4. Dev Dyn 2015; 244:1564-73. [DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.24343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2015] [Revised: 08/07/2015] [Accepted: 08/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Piyush Joshi
- Department of Biology; University of Miami; Coral Gables Florida
| | - Isaac Skromne
- Department of Biology; University of Miami; Coral Gables Florida
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143
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Vallianatos CN, Iwase S. Disrupted intricacy of histone H3K4 methylation in neurodevelopmental disorders. Epigenomics 2015; 7:503-19. [PMID: 26077434 DOI: 10.2217/epi.15.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation of histone H3 lysine 4 (H3K4me) is an intricately regulated posttranslational modification, which is broadly associated with enhancers and promoters of actively transcribed genomic loci. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing have identified a number of H3K4me regulators mutated in neurodevelopmental disorders including intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorders, and schizophrenia. Here, we aim to summarize the molecular function of H3K4me-regulating enzymes in brain development and function. We describe four H3K4me methyltransferases (KMT2A, KMT2C, KMT2D, KMT2F), four demethylases (KDM1A, KDM5A, KDM5B, KDM5C), and two reader proteins (PHF21A, PHF8) mutated in neurodevelopmental disorders. Understanding the role of these chromatin regulators in the development and maintenance of neural connections will advance therapeutic opportunities for prevention and treatment of these lifelong neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina N Vallianatos
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, 5815 Medical Science II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA.,Predoctoral Training Program in Genetics, University of Michigan, 5815 Medical Science II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Shigeki Iwase
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Michigan, 5815 Medical Science II, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
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144
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Zhu J, Sammons MA, Donahue G, Dou Z, Vedadi M, Getlik M, Barsyte-Lovejoy D, Al-Awar R, Katona BW, Shilatifard A, Huang J, Hua X, Arrowsmith CH, Berger SL. Gain-of-function p53 mutants co-opt chromatin pathways to drive cancer growth. Nature 2015; 525:206-11. [PMID: 26331536 PMCID: PMC4568559 DOI: 10.1038/nature15251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
TP53 (which encodes p53 protein) is the most frequently mutated gene among all human cancers. Prevalent p53 missense mutations abrogate its tumour suppressive function and lead to a 'gain-of-function' (GOF) that promotes cancer. Here we show that p53 GOF mutants bind to and upregulate chromatin regulatory genes, including the methyltransferases MLL1 (also known as KMT2A), MLL2 (also known as KMT2D), and acetyltransferase MOZ (also known as KAT6A or MYST3), resulting in genome-wide increases of histone methylation and acetylation. Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas shows specific upregulation of MLL1, MLL2, and MOZ in p53 GOF patient-derived tumours, but not in wild-type p53 or p53 null tumours. Cancer cell proliferation is markedly lowered by genetic knockdown of MLL1 or by pharmacological inhibition of the MLL1 methyltransferase complex. Our study reveals a novel chromatin mechanism underlying the progression of tumours with GOF p53, and suggests new possibilities for designing combinatorial chromatin-based therapies for treating individual cancers driven by prevalent GOF p53 mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Zhu
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
- Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania
- Biomedical Graduate Studies, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Morgan A. Sammons
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
- Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Greg Donahue
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
- Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Zhixun Dou
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
- Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Masoud Vedadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Matthaeus Getlik
- Drug Discovery Program, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 0A3, Canada
| | | | - Rima Al-Awar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Drug Discovery Program, Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Bryson W. Katona
- Abramson Family Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania
| | | | - Jing Huang
- Cancer and Stem Cell Epigenetics, Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xianxin Hua
- Abramson Family Cancer Institute, Department of Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania
| | - Cheryl H. Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, and Department of Medical Biophysics University of Toronto
| | - Shelley L. Berger
- Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Pennsylvania
- Epigenetics Program, University of Pennsylvania
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145
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Abstract
Strict control of tissue-specific gene expression plays a pivotal role during lineage commitment. The transcription factor c-Myb has an essential role in adult haematopoiesis and functions as an oncogene when rearranged in human cancers. Here we have exploited digital genomic footprinting analysis to obtain a global picture of c-Myb occupancy in the genome of six different haematopoietic cell-types. We have biologically validated several c-Myb footprints using c-Myb knockdown data, reporter assays and DamID analysis. We show that our predicted conserved c-Myb footprints are highly dependent on the haematopoietic cell type, but that there is a group of gene targets common to all cell-types analysed. Furthermore, we find that c-Myb footprints co-localise with active histone mark H3K4me3 and are significantly enriched at exons. We analysed co-localisation of c-Myb footprints with 104 chromatin regulatory factors in K562 cells, and identified nine proteins that are enriched together with c-Myb footprints on genes positively regulated by c-Myb and one protein enriched on negatively regulated genes. Our data suggest that c-Myb is a transcription factor with multifaceted target regulation depending on cell type.
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146
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Cooperative Transcriptional Activation of Antimicrobial Genes by STAT and NF-κB Pathways by Concerted Recruitment of the Mediator Complex. Cell Rep 2015; 12:300-12. [PMID: 26146080 PMCID: PMC4521078 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2014] [Revised: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 06/06/2015] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcriptional response to infection with the bacterium Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) requires cooperative signals of the type I interferon (IFN-I)-stimulated JAK-STAT and proinflammatory NF-κB pathways. Using ChIP-seq analysis, we define genes induced in Lm-infected macrophages through synergistic transcriptional activation by NF-κB and the IFN-I-activated transcription factor ISGF3. Using the Nos2 and IL6 genes as prime examples of this group, we show that NF-κB functions to recruit enzymes that establish histone marks of transcriptionally active genes. In addition, NF-κB regulates transcriptional elongation by employing the mediator kinase module for the recruitment of the pTEFb complex. ISGF3 has a major role in associating the core mediator with the transcription start as a prerequisite for TFIID and RNA polymerase II (Pol II) binding. Our data suggest that the functional cooperation between two major antimicrobial pathways is based on promoter priming by NF-κB and the engagement of the core mediator for Pol II binding by ISGF3.
