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Yusipov I, Kalyakulina A, Trukhanov A, Franceschi C, Ivanchenko M. Map of epigenetic age acceleration: A worldwide analysis. Ageing Res Rev 2024; 100:102418. [PMID: 39002646 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2024.102418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024]
Abstract
We present a systematic analysis of epigenetic age acceleration based on by far the largest collection of publicly available DNA methylation data for healthy samples (93 datasets, 23 K samples), focusing on the geographic (25 countries) and ethnic (31 ethnicities) aspects around the world. We employed the most popular epigenetic tools for assessing age acceleration and examined their quality metrics and ability to extrapolate to epigenetic data from different tissue types and age ranges different from the training data of these models. In most cases, the models proved to be inconsistent with each other and showed different signs of age acceleration, with the PhenoAge model tending to systematically underestimate and different versions of the GrimAge model tending to systematically overestimate the age prediction of healthy subjects. Referring to data availability and consistency, most countries and populations are still not represented in GEO, moreover, different datasets use different criteria for determining healthy controls. Because of this, it is difficult to fully isolate the contribution of "geography/environment", "ethnicity" and "healthiness" to epigenetic age acceleration. Among the explored metrics, only the DunedinPACE, which measures aging rate, appears to adequately reflect the standard of living and socioeconomic indicators in countries, although it has a limited application to blood methylation data only. Invariably, by epigenetic age acceleration, males age faster than females in most of the studied countries and populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor Yusipov
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center, Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia; Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia.
| | - Alena Kalyakulina
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center, Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia; Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia.
| | - Arseniy Trukhanov
- Mriya Life Institute, National Academy of Active Longevity, Moscow 124489, Russia.
| | - Claudio Franceschi
- Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia.
| | - Mikhail Ivanchenko
- Artificial Intelligence Research Center, Institute of Information Technologies, Mathematics and Mechanics, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia; Institute of Biogerontology, Lobachevsky State University, Nizhny Novgorod 603022, Russia.
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2
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Marttila S, Rajić S, Ciantar J, Mak JKL, Junttila IS, Kummola L, Hägg S, Raitoharju E, Kananen L. Biological aging of different blood cell types. GeroScience 2024:10.1007/s11357-024-01287-w. [PMID: 39060678 DOI: 10.1007/s11357-024-01287-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Biological age (BA) captures detrimental age-related changes. The best-known and most-used BA indicators include DNA methylation-based epigenetic clocks and telomere length (TL). The most common biological sample material for epidemiological aging studies, whole blood, is composed of different cell types. We aimed to compare differences in BAs between blood cell types and assessed the BA indicators' cell type-specific associations with chronological age (CA). An analysis of DNA methylation-based BA indicators, including TL, methylation level at cg16867657 in ELOVL2, as well as the Hannum, Horvath, DNAmPhenoAge, and DunedinPACE epigenetic clocks, was performed on 428 biological samples of 12 blood cell types. BA values were different in the majority of the pairwise comparisons between cell types, as well as in comparison to whole blood (p < 0.05). DNAmPhenoAge showed the largest cell type differences, up to 44.5 years and DNA methylation-based TL showed the lowest differences. T cells generally had the "youngest" BA values, with differences across subsets, whereas monocytes had the "oldest" values. All BA indicators, except DunedinPACE, strongly correlated with CA within a cell type. Some differences such as DNAmPhenoAge-difference between naïve CD4 + T cells and monocytes were constant regardless of the blood donor's CA (range 20-80 years), while for DunedinPACE they were not. In conclusion, DNA methylation-based indicators of BA exhibit cell type-specific characteristics. Our results have implications for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying epigenetic clocks and underscore the importance of considering cell composition when utilizing them as indicators for the success of aging interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saara Marttila
- Molecular Epidemiology (MOLE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- Gerontology Research Center, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- Tays Research Services, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
| | - Sonja Rajić
- Molecular Epidemiology (MOLE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Joanna Ciantar
- Molecular Epidemiology (MOLE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Jonathan K L Mak
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacy, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Ilkka S Junttila
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Fimlab Laboratories, Tampere, Finland
- Northern Finland Laboratory Centre (NordLab), Oulu, Finland
- Research Unit of Biomedicine, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland
| | - Laura Kummola
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
| | - Sara Hägg
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emma Raitoharju
- Molecular Epidemiology (MOLE), Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
- Tays Research Services, Wellbeing Services County of Pirkanmaa, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland
| | - Laura Kananen
- Gerontology Research Center, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Faculty of Social Sciences (Health Sciences), Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.
- Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society (NVS), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
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3
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Swarnkar G, Semenkovich NP, Arra M, Mims DK, Naqvi SK, Peterson T, Mbalaviele G, Wu CL, Abu-Amer Y. DNA hypomethylation ameliorates erosive inflammatory arthritis by modulating interferon regulatory factor-8. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2310264121. [PMID: 38319963 PMCID: PMC10873594 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2310264121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory arthritis. DNA hypomethylating agents, such as decitabine (DAC), have been shown to dampen inflammation and restore immune homeostasis. In the present study, we demonstrate that DAC elicits potent anti-inflammatory effects and attenuates disease symptoms in several animal models of arthritis. Transcriptomic and epigenomic profiling show that DAC-mediated hypomethylation regulates a wide range of cell types in arthritis, altering the differentiation trajectories of anti-inflammatory macrophage populations, regulatory T cells, and tissue-protective synovial fibroblasts (SFs). Mechanistically, DAC-mediated demethylation of intragenic 5'-Cytosine phosphate Guanine-3' (CpG) islands of the transcription factor Irf8 (interferon regulatory factor 8) induced its re-expression and promoted its repressor activity. As a result, DAC restored joint homeostasis by resetting the transcriptomic signature of negative regulators of inflammation in synovial macrophages (MerTK, Trem2, and Cx3cr1), TREGs (Foxp3), and SFs (Pdpn and Fapα). In conclusion, we found that Irf8 is necessary for the inhibitory effect of DAC in murine arthritis and that direct expression of Irf8 is sufficient to significantly mitigate arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Swarnkar
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | | | - Manoj Arra
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Dorothy K. Mims
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Syeda Kanwal Naqvi
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Timothy Peterson
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- HealthSpan Technologies, Inc, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Gabriel Mbalaviele
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
| | - Chia-Lung Wu
- Department of Orthopedics and Physical Performance, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY14642
| | - Yousef Abu-Amer
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO63110
- Shriners Hospital for Children, St. Louis, MO63110
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4
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Nazer N, Sepehri MH, Mohammadzade H, Mehrmohamadi M. A novel approach toward optimal workflow selection for DNA methylation biomarker discovery. BMC Bioinformatics 2024; 25:37. [PMID: 38262949 PMCID: PMC10804576 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-024-05658-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a major epigenetic modification involved in many physiological processes. Normal methylation patterns are disrupted in many diseases and methylation-based biomarkers have shown promise in several contexts. Marker discovery typically involves the analysis of publicly available DNA methylation data from high-throughput assays. Numerous methods for identification of differentially methylated biomarkers have been developed, making the need for best practices guidelines and context-specific analyses workflows exceedingly high. To this end, here we propose TASA, a novel method for simulating methylation array data in various scenarios. We then comprehensively assess different data analysis workflows using real and simulated data and suggest optimal start-to-finish analysis workflows. Our study demonstrates that the choice of analysis pipeline for DNA methylation-based marker discovery is crucial and different across different contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naghme Nazer
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Hoda Mohammadzade
- Department of Electrical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahya Mehrmohamadi
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.
