1
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Full F, Walter S, Neugebauer E, Tan J, Drayman N, Franke V, Tay S, Landthaler M, Akalin A, Ensser A, Wyler E. Herpesviruses mimic zygotic genome activation to promote viral replication. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3125635. [PMID: 38168299 PMCID: PMC10760233 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3125635/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
DUX4 is a germline transcription factor and a master regulator of zygotic genome activation. During early embryogenesis, DUX4 is crucial for maternal to zygotic transition at the 2-8-cell stage in order to overcome silencing of genes and enable transcription from the zygotic genome. In adult somatic cells, DUX4 expression is silenced and its activation in adult muscle cells causes the genetic disorder Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD). Here we show that herpesviruses from alpha-, beta- and gamma-herpesvirus subfamilies as well as papillomaviruses actively induce DUX4 expression to promote viral transcription and replication. We demonstrate that HSV-1 immediate early proteins directly induce expression of DUX4 and its target genes including endogenous retroelements, which mimics zygotic genome activation. We further show that DUX4 directly binds to the viral genome and promotes viral transcription. DUX4 is functionally required for herpesvirus infection, since genetic depletion of DUX4 by CRISPR/Cas9 abrogates viral replication. Our results show that herpesviruses induce DUX4 expression and its downstream germline-specific genes and retroelements, thus mimicking an early embryonic-like transcriptional program that prevents epigenetic silencing of the viral genome and facilitates herpesviral gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Full
- University Medical Center, and Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwig-University Freiburg
| | - Stephanie Walter
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, University Hospital Erlangen
| | - Eva Neugebauer
- Institute of Virology, University Medical Center, and Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwig-University Freiburg
| | - Jiang Tan
- Institute of Virology, University Medical Center, and Faculty of Medicine, Albert-Ludwig-University Freiburg
| | - Nir Drayman
- The Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, the Center for Virus Research and the Center for Complex Biological Systems, The University of California, Irvine
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2
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Bosnakovski D, Toso EA, Ener ET, Gearhart MD, Yin L, Lüttmann FF, Magli A, Shi K, Kim J, Aihara H, Kyba M. Antagonism among DUX family members evolved from an ancestral toxic single homeodomain protein. iScience 2023; 26:107823. [PMID: 37744032 PMCID: PMC10514451 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Double homeobox (DUX) genes are unique to eutherian mammals, expressed transiently during zygotic genome activation (ZGA) and involved in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and cancer when misexpressed. We evaluate the 3 human DUX genes and the ancestral single homeobox gene sDUX from the non-eutherian mammal, platypus, and find that DUX4 cytotoxicity is not shared with DUXA or DUXB, but surprisingly is shared with platypus sDUX, which binds DNA as a homodimer and activates numerous ZGA genes and long terminal repeat (LTR) elements. DUXA, although transcriptionally inactive, has DNA binding overlap with DUX4, and DUXA-VP64 activates DUX4 targets and is cytotoxic. DUXA competition antagonizes the activity of DUX4 on its target genes, including in FSHD patient cells. Since DUXA is a DUX4 target gene, this competition potentiates feedback inhibition, constraining the window of DUX4 activity. The DUX gene family therefore comprises antagonistic members of opposing function, with implications for their roles in ZGA, FSHD, and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Bosnakovski
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Erik A. Toso
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Elizabeth T. Ener
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Micah D. Gearhart
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lulu Yin
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Alessandro Magli
- Department of Cardiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Johnny Kim
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
- The Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration and Immunology at TRON – Translational Oncology, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael Kyba
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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3
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Yin H, Wang J, Tan Y, Jiang M, Zhang H, Meng G. Transcription factor abnormalities in B-ALL leukemogenesis and treatment. Trends Cancer 2023; 9:855-870. [PMID: 37407363 DOI: 10.1016/j.trecan.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/06/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
The biological regulation of transcription factors (TFs) and repressor proteins is an important mechanism for maintaining cell homeostasis. In B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) TF abnormalities occur at high frequency and are often recognized as the major driving factor in carcinogenesis. We provide an in-depth review of molecular mechanisms of six major TF rearrangements in B-ALL, including DUX4-rearranged (DUX4-R), MEF2D-R, ZNF384-R, ETV6-RUNX1 and TCF3-PBX1 fusions, and KMT2A-R. In addition, the therapeutic options and prognoses for patients who harbor these TF abnormalities are discussed. This review aims to provide an up-to-date panoramic view of how TF-based oncogenic fusions might drive carcinogenesis and impact on potential therapeutic exploration of B-ALL treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongxin Yin
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Junfei Wang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Yangxia Tan
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Minghao Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- Institute for Translational Brain Research, Ministry of Education (MOE) Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Fudan University, 200032 Shanghai, China.
| | - Guoyu Meng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200025, China.
