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Zhang C, Zheng J, Liu J, Li Y, Xing G, Zhang S, Chen H, Wang J, Shao Z, Li Y, Jiang Z, Pan Y, Liu X, Xu P, Wu W. Pan-cancer analyses reveal the molecular and clinical characteristics of TET family members and suggests that TET3 maybe a potential therapeutic target. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1418456. [PMID: 39104395 PMCID: PMC11298443 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1418456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) family genes are implicated in a wide array of biological functions across various human cancers. Nonetheless, there is a scarcity of studies that comprehensively analyze the correlation between TET family members and the molecular phenotypes and clinical characteristics of different cancers. Leveraging updated public databases and employing several bioinformatics analysis methods, we assessed the expression levels, somatic variations, methylation levels, and prognostic values of TET family genes. Additionally, we explored the association between the expression of TET family genes and pathway activity, tumor microenvironment (TME), stemness score, immune subtype, clinical staging, and drug sensitivity in pan-cancer. Molecular biology and cytology experiments were conducted to validate the potential role of TET3 in tumor progression. Each TET family gene displayed distinct expression patterns across at least ten detected tumors. The frequency of Single Nucleotide Variant (SNV) in TET genes was found to be 91.24%, primarily comprising missense mutation types, with the main types of copy number variant (CNV) being heterozygous amplifications and deletions. TET1 gene exhibited high methylation levels, whereas TET2 and TET3 genes displayed hypomethylation in most cancers, which correlated closely with patient prognosis. Pathway activity analysis revealed the involvement of TET family genes in multiple signaling pathways, including cell cycle, apoptosis, DNA damage response, hormone AR, PI3K/AKT, and RTK. Furthermore, the expression levels of TET family genes were shown to impact the clinical staging of tumor patients, modulate the sensitivity of chemotherapy drugs, and thereby influence patient prognosis by participating in the regulation of the tumor microenvironment, cellular stemness potential, and immune subtype. Notably, TET3 was identified to promote cancer progression across various tumors, and its silencing was found to inhibit tumor malignancy and enhance chemotherapy sensitivity. These findings shed light on the role of TET family genes in cancer progression and offer insights for further research on TET3 as a potential therapeutic target for pan-cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunyan Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Development of Premature Infants, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jin Liu
- North China University of Science and Technology, Tangshan, Hebei, China
| | - Yanxia Li
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Development of Premature Infants, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
| | - Guoqiang Xing
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Shupeng Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Hekai Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhijiang Shao
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
| | - Yongyuan Li
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
| | - Zhongmin Jiang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Yingzi Pan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaozhi Liu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Development of Premature Infants, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
| | - Ping Xu
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Wenhan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- Tianjin Key Laboratory of Epigenetics for Organ Development of Premature Infants, Tianjin Fifth Central Hospital, Tianjin, China
- High Altitude Characteristic Medical Research Institute, Huangnan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture People’s Hospital, Huangnan Prefecture, Qinghai, China
- Department of General Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
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Nicu AT, Ionel IP, Stoica I, Burlibasa L, Jinga V. Recent Advancements in Research on DNA Methylation and Testicular Germ Cell Tumors: Unveiling the Intricate Relationship. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1041. [PMID: 38791003 PMCID: PMC11117643 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12051041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs) are the most common type of testicular cancer, with a particularly high incidence in the 15-45-year age category. Although highly treatable, resistance to therapy sometimes occurs, with devastating consequences for the patients. Additionally, the young age at diagnosis and the treatment itself pose a great threat to patients' fertility. Despite extensive research concerning genetic and environmental risk factors, little is known about TGCT etiology. However, epigenetics has recently come into the spotlight as a major factor in TGCT initiation, progression, and even resistance to treatment. As such, recent studies have been focusing on epigenetic mechanisms, which have revealed their potential in the development of novel, non-invasive biomarkers. As the most studied epigenetic mechanism, DNA methylation was the first revelation in this particular field, and it continues to be a main target of investigations as research into its association with TGCT has contributed to a better understanding of this type of cancer and constantly reveals novel aspects that can be exploited through clinical applications. In addition to biomarker development, DNA methylation holds potential for developing novel treatments based on DNA methyltransferase inhibitors (DNMTis) and may even be of interest for fertility management in cancer survivors. This manuscript is structured as a literature review, which comprehensively explores the pivotal role of DNA methylation in the pathogenesis, progression, and treatment resistance of TGCTs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina-Teodora Nicu
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 030018 Bucharest, Romania; (A.-T.N.); (I.S.)