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5
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Xiao D, Fang L, Liu Z, He Y, Ying J, Qin H, Lu A, Shi M, Li T, Zhang B, Guan J, Wang C, Abu-Amer Y, Shen J. DNA methylation-mediated Rbpjk suppression protects against fracture nonunion caused by systemic inflammation. J Clin Invest 2023; 134:e168558. [PMID: 38051594 PMCID: PMC10849763 DOI: 10.1172/jci168558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Challenging skeletal repairs are frequently seen in patients experiencing systemic inflammation. To tackle the complexity and heterogeneity of the skeletal repair process, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing and revealed that progenitor cells were one of the major lineages responsive to elevated inflammation and this response adversely affected progenitor differentiation by upregulation of Rbpjk in fracture nonunion. We then validated the interplay between inflammation (via constitutive activation of Ikk2, Ikk2ca) and Rbpjk specifically in progenitors by using genetic animal models. Focusing on epigenetic regulation, we identified Rbpjk as a direct target of Dnmt3b. Mechanistically, inflammation decreased Dnmt3b expression in progenitor cells, consequently leading to Rbpjk upregulation via hypomethylation within its promoter region. We also showed that Dnmt3b loss-of-function mice phenotypically recapitulated the fracture repair defects observed in Ikk2ca-transgenic mice, whereas Dnmt3b-transgenic mice alleviated fracture repair defects induced by Ikk2ca. Moreover, Rbpjk ablation restored fracture repair in both Ikk2ca mice and Dnmt3b loss-of-function mice. Altogether, this work elucidates a common mechanism involving a NF-κB/Dnmt3b/Rbpjk axis within the context of inflamed bone regeneration. Building on this mechanistic insight, we applied local treatment with epigenetically modified progenitor cells in a previously established mouse model of inflammation-mediated fracture nonunion and showed a functional restoration of bone regeneration under inflammatory conditions through an increase in progenitor differentiation potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ding Xiao
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liang Fang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Zhongting Liu
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Sciences, School of Engineering and
| | - Yonghua He
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jun Ying
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Haocheng Qin
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Aiwu Lu
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Meng Shi
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Tiandao Li
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Bo Zhang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jianjun Guan
- Department of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Sciences, School of Engineering and
| | - Cuicui Wang
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Department of Developmental Biology, Center of Regenerative Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Yousef Abu-Amer
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
- Shriners Hospital for Children, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Jie Shen
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
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6
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Vijaykrishnaraj M, Patil P, Ghate SD, Bhandary AK, Haridas VM, Shetty P. Efficacy of HDAC inhibitors and epigenetic modulation in the amelioration of synovial inflammation, cellular invasion, and bone erosion in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 122:110644. [PMID: 37454631 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), an auto-immune disorder affected 1 % of the population around the globe. The pathophysiology of RA is highly concerted process including synovial hyperplasia, pannus formation, bone erosion, synovial cell infiltration in joints, and cartilage destruction. However, recent reports suggest that epigenetics play a pivotal role in the formation and organization of immune response in RA. Particularly, altered DNA methylation and impaired microRNA (miRNA) were detected in several immune cells of RA patients, such as T regulatory cells, fibroblast-like synoviocytes, and blood mononuclear cells. All these processes can be reversed by regulating the ubiquitous or tissue-based expression of histone deacetylases (HDACs) to counteract and terminate them. Hence, HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) could serve as highly potent anti-inflammatory regulators in the uniform amelioration of inflammation. Therefore, this review encompasses the information mainly focussing on the epigenetic modulation in RA pathogenesis and the efficacy of HDACi as an alternative therapeutic option for RA treatment. Overall, these studies have reported the targeting of HDAC1, 2 & 6 molecules would attenuate synoviocyte inflammation, cellular invasion, and bone erosion. Further, the inhibitors such as trichostatin A, suberoyl bis-hydroxamic acid, suberoyl anilide hydroxamic acid, and other compounds are found to attenuate synovial inflammatory immune response, clinical arthritis score, paw swelling, bone erosion, and cartilage destruction. Insight to view this, more clinical studies are required to determine the efficacy of HDACi in RA treatment and to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Vijaykrishnaraj
- Central Research Laboratory, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru 575018, India
| | - Prakash Patil
- Central Research Laboratory, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru 575018, India
| | - Sudeep D Ghate
- Center for Bioinformatics, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru 575018, India
| | - Adithi K Bhandary
- Department of General Medicine, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru 575018, India
| | - Vikram M Haridas
- Arthritis Super Speciality Centre, Hubli 580020, Karnataka, India
| | - Praveenkumar Shetty
- Central Research Laboratory, K.S. Hegde Medical Academy, NITTE (Deemed to be University), Deralakatte, Mangaluru 575018, India.
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7
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Wang SS, Lewis MJ, Pitzalis C. DNA Methylation Signatures of Response to Conventional Synthetic and Biologic Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs (DMARDs) in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1987. [PMID: 37509625 PMCID: PMC10377185 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex condition that displays heterogeneity in disease severity and response to standard treatments between patients. Failure rates for conventional, target synthetic, and biologic disease-modifying rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are significant. Although there are models for predicting patient response, they have limited accuracy, require replication/validation, or for samples to be obtained through a synovial biopsy. Thus, currently, there are no prediction methods approved for routine clinical use. Previous research has shown that genetics and environmental factors alone cannot explain the differences in response between patients. Recent studies have demonstrated that deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) methylation plays an important role in the pathogenesis and disease progression of RA. Importantly, specific DNA methylation profiles associated with response to conventional, target synthetic, and biologic DMARDs have been found in the blood of RA patients and could potentially function as predictive biomarkers. This review will summarize and evaluate the evidence for DNA methylation signatures in treatment response mainly in blood but also learn from the progress made in the diseased tissue in cancer in comparison to RA and autoimmune diseases. We will discuss the benefits and challenges of using DNA methylation signatures as predictive markers and the potential for future progress in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Siyu Wang
- Centre for Experimental Medicine and Rheumatology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NIHR BRC & NHS Trust, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Myles J Lewis
- Centre for Experimental Medicine and Rheumatology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NIHR BRC & NHS Trust, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Costantino Pitzalis
- Centre for Experimental Medicine and Rheumatology, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London and Barts Health NIHR BRC & NHS Trust, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
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8
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Lanata CM, Nititham J, Taylor KE, Solomon O, Chung SA, Blazer A, Trupin L, Katz P, Dall'Era M, Yazdany J, Sirota M, Barcellos LF, Criswell LA. Dynamics of Methylation of CpG Sites Associated With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Subtypes in a Longitudinal Cohort. Arthritis Rheumatol 2022; 74:1676-1686. [PMID: 35635730 PMCID: PMC9529797 DOI: 10.1002/art.42237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Findings from cross-sectional studies have revealed associations between DNA methylation and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) outcomes. This study was undertaken to investigate the dynamics of DNA methylation by examining participants from an SLE longitudinal cohort using samples collected at 2 time points. METHODS A total of 101 participants from the California Lupus Epidemiology Study were included in our analysis. DNA was extracted from blood samples collected at the time of enrolment in the cohort and samples collected after 2 years and was analyzed using Illumina EPIC BeadChip kit. Paired t-tests were used to identify genome-wide changes which included 256 CpG sites previously found to be associated with SLE subtypes. Linear mixed models were developed to understand the relationship between DNA methylation and disease activity, medication use, and sample cell-type proportions, adjusted for age, sex, and genetic principal components. RESULTS The majority of CpGs that were previously determined to be associated with SLE subtypes remained stable over 2 years (185 CpGs [72.3%]; t-test false discovery rate >0.05). Compared to background genome-wide methylation, there was an enrichment of SLE subtype-associated CpGs that changed over time (27.7% versus 0.34%). Changes in cell-type proportions were associated with changes at 67 CpGs (P < 2.70 × 10-5 ), and 15 CpGs had at least 1 significant association with immunosuppressant use. CONCLUSION In this longitudinal SLE cohort, we identified a subset of SLE subtype-associated CpGs that remained stable over time and may be useful as biomarkers of disease subtypes. Another subset of SLE subtype-associated CpGs changed at a higher proportion compared to the genome-wide methylome. Additional studies are needed to understand the etiology and impact of these changes on methylation of SLE-associated CpGs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joanne Nititham
- National Human Genome Research Institute, NIHBethesdaMaryland
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9
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Yousefi PD, Suderman M, Langdon R, Whitehurst O, Davey Smith G, Relton CL. DNA methylation-based predictors of health: applications and statistical considerations. Nat Rev Genet 2022; 23:369-383. [PMID: 35304597 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-022-00465-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation data have become a valuable source of information for biomarker development, because, unlike static genetic risk estimates, DNA methylation varies dynamically in relation to diverse exogenous and endogenous factors, including environmental risk factors and complex disease pathology. Reliable methods for genome-wide measurement at scale have led to the proliferation of epigenome-wide association studies and subsequently to the development of DNA methylation-based predictors across a wide range of health-related applications, from the identification of risk factors or exposures, such as age and smoking, to early detection of disease or progression in cancer, cardiovascular and neurological disease. This Review evaluates the progress of existing DNA methylation-based predictors, including the contribution of machine learning techniques, and assesses the uptake of key statistical best practices needed to ensure their reliable performance, such as data-driven feature selection, elimination of data leakage in performance estimates and use of generalizable, adequately powered training samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul D Yousefi