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4
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Knox RN, Eidahl JO, Wallace L, Choudury S, Rashnonejad A, Daman K, Guggenbiller M, Saad N, Hoover ME, Zhang L, Branson OE, Emerson CP, Freitas MA, Harper SQ. Post-Translational Modifications of the DUX4 Protein Impact Toxic Function in FSHD Cell Models. Ann Neurol 2023; 94:398-413. [PMID: 37186119 PMCID: PMC10777487 DOI: 10.1002/ana.26668] [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: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is caused by abnormal de-repression of the myotoxic transcription factor DUX4. Although the transcriptional targets of DUX4 are known, the regulation of DUX4 protein and the molecular consequences of this regulation are unclear. Here, we used in vitro models of FSHD to identify and characterize DUX4 post-translational modifications (PTMs) and their impact on the toxic function of DUX4. METHODS We immunoprecipitated DUX4 protein and performed mass spectrometry to identify PTMs. We then characterized DUX4 PTMs and potential enzyme modifiers using mutagenesis, proteomics, and biochemical assays in HEK293 and human myoblast cell lines. RESULTS We identified 17 DUX4 amino acids with PTMs, and generated 55 DUX4 mutants designed to prevent or mimic PTMs. Five mutants protected cells against DUX4-mediated toxicity and reduced the ability of DUX4 to transactivate FSHD biomarkers. These mutagenesis results suggested that DUX4 toxicity could be counteracted by serine/threonine phosphorylation and/or inhibition of arginine methylation. We therefore sought to identify modifying enzymes that could play a role in regulating DUX4 PTMs. We found several enzymes capable of modifying DUX4 protein in vitro, and confirmed that protein kinase A (PKA) and protein arginine methyltransferase (PRMT1) interact with DUX4. INTERPRETATION These results support that DUX4 is regulated by PTMs and set a foundation for developing FSHD drug screens based mechanistically on DUX4 PTMs and modifying enzymes. ANN NEUROL 2023;94:398-413.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renatta N. Knox
- Department of Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, MO 63108
| | - Jocelyn O. Eidahl
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Lindsay Wallace
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Sarah Choudury
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Afrooz Rashnonejad
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Katelyn Daman
- Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Disease Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Matthew Guggenbiller
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
| | - Nizar Saad
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Michael E. Hoover
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Liwen Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Owen E. Branson
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Charles P. Emerson
- Wellstone Muscular Dystrophy Program, Department of Neurology, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
- Li Weibo Institute for Rare Disease Research, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655
| | - Michael A. Freitas
- Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Scott Q. Harper
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Abigail Wexner Research Institute at Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH 43205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
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5
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Duranti E, Villa C. Influence of DUX4 Expression in Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy and Possible Treatments. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119503. [PMID: 37298453 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119503] [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: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) represents the third most common form of muscular dystrophy and is characterized by muscle weakness and atrophy. FSHD is caused by the altered expression of the transcription factor double homeobox 4 (DUX4), which is involved in several significantly altered pathways required for myogenesis and muscle regeneration. While DUX4 is normally silenced in the majority of somatic tissues in healthy individuals, its epigenetic de-repression has been linked to FSHD, resulting in DUX4 aberrant expression and cytotoxicity in skeletal muscle cells. Understanding how DUX4 is regulated and functions could provide useful information not only to further understand FSHD pathogenesis, but also to develop therapeutic approaches for this disorder. Therefore, this review discusses the role of DUX4 in FSHD by examining the possible molecular mechanisms underlying the disease as well as novel pharmacological strategies targeting DUX4 aberrant expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Duranti
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
| | - Chiara Villa
- School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy
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6
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Bosnakovski D, Toso EA, Ener ET, Gearhart MD, Yin L, Lüttmann FF, Magli A, Shi K, Kim J, Aihara H, Kyba M. Antagonism among DUX family members evolved from an ancestral toxic single homeodomain protein. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.21.524976. [PMID: 36711898 PMCID: PMC9882399 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.21.524976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Double homeobox (DUX) genes are unique to eutherian mammals and normally expressed transiently during zygotic genome activation. The canonical member, DUX4, is involved in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) and cancer, when misexpressed in other contexts. We evaluate the 3 human DUX genes and the ancestral single homeobox gene sDUX from the non-eutherian mammal, platypus, and find that DUX4 activities are not shared with DUXA or DUXB, which lack transcriptional activation potential, but surprisingly are shared with platypus sDUX. In human myoblasts, platypus sDUX drives cytotoxicity, inhibits myogenesis, and induces DUX4 target genes, particularly those associated with zygotic genome activation (ZGA), by binding DNA as a homodimer in a way that overlaps the DUX4 homeodomain crystal structure. DUXA lacks transcriptional activity but has DNA-binding and chromatin accessibility overlap with DUX4 and sDUX, including on ZGA genes and LTR elements, and can actually be converted into a DUX4-like cytotoxic factor by fusion to a synthetic transactivation domain. DUXA competition antagonizes the activity of DUX4 on its target genes, including in FSHD patient cells. Since DUXA is an early DUX4 target gene, this activity potentiates feedback inhibition, constraining the window of DUX4 activity. The DUX gene family therefore comprises cross-regulating members of opposing function, with implications for their roles in ZGA, FSHD, and cancer. HIGHLIGHTS Platypus sDUX is toxic and inhibits myogenic differentiation.DUXA targets overlap substantially with those of DUX4.DUXA fused to a synthetic transactivation domain acquires DUX4-like toxicity.DUXA behaves as a competitive inhibitor of DUX4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Bosnakovski