| | - Ileana Paula Ionel
- Department of Specific Disciplines, Faculty of Midwifery and Nursing, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, 050474 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Ileana Stoica
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 030018 Bucharest, Romania; (A.-T.N.); (I.S.)
| | - Liliana Burlibasa
- Genetics Department, Faculty of Biology, University of Bucharest, 030018 Bucharest, Romania; (A.-T.N.); (I.S.)
| | - Viorel Jinga
- Department of Urology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Medicine and Pharmacy “Carol Davila”, 050474 Bucharest, Romania;
- The Academy of Romanian Scientists, 050044 Bucharest, Romania
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Cuevas-Estrada B, Montalvo-Casimiro M, Munguia-Garza P, Ríos-Rodríguez JA, González-Barrios R, Herrera LA. Breaking the Mold: Epigenetics and Genomics Approaches Addressing Novel Treatments and Chemoresponse in TGCT Patients. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097873. [PMID: 37175579 PMCID: PMC10178517 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ-cell tumors (TGCT) have been widely recognized for their outstanding survival rates, commonly attributed to their high sensitivity to cisplatin-based therapies. Despite this, a subset of patients develops cisplatin resistance, for whom additional therapeutic options are unsuccessful, and ~20% of them will die from disease progression at an early age. Several efforts have been made trying to find the molecular bases of cisplatin resistance. However, this phenomenon is still not fully understood, which has limited the development of efficient biomarkers and precision medicine approaches as an alternative that could improve the clinical outcomes of these patients. With the aim of providing an integrative landscape, we review the most recent genomic and epigenomic features attributed to chemoresponse in TGCT patients, highlighting how we can seek to combat cisplatin resistance through the same mechanisms by which TGCTs are particularly hypersensitive to therapy. In this regard, we explore ongoing treatment directions for resistant TGCT and novel targets to guide future clinical trials. Through our exploration of recent findings, we conclude that epidrugs are promising treatments that could help to restore cisplatin sensitivity in resistant tumors, shedding light on potential avenues for better prognosis for the benefit of the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenice Cuevas-Estrada
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Michel Montalvo-Casimiro
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Paulina Munguia-Garza
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Juan Alberto Ríos-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Rodrigo González-Barrios
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
| | - Luis A Herrera
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica en Cáncer, Instituto Nacional de Cancerología-Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, UNAM, Mexico City 14080, Mexico
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey 64710, Mexico
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von Eyben FE, Kristiansen K, Kapp DS, Hu R, Preda O, Nogales FF. Epigenetic Regulation of Driver Genes in Testicular Tumorigenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044148. [PMID: 36835562 PMCID: PMC9966837 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In testicular germ cell tumor type II (TGCT), a seminoma subtype expresses an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) panel with four upregulated genes, OCT4/POU5F1, SOX17, KLF4, and MYC, and embryonal carcinoma (EC) has four upregulated genes, OCT4/POU5F1, SOX2, LIN28, and NANOG. The EC panel can reprogram cells into iPSC, and both iPSC and EC can differentiate into teratoma. This review summarizes the literature on epigenetic regulation of the genes. Epigenetic mechanisms, such as methylations of cytosines on the DNA string and methylations and acetylations of histone 3 lysines, regulate expression of these driver genes between the TGCT subtypes. In TGCT, the driver genes contribute to well-known clinical characteristics and the driver genes are also important for aggressive subtypes of many other malignancies. In conclusion, epigenetic regulation of the driver genes are important for TGCT and for oncology in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finn E. von Eyben
- Center for Tobacco Control Research, Birkevej 17, 5230 Odense, Denmark
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +45-66145862
| | - Karsten Kristiansen
- Laboratory of Genomics and Molecular Biomedicine, August Krogh Building Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 13, 2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
- BGI-Research, BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen 518120, China
- Institute of Metagenomics, Qingdao-Europe Advanced Institute for Life Sciences, BGI-Qingdao, Qingdao 166555, China
| | - Daniel S. Kapp
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Rong Hu
- Department of Pathology, Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics, Madison, WI 53792, USA
| | - Ovidiu Preda
- Department of Pathology, San Cecilio University Hospital, 18071 Granada, CP, Spain
| | - Francisco F. Nogales
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University Granada, 18071 Granada, CP, Spain