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Matthew Suderman
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Ryan Langdon
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Oliver Whitehurst
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - George Davey Smith
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Caroline L Relton
- Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit at the University of Bristol, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
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10
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Zhao J, Wei K, Chang C, Xu L, Jiang P, Guo S, Schrodi SJ, He D. DNA Methylation of T Lymphocytes as a Therapeutic Target: Implications for Rheumatoid Arthritis Etiology. Front Immunol 2022; 13:863703. [PMID: 35309322 PMCID: PMC8927780 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.863703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that can cause joint damage and disability. Epigenetic variation, especially DNA methylation, has been shown to be involved in almost all the stages of the pathology of RA, from autoantibody production to various self-effector T cells and the defects of protective T cells that can lead to chronic inflammation and erosion of bones and joints. Given the critical role of T cells in the pathology of RA, the regulatory functions of DNA methylation in T cell biology remain unclear. In this review, we elaborate on the relationship between RA pathogenesis and DNA methylation in the context of different T cell populations. We summarize the relevant methylation events in T cell development, differentiation, and T cell-related genes in disease prediction and drug efficacy. Understanding the epigenetic regulation of T cells has the potential to profoundly translate preclinical results into clinical practice and provide a framework for the development of novel, individualized RA therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianan Zhao
- Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Kai Wei
- Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Cen Chang
- Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingxia Xu
- Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ping Jiang
- Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shicheng Guo
- Computation and Informatics in Biology and Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Steven J Schrodi
- Computation and Informatics in Biology and Medicine, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States
| | - Dongyi He
- Guanghua Clinical Medical College, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Rheumatology, Shanghai Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Arthritis Institute of Integrated Traditional and Western medicine, Shanghai Chinese Medicine Research Institute, Shanghai, China
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11
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Abstract
Significance: Epigenetic dysregulation plays an important role in the pathogenesis and development of autoimmune diseases. Oxidative stress is associated with autoimmunity and is also known to alter epigenetic mechanisms. Understanding the interplay between oxidative stress and epigenetics will provide insights into the role of environmental triggers in the development of autoimmunity in genetically susceptible individuals. Recent Advances: Abnormal DNA and histone methylation patterns in genes and pathways involved in interferon and tumor necrosis factor signaling, cellular survival, proliferation, metabolism, organ development, and autoantibody production have been described in autoimmunity. Inhibitors of DNA and histone methyltransferases showed potential therapeutic effects in animal models of autoimmune diseases. Oxidative stress can regulate epigenetic mechanisms via effects on DNA damage repair mechanisms, cellular metabolism and the local redox environment, and redox-sensitive transcription factors and pathways. Critical Issues: Studies looking into oxidative stress and epigenetics in autoimmunity are relatively limited. The number of available longitudinal studies to explore the role of DNA methylation in the development of autoimmune diseases is small. Future Directions: Exploring the relationship between oxidative stress and epigenetics in autoimmunity will provide clues for potential preventative measures and treatment strategies. Inception cohorts with longitudinal follow-up would help to evaluate epigenetic marks as potential biomarkers for disease development, progression, and treatment response in autoimmunity. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 36, 423-440.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoqing Zheng
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Amr H Sawalha
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Lupus Center of Excellence, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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12
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Jadhav RR, Hu B, Ye Z, Sheth K, Li X, Greenleaf WJ, Weyand CM, Goronzy JJ. Reduced chromatin accessibility to CD4 T cell super-enhancers encompassing susceptibility loci of rheumatoid arthritis. EBioMedicine 2022; 76:103825. [PMID: 35085847 PMCID: PMC8790491 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2022.103825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease that manifests as a preclinical stage of systemic autoimmunity followed by chronic progressive synovitis. Disease-associated genetic SNP variants predominantly map to non-coding, regulatory regions of functional importance in CD4 T cells, implicating these cells as key regulators. A better understanding of the epigenome of CD4 T cells holds the promise of providing information on the interaction between genetic susceptibility and exogenous factors. Methods We mapped regions of chromatin accessibility using ATAC-seq in peripheral CD4 T cell subsets of patients with RA (n=18) and compared them to T cells from patients with psoriatic arthritis (n=11) and age-matched healthy controls (n=10). Transcripts of selected genes were quantified using qPCR. Findings RA-associated epigenetic signatures were identified that in part overlapped between central and effector memory CD4 T cells and that were to a lesser extent already present in naïve cells. Sites more accessible in RA were highly enriched for the motif of the transcription factor (TF) CTCF suggesting differences in the three-dimensional chromatin structure. Unexpectedly, sites with reduced chromatin accessibility were enriched for motifs of TFs pertinent for T cell function. Most strikingly, super-enhancers encompassing RA-associated SNPs were less accessible. Analysis of selected transcripts and published DNA methylation patterns were consistent with this finding. The preferential loss in accessibility at these super-enhancers was seen in patients with high and low disease activity and on a variety of immunosuppressive treatment modalities. Interpretation Disease-associated genes are epigenetically less poised to respond in CD4 T cells from patients with established RA. Funding This work was supported by I01 BX001669 from the Veterans Administration.
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13
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Romão VC, Fonseca JE. Etiology and Risk Factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis: A State-of-the-Art Review. Front Med (Lausanne) 2021; 8:689698. [PMID: 34901047 PMCID: PMC8661097 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.689698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common systemic inflammatory rheumatic disease. It is associated with significant burden at the patient and societal level. Extensive efforts have been devoted to identifying a potential cause for the development of RA. Epidemiological studies have thoroughly investigated the association of several factors with the risk and course of RA. Although a precise etiology remains elusive, the current understanding is that RA is a multifactorial disease, wherein complex interactions between host and environmental factors determine the overall risk of disease susceptibility, persistence and severity. Risk factors related to the host that have been associated with RA development may be divided into genetic; epigenetic; hormonal, reproductive and neuroendocrine; and comorbid host factors. In turn, environmental risk factors include smoking and other airborne exposures; microbiota and infectious agents; diet; and socioeconomic factors. In the present narrative review, aimed at clinicians and researchers in the field of RA, we provide a state-of-the-art overview of the current knowledge on this topic, focusing on recent progresses that have improved our comprehension of disease risk and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasco C Romão
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre and European Reference Network on Rare Connective Tissue and Musculoskeletal Diseases Network (ERN-ReCONNET), Lisbon, Portugal.,Rheumatology Research Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Eurico Fonseca
- Rheumatology Department, Hospital de Santa Maria, Centro Hospitalar Universitário Lisboa Norte, Lisbon Academic Medical Centre and European Reference Network on Rare Connective Tissue and Musculoskeletal Diseases Network (ERN-ReCONNET), Lisbon, Portugal.,Rheumatology Research Unit, Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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14
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Mueller AL, Payandeh Z, Mohammadkhani N, Mubarak SMH, Zakeri A, Alagheband Bahrami A, Brockmueller A, Shakibaei M. Recent Advances in Understanding the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis: New Treatment Strategies. Cells 2021; 10:cells10113017. [PMID: 34831240 PMCID: PMC8616543 DOI: 10.3390/cells10113017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is considered a chronic systemic, multi-factorial, inflammatory, and progressive autoimmune disease affecting many people worldwide. While patients show very individual courses of disease, with RA focusing on the musculoskeletal system, joints are often severely affected, leading to local inflammation, cartilage destruction, and bone erosion. To prevent joint damage and physical disability as one of many symptoms of RA, early diagnosis is critical. Auto-antibodies play a pivotal clinical role in patients with systemic RA. As biomarkers, they could help to make a more efficient diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment decision. Besides auto-antibodies, several other factors are involved in the progression of RA, such as epigenetic alterations, post-translational modifications, glycosylation, autophagy, and T-cells. Understanding the interplay between these factors would contribute to a deeper insight into the causes, mechanisms, progression, and treatment of the disease. In this review, the latest RA research findings are discussed to better understand the pathogenesis, and finally, treatment strategies for RA therapy are presented, including both conventional approaches and new methods that have been developed in recent years or are currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Lena Mueller
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (A.-L.M.); (A.B.)