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Erik A. Toso
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Elizabeth T. Ener
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Micah D. Gearhart
- Department of Genetics, Cell Biology and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Lulu Yin
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | | | - Alessandro Magli
- Department of Cardiology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Johnny Kim
- Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael Kyba
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
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7
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Azzag K, Bosnakovski D, Tungtur S, Salama P, Kyba M, Perlingeiro RCR. Transplantation of PSC-derived myogenic progenitors counteracts disease phenotypes in FSHD mice. NPJ Regen Med 2022; 7:43. [PMID: 36056021 PMCID: PMC9440030 DOI: 10.1038/s41536-022-00249-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a genetically dominant progressive myopathy caused by improper silencing of the DUX4 gene, leading to fibrosis, muscle atrophy, and fatty replacement. Approaches focused on muscle regeneration through the delivery of stem cells represent an attractive therapeutic option for muscular dystrophies. To investigate the potential for cell transplantation in FSHD, we have used the doxycycline-regulated iDUX4pA-HSA mouse model in which low-level DUX4 can be induced in skeletal muscle. We find that mouse pluripotent stem cell (PSC)-derived myogenic progenitors engraft in muscle actively undergoing DUX4-mediated degeneration. Donor-derived muscle tissue displayed reduced fibrosis and importantly, engrafted muscles showed improved contractile specific force compared to non-transplanted controls. These data demonstrate the feasibility of replacement of diseased muscle with PSC-derived myogenic progenitors in a mouse model for FSHD, and highlight the potential for the clinical benefit of such a cell therapy approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karim Azzag
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Darko Bosnakovski
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Sudheer Tungtur
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Peter Salama
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Michael Kyba
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Rita C R Perlingeiro
- Lillehei Heart Institute, Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA. .,Stem Cell Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
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8
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Quintero J, Saad NY, Pagnoni SM, Jacquelin DK, Gatica L, Harper SQ, Rosa AL. The DUX4 protein is a co-repressor of the progesterone and glucocorticoid nuclear receptors. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:2644-2658. [PMID: 35662006 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
DUX4 is a transcription factor required during early embryonic development in placental mammals. In this work we provide evidence that DUX4 is a co-repressor of nuclear receptors (NRs) of progesterone (PR) and glucocorticoids (GR). The DUX4 C-ter and N-ter regions, including the nuclear localization signals and homeodomain motifs, contribute to the corepressor activity of DUX4 on PR and GR. Immunoprecipitation studies, using total protein extracts of cells expressing tagged versions of DUX4 and GR, support that these proteins are physically associated. Our studies suggest that DUX4 could modulate gene expression by coregulating the activity of hormone NRs. This is the first report highlighting a potential endocrine role for DUX4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Quintero
- Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular, IRNASUS-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Nizar Y Saad
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Sabrina M Pagnoni
- Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular, IRNASUS-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Daniela K Jacquelin
- Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular, IRNASUS-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Argentina.,INFIQC-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Laura Gatica
- Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular, IRNASUS-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Argentina.,CIBICI-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Scott Q Harper
- Center for Gene Therapy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, The Ohio State University College of Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Alberto L Rosa
- Laboratorio de Genética y Biología Molecular, IRNASUS-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Católica de Córdoba, Argentina.,Fundación Allende-CONICET, Córdoba, Argentina
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9
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Vuoristo S, Bhagat S, Hydén-Granskog C, Yoshihara M, Gawriyski L, Jouhilahti EM, Ranga V, Tamirat M, Huhtala M, Kirjanov I, Nykänen S, Krjutškov K, Damdimopoulos A, Weltner J, Hashimoto K, Recher G, Ezer S, Paluoja P, Paloviita P, Takegami Y, Kanemaru A, Lundin K, Airenne TT, Otonkoski T, Tapanainen JS, Kawaji H, Murakawa Y, Bürglin TR, Varjosalo M, Johnson MS, Tuuri T, Katayama S, Kere J. DUX4 is a multifunctional factor priming human embryonic genome activation. iScience 2022; 25:104137. [PMID: 35402882 PMCID: PMC8990217 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.104137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Double homeobox 4 (DUX4) is expressed at the early pre-implantation stage in human embryos. Here we show that induced human DUX4 expression substantially alters the chromatin accessibility of non-coding DNA and activates thousands of newly identified transcribed enhancer-like regions, preferentially located within ERVL-MaLR repeat elements. CRISPR activation of transcribed enhancers by C-terminal DUX4 motifs results in the increased expression of target embryonic genome activation (EGA) genes ZSCAN4 and KHDC1P1. We show that DUX4 is markedly enriched in human zygotes, followed by intense nuclear DUX4 localization preceding and coinciding with minor EGA. DUX4 knockdown in human zygotes led to changes in the EGA transcriptome but did not terminate the embryos. We also show that the DUX4 protein interacts with the Mediator complex via the C-terminal KIX binding motif. Our findings contribute to the understanding of DUX4 as a regulator of the non-coding genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanna Vuoristo