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Grasso C, Popovic M, Isaevska E, Lazzarato F, Fiano V, Zugna D, Pluta J, Weathers B, D’Andrea K, Almstrup K, Anson-Cartwright L, Bishop DT, Chanock SJ, Chen C, Cortessis VK, Dalgaard MD, Daneshmand S, Ferlin A, Foresta C, Frone MN, Gamulin M, Gietema JA, Greene MH, Grotmol T, Hamilton RJ, Haugen TB, Hauser R, Karlsson R, Kiemeney LA, Lessel D, Lista P, Lothe RA, Loveday C, Meijer C, Nead KT, Nsengimana J, Skotheim RI, Turnbull C, Vaughn DJ, Wiklund F, Zheng T, Zitella A, Schwartz SM, McGlynn KA, Kanetsky PA, Nathanson KL, Richiardi L. Association Study between Polymorphisms in DNA Methylation-Related Genes and Testicular Germ Cell Tumor Risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2022; 31:1769-1779. [PMID: 35700037 PMCID: PMC9444936 DOI: 10.1158/1055-9965.epi-22-0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT), histologically classified as seminomas and nonseminomas, are believed to arise from primordial gonocytes, with the maturation process blocked when they are subjected to DNA methylation reprogramming. SNPs in DNA methylation machinery and folate-dependent one-carbon metabolism genes have been postulated to influence the proper establishment of DNA methylation. METHODS In this pathway-focused investigation, we evaluated the association between 273 selected tag SNPs from 28 DNA methylation-related genes and TGCT risk. We carried out association analysis at individual SNP and gene-based level using summary statistics from the Genome Wide Association Study meta-analysis recently conducted by the international Testicular Cancer Consortium on 10,156 TGCT cases and 179,683 controls. RESULTS In individual SNP analyses, seven SNPs, four mapping within MTHFR, were associated with TGCT risk after correction for multiple testing (q ≤ 0.05). Queries of public databases showed that three of these SNPs were associated with MTHFR changes in enzymatic activity (rs1801133) or expression level in testis tissue (rs12121543, rs1476413). Gene-based analyses revealed MTHFR (q = 8.4 × 10-4), methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MECP2; q = 2 × 10-3), and ZBTB4 (q = 0.03) as the top TGCT-associated genes. Stratifying by tumor histology, four MTHFR SNPs were associated with seminoma. In gene-based analysis MTHFR was associated with risk of seminoma (q = 2.8 × 10-4), but not with nonseminomatous tumors (q = 0.22). CONCLUSIONS Genetic variants within MTHFR, potentially having an impact on the DNA methylation pattern, are associated with TGCT risk. IMPACT This finding suggests that TGCT pathogenesis could be associated with the folate cycle status, and this relation could be partly due to hereditary factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Grasso
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
| | - Maja Popovic
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
| | - Elena Isaevska
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
| | - Fulvio Lazzarato
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
| | - Valentina Fiano
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Zugna
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
| | - John Pluta
- Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Benita Weathers
- Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kurt D’Andrea
- Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Kristian Almstrup
- Department of Growth and Reproduction, Copenhagen University Hospital – Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lynn Anson-Cartwright
- Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Toronto and The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - D. Timothy Bishop
- Department of Haematology and Immunology, Leeds Institute of Medical Research at St James’s, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Stephen J. Chanock
- Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Chu Chen
- Program in Epidemiology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Victoria K. Cortessis
- Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Marlene D. Dalgaard
- Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Siamak Daneshmand
- Department of Urology, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alberto Ferlin
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Carlo Foresta
- Unit of Andrology and Reproductive Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Megan N. Frone
- Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Marija Gamulin
- Department of Oncology, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jourik A. Gietema
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Mark H. Greene
- Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Tom Grotmol
- Department of Research, Cancer Registry of Norway, Oslo, Norway
| | - Robert J. Hamilton
- Department of Surgery (Urology), University of Toronto and The Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Trine B. Haugen
- Faculty of Health Sciences, OsloMet – Oslo Metropolitan University, Oslo, Norway
| | - Russ Hauser
- Department of Environmental Health, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Harvard University, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Robert Karlsson
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - Davor Lessel
- Institute of Human Genetics, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patrizia Lista
- Division of Medical Oncology1, AOU “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, Turin, Italy
| | - Ragnhild A. Lothe
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Institute for Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Chey Loveday
- Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
| | - Coby Meijer
- Department of Medical Oncology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin T. Nead
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Jérémie Nsengimana
- Biostatistics Research Group, Population Health Sciences Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle, UK
| | - Rolf I. Skotheim
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital-Radiumhospitalet, Oslo, Norway
- Department of Informatics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Clare Turnbull
- Division of Genetics and Epidemiology, The Institute of Cancer Research, London, UK
- Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Hospital, London, United Kingdom
| | - David J. Vaughn