| | - Zahra Payandeh
- Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz 5166-15731, Iran;
| | - Niloufar Mohammadkhani
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1985717443, Iran;
- Children’s Medical Center, Network of Immunity in Infection, Malignancy and Autoimmunity (NIIMA), Universal Scientific Education and Research Network (USERN), Tehran 1419733151, Iran
| | - Shaden M. H. Mubarak
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Science, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Kufa, Najaf 1967365271, Iraq;
| | - Alireza Zakeri
- Department of Biology Sciences, Shahid Rajaee Teacher Training University, Tehran 1678815811, Iran;
| | - Armina Alagheband Bahrami
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1985717443, Iran;
| | - Aranka Brockmueller
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (A.-L.M.); (A.B.)
| | - Mehdi Shakibaei
- Musculoskeletal Research Group and Tumor Biology, Chair of Vegetative Anatomy, Institute of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Ludwig-Maximilian-University Munich, 80336 Munich, Germany; (A.-L.M.); (A.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-89-2180-72624
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15
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Liebold I, Grützkau A, Göckeritz A, Gerl V, Lindquist R, Feist E, Zänker M, Häupl T, Poddubnyy D, Zernicke J, Smiljanovic B, Alexander T, Burmester GR, Gay S, Stuhlmüller B. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells are hypomethylated in active rheumatoid arthritis and methylation correlates with disease activity. Rheumatology (Oxford) 2021; 60:1984-1995. [PMID: 33200208 DOI: 10.1093/rheumatology/keaa649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Epigenetic modifications are dynamic and influence cellular disease activity. The aim of this study was to investigate global DNA methylation in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of RA patients to clarify whether global DNA methylation pattern testing might be useful in monitoring disease activity as well as the response to therapeutics. METHODS Flow cytometric measurement of 5-methyl-cytosine (5'-mC) was established using the cell line U937. In the subsequent prospective study, 62 blood samples were investigated, including 17 healthy donors and 45 RA patients at baseline and after 3 months of treatment with methotrexate, the IL-6 receptor inhibitor sarilumab, and Janus kinase inhibitors. Methylation status was assessed with an anti-5'-mC antibody and analysed in PBMCs and CD4+, CD8+, CD14+ and CD19+ subsets. Signal intensities of 5'-mC were correlated with 28-joint DASs with ESR and CRP (DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP). RESULTS Compared with healthy individuals, PBMCs of RA patients showed a significant global DNA hypomethylation. Signal intensities of 5'-mC correlated with transcription levels of DNMT1, DNMT3B and MTR genes involved in methylation processes. Using flow cytometry, significant good correlations and linear regression values were achieved in RA patients between global methylation levels and DAS28-ESR values for PBMCs (r = -0.55, P = 0.002), lymphocytes (r = -0.57, P = 0.001), CD4+ (r = -0.57, P = 0.001), CD8+ (r = -0.54, P = 0.001), CD14+ (r = -0.49, P = 0.008) and CD19+ (r = -0.52, P = 0.004) cells. CONCLUSIONS The degree of global DNA methylation was found to be associated with disease activity. Based on this novel approach, the degree of global methylation is a promising biomarker for therapy monitoring and the prediction of therapy outcome in inflammatory diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilka Liebold
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Grützkau
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin (DRFZ), a Leibniz-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Anika Göckeritz
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Velia Gerl
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Randall Lindquist
- Deutsches Rheuma-Forschungszentrum Berlin (DRFZ), a Leibniz-Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Eugen Feist
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany.,Department of Rheumatology, Helios Fachklinik, Vogelsang-Gommern, Germany
| | - Michael Zänker
- Immanuel Klinikum Bernau Herzzentrum Brandenburg, Medizinische Hochschule Brandenburg, Bernau, Germany
| | - Thomas Häupl
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Denis Poddubnyy
- Division of Gastroenterology, Infectious Diseases and Rheumatology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Berlin Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Zernicke
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Biljana Smiljanovic
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Alexander
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gerd R Burmester
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
| | - Steffen Gay
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Bruno Stuhlmüller
- Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Institute of Health, Freie Universität and Humboldt-Universität, Berlin, Germany
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16
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Takeuchi F, Kato N. Nonlinear ridge regression improves cell-type-specific differential expression analysis. BMC Bioinformatics 2021; 22:141. [PMID: 33752591 PMCID: PMC7986289 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-021-03982-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenome-wide association studies (EWAS) and differential gene expression analyses are generally performed on tissue samples, which consist of multiple cell types. Cell-type-specific effects of a trait, such as disease, on the omics expression are of interest but difficult or costly to measure experimentally. By measuring omics data for the bulk tissue, cell type composition of a sample can be inferred statistically. Subsequently, cell-type-specific effects are estimated by linear regression that includes terms representing the interaction between the cell type proportions and the trait. This approach involves two issues, scaling and multicollinearity. RESULTS First, although cell composition is analyzed in linear scale, differential methylation/expression is analyzed suitably in the logit/log scale. To simultaneously analyze two scales, we applied nonlinear regression. Second, we show that the interaction terms are highly collinear, which is obstructive to ordinary regression. To cope with the multicollinearity, we applied ridge regularization. In simulated data, nonlinear ridge regression attained well-balanced sensitivity, specificity and precision. Marginal model attained the lowest precision and highest sensitivity and was the only algorithm to detect weak signal in real data. CONCLUSION Nonlinear ridge regression performed cell-type-specific association test on bulk omics data with well-balanced performance. The omicwas package for R implements nonlinear ridge regression for cell-type-specific EWAS, differential gene expression and QTL analyses. The software is freely available from https://github.com/fumi-github/omicwas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumihiko Takeuchi
- Department of Gene Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan.
| | - Norihiro Kato
- Department of Gene Diagnostics and Therapeutics, Research Institute, National Center for Global Health and Medicine (NCGM), 1-21-1 Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, 162-8655, Japan
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17
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The pre-clinical phase of rheumatoid arthritis: From risk factors to prevention of arthritis. Autoimmun Rev 2021; 20:102797. [PMID: 33746022 DOI: 10.1016/j.autrev.2021.102797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease considered as a multistep process spanning from the interaction of genetic (e.g., shared epitope or non-HLA loci), environmental and behavioral risk factors (e.g., smoking) leading to breaking immune tolerance and autoimmune processes such as the production of autoantibodies (e.g., antibodies against citrullinated proteins ACPA or rheumatoid factors, RF), development of the first symptoms without clinical arthritis, and, finally, the manifestation of arthritis. Despite the typical joint involvement in established RA, the pathogenesis of the disease likely begins far from joint structures: in the lungs or periodontium in association with citrullination, intestinal microbiome, or adipose tissue, which supports normal findings in synovial tissue in ACPA+ patients with arthralgia. The presence of ACPA is detectable even years before the first manifestation of RA. The pre-clinical phase of RA is the period preceding clinically apparent RA with ACPA contributing to the symptoms without subclinical inflammation. While the combination of ACPA and RF increases the risk of progression to RA by up to 10 times, increasing numbers of novel autoantibodies are to be investigated to contribute to the increased risk and pathogenesis of RA. With growing knowledge about the course of RA, new aspiration emerges to cure and even prevent RA, shifting the "window of opportunity" to the pre-clinical phases of RA. The clinical definition of individuals at risk of developing RA (clinically suspect arthralgia, CSA) makes it possible to unify these at-risk individuals' clinical characteristics for "preventive" treatment in ongoing clinical trials using mostly biological or conventional synthetic disease-modifying drugs. However, the combination of symptoms, laboratory, and imaging biomarkers may be the best approach to select the correct target at-risk population. The current review aims to explore different phases of RA and discuss the potential of (non)pharmacological intervention aiming to prevent RA.