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Huddinge, Sweden.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shruti Bhagat
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Huddinge, Sweden.,RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.,Instutute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | | | - Masahito Yoshihara
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Lisa Gawriyski
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Eeva-Mari Jouhilahti
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vipin Ranga
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Mahlet Tamirat
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Mikko Huhtala
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Ida Kirjanov
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sonja Nykänen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kaarel Krjutškov
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Huddinge, Sweden.,Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.,Competence Centre for Health Technologies, 51010 Tartu, Estonia.,University of Tartu, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, 50406 Tartu, Estonia
| | | | - Jere Weltner
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Kosuke Hashimoto
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan
| | - Gaëlle Recher
- Laboratoire Photonique Numérique et Nanosciences, CNRS, Institut d'Optique Graduate School, University of Bordeaux, UMR 5298, 33400 Bordeaux, France
| | - Sini Ezer
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.,Folkhälsan Research Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Priit Paluoja
- Competence Centre for Health Technologies, 51010 Tartu, Estonia.,Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu, 50090 Tartu, Estonia.,University of Helsinki, Doctoral Program in Population Health, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pauliina Paloviita
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | | | | | - Karolina Lundin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tomi T Airenne
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Timo Otonkoski
- Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.,Children's Hospital, Helsinki University Central Hospital, 00290
| | - Juha S Tapanainen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.,Reproductive Medicine Unit, Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.,Oulu University Hospital, 90220 Oulu, Finland
| | - Hideya Kawaji
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.,RIKEN Preventive Medicine and Diagnosis Innovation Program, Wako 351-0198, Japan.,Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo 156-8506, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Murakawa
- RIKEN Center for Integrative Medical Sciences, Yokohama 230-0045, Japan.,Instutute for the Advanced Study of Human Biology, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan.,IFOM, The FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, 20139 Milan, Italy.,Department of Medical Systems Genomics, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Thomas R Bürglin
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, 4031 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markku Varjosalo
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Mark S Johnson
- Structural Bioinformatics Laboratory, Biochemistry, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Åbo Akademi University, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Timo Tuuri
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 00014, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland.,Reproductive Medicine Unit, Helsinki University Hospital, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Shintaro Katayama
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Huddinge, Sweden.,Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.,Folkhälsan Research Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Juha Kere
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 17177 Huddinge, Sweden.,Stem Cells and Metabolism Research Program, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland.,Folkhälsan Research Center, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
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10
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The evolution of DUX4 gene regulation and its implication for facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2022; 1868:166367. [PMID: 35158020 PMCID: PMC9173005 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2022.166367] [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: 09/29/2021] [Revised: 01/26/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Double homeobox 4 (DUX4) is an early embryonic transcription factor whose expression in the skeletal muscle causes facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Despite decades of research, our knowledge of FSHD and DUX4 biology is incomplete, and the disease has currently no cures or targeted therapies. The unusual evolutionary origin of DUX4, its extensive epigenetic and post-transcriptional gene regulation, and various feedback regulatory loops that control its expression and function all contribute to the highly complex nature of FSHD pathogenesis. In this minireview, I synthesize the current state of knowledge in DUX4 and FSHD biology to highlight key areas where further research is needed to better understand DUX4 regulation. I also emphasize post-transcriptional regulation of and by DUX4 via changes in RNA and protein stability that might underlie key features of FSHD pathophysiology. Finally, I discuss the various feedback loops involved in DUX4 regulation and the context-specific consequences of its expression, which could be key to developing novel therapeutic approaches to combat FSHD.