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Fredrik Wiklund
- Department of Medical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Tongzhang Zheng
- Department of Epidemiology, Brown School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Andrea Zitella
- Division of Urology, Department of Surgical Science, AOU “Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Stephen M. Schwartz
- Program in Epidemiology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Katherine A. McGlynn
- Division of Epidemiology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Peter A. Kanetsky
- Department of Cancer Epidemiology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Katherine L. Nathanson
- Division of Translational Medicine and Human Genetics, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
- Abramson Cancer Center, Perelman School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Lorenzo Richiardi
- Cancer Epidemiology Unit, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin and CPO Piedmont, Turin, Italy
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Štafl K, Trávníček M, Kučerová D, Pecnová Ľ, Krchlíková V, Gáliková E, Stepanets V, Hejnar J, Trejbalová K. Heterologous avian system for quantitative analysis of Syncytin-1 interaction with ASCT2 receptor. Retrovirology 2021; 18:15. [PMID: 34158079 PMCID: PMC8220723 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-021-00558-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human Syncytin-1 is a placentally-expressed cell surface glycoprotein of retroviral origin. After interaction with ASCT2, its cellular receptor, Syncytin-1 triggers cell–cell fusion and formation of a multinuclear syncytiotrophoblast layer of the placenta. The ASCT2 receptor is a multi-spanning membrane protein containing a protruding extracellular part called region C, which has been suggested to be a retrovirus docking site. Precise identification of the interaction site between ASCT2 and Syncytin-1 is challenging due to the complex structure of ASCT2 protein and the background of endogenous ASCT2 gene in the mammalian genome. Chicken cells lack the endogenous background and, therefore, can be used to set up a system with surrogate expression of the ASCT2 receptor. Results We have established a retroviral heterologous chicken system for rapid and reliable assessment of ectopic human ASCT2 protein expression. Our dual-fluorescence system proved successful for large-scale screening of mutant ASCT2 proteins. Using this system, we demonstrated that progressive deletion of region C substantially decreased the amount of ASCT2 protein. In addition, we implemented quantitative assays to determine the interaction of ASCT2 with Syncytin-1 at multiple levels, which included binding of the soluble form of Syncytin-1 to ASCT2 on the cell surface and a luciferase-based assay to evaluate cell–cell fusions that were triggered by Syncytin-1. Finally, we restored the envelope function of Syncytin-1 in a replication-competent retrovirus and assessed the infection of chicken cells expressing human ASCT2 by chimeric Syncytin-1-enveloped virus. The results of the quantitative assays showed that deletion of the protruding region C did not abolish the interaction of ASCT2 with Syncytin-1. Conclusions We present here a heterologous chicken system for effective assessment of the expression of transmembrane ASCT2 protein and its interaction with Syncytin-1. The system profits from the absence of endogenous ASCT2 background and implements the quantitative assays to determine the ASCT2-Syncytin-1 interaction at several levels. Using this system, we demonstrated that the protruding region C was essential for ASCT2 protein expression, but surprisingly, not for the interaction with Syncytin-1 glycoprotein. Graphical abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12977-021-00558-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kryštof Štafl
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Charles University, Albertov 6, 12800, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Trávníček
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Kučerová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Ľubomíra Pecnová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Krchlíková
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Eliška Gáliková
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Volodymyr Stepanets
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Hejnar
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Kateřina Trejbalová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Vídeňská 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
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Human Endogenous Retrovirus Reactivation: Implications for Cancer Immunotherapy. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13091999. [PMID: 33919186 PMCID: PMC8122352 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13091999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) derive from ancestral exogenous retroviruses whose genetic material has been integrated in our germline DNA. Several lines of evidence indicate that cancer immunotherapy may benefit from HERV reactivation, which can be induced either by drugs or by cellular changes occurring in tumor cells. Indeed, several studies indicate that HERV proviral DNA can be transcribed either to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) that is sensed as a "danger signal" by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), leading to a viral mimicry state, or to mRNA that is translated into proteins that may contribute to the landscape of tumor-specific antigens (TSAs). Alternatively, HERV reactivation is associated with the expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs). In this review, we will highlight recent findings on HERV reactivation in cancer and its implications for cancer immunotherapy.