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18
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Ai R, Boyle DL, Wang W, Firestein GS. Distinct DNA Methylation Patterns of Rheumatoid Arthritis Peripheral Blood and Synovial Tissue T Cells. ACR Open Rheumatol 2021; 3:127-132. [PMID: 33544432 PMCID: PMC7966880 DOI: 10.1002/acr2.11231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To study epigenetic patterns in T lymphocytes that accumulate in the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) synovium, we characterized DNA methylation of CD3+ T cells in peripheral blood and synovial tissue in patients with RA and osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Genomic DNA of CD3+ T cells was isolated from patients with RA (n = 8) and OA (n = 5) from blood or the synovium at the time of an arthroplasty using antibodies and magnetic beads. Methylation was measured by using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC Kit. Differentially methylated loci (DML) and differentially methylated genes (DMGs) were identified by using Welch’s t‐test. Principal component analysis, hierarchical clustering, and pathway analysis were used to determine relationships among groups. Results When we compared DNA methylation of CD3+ T cells between peripheral blood and synovial tissue within each disease, 4615 and 164 DML were identified in RA and OA samples, respectively, resulting in 832 and 36 DMGs. A principal component analysis showed that methylation differences in T cells were greater on the basis of on location (blood vs synovium) rather than disease (RA vs OA). Differentially modified pathways were significantly enriched between RA blood and synovial T cells, especially in genes related to complement, integrin cell surface interactions, and the P53 pathway. The limited number of DMGs identified between OA blood and synovial T cells did not conform to biologic pathways. Conclusion The patterns of DNA methylation in RA show location‐specific differences related to immune pathways, whereas methylation differences in OA are limited. The RA joint‐specific signatures could be due to selective accumulation of T‐cell populations or expansion of differentially marked adaptive immune cells. Understanding epigenetic patterns could provide clues to the types of T cells that accumulate in the RA joint and identify potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rizi Ai
- University of CaliforniaSan Diego
| | | | - Wei Wang
- University of CaliforniaSan Diego
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19
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Mousavi MJ, Karami J, Aslani S, Tahmasebi MN, Vaziri AS, Jamshidi A, Farhadi E, Mahmoudi M. Transformation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis; from a friend to foe. AUTO- IMMUNITY HIGHLIGHTS 2021; 12:3. [PMID: 33546769 PMCID: PMC7863458 DOI: 10.1186/s13317-020-00145-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Swelling and the progressive destruction of articular cartilage are major characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a systemic autoimmune disease that directly affects the synovial joints and often causes severe disability in the affected positions. Recent studies have shown that type B synoviocytes, which are also called fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs), as the most commonly and chiefly resident cells, play a crucial role in early-onset and disease progression by producing various mediators. During the pathogenesis of RA, the FLSs' phenotype is altered, and represent invasive behavior similar to that observed in tumor conditions. Modified and stressful microenvironment by FLSs leads to the recruitment of other immune cells and, eventually, pannus formation. The origins of this cancerous phenotype stem fundamentally from the significant metabolic changes in glucose, lipids, and oxygen metabolism pathways. Moreover, the genetic abnormalities and epigenetic alterations have recently been implicated in cancer-like behaviors of RA FLSs. In this review, we will focus on the mechanisms underlying the transformation of FLSs to a cancer-like phenotype during RA. A comprehensive understanding of these mechanisms may lead to devising more effective and targeted treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Javad Mousavi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Hematology, Faculty of Allied Medicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran
| | - Jafar Karami
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, Khomein University of Medical Sciences, Khomein, Iran
| | - Saeed Aslani
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Arash Sharafat Vaziri
- Joint Reconstruction Reseach Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Ahmadreza Jamshidi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Elham Farhadi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Inflammation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mahdi Mahmoudi
- Rheumatology Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Inflammation Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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20
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Dees C, Pötter S, Zhang Y, Bergmann C, Zhou X, Luber M, Wohlfahrt T, Karouzakis E, Ramming A, Gelse K, Yoshimura A, Jaenisch R, Distler O, Schett G, Distler JH. TGF-β-induced epigenetic deregulation of SOCS3 facilitates STAT3 signaling to promote fibrosis. J Clin Invest 2021; 130:2347-2363. [PMID: 31990678 DOI: 10.1172/jci122462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibroblasts are key effector cells in tissue remodeling. They remain persistently activated in fibrotic diseases, resulting in progressive deposition of extracellular matrix. Although fibroblast activation may be initiated by external factors, prolonged activation can induce an "autonomous," self-maintaining profibrotic phenotype in fibroblasts. Accumulating evidence suggests that epigenetic alterations play a central role in establishing this persistently activated pathologic phenotype of fibroblasts. We demonstrated that in fibrotic skin of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a prototypical idiopathic fibrotic disease, TGF-β induced the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and DNMT1 in fibroblasts in a SMAD-dependent manner to silence the expression of suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) by promoter hypermethylation. Downregulation of SOCS3 facilitated activation of STAT3 to promote fibroblast-to-myofibroblast transition, collagen release, and fibrosis in vitro and in vivo. Reestablishment of the epigenetic control of STAT3 signaling by genetic or pharmacological inactivation of DNMT3A reversed the activated phenotype of SSc fibroblasts in tissue culture, inhibited TGF-β-dependent fibroblast activation, and ameliorated experimental fibrosis in murine models. These findings identify a pathway of epigenetic imprinting of fibroblasts in fibrotic disease with translational implications for the development of targeted therapies in fibrotic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Dees
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sebastian Pötter
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Bergmann
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Xiang Zhou
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Markus Luber
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Wohlfahrt
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Karouzakis
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Ramming
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Kolja Gelse
- Department of Trauma Surgery - Orthopedic Surgery, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Akihiko Yoshimura
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Keio University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Rudolf Jaenisch
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Oliver Distler
- Center of Experimental Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, University Hospital of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Georg Schett
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jörg Hw Distler
- Department of Internal Medicine 3 - Rheumatology and Immunology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität (FAU) Erlangen-Nürnberg and Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany
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21
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Lanata CM, Blazer A, Criswell LA. The Contribution of Genetics and Epigenetics to Our Understanding of Health Disparities in Rheumatic Diseases. Rheum Dis Clin North Am 2020; 47:65-81. [PMID: 34042055 DOI: 10.1016/j.rdc.2020.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Socioeconomic determinants of health are associated with worse outcomes in the rheumatic diseases and contribute significantly to health disparities. However, genetic and epigenetic risk factors may affect different populations disproportionally and further exacerbate health disparities. We discuss the role of genetics and epigenetics to the health disparities observed in rheumatic diseases. We review concepts of population genetics and natural selection, current genome-wide genetic and epigenetic studies of several autoimmune diseases, and environmental exposures associated with disease risk in different populations. To understand how genomics influence health disparities in the rheumatic diseases, further studies in different populations worldwide are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina M Lanata
- Russell/Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, MSB S865, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ashira Blazer
- Department of Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, NYU Langone Health, 550 1st Avenue, MSB 606, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lindsey A Criswell