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11
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Wong CJ, Whiddon JL, Langford AT, Belleville AE, Tapscott SJ. Canine DUXC: Implications for DUX4 retrotransposition and preclinical models of FSHD. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 31:1694-1704. [PMID: 34888646 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Mis-expression of DUX4 in skeletal muscle causes facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). Human DUX4 and mouse Dux are retrogenes derived from retrotransposition of the mRNA from the parental DUXC gene. Primates and rodents have lost the parental DUXC gene and it is unknown whether DUXC had a similar role in driving an early pluripotent transcriptional program. Dogs and other Laurasiatherians have retained DUXC, providing an opportunity to determine the functional similarity to the retrotransposed DUX4 and Dux. Here we identify expression of two isoforms of DUXC mRNA in canine testis tissues, one encoding the canonical double homeodomain protein (DUXC), similar to DUX4/Dux, and a second that includes an in-frame alternative exon that disrupts the conserved amino-acid sequence of the first homeodomain (DUXC-ALT). Expression of DUXC in canine cells induces a pluripotent program similar to DUX4 and Dux, and induces expression of a similar set of retrotransposons of the ERV/MaLR and LINE-1 families, as well as pericentromeric satellite repeats; whereas DUXC-ALT did not robustly activate gene expression in these assays. Important for preclinical models of FSHD, human DUX4 and canine DUXC show higher conservation of their homeodomains and corresponding binding motifs compared to the conservation between human DUX4 and mouse Dux, and human DUX4 activates a highly similar transcriptional program in canine cells. Together, these findings show that retrotransposition resulted in the loss of an alternatively spliced isoform and that DUXC containing mammals might be good candidates for certain pre-clinical models of FSHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao-Jen Wong
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109 USA
| | - Jennifer L Whiddon
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109 USA
| | - Ashlee T Langford
- Comparative Medicine, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109 USA
| | - Andrea E Belleville
- Divisions of Public Health Sciences and Basic Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109 USA
| | - Stephen J Tapscott
- Division of Human Biology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA 98109 USA.,Division of Clinical Research, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle WA USA
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12
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Mocciaro E, Runfola V, Ghezzi P, Pannese M, Gabellini D. DUX4 Role in Normal Physiology and in FSHD Muscular Dystrophy. Cells 2021; 10:3322. [PMID: 34943834 PMCID: PMC8699294 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the last decade, the sequence-specific transcription factor double homeobox 4 (DUX4) has gone from being an obscure entity to being a key factor in important physiological and pathological processes. We now know that expression of DUX4 is highly regulated and restricted to the early steps of embryonic development, where DUX4 is involved in transcriptional activation of the zygotic genome. While DUX4 is epigenetically silenced in most somatic tissues of healthy humans, its aberrant reactivation is associated with several diseases, including cancer, viral infection and facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD). DUX4 is also translocated, giving rise to chimeric oncogenic proteins at the basis of sarcoma and leukemia forms. Hence, understanding how DUX4 is regulated and performs its activity could provide relevant information, not only to further our knowledge of human embryonic development regulation, but also to develop therapeutic approaches for the diseases associated with DUX4. Here, we summarize current knowledge on the cellular and molecular processes regulated by DUX4 with a special emphasis on FSHD muscular dystrophy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Davide Gabellini
- Gene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Genetics and Cell Biology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, 20132 Milano, Italy; (E.M.); (V.R.); (P.G.); (M.P.)
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13
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Zhang H, Cheng N, Li Z, Bai L, Fang C, Li Y, Zhang W, Dong X, Jiang M, Liang Y, Zhang S, Mi J, Zhu J, Zhang Y, Chen SJ, Zhao Y, Weng XQ, Hu W, Chen Z, Huang J, Meng G. DNA crosslinking and recombination-activating genes 1/2 (RAG1/2) are required for oncogenic splicing in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Cancer Commun (Lond) 2021; 41:1116-1136. [PMID: 34699692 PMCID: PMC8626599 DOI: 10.1002/cac2.12234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Abnormal alternative splicing is frequently associated with carcinogenesis. In B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL), double homeobox 4 fused with immunoglobulin heavy chain (DUX4/IGH) can lead to the aberrant production of E‐26 transformation‐specific family related gene abnormal transcript (ERGalt) and other splicing variants. However, the molecular mechanism underpinning this process remains elusive. Here, we aimed to know how DUX4/IGH triggers abnormal splicing in leukemia. Methods The differential intron retention analysis was conducted to identify novel DUX4/IGH‐driven splicing in B‐ALL patients. X‐ray crystallography, small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS), and analytical ultracentrifugation were used to investigate how DUX4/IGH recognize double DUX4 responsive element (DRE)‐DRE sites. The ERGalt biogenesis and B‐cell differentiation assays were performed to characterize the DUX4/IGH crosslinking activity. To check whether recombination‐activating gene 1/2 (RAG1/2) was required for DUX4/IGH‐driven splicing, the proximity ligation assay, co‐immunoprecipitation, mammalian two hybrid characterizations, in vitro RAG1/2 cleavage, and shRNA knock‐down assays were performed. Results We reported previously unrecognized intron retention events in C‐type lectin domain family 12, member A abnormal transcript (CLEC12Aalt) and chromosome 6 open reading frame 89 abnormal transcript (C6orf89alt), where also harbored repetitive DRE‐DRE sites. Supportively, X‐ray crystallography and SAXS characterization revealed that DUX4 homeobox domain (HD)1‐HD2 might dimerize into a dumbbell‐shape trans configuration to crosslink two adjacent DRE sites. Impaired DUX4/IGH‐mediated crosslinking abolishes ERGalt, CLEC12Aalt, and C6orf89alt biogenesis, resulting in marked alleviation of its inhibitory effect on B‐cell differentiation. Furthermore, we also observed a rare RAG1/2‐mediated recombination signal sequence‐like DNA edition in DUX4/IGH target genes. Supportively, shRNA knock‐down of RAG1/2 in leukemic Reh cells consistently impaired the biogenesis of ERGalt, CLEC12Aalt, and C6orf89alt. Conclusions All these results suggest that DUX4/IGH‐driven DNA crosslinking is required for RAG1/2 recruitment onto the double tandem DRE‐DRE sites, catalyzing V(D)J‐like recombination and oncogenic splicing in acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Nuo Cheng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Zhihui Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Ling Bai
