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Periandri EM, Dodson KM, Vitorino FN, Garcia BA, Glastad KM, Egervari G. Acetate enhances spatial memory in females via sex- and brain region-specific epigenetic and transcriptional remodeling. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.08.26.609729. [PMID: 39253503 PMCID: PMC11382992 DOI: 10.1101/2024.08.26.609729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Metabolic control of chromatin and gene expression is emerging as a key, but largely unexplored aspect of gene regulation. In the brain, metabolic-epigenetic interactions can influence critical neuronal functions. Here, we use a combination of behavioral, proteomic and genomic approaches to demonstrate that the intermediary metabolite acetate enhances memory in a brain region- and sex-specific manner. We show that acetate facilitates the formation of dorsal hippocampus-dependent spatial memories in female but not in male mice, while having no effect on cortex-dependent non-spatial memories in either sex. Acetate-enhanced spatial memory is driven by increased acetylation of histone variant H2A.Z, and upregulation of genes implicated in spatial learning in the dorsal hippocampus of female mice. In line with the sex-specific behavioral outcomes, the effect of acetate on dorsal hippocampal histone modifications and gene expression shows marked differences between the sexes during critical windows of memory formation (consolidation and recall). Overall, our findings elucidate a novel role for acetate, a ubiquitous and abundant metabolite, in regulating dorsal hippocampal chromatin, gene expression and learning, and outline acetate exposure as a promising new approach to enhance memory formation.
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2
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Wong LH, Tremethick DJ. Multifunctional histone variants in genome function. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00759-1. [PMID: 39138293 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00759-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
Histones are integral components of eukaryotic chromatin that have a pivotal role in the organization and function of the genome. The dynamic regulation of chromatin involves the incorporation of histone variants, which can dramatically alter its structural and functional properties. Contrary to an earlier view that limited individual histone variants to specific genomic functions, new insights have revealed that histone variants exert multifaceted roles involving all aspects of genome function, from governing patterns of gene expression at precise genomic loci to participating in genome replication, repair and maintenance. This conceptual change has led to a new understanding of the intricate interplay between chromatin and DNA-dependent processes and how this connection translates into normal and abnormal cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee H Wong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - David J Tremethick
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capial Territory, Australia.
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3
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Yin X, Zeng D, Liao Y, Tang C, Li Y. The Function of H2A Histone Variants and Their Roles in Diseases. Biomolecules 2024; 14:993. [PMID: 39199381 PMCID: PMC11352661 DOI: 10.3390/biom14080993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2024] [Revised: 08/06/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation, which is characterized by reversible and heritable genetic alterations without changing DNA sequences, has recently been increasingly studied in diseases. Histone variant regulation is an essential component of epigenetic regulation. The substitution of canonical histones by histone variants profoundly alters the local chromatin structure and modulates DNA accessibility to regulatory factors, thereby exerting a pivotal influence on gene regulation and DNA damage repair. Histone H2A variants, mainly including H2A.Z, H2A.B, macroH2A, and H2A.X, are the most abundant identified variants among all histone variants with the greatest sequence diversity. Harboring varied chromatin occupancy and structures, histone H2A variants perform distinct functions in gene transcription and DNA damage repair. They are implicated in multiple pathophysiological mechanisms and the emergence of different illnesses. Cancer, embryonic development abnormalities, neurological diseases, metabolic diseases, and heart diseases have all been linked to histone H2A variant alterations. This review focuses on the functions of H2A histone variants in mammals, including H2A.Z, H2A.B, macroH2A, and H2A.X, and their current roles in various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuemin Yin
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Dong Zeng
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Yingjun Liao
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Chengyuan Tang
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
| | - Ying Li
- Department of Nephrology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China; (X.Y.); (D.Z.); (Y.L.); (C.T.)