- Russell/Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, University of California, San Francisco, 513 Parnassus Avenue, MSB S864, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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22
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Guo S, Xu L, Chang C, Zhang R, Jin Y, He D. Epigenetic Regulation Mediated by Methylation in the Pathogenesis and Precision Medicine of Rheumatoid Arthritis. Front Genet 2020; 11:811. [PMID: 32849810 PMCID: PMC7417338 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex disease triggered by the interaction between genetics and the environment, especially through the shared epitope (SE) and cell surface calreticulin (CSC) theory. However, the available evidence shows that genetic diversity and environmental exposure cannot explain all the clinical characteristics and heterogeneity of RA. In contrast, recent studies demonstrate that epigenetics play important roles in the pathogenesis of RA, especially DNA methylation and histone modification. DNA methylation and histone methylation are involved in innate and adaptive immune cell differentiation and migration, proliferation, apoptosis, and mesenchymal characteristics of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). Epigenetic-mediated regulation of immune-related genes and inflammation pathways explains the dynamic expression network of RA. In this review, we summarize the comprehensive evidence to show that methylation of DNA and histones is significantly involved in the pathogenesis of RA and could be applied as a promising biomarker in the disease progression and drug-response prediction. We also explain the advantages and challenges of the current epigenetics research in RA. In summary, epigenetic modules provide a possible interface through which genetic and environmental risk factors connect to contribute to the susceptibility and pathogenesis of RA. Additionally, epigenetic regulators provide promising drug targets to develop novel therapeutic drugs for RA. Finally, DNA methylation and histone modifications could be important features for providing a better RA subtype identification to accelerate personalized treatment and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shicheng Guo
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United States.,Center for Precision Medicine Research, Marshfield Clinic Research Institute, Marshfield, WI, United States
| | - Lingxia Xu
- Department of Rheumatology, Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Cen Chang
- Department of Rheumatology, Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Runrun Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology, Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yehua Jin
- Department of Rheumatology, Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongyi He
- Department of Rheumatology, Guanghua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Arthritis Research in Integrative Medicine, Shanghai Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
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The multifaceted functional role of DNA methylation in immune-mediated rheumatic diseases. Clin Rheumatol 2020; 40:459-476. [PMID: 32613397 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-020-05255-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2020] [Revised: 06/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Genomic predisposition cannot explain the onset of complex diseases, as well illustrated by the largely incomplete concordance among monozygotic twins. Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, chromatin remodelling and non-coding RNA, are considered to be the link between environmental stimuli and disease onset on a permissive genetic background in autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. The paradigmatic cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), Sjogren's syndrome (SjS) and type-1 diabetes (T1D) share the loss of immunological tolerance to self-antigen influenced by several factors, with a largely incomplete role of individual genomic susceptibility. The most widely investigated epigenetic mechanism is DNA methylation which is associated with gene silencing and is due to the binding of methyl-CpG binding domain (MBD)-containing proteins, such as MECP2, to 5-methylcytosine (5mC). Indeed, a causal relationship occurs between DNA methylation and transcription factors occupancy and recruitment at specific genomic locus. In most cases, the results obtained in different studies are controversial in terms of DNA methylation comparison while fascinating evidence comes from the comparison of the epigenome in clinically discordant monozygotic twins. In this manuscript, we will review the mechanisms of epigenetics and DNA methylation changes in specific immune-mediated rheumatic diseases to highlight remaining unmet needs and to identify possible shared mechanisms beyond different tissue involvements with common therapeutic opportunities. Key Points • DNA methylation has a crucial role in regulating and tuning the immune system. • Evidences suggest that dysregulation of DNA methylation is pivotal in the context of immune-mediated rheumatic diseases. • DNA methylation dysregulation in FOXP3 and interferons-related genes is shared within several autoimmune diseases. • DNA methylation is an attractive marker for diagnosis and therapy.
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24
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Nygaard G, Firestein GS. Restoring synovial homeostasis in rheumatoid arthritis by targeting fibroblast-like synoviocytes. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2020; 16:316-333. [PMID: 32393826 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-020-0413-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 415] [Impact Index Per Article: 103.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune-mediated disease that primarily affects the synovium of diarthrodial joints. During the course of RA, the synovium transforms into a hyperplastic invasive tissue that causes destruction of cartilage and bone. Fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS), which form the lining of the joint, are epigenetically imprinted with an aggressive phenotype in RA and have an important role in these pathological processes. In addition to producing the extracellular matrix and joint lubricants, FLS in RA produce pathogenic mediators such as cytokines and proteases that contribute to disease pathogenesis and perpetuation. The development of multi-omics integrative analyses have enabled new ways to dissect the mechanisms that imprint FLS, have helped to identify potential FLS subsets with distinct functions and have identified differences in FLS phenotypes between joints in individual patients. This Review provides an overview of advances in understanding of FLS biology and highlights omics approaches and studies that hold promise for identifying future therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyrid Nygaard
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Gary S Firestein
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, University of California San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA, USA.
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Differential CpG DNA methylation in peripheral naïve CD4 + T-cells in early rheumatoid arthritis patients. Clin Epigenetics 2020; 12:54. [PMID: 32264938 PMCID: PMC7137446 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-020-00837-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The genetic risk associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) includes genes regulating DNA methylation, one of the hallmarks of epigenetic re-programing, as well as many T-cell genes, with a strong MHC association, pointing to immunogenetic mechanisms as disease triggers leading to chronicity. The aim of our study was to explore DNA methylation in early, drug-naïve RA patients, towards a better understanding of early events in pathogenesis. Result Monocytes, naïve and memory CD4+ T-cells were sorted from 6 healthy controls and 10 RA patients. DNA methylation was assessed using a genome-wide Illumina 450K CpG promoter array. Differential methylation was confirmed using bisulfite sequencing for a specific gene promoter, ELISA for several cytokines and flow cytometry for cell surface markers. Differentially methylated (DM) CpGs were observed in 1047 genes in naïve CD4+ T-cells, 913 in memory cells and was minimal in monocytes with only 177 genes. Naive CD4+ T-cells were further investigated as presenting differential methylation in the promoter of > 500 genes associated with several disease-relevant pathways, including many cytokines and their receptors. We confirmed hypomethylation of a region of the TNF-alpha gene in early RA and differential expression of 3 cytokines (IL21, IL34 and RANKL). Using a bioinformatics package (DMRcate) and an in-house analysis based on differences in β values, we established lists of DM genes between health and RA. Publicly available gene expression data were interrogated to confirm differential expression of over 70 DM genes. The lists of DM genes were further investigated based on a functional relationship database analysis, which pointed to an IL6/JAK1/STAT3 node, related to TNF-signalling and engagement in Th17 cell differentiation amongst many pathways. Five DM genes for cell surface markers (CD4, IL6R, IL2RA/CD25, CD62L, CXCR4) were investigated towards identifying subpopulations of CD4+ T-cells undergoing these modifications and pointed to a subset of naïve T-cells, with high levels of CD4, IL2R, and CXCR4, but reduction and loss of IL6R and CD62L, respectively. Conclusion Our data provided novel conceptual advances in the understanding of early RA pathogenesis, with implications for early treatment and prevention.