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147
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Chen CW, Armstrong SA. Targeting DOT1L and HOX gene expression in MLL-rearranged leukemia and beyond. Exp Hematol 2015; 43:673-84. [PMID: 26118503 DOI: 10.1016/j.exphem.2015.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2015] [Revised: 05/28/2015] [Accepted: 05/28/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Leukemias harboring mixed-lineage leukemia gene (MLL1) abnormalities are associated with poor clinical outcomes, and new therapeutic approaches are desperately needed. Rearrangement of the MLL1 gene generates chimeric proteins that fuse the NH3 terminus of MLL1 to the COOH terminus of its translocation partners. These MLL1 fusion oncoproteins drive the expression of homeobox genes such as HOXA cluster genes and myeloid ecotropic viral integration site 1 homolog (MEIS1), which are known to induce leukemic transformation of hematopoietic progenitors. Genomewide histone methylation studies have revealed that the abnormal expression of MLL1 fusion target genes is associated with high levels of H3K79 methylation at these gene loci. The only known enzyme that catalyzes methylation of H3K79 is disruptor of telomeric-silencing 1-like (DOT1L). Loss-of-function mouse models, as well as small molecular inhibitors of DOT1L, illustrate that leukemias driven by MLL1 translocations are dependent on DOT1L enzymatic activity for proliferation and for the maintenance of HOXA gene expression. Furthermore, DOT1L also appears to be important for HOXA gene expression in other settings including leukemias with select genetic abnormalities. These discoveries have established a foundation for disease-specific therapies that target chromatin modifications in highly malignant leukemias harboring specific genetic abnormalities. This review focuses on the molecular mechanisms underlying MLL1 translocation-driven leukemogenesis and the latest progress on DOT1L-targeted epigenetic therapies for MLL1-rearranged and other leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Wei Chen
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Scott A Armstrong
- Cancer Biology and Genetics Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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148
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Neuronal Kmt2a/Mll1 histone methyltransferase is essential for prefrontal synaptic plasticity and working memory. J Neurosci 2015; 35:5097-108. [PMID: 25834037 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.3004-14.2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuronal histone H3-lysine 4 methylation landscapes are defined by sharp peaks at gene promoters and other cis-regulatory sequences, but molecular and cellular phenotypes after neuron-specific deletion of H3K4 methyl-regulators remain largely unexplored. We report that neuronal ablation of the H3K4-specific methyltransferase, Kmt2a/Mixed-lineage leukemia 1 (Mll1), in mouse postnatal forebrain and adult prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with increased anxiety and robust cognitive deficits without locomotor dysfunction. In contrast, only mild behavioral phenotypes were observed after ablation of the Mll1 ortholog Kmt2b/Mll2 in PFC. Impaired working memory after Kmt2a/Mll1 ablation in PFC neurons was associated with loss of training-induced transient waves of Arc immediate early gene expression critical for synaptic plasticity. Medial prefrontal layer V pyramidal neurons, a major output relay of the cortex, demonstrated severely impaired synaptic facilitation and temporal summation, two forms of short-term plasticity essential for working memory. Chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by deep sequencing in Mll1-deficient cortical neurons revealed downregulated expression and loss of the transcriptional mark, trimethyl-H3K4, at <50 loci, including the homeodomain transcription factor Meis2. Small RNA-mediated Meis2 knockdown in PFC was associated with working memory defects similar to those elicited by Mll1 deletion. Therefore, mature prefrontal neurons critically depend on maintenance of Mll1-regulated H3K4 methylation at a subset of genes with an essential role in cognition and emotion.
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149
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Abstract
Postmortem brain research is invaluable to the study of neurologic and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Alzheimer disease, schizophrenia, and major depression. A major confounder in molecular studies using human brain tissue is postmortem interval (i.e. the amount of time between a subject's death and processing of tissue). We examined the integrity of biomolecules that were of interest to molecular studies of neurologic disorders, including RNA, microRNA, histone modifications, and proteins, at various postmortem intervals in an animal model to assess their robustness and suitability for experimentation. Sprague-Dawley rats were selected as model and subjected to 2 conditions: a variable postmortem interval at room temperature and a fixed time of 24 hours at 4°C, which simulates the period commonly spent in the morgue before brain collection. Eight time points were investigated. MicroRNA was impressively resistant to postmortem intervals; methylated histone modifications showed a threshold between 72 and 96 hours, mirroring results from histone proteins at 72 hours. RNA degradation was transcript-specific, with housekeeping genes being more robust than genes with lower expression. Our results suggest that molecules commonly investigated in genetic and epigenetic studies were highly stable through the postmortem intervals investigated. These results support the continued use of postmortem tissue for neuropsychiatric research.
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150
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Abstract
Histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2 (KMT2) family proteins methylate lysine 4 on the histone H3 tail at important regulatory regions in the genome and thereby impart crucial functions through modulating chromatin structures and DNA accessibility. Although the human KMT2 family was initially named the mixed-lineage leukaemia (MLL) family, owing to the role of the first-found member KMT2A in this disease, recent exome-sequencing studies revealed KMT2 genes to be among the most frequently mutated genes in many types of human cancers. Efforts to integrate the molecular mechanisms of KMT2 with its roles in tumorigenesis have led to the development of first-generation inhibitors of KMT2 function, which could become novel cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajesh C. Rao
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
| | - Yali Dou
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109
- Correspondence: , Tel: (734) 6151315, Fax: (734) 7636476
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