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610044, P. R. China
| | - Chengli Fang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, P. R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Yuwen Li
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Weina Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Xue Dong
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Minghao Jiang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Yang Liang
- Department of Hematologic Oncology, State key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510060, P. R. China
| | - Sujiang Zhang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Jianqing Mi
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Jiang Zhu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 200032, P. R. China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, P. R. China
| | - Sai-Juan Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Yajie Zhao
- Department of Geriatrics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Medical Center on Aging of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Xiang-Qin Weng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Weiguo Hu
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Department of Geriatrics, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Medical Center on Aging of Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Zhu Chen
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
| | - Jinyan Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China.,Biomedical Big Data Center, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, P. R. China.,Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000, P. R. China
| | - Guoyu Meng
- Shanghai Institute of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine, Rui-Jin Hospital, School of Medicine and School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shanghai JiaoTong University, Shanghai, 200025, P. R. China
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14
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Banerji CRS, Zammit PS. Pathomechanisms and biomarkers in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy: roles of DUX4 and PAX7. EMBO Mol Med 2021; 13:e13695. [PMID: 34151531 PMCID: PMC8350899 DOI: 10.15252/emmm.202013695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is characterised by progressive skeletal muscle weakness and wasting. FSHD is linked to epigenetic derepression of the subtelomeric D4Z4 macrosatellite at chromosome 4q35. Epigenetic derepression permits the distal-most D4Z4 unit to transcribe DUX4, with transcripts stabilised by splicing to a poly(A) signal on permissive 4qA haplotypes. The pioneer transcription factor DUX4 activates target genes that are proposed to drive FSHD pathology. While this toxic gain-of-function model is a satisfying "bottom-up" genotype-to-phenotype link, DUX4 is rarely detectable in muscle and DUX4 target gene expression is inconsistent in patients. A reliable biomarker for FSHD is suppression of a target gene score of PAX7, a master regulator of myogenesis. However, it is unclear how this "top-down" finding links to genomic changes that characterise FSHD and to DUX4. Here, we explore the roles and interactions of DUX4 and PAX7 in FSHD pathology and how the relationship between these two transcription factors deepens understanding via the immune system and muscle regeneration. Considering how FSHD pathomechanisms are represented by "DUX4opathy" models has implications for developing therapies and current clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Peter S Zammit
- Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular BiophysicsKing's College LondonLondonUK
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15
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Pathak PK, Zhang F, Peng S, Niu L, Chaturvedi J, Elliott J, Xiang Y, Tadege M, Deng J. Structure of the unique tetrameric STENOFOLIA homeodomain bound with target promoter DNA. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2021; 77:1050-1063. [PMID: 34342278 PMCID: PMC8329861 DOI: 10.1107/s205979832100632x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Homeobox transcription factors are key regulators of morphogenesis and development in both animals and plants. In plants, the WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) family of transcription factors function as central organizers of several developmental programs ranging from embryo patterning to meristematic stem-cell maintenance through transcriptional activation and repression mechanisms. The Medicago truncatula STENOFOLIA (STF) gene is a master regulator of leaf-blade lateral development. Here, the crystal structure of the homeodomain (HD) of STF (STF-HD) in complex with its promoter DNA is reported at 2.1 Å resolution. STF-HD binds DNA as a tetramer, enclosing nearly the entire bound DNA surface. The STF-HD tetramer is partially stabilized by docking of the C-terminal tail of one protomer onto a conserved hydrophobic surface on the head of another protomer in a head-to-tail manner. STF-HD specifically binds TGA motifs, although the promoter sequence also contains TAAT motifs. Helix α3 not only serves a canonical role as a base reader in the major groove, but also provides DNA binding in the minor groove through basic residues located at its C-terminus. The structural and functional data in planta reported here provide new insights into the DNA-binding mechanisms of plant-specific HDs from the WOX family of transcription factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prabhat Kumar Pathak
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Fei Zhang
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Institute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USA
| | - Shuxia Peng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Lifang Niu
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Institute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USA