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Kidney Disease and Blood Purification in Hunan Province, Changsha 410011, China
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4
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Reda A, Hategan LA, McLean TAB, Creighton SD, Luo JQ, Chen SES, Hua S, Winston S, Reeves I, Padmanabhan A, Dahi TA, Ramzan F, Brimble MA, Murphy PJ, Walters BJ, Stefanelli G, Zovkic IB. Role of the histone variant H2A.Z.1 in memory, transcription, and alternative splicing is mediated by lysine modification. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1285-1295. [PMID: 38366138 PMCID: PMC11224360 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01817-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Creating long-lasting memories requires learning-induced changes in gene expression, which are impacted by epigenetic modifications of DNA and associated histone proteins. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones are key regulators of transcription, with different PTMs producing unique effects on gene activity and behavior. Although recent studies implicate histone variants as novel regulators of memory, effects of PTMs on the function of histone variants are rarely considered. We previously showed that the histone variant H2A.Z suppresses memory, but it is unclear if this role is impacted by H2A.Z acetylation, a PTM that is typically associated with positive effects on transcription and memory. To answer this question, we used a mutation approach to manipulate acetylation on H2A.Z without impacting acetylation of other histone types. Specifically, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) constructs to overexpress mutated H2A.Z.1 isoforms that either mimic acetylation (acetyl-mimic) by replacing lysines 4, 7 and 11 with glutamine (KQ), or H2A.Z.1 with impaired acetylation (acetyl-defective) by replacing the same lysines with alanine (KA). Expressing the H2A.Z.1 acetyl-mimic (H2A.Z.1KQ) improved memory under weak learning conditions, whereas expressing the acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1KA generally impaired memory, indicating that the effect of H2A.Z.1 on memory depends on its acetylation status. RNA sequencing showed that H2A.Z.1KQ and H2A.Z.1KA uniquely impact the expression of different classes of genes in both females and males. Specifically, H2A.Z.1KA preferentially impacts genes involved in synaptic function, suggesting that acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1 impairs memory by altering synaptic regulation. Finally, we describe, for the first time, that H2A.Z is also involved in alternative splicing of neuronal genes, whereby H2A.Z depletion, as well as expression of H2A.Z.1 lysine mutants influence transcription and splicing of different gene targets, suggesting that H2A.Z.1 can impact behavior through effects on both splicing and gene expression. This is the first study to demonstrate that direct manipulation of H2A.Z post-translational modifications regulates memory, whereby acetylation adds another regulatory layer by which histone variants can fine tune higher brain functions through effects on gene expression and splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Reda
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Luca A Hategan
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Timothy A B McLean
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Samantha D Creighton
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jian Qi Luo
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Sean En Si Chen
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Shan Hua
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Stephen Winston
- Department of Surgery and Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Isaiah Reeves
- Department of Surgery and Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Aditya Padmanabhan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Tarkan A Dahi
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Firyal Ramzan
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Mark A Brimble
- Department of Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Patrick J Murphy
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Brandon J Walters
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Gilda Stefanelli
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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Dijkwel Y, Hart-Smith G, Kurscheid S, Tremethick DJ. ANP32e Binds Histone H2A.Z in a Cell Cycle-Dependent Manner and Regulates Its Protein Stability in the Cytoplasm. Mol Cell Biol 2024; 44:72-85. [PMID: 38482865 PMCID: PMC10950284 DOI: 10.1080/10985549.2024.2319731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
ANP32e, a chaperone of H2A.Z, is receiving increasing attention because of its association with cancer growth and progression. An unanswered question is whether ANP32e regulates H2A.Z dynamics during the cell cycle; this could have clear implications for the proliferation of cancer cells. We confirmed that ANP32e regulates the growth of human U2OS cancer cells and preferentially interacts with H2A.Z during the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Unexpectedly, ANP32e does not mediate the removal of H2A.Z from chromatin, is not a stable component of the p400 remodeling complex and is not strongly associated with chromatin. Instead, most ANP32e is in the cytoplasm. Here, ANP32e preferentially interacts with H2A.Z in the G1 phase in response to an increase in H2A.Z protein abundance and regulates its protein stability. This G1-specific interaction was also observed in the nucleoplasm but was unrelated to any change in H2A.Z abundance. These results challenge the idea that ANP32e regulates the abundance of H2A.Z in chromatin as part of a chromatin remodeling complex. We propose that ANP32e is a molecular chaperone that maintains the soluble pool of H2A.Z by regulating its protein stability and acting as a buffer in response to cell cycle-dependent changes in H2A.Z abundance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Dijkwel
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - Gene Hart-Smith
- School of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
- Australian Proteome Analysis Facility, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia
| | - Sebastian Kurscheid
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
| | - David J. Tremethick
- The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The Australian National University, Canberra, Australia
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6
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Dijkwel Y, Tremethick DJ. The Role of the Histone Variant H2A.Z in Metazoan Development. J Dev Biol 2022; 10:jdb10030028. [PMID: 35893123 PMCID: PMC9326617 DOI: 10.3390/jdb10030028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
During the emergence and radiation of complex multicellular eukaryotes from unicellular ancestors, transcriptional systems evolved by becoming more complex to provide the basis for this morphological diversity. The way eukaryotic genomes are packaged into a highly complex structure, known as chromatin, underpins this evolution of transcriptional regulation. Chromatin structure is controlled by a variety of different epigenetic mechanisms, including the major mechanism for altering the biochemical makeup of the nucleosome by replacing core histones with their variant forms. The histone H2A variant H2A.Z is particularly important in early metazoan development because, without it, embryos cease to develop and die. However, H2A.Z is also required for many differentiation steps beyond the stage that H2A.Z-knockout embryos die. H2A.Z can facilitate the activation and repression of genes that are important for pluripotency and differentiation, and acts through a variety of different molecular mechanisms that depend upon its modification status, its interaction with histone and nonhistone partners, and where it is deposited within the genome. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge about the different mechanisms by which H2A.Z regulates chromatin function at various developmental stages and the chromatin remodeling complexes that determine when and where H2A.Z is deposited.