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Yang H, Wei Q, Li D, Wang Z. Cancer classification based on chromatin accessibility profiles with deep adversarial learning model. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1008405. [PMID: 33166290 PMCID: PMC7676699 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1008405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the complexity and diversity of the cancer genomics profiles, it is challenging to identify distinct clusters from different cancer types. Numerous analyses have been conducted for this propose. Still, the methods they used always do not directly support the high-dimensional omics data across the whole genome (Such as ATAC-seq profiles). In this study, based on the deep adversarial learning, we present an end-to-end approach ClusterATAC to leverage high-dimensional features and explore the classification results. On the ATAC-seq dataset and RNA-seq dataset, ClusterATAC has achieved excellent performance. Since ATAC-seq data plays a crucial role in the study of the effects of non-coding regions on the molecular classification of cancers, we explore the clustering solution obtained by ClusterATAC on the pan-cancer ATAC dataset. In this solution, more than 70% of the clustering are single-tumor-type-dominant, and the vast majority of the remaining clusters are associated with similar tumor types. We explore the representative non-coding loci and their linked genes of each cluster and verify some results by the literature search. These results suggest that a large number of non-coding loci affect the development and progression of cancer through its linked genes, which can potentially advance cancer diagnosis and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai Yang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Qiang Wei
- Department of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
- Vanderbilt Genetics Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Dongdong Li
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Zhe Wang
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, PR China
- * E-mail:
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) exhibit, in contrast to other cancer types, a relatively low mutational burden. However, numerous epigenetic alterations have been shown to impact TGCT. In this review, we summarize the most relevant findings of the past 2 years. RECENT FINDINGS Recent studies focused on the functions of microRNAs and the impact of aberrant DNA methylation. Moreover, several epigenetic drugs with antineoplastic effects in TGCTs were identified. SUMMARY Aberrant DNA methylation and differentially expressed microRNAs have an important effect on TGCT pathogenesis. Moreover, differential DNA methylation patterns were found to be specific for different TGCT subtypes. Various microRNAs, such as miR-371a-3p, were found to be highly sensitive and specific biomarkers for TGCT. The epigenetic drugs guadecitabine, animacroxam, and JQ1 showed promising effects on TGCT in preclinical in-vivo and in-vitro studies.