| | - Juhi Chaturvedi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Justin Elliott
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Yan Xiang
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Million Tadege
- Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, Institute for Agricultural Biosciences, Oklahoma State University, Ardmore, OK 73401, USA
| | - Junpeng Deng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
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16
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Huang X, Hu X, Jiang Q, Cao Q, Wu Y, Lei L. Functional study of distinct domains of dux in improving mouse SCNT embryonic development. Biol Reprod 2021; 105:1089-1103. [PMID: 34296246 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
2-cell-like (2C-like) embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are a small group of ESCs that spontaneously express zygotic genomic activation (ZGA) genes and repeats, such as Zscan4 and MERVL, and are specifically expressed in 2-cell-stage mouse embryos. Although numerous types of treatment and agents elevate the transition of ESCs to 2C-like ESCs, Dux serves as a critical factor in this transition by increasing the expression of Zscan4 and MERVL directly. However, the loss of Dux did not impair the birth of mice, suggesting that Dux may not be the primary transitioning factor in fertilized embryos. It has been reported that for 2-cell embryos derived from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and whose expression of ZGA genes and repeats was aberrant, Dux improved the reprogramming efficiency by correcting aberrant H3K9ac modification via its C-terminal domain. We confirmed that overexpression of full-length Dux mRNA in SCNT embryos improved the efficiency of preimplantation development (62.16% vs. 41.26% with respect to controls) and also increased the expression of Zscan4 and MERVL. Furthermore, we found that the N-terminal double homeodomains of Dux were indispensable for Dux localization and function. The intermediate region was essential for MERVL and Zscan4 activation, and the C-terminal domain was important for elevating level of H3K27ac. Mutant Dux mRNA containing N-terminal double homeodomains with the intermediate region or the C-terminal domain also improved the preimplantation development of SCNT embryos. This is the first report focusing on distinguishing functional domains of Dux in embryos derived from SCNT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingwei Huang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. 150081
| | - Xinglin Hu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. 150081
| | - Qi Jiang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. 150081
| | - Qianzi Cao
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. 150081
| | - Yanshuang Wu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. 150081
| | - Lei Lei
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Harbin Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. 150081
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17
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Karpukhina A, Vassetzky Y. DUX4, a Zygotic Genome Activator, Is Involved in Oncogenesis and Genetic Diseases. Russ J Dev Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1134/s1062360420030078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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18
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Bosnakovski D, Shams AS, Yuan C, da Silva MT, Ener ET, Baumann CW, Lindsay AJ, Verma M, Asakura A, Lowe DA, Kyba M. Transcriptional and cytopathological hallmarks of FSHD in chronic DUX4-expressing mice. J Clin Invest 2020; 130:2465-2477. [PMID: 32250341 PMCID: PMC7190912 DOI: 10.1172/jci133303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 01/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is caused by loss of repression of the DUX4 gene; however, the DUX4 protein is rare and difficult to detect in human muscle biopsies, and pathological mechanisms are obscure. FSHD is also a chronic disease that progresses slowly over decades. We used the sporadic, low-level, muscle-specific expression of DUX4 enabled by the iDUX4pA-HSA mouse to develop a chronic long-term muscle disease model. After 6 months of extremely low sporadic DUX4 expression, dystrophic muscle presented hallmarks of FSHD histopathology, including muscle degeneration, capillary loss, fibrosis, and atrophy. We investigated the transcriptional profile of whole muscle as well as endothelial cells and fibroadiopogenic progenitors (FAPs). Strikingly, differential gene expression profiles of both whole muscle and, to a lesser extent, FAPs, showed significant overlap with transcriptional profiles of MRI-guided human FSHD muscle biopsies. These results demonstrate a pathophysiological similarity between disease in muscles of iDUX4pA-HSA mice and humans with FSHD, solidifying the value of chronic rare DUX4 expression in mice for modeling pathological mechanisms in FSHD and highlighting the importance FAPs in this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Bosnakovski
- Lillehei Heart Institute and
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Goce Delcev, Stip, North Macedonia
| | - Ahmed S. Shams
- Lillehei Heart Institute and
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
- Human Anatomy and Embryology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Ce Yuan
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program
| | - Meiricris T. da Silva
- Lillehei Heart Institute and
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Elizabeth T. Ener
- Lillehei Heart Institute and
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | | | - Mayank Verma
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Atsushi Asakura
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Michael Kyba
- Lillehei Heart Institute and
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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19