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Kreienbaum C, Paasche LW, Hake SB. H2A.Z's 'social' network: functional partners of an enigmatic histone variant. Trends Biochem Sci 2022; 47:909-920. [PMID: 35606214 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2022.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The histone variant H2A.Z has been extensively studied to understand its manifold DNA-based functions. In the past years, researchers identified its specific binding partners, the 'H2A.Z interactome', that convey H2A.Z-dependent chromatin changes. Here, we summarize the latest findings regarding vertebrate H2A.Z-associated factors and focus on their roles in gene activation and repression, cell cycle regulation, (neuro)development, and tumorigenesis. Additionally, we demonstrate how protein-protein interactions and post-translational histone modifications can fine-tune the complex interplay of H2A.Z-regulated gene expression. Last, we review the most recent results on interactors of the two isoforms H2A.Z.1 and H2A.Z.2.1, which differ in only three amino acids, and focus on cancer-associated mutations of H2A and H2A.Z, which reveal fascinating insights into the functional importance of such minuscule changes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lena W Paasche
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Sandra B Hake
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
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8
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Histone macroH2A1 is a stronger regulator of hippocampal transcription and memory than macroH2A2 in mice. Commun Biol 2022; 5:482. [PMID: 35590030 PMCID: PMC9120515 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03435-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone variants H2A.Z and H3.3 are epigenetic regulators of memory, but roles of other variants are not well characterized. macroH2A (mH2A) is a structurally unique histone that contains a globular macrodomain connected to the histone region by an unstructured linker. Here we assessed if mH2A regulates memory and if this role varies for the two mH2A-encoding genes, H2afy (mH2A1) and H2afy2 (mH2A2). We show that fear memory is impaired in mH2A1, but not in mH2A2-deficient mice, whereas both groups were impaired in a non-aversive spatial memory task. However, impairment was larger for mH2A1- deficient mice, indicating a preferential role for mH2A1 over mH2A2 in memory. Accordingly, mH2A1 depletion in the mouse hippocampus resulted in more extensive transcriptional de-repression compared to mH2A2 depletion. mH2A1-depleted mice failed to induce a normal transcriptional response to fear conditioning, suggesting that mH2A1 depletion impairs memory by altering transcription. Using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) sequencing, we found that both mH2A proteins are enriched on transcriptionally repressed genes, but only mH2A1 occupancy was dynamically modified during learning, displaying reduced occupancy on upregulated genes after training. These data identify mH2A as a regulator of memory and suggest that mH2A1 supports memory by repressing spurious transcription and promoting learning-induced transcriptional activation.
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Herchenröther A, Wunderlich TM, Lan J, Hake SB. Spotlight on histone H2A variants: From B to X to Z. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2022; 135:3-12. [PMID: 35365397 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2022.03.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin, the functional organization of DNA with histone proteins in eukaryotic nuclei, is the tightly-regulated template for several biological processes, such as transcription, replication, DNA damage repair, chromosome stability and sister chromatid segregation. In order to achieve a reversible control of local chromatin structure and DNA accessibility, various interconnected mechanisms have evolved. One of such processes includes the deposition of functionally-diverse variants of histone proteins into nucleosomes, the building blocks of chromatin. Among core histones, the family of H2A histone variants exhibits the largest number of members and highest sequence-divergence. In this short review, we report and discuss recent discoveries concerning the biological functions of the animal histone variants H2A.B, H2A.X and H2A.Z and how dysregulation or mutation of the latter impacts the development of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tim M Wunderlich
- Institute for Genetics, Justus Liebig University, 35390 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jie Lan
- Institute for Genetics, Justus Liebig University, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
| | - Sandra B Hake
- Institute for Genetics, Justus Liebig University, 35390 Giessen, Germany.
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10
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Colino-Sanguino Y, Clark SJ, Valdes-Mora F. The H2A.Z-nuclesome code in mammals: emerging functions. Trends Genet 2021; 38:273-289. [PMID: 34702577 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
H2A.Z is a histone variant that provides specific structural and docking-side properties to the nucleosome, resulting in diverse and specialised molecular and cellular functions. In this review, we discuss the latest studies uncovering new functional aspects of mammalian H2A.Z in gene transcription, including pausing and elongation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and enhancer activity; DNA repair; DNA replication; and 3D chromatin structure. We also review the recently described role of H2A.Z in embryonic development, cell differentiation, neurodevelopment, and brain function. In conclusion, our cumulative knowledge of H2A.Z over the past 40 years, in combination with the implementation of novel molecular technologies, is unravelling an unexpected and complex role of histone variants in gene regulation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Colino-Sanguino
- Cancer Epigenetics Biology and Therapeutics, Precision Medicine Theme, Children's Cancer Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Children and Women Health, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Susan J Clark
- Epigenetics Research Laboratory, Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fatima Valdes-Mora
- Cancer Epigenetics Biology and Therapeutics, Precision Medicine Theme, Children's Cancer Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Children and Women Health, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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