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Guderud K, Sunde LH, Flåm ST, Mæhlen MT, Mjaavatten MD, Lillegraven S, Aga AB, Evenrød IM, Norli ES, Andreassen BK, Franzenburg S, Franke A, Haavardsholm EA, Rayner S, Gervin K, Lie BA. Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients, Both Newly Diagnosed and Methotrexate Treated, Show More DNA Methylation Differences in CD4 + Memory Than in CD4 + Naïve T Cells. Front Immunol 2020; 11:194. [PMID: 32117312 PMCID: PMC7033478 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.00194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Differences in DNA methylation have been reported in B and T lymphocyte populations, including CD4+ T cells, isolated from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients when compared to healthy controls. CD4+ T cells are a heterogeneous cell type with subpopulations displaying distinct DNA methylation patterns. In this study, we investigated DNA methylation using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing in two CD4+ T cell populations (CD4+ memory and naïve cells) in three groups: newly diagnosed, disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD) naïve RA patients (N = 11), methotrexate (MTX) treated RA patients (N = 18), and healthy controls (N = 9) matched for age, gender and smoking status. Results: Analyses of these data revealed significantly more differentially methylated positions (DMPs) in CD4+ memory than in CD4+ naïve T cells (904 vs. 19 DMPs) in RA patients compared to controls. The majority of DMPs (72%) identified in newly diagnosed and DMARD naïve RA patients with active disease showed increased DNA methylation (39 DMPs), whereas most DMPs (80%) identified in the MTX treated RA patients in remission displayed decreased DNA methylation (694 DMPs). Interestingly, we also found that about one third of the 101 known RA risk loci overlapped (±500 kb) with the DMPs. Notably, introns of the UBASH3A gene harbor both the lead RA risk SNP and two DMPs in CD4+ memory T cells. Conclusion: Our results suggest that RA associated DNA methylation differences vary between the two T cell subsets, but are also influenced by RA characteristics such as disease activity, disease duration and/or MTX treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kari Guderud
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K. G. Jebsen Inflammation Research Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Line H Sunde
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K. G. Jebsen Inflammation Research Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Siri T Flåm
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K. G. Jebsen Inflammation Research Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Marthe T Mæhlen
- Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Siri Lillegraven
- Department of Rheumatology, Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Ida M Evenrød
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Ellen S Norli
- Department of Rheumatology, Martina Hansens Hospital, Bærum, Norway
| | - Bettina K Andreassen
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Institute for Population-Based Research, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sören Franzenburg
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Andre Franke
- Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology, Christian-Albrechts-University of Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | | | - Simon Rayner
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Kristina Gervin
- Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.,PharmaTox Strategic Research Initiative, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Benedicte A Lie
- Department of Medical Genetics, University of Oslo and Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway.,K. G. Jebsen Inflammation Research Centre, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
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Ciechomska M, Roszkowski L, Maslinski W. DNA Methylation as a Future Therapeutic and Diagnostic Target in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Cells 2019; 8:E953. [PMID: 31443448 PMCID: PMC6770174 DOI: 10.3390/cells8090953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a long-term autoimmune disease of unknown etiology that leads to progressive joint destruction and ultimately to disability. RA affects as much as 1% of the population worldwide. To date, RA is not a curable disease, and the mechanisms responsible for RA development have not yet been well understood. The development of more effective treatments and improvements in the early diagnosis of RA is direly needed to increase patients' functional capacity and their quality of life. As opposed to genetic mutation, epigenetic changes, such as DNA methylation, are reversible, making them good therapeutic candidates, modulating the immune response or aggressive synovial fibroblasts (FLS-fibroblast-like synoviocytes) activity when it is necessary. It has been suggested that DNA methylation might contribute to RA development, however, with insufficient and conflicting results. Besides, recent studies have shown that circulating cell-free methylated DNA (ccfDNA) in blood offers a very convenient, non-invasive, and repeatable "liquid biopsy", thus providing a reliable template for assessing molecular markers of various diseases, including RA. Thus, epigenetic therapies controlling autoimmunity and systemic inflammation may find wider implications for the diagnosis and management of RA. In this review, we highlight current challenges associated with the treatment of RA and other autoimmune diseases and discuss how targeting DNA methylation may improve diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marzena Ciechomska
- Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, National Institute of Geriatrics Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, 02-635 Warsaw, Poland.
| | - Leszek Roszkowski
- Department of Rheumatology, National Institute of Geriatrics Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, 02-635 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Wlodzimierz Maslinski
- Department of Pathophysiology and Immunology, National Institute of Geriatrics Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, 02-635 Warsaw, Poland
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28
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Rodríguez-Ubreva J, de la Calle-Fabregat C, Li T, Ciudad L, Ballestar ML, Català-Moll F, Morante-Palacios O, Garcia-Gomez A, Celis R, Humby F, Nerviani A, Martin J, Pitzalis C, Cañete JD, Ballestar E. Inflammatory cytokines shape a changing DNA methylome in monocytes mirroring disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis. Ann Rheum Dis 2019; 78:1505-1516. [DOI: 10.1136/annrheumdis-2019-215355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 07/11/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that mainly targets joints. Monocytes and macrophages are critical in RA pathogenesis and contribute to inflammatory lesions. These extremely plastic cells respond to extracellular signals which cause epigenomic changes that define their pathogenic phenotype. Here, we interrogated how DNA methylation alterations in RA monocytes are determined by extracellular signals.MethodsHigh-throughput DNA methylation analyses of patients with RA and controls and in vitro cytokine stimulation were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms behind DNA methylation alterations in RA as well as their relationship with clinical parameters, including RA disease activity.ResultsThe DNA methylomes of peripheral blood monocytes displayed significant changes and increased variability in patients with RA with respect to healthy controls. Changes in the monocyte methylome correlate with DAS28, in which high-activity patients are divergent from healthy controls in contrast to remission patients whose methylome is virtually identical to healthy controls. Indeed, the notion of a changing monocyte methylome is supported after comparing the profiles of same individuals at different stages of activity. We show how these changes are mediated by an increase in disease activity-associated cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor alpha and interferons, as they recapitulate the DNA methylation changes observed in patients in vitro.ConclusionWe demonstrate a direct link between RA disease activity and the monocyte methylome through the action of inflammation-associated cytokines. Finally, we have obtained a DNA methylation-based mathematical formula that predicts inflammation-mediated disease activity for RA and other chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.
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29
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Rahmani E, Schweiger R, Rhead B, Criswell LA, Barcellos LF, Eskin E, Rosset S, Sankararaman S, Halperin E. Cell-type-specific resolution epigenetics without the need for cell sorting or single-cell biology. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3417. [PMID: 31366909 PMCID: PMC6668473 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11052-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 82] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
High costs and technical limitations of cell sorting and single-cell techniques currently restrict the collection of large-scale, cell-type-specific DNA methylation data. This, in turn, impedes our ability to tackle key biological questions that pertain to variation within a population, such as identification of disease-associated genes at a cell-type-specific resolution. Here, we show mathematically and empirically that cell-type-specific methylation levels of an individual can be learned from its tissue-level bulk data, conceptually emulating the case where the individual has been profiled with a single-cell resolution and then signals were aggregated in each cell population separately. Provided with this unprecedented way to perform powerful large-scale epigenetic studies with cell-type-specific resolution, we revisit previous studies with tissue-level bulk methylation and reveal novel associations with leukocyte composition in blood and with rheumatoid arthritis. For the latter, we further show consistency with validation data collected from sorted leukocyte sub-types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elior Rahmani
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
| | - Regev Schweiger
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
- MyHeritage Ltd., Or Yehuda, 6037606, Israel
| | - Brooke Rhead
- Computational Biology Graduate Group, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Lindsey A Criswell
- Russell/Engleman Rheumatology Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA
| | - Lisa F Barcellos
- School of Public Health, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA
| | - Eleazar Eskin
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Saharon Rosset
- Department of Statistics, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 6997801, Israel
| | - Sriram Sankararaman
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
- Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Eran Halperin
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Computational Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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Rheumatoid arthritis-relevant DNA methylation changes identified in ACPA-positive asymptomatic individuals using methylome capture sequencing. Clin Epigenetics 2019; 11:110. [PMID: 31366403 PMCID: PMC6668183 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-019-0699-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective To compare DNA methylation in subjects positive vs negative for anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), a key serological marker of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk. Methods With banked serum from a random subset (N = 3600) of a large general population cohort, we identified ACPA-positive samples and compared them to age- and sex-matched ACPA-negative controls. We used a custom-designed methylome panel to conduct targeted bisulfite sequencing of 5 million CpGs located in regulatory or hypomethylated regions of DNA from whole blood (red blood cell lysed). Using binomial regression models, we investigated the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between ACPA-positive vs ACPA-negative subjects. An independent set of T cells from RA patients was used to “validate” the differentially methylated sites. Results We measured DNA methylation in 137 subjects, of whom 63 were ACPA-positive, 66 were ACPA-negative, and 8 had self-reported RA. We identified 1303 DMRs of relevance, of which one third (402) had underlying genetic effects. These DMRs were enriched in intergenic CpG islands (CGI) and CGI shore regions. Furthermore, the genes associated with these DMRs were enriched in pathways related to Epstein-Barr virus infection and immune response. In addition, 80 (38%) of 208 RA-specific DMRs were replicated in T cells from RA samples. Conclusions Sequencing-based high-resolution methylome mapping revealed biologically relevant DNA methylation changes in asymptomatic individuals positive for ACPA that overlap with those seen in RA. Pathway analyses suggested roles for viral infections, which may represent the effect of environmental triggers upstream of disease onset. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13148-019-0699-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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31
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Donlin LT, Park SH, Giannopoulou E, Ivovic A, Park-Min KH, Siegel RM, Ivashkiv LB. Insights into rheumatic diseases from next-generation sequencing. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2019; 15:327-339. [PMID: 31000790 PMCID: PMC6673602 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-019-0217-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Rheumatic diseases have complex aetiologies that are not fully understood, which makes the study of pathogenic mechanisms in these diseases a challenge for researchers. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) and related omics technologies, such as transcriptomics, epigenomics and genomics, provide an unprecedented genome-wide view of gene expression, environmentally responsive epigenetic changes and genetic variation. The integrated application of NGS technologies to samples from carefully phenotyped clinical cohorts of patients has the potential to solve remaining mysteries in the pathogenesis of several rheumatic diseases, to identify new therapeutic targets and to underpin a precision medicine approach to the diagnosis and treatment of rheumatic diseases. This Review provides an overview of the NGS technologies available, showcases important advances in rheumatic disease research already powered by these technologies and highlights NGS approaches that hold particular promise for generating new insights and advancing the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura T Donlin
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Sung-Ho Park
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
| | - Eugenia Giannopoulou
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- Biological Sciences Department, New York City College of Technology, City University of New York, New York, NY, USA
| | - Aleksandra Ivovic
- Immunoregulation Section, Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kyung-Hyun Park-Min
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Richard M Siegel
- Immunoregulation Section, Autoimmunity Branch, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Lionel B Ivashkiv
- Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA.