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Greco A, Goossens R, van Engelen B, van der Maarel SM. Consequences of epigenetic derepression in facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy. Clin Genet 2020; 97:799-814. [PMID: 32086799 PMCID: PMC7318180 DOI: 10.1111/cge.13726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), a common hereditary myopathy, is caused either by the contraction of the D4Z4 macrosatellite repeat at the distal end of chromosome 4q to a size of 1 to 10 repeat units (FSHD1) or by mutations in D4Z4 chromatin modifiers such as Structural Maintenance of Chromosomes Hinge Domain Containing 1 (FSHD2). These two genotypes share a phenotype characterized by progressive and often asymmetric muscle weakening and atrophy, and common epigenetic alterations of the D4Z4 repeat. All together, these epigenetic changes converge the two genetic forms into one disease and explain the derepression of the DUX4 gene, which is otherwise kept epigenetically silent in skeletal muscle. DUX4 is consistently transcriptionally upregulated in FSHD1 and FSHD2 skeletal muscle cells where it is believed to exercise a toxic effect. Here we provide a review of the recent literature describing the progress in understanding the complex genetic and epigenetic architecture of FSHD, with a focus on one of the consequences that these epigenetic changes inflict, the DUX4‐induced immune deregulation cascade. Moreover, we review the latest therapeutic strategies, with particular attention to the potential of epigenetic correction of the FSHD locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Greco
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.,Department of Experimental Internal Medicine, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Remko Goossens
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Baziel van Engelen
- Department of Neurology, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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20
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Klingler C, Ashley J, Shi K, Stiefvater A, Kyba M, Sinnreich M, Aihara H, Kinter J. DNA aptamers against the DUX4 protein reveal novel therapeutic implications for FSHD. FASEB J 2020; 34:4573-4590. [PMID: 32020675 PMCID: PMC7079142 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201902696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant expression of the transcription factor double homeobox protein 4 (DUX4) can lead to a number of diseases including facio‐scapulo‐humeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD), acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and sarcomas. Inhibition of DUX4 may represent a therapeutic strategy for these diseases. By applying Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential Enrichment (SELEX), we identified aptamers against DUX4 with specific secondary structural elements conveying high affinity to DUX4 as assessed by fluorescence resonance energy transfer and fluorescence polarization techniques. Sequences analysis of these aptamers revealed the presence of two consensus DUX4 motifs in a reverse complementary fashion forming hairpins interspersed with bulge loops at distinct positions that enlarged the binding surface with the DUX4 protein, as determined by crystal structure analysis. We demonstrate that insertion of specific structural elements into transcription factor binding oligonucleotides can enhance specificity and affinity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Klingler
- Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jon Ashley
- Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Health Technology, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Adeline Stiefvater
- Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Kyba
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Michael Sinnreich
- Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jochen Kinter
- Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Neurology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Neuromuscular Research Group, Department of Biomedicine, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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21
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Zhao PF, Liu A, Wei MG, Liu ZQ. Construction of 3D Antioxidants with Nucleosides as the Core: Inhibition of DNA Oxidation. J Org Chem 2019; 84:15854-15864. [PMID: 31804824 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.9b02104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Fei Zhao
- Department of Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, People’s Republic of China
| | - An Liu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ming-Guang Wei
- The Second Affiliated Hospital of the Air Force Medical University, Xi’an 710032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zai-Qun Liu
- Department of Organic Chemistry, College of Chemistry, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, People’s Republic of China
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22
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Bosnakovski D, da Silva MT, Sunny ST, Ener ET, Toso EA, Yuan C, Cui Z, Walters MA, Jadhav A, Kyba M. A novel P300 inhibitor reverses DUX4-mediated global histone H3 hyperacetylation, target gene expression, and cell death. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaw7781. [PMID: 31535023 PMCID: PMC6739093 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw7781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) results from mutations causing overexpression of the transcription factor, DUX4, which interacts with the histone acetyltransferases, EP300 and CBP. We describe the activity of a new spirocyclic EP300/CBP inhibitor, iP300w, which inhibits the cytotoxicity of the DUX4 protein and reverses the overexpression of most DUX4 target genes, in engineered cell lines and FSHD myoblasts, as well as in an FSHD animal model. In evaluating the effect of iP300w on global histone H3 acetylation, we discovered that DUX4 overexpression leads to a dramatic global increase in the total amount of acetylated histone H3. This unexpected effect requires the C-terminus of DUX4, is conserved with mouse Dux, and may facilitate zygotic genome activation. This global increase in histone H3 acetylation is reversed by iP300w, highlighting the central role of EP300 and CBP in the transcriptional mechanism underlying DUX4 cytotoxicity and the translational potential of blocking this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darko Bosnakovski
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Faculty of Medical Sciences, University Goce Delcev—Štip, Štip 2000, Republic of North Macedonia
| | - Meiricris T. da Silva
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Sithara T. Sunny
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Elizabeth T. Ener
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Erik A. Toso
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ce Yuan
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Program, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ziyou Cui
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Michael A. Walters
- Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Ajit Jadhav
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Michael Kyba
- Lillehei Heart Institute, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
- Corresponding author.
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