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Lobo J, Guimarães R, Miranda-Gonçalves V, Monteiro-Reis S, Cantante M, Antunes L, Braga I, Maurício J, Looijenga LH, Jerónimo C, Henrique R. Differential expression of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases among the various testicular germ cell tumor subtypes. Epigenomics 2020; 12:1579-1592. [PMID: 32957806 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2020-0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Characterize DNA methyltransferases/demethylases expression in testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs). Methods:In silico analysis of TCGA database, assessment of transcript levels of most relevant enzymes in four TGCT cell lines and validation in patient cohort (real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction; immunohistochemistry). Results:DNMT3A, DNMT3B and TET2 were the most differentially expressed between seminomas (SEs) and nonseminomas (NSs). DNMT3B was significantly overexpressed in NS-related cell lines, and the opposite was found for TET2. Significantly higher DNMT3A/B mRNA expression was observed in NS, indicating a role for de novo methylation in reprogramming. Significantly higher TET2 protein expression was observed in SEs, suggesting active demethylation contributes for SE hypomethylated state. More differentiated histologies disclosed distinct expression patterns. Conclusion: DNA-modifying enzymes are differentially expressed between TGCT subtypes, influencing reprogramming and differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Lobo
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology & Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Rita Guimarães
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vera Miranda-Gonçalves
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Sara Monteiro-Reis
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Cantante
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Luís Antunes
- Department of Epidemiology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Cancer Epidemiology Group, IPO Porto Research Center (CEG CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Isaac Braga
- Department of Urology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Joaquina Maurício
- Department of Medical Oncology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
| | - Leendert Hj Looijenga
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Heidelberglaan 25, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Carmen Jerónimo
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology & Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Henrique
- Cancer Biology & Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), R. Dr. António Bernardino de Almeida, 4200-072, Porto, Portugal
- Department of Pathology & Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
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11
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Cardoso AR, Lobo J, Miranda-Gonçalves V, Henrique R, Jerónimo C. Epigenetic alterations as therapeutic targets in Testicular Germ Cell Tumours : current and future application of 'epidrugs'. Epigenetics 2020; 16:353-372. [PMID: 32749176 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2020.1805682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) are heterogeneous neoplasms mostly affecting young-adult men. Despite high survival rates, some patients with disseminated disease acquire cisplatin resistance, entailing the need for less toxic therapies. Epigenetic alterations constitute an important feature of TGCTs, which are also implicated in resistance mechanism(s). These alterations might be used as potential targets to design epigenetic drugs. To date, several compounds have been explored and evaluated regarding therapeutic efficacy, making use of pre-clinical studies with in vitro and in vivo models, and some have already been explored in clinical trials. This review summarizes the several epigenetic mechanisms at play in these neoplasms, the current challenges in the field of TGCTs and critically reviews available data on 'epidrugs' in those tumours.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Rita Cardoso
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Master in Oncology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
| | - João Lobo
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
| | - Vera Miranda-Gonçalves
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
| | - Rui Henrique
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Pathology, Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPOP), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
| | - Carmen Jerónimo
- Cancer Biology and Epigenetics Group, IPO Porto Research Center (GEBC CI-IPOP), Portuguese Oncology Institute of Porto (IPO Porto) & Porto Comprehensive Cancer Center (P.CCC), 4200-072, Porto, Portugal.,Department of Pathology and Molecular Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto (ICBAS-UP), 4050-513, Porto, Portugal
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12
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Liu D, Li G, Zuo Y. Function determinants of TET proteins: the arrangements of sequence motifs with specific codes. Brief Bioinform 2019; 20:1826-1835. [DOI: 10.1093/bib/bby053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Revised: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins play a crucial role in promoting locus-specific reversal of DNA methylation, a type of chromatin modification. Considerable evidences have demonstrated that the sequence motifs with specific codes are important to determine the functions of domains and active sites. Here, we surveyed major studies and reviews regarding the multiple functions of the TET proteins and established the patterns of the motif arrangements that determine the functions of TET proteins. First, we summarized the functional sequence basis of TET proteins and identified the new functional motifs based on the phylogenetic relationship. Next, we described the sequence characteristics of the functional motifs in detail and provided an overview of the relationship between the sequence motifs and the functions of TET proteins, including known functions and potential functions. Finally, we highlighted that sequence motifs with diverse post-translational modifications perform unique functions, and different selection pressures lead to different arrangements of sequence motifs, resulting in different paralogs and isoforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongyang Liu
- The State key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Guangpeng Li
- The State key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
| | - Yongchun Zuo
- The State key Laboratory of Reproductive Regulation and Breeding of Grassland Livestock, College of Life Sciences, Inner Mongolia University, Hohhot, China
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14
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The Role of DNA/Histone Modifying Enzymes and Chromatin Remodeling Complexes in Testicular Germ Cell Tumors. Cancers (Basel) 2018; 11:cancers11010006. [PMID: 30577487 PMCID: PMC6357018 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11010006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Revised: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well established that cancer cells exhibit alterations in chromatin structure and accessibility. Indeed, the dysregulation of many protein-coding players with enzymatic activity (DNA and histone-modifying enzymes) and chromatin remodelers have been depicted in various tumor models in recent years. Still, little attention has been directed towards testicular germ cell tumors (TGCTs)-representing the most common neoplasm among young adult Caucasian men-with most studies focusing on exploring the role of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and DNA demethylases (TETs). TGCTs represent a complex tumor model, associated with developmental and embryogenesis-related phenomena, and display seldom (cyto)genetic aberrations, leaving room for Epigenetics to explain such morphological and clinical diversity. Herein, we have summarized the major findings that were reported in literature regarding the dysregulation of DNA/histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodelers in TGCTs. Additionally, we performed in silico analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database to find the most relevant of those players in TGCTs. We concluded that several DNA/histone-modifying enzymes and chromatin remodelers may serve as biomarkers for subtyping, dictating prognosis and survival, and, possibly, for serving as targets of directed, less toxic therapies.