- David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
- Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis Program, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, New York, NY, USA.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Aberrant epigenetic changes in DNA methylation, histone marks, and noncoding RNA expression regulate the pathogenesis of many rheumatic diseases. The present article will review the recent advances in the epigenetic profile of inflammatory arthritis and discuss diagnostic biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets. RECENT FINDINGS Methylation signatures of fibroblast-like synoviocytes not only distinguish rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), but also early RA from late RA or juvenile idiopathic arthritis. Methylation patterns are also specific to individual joint locations, which might explain the distribution of joint involvement in some rheumatic diseases. Hypomethylation in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) T cells is, in part, because of active demethylation and 5-hydroxymethylation. The methylation status of some genes in SLE is associated with disease severity and has potential as a diagnostic marker. An integrative analysis of OA methylome, transcriptome, and proteome in chondrocytes has identified multiple-evidence genes that might be evaluated for therapeutic potential. Class-specific histone deacetylase inhibitors are being evaluated for therapy in inflammatory arthritis. SUMMARY Disease pathogenesis is regulated by the interplay of genetics, environment, and epigenetics. Understanding how these mechanisms regulate cell function in health and disease has implications for individualized therapy.
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Holers VM, Demoruelle MK, Kuhn KA, Buckner JH, Robinson WH, Okamoto Y, Norris JM, Deane KD. Rheumatoid arthritis and the mucosal origins hypothesis: protection turns to destruction. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2018; 14:542-557. [PMID: 30111803 PMCID: PMC6704378 DOI: 10.1038/s41584-018-0070-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 225] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Individuals at high risk of developing seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can be identified for translational research and disease prevention studies through the presence of highly informative and predictive patterns of RA-related autoantibodies, especially anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs), in the serum. In serologically positive individuals without arthritis, designated ACPA positive at risk, the presence of mucosal inflammatory processes associated with the presence of local ACPA production has been demonstrated. In other at-risk populations, local RA-related autoantibody production is present even in the absence of serum autoantibodies. Additionally, a proportion of at-risk individuals exhibit local mucosal ACPA production in the lung, as well as radiographic small-airway disease, sputum hypercellularity and increased neutrophil extracellular trap formation. Other mucosal sites in at-risk individuals also exhibit autoantibody production, inflammation and/or evidence of dysbiosis. As the proportion of individuals who exhibit such localized inflammation-associated ACPA production is substantially higher than the likelihood of an individual developing future RA, this finding raises the hypothesis that mucosal ACPAs have biologically relevant protective roles. Identifying the mechanisms that drive both the generation and loss of externally focused mucosal ACPA production and promote systemic autoantibody expression and ultimately arthritis development should provide insights into new therapeutic approaches to prevent RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Michael Holers
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado-Denver, Aurora, CO, USA.
| | | | - Kristine A Kuhn
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado-Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | | | - William H Robinson
- Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Yuko Okamoto
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado-Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Jill M Norris
- Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Kevin D Deane
- Division of Rheumatology, University of Colorado-Denver, Aurora, CO, USA
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Mok A, Rhead B, Holingue C, Shao X, Quach HL, Quach D, Sinclair E, Graf J, Imboden J, Link T, Harrison R, Chernitskiy V, Barcellos LF, Criswell LA. Hypomethylation of CYP2E1 and DUSP22 Promoters Associated With Disease Activity and Erosive Disease Among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients. Arthritis Rheumatol 2018; 70:528-536. [PMID: 29287311 PMCID: PMC5876118 DOI: 10.1002/art.40408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Objective Epigenetic modifications have previously been associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study, we aimed to determine whether differential DNA methylation in peripheral blood cell subpopulations is associated with any of 4 clinical outcomes among RA patients. Methods Peripheral blood samples were obtained from 63 patients in the University of California, San Francisco RA cohort (all satisfied the American College of Rheumatology classification criteria; 57 were seropositive for rheumatoid factor and/or anti‐cyclic citrullinated protein). Fluorescence‐activated cell sorting was used to separate the cells into 4 immune cell subpopulations (CD14+ monocytes, CD19+ B cells, CD4+ naive T cells, and CD4+ memory T cells) per individual, and 229 epigenome‐wide DNA methylation profiles were generated using Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChips. Differentially methylated positions and regions associated with the Clinical Disease Activity Index score, erosive disease, RA Articular Damage score, Sharp score, medication at time of blood draw, smoking status, and disease duration were identified using robust regression models and empirical Bayes variance estimators. Results Differential methylation of CpG sites associated with clinical outcomes was observed in all 4 cell types. Hypomethylated regions in the CYP2E1 and DUSP22 gene promoters were associated with active and erosive disease, respectively. Pathway analyses suggested that the biologic mechanisms underlying each clinical outcome are cell type–specific. Evidence of independent effects on DNA methylation from smoking, medication use, and disease duration were also identified. Conclusion Methylation signatures specific to RA clinical outcomes may have utility as biomarkers or predictors of exposure, disease progression, and disease severity.
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Ballestar E, Li T. New insights into the epigenetics of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Nat Rev Rheumatol 2017; 13:593-605. [DOI: 10.1038/nrrheum.2017.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Nair N, Wilson AG, Barton A. DNA methylation as a marker of response in rheumatoid arthritis. Pharmacogenomics 2017; 18:1323-1332. [PMID: 28836487 DOI: 10.2217/pgs-2016-0195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex disease affecting approximately 0.5-1% of the population. While there are effective biologic therapies, in up to 40% of patients, disease activity remains inadequately controlled. Therefore, identifying factors that predict, prior to the initiation of therapy, which patients are likely to respond best to which treatment is a research priority and DNA methylation is increasingly being explored as a potential theranostic biomarker. DNA methylation is thought to play a role in RA disease pathogenesis and in mediating the relationship between genetic variants and patient outcomes. The role of DNA methylation has been most extensively explored in cancer medicine, where it has been shown to be predictive of treatment response. Studies in RA, however, are in their infancy and, while showing promise, further investigation in well-powered studies is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Nair
- Arthritis Research UK Centre for Genetics & Genomics, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Anthony G Wilson
- University College Dublin School of Medicine & Medical Science & Conway Institute, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Anne Barton
- Arthritis Research UK Centre for Genetics & Genomics, Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.,NIHR Manchester Musculoskeletal BRU, Central Manchester Foundation Trust, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, Manchester, UK
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Müller-Ladner U, Neumann E. Editorial: Tumor Necrosis Factor-Transgenic Mice: Close Enough to Human Epigenetics? Arthritis Rheumatol 2017; 69:1512-1516. [DOI: 10.1002/art.40125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2017] [Accepted: 04/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulf Müller-Ladner
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Kerckhoff Klinik; Bad Nauheim Germany
| | - Elena Neumann
- Justus Liebig University Giessen, Kerckhoff Klinik; Bad Nauheim Germany
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