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Tao H, Song ZY, Ding XS, Yang JJ, Shi KH, Li J. Epigenetic signatures in cardiac fibrosis, special emphasis on DNA methylation and histone modification. Heart Fail Rev 2018; 23:789-799. [DOI: 10.1007/s10741-018-9694-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Koivunen P, Laukka T. The TET enzymes. Cell Mol Life Sci 2018; 75:1339-1348. [PMID: 29184981 PMCID: PMC11105636 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-017-2721-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 11/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
During the past decade, we have learnt that the most common DNA modification, 5-methylcytosine (5mC), playing crucial roles in development and disease, is not stable but can be actively reversed to its unmodified form via enzymatic catalysis involving the TET enzymes. These ground-breaking discoveries have been achieved thanks to technological advances in the detection of the oxidized forms of 5mC and to the boldness of individual scientists. The TET enzymes require molecular oxygen for their catalysis, making them important targets for hypoxia research. They also require special cofactors which enable additional levels of regulation. Moreover, mutations and other genetic alterations in TETs are found, especially in myeloid malignances. This review focuses on the kinetic and inhibitory properties of the TET enzymes and the role of TETs in cellular differentiation and transformation and in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peppi Koivunen
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland.
| | - Tuomas Laukka
- Faculty of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Biocenter Oulu, Oulu Center for Cell-Matrix Research, University of Oulu, 90014, Oulu, Finland
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Benešová M, Trejbalová K, Kovářová D, Vernerová Z, Hron T, Kučerová D, Hejnar J. DNA hypomethylation and aberrant expression of the human endogenous retrovirus ERVWE1/syncytin-1 in seminomas. Retrovirology 2017; 14:20. [PMID: 28302141 PMCID: PMC5356313 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-017-0342-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Syncytin-1 and 2, human fusogenic glycoproteins encoded by the env genes of the endogenous retroviral loci ERVWE1 and ERVFRDE1, respectively, contribute to the differentiation of multinucleated syncytiotrophoblast in chorionic villi. In non-trophoblastic cells, however, the expression of syncytins has to be suppressed to avoid potential pathogenic effects. Previously, we have shown that the transcriptional suppression of ERVWE1 promoter is controlled epigenetically by DNA methylation and chromatin modifications. In this study, we describe the aberrant expression of syncytin-1 in biopsies of testicular germ cell tumors. RESULTS We found efficient expression and splicing of syncytin-1 in seminomas and mixed germ cell tumors with seminoma component. Although another fusogenic gene, syncytin-2 was also derepressed in seminomas, its expression was significantly lower than that of syncytin-1. Neither the transcription factor GCM1 nor the increased copy number of ERVWE1 were sufficient for this aberrant expression of syncytin-1 in seminomas. In accordance with our recent finding of the highly increased expression of TET1 dioxygenase in most seminomas, the ERVWE1 promoter was significantly hypomethylated in comparison with the matched controls. In contrast, 5-hydroxymethylcytosine levels were not detectable at the ERVWE1 promoter. We further describe that another endogenous retroviral element adjacent to ERVWE1 remains transcriptionally suppressed and two additional HERV-W family members are only slightly upregulated in seminomas. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that DNA demethylation of the ERVWE1 promoter in seminomas is a prerequisite for syncytin-1 derepression. We propose the spliced syncytin-1 expression as a marker of seminoma and suggest that aberrant expression of endogenous retroviruses might be a correlate of the hypomethylated genome of seminomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Benešová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Kateřina Trejbalová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Denisa Kovářová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Vernerová
- Department of Pathology, Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Hron
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Dana Kučerová
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Hejnar
- Institute of Molecular Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 14220, Prague 4, Czech Republic.
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