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Epigenetic Effects of Benzene in Hematologic Neoplasms: The Altered Gene Expression. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13102392. [PMID: 34069279 PMCID: PMC8156840 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13102392] [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: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Benzene is produced by diverse petroleum transformation processes and it is widely employed in industry despite its oncogenic effects. In fact, occupational exposure to benzene may cause hematopoietic malignancy. The leukemogenic action of benzene is particularly complex. Possible processes of onset of hematological malignancies have been recognized as a genotoxic action and the provocation of immunosuppression. However, benzene can induce modifications that do not involve alterations in the DNA sequence, the so-called epigenetics changes. Acquired epigenetic modification may also induce leukemogenesis, as benzene may alter nuclear receptors, and cause changes at the protein level, thereby modifying the function of regulatory proteins, including oncoproteins and tumor suppressor proteins. Abstract Benzene carcinogenic ability has been reported, and chronic exposure to benzene can be one of the risk elements for solid cancers and hematological neoplasms. Benzene is acknowledged as a myelotoxin, and it is able to augment the risk for the onset of acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndromes, aplastic anemia, and lymphomas. Possible mechanisms of benzene initiation of hematological tumors have been identified, as a genotoxic effect, an action on oxidative stress and inflammation and the provocation of immunosuppression. However, it is becoming evident that genetic alterations and the other causes are insufficient to fully justify several phenomena that influence the onset of hematologic malignancies. Acquired epigenetic alterations may participate with benzene leukemogenesis, as benzene may affect nuclear receptors, and provoke post-translational alterations at the protein level, thereby touching the function of regulatory proteins, comprising oncoproteins and tumor suppressor proteins. DNA hypomethylation correlates with stimulation of oncogenes, while the hypermethylation of CpG islands in promoter regions of specific tumor suppressor genes inhibits their transcription and stimulates the onset of tumors. The discovery of the systems of epigenetic induction of benzene-caused hematological tumors has allowed the possibility to operate with pharmacological interventions able of stopping or overturning the negative effects of benzene.
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Yuan Q, Zhang H, Pan Z, Ling X, Wu M, Gui Z, Chen J, Peng J, Liu Z, Tan Q, Huang D, Xiu L, Chen W, Shi Z, Liu L. Regulatory loop between lncRNA FAS-AS1 and DNMT3b controls FAS expression in hydroquinone-treated TK6 cells and benzene-exposed workers. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 261:114147. [PMID: 32088430 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2020.114147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Hydroquinone (HQ), one of the main metabolites of benzene, is a well-known human leukemogen. However, the specific mechanism of how benzene or HQ contributes to the development of leukemia is unknown. In a previous study, we demonstrated the upregulation of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) expression in HQ-induced malignant transformed TK6 (HQ-TK6) cells. Here, we investigated whether a regulatory loop between the long noncoding RNA FAS-AS1 and DNMT3b exists in HQ-TK6 cells and benzene-exposed workers. We found that the expression of FAS-AS1 was downregulated in HQ-TK6 cells and workers exposed to benzene longer than 1.5 years via histone acetylation, and FAS-AS1 expression was negatively correlated with the time of benzene exposure. Restoration of FAS-AS1 in HQ-TK6 cells promoted apoptosis and inhibited tumorigenicity in female nude mice. Interestingly, treatment with a DNMT inhibitor (5-aza-2-deoxycytidine), histone deacetylase inhibitor (trichostatin A), or DNMT3b knockout led to increased FAS-AS1 through increased H3K27ac protein expression in HQ-TK6 cells, and DNMT3b knockout decreased H3K27ac and DNMT3b enrichment to the FAS-AS1 promoter region, which suggested that DNMT3b and/or histone acetylation involve FAS-AS1 expression. Importantly, restoration of FAS-AS1 resulted in reduced expression of DNMT3b and SIRT1 and increased expression of FAS in both HQ-TK6 cells and xenograft tissues. Moreover, the average DNMT3b expression in 17 paired workers exposed to benzene within 1.5 years was decreased, but that of the remaining 103 paired workers with longer exposure times was increased. Conversely, DNMT3b was negatively correlated with FAS-AS1 expression. Both FAS-AS1 and DNMT3b influenced the enrichment of H3K27ac in the FAS promoter region by regulating the expression of SIRT1, consequently upregulating FAS expression. Taken together, these observations demonstrate crosstalk between FAS-AS1 and DNMT3b via a mutual inhibition loop and indicate a new mechanism by which FAS-AS1 regulates the expression of FAS in benzene-related carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Yuan
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Haiqiao Zhang
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Zhijie Pan
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Xiaoxuan Ling
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Minhua Wu
- Department of Histology and Embryology, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524001, PR China
| | - Zhiming Gui
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524001, PR China
| | - Jialong Chen
- Department of Occupational Health and Occupational Medicine, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Research, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, PR China
| | - Jianming Peng
- Huizhou Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Huizhou, 516001, PR China
| | - Zhidong Liu
- Huizhou Hospital for Occupational Disease Prevention and Treatment, Huizhou, 516001, PR China
| | - Qiang Tan
- Foshan Institute of Occupational Disease Prevention and Control, Foshan, 528000, PR China
| | - Dongsheng Huang
- Guangdong Medical University Affiliated Longhua District Central Hospital, Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Liangchang Xiu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Department of Histology and Embryology, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, 524001, PR China
| | - Wen Chen
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health Risk Assessment, Department of Toxicology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, PR China
| | - Zhizhen Shi
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China
| | - Linhua Liu
- Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China; Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, 523808, PR China.
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Zeng M, Chen S, Zhang K, Liang H, Bao J, Chen Y, Zhu S, Jiang W, Yang H, Wei Y, Guo L, Tang H. Epigenetic changes involved in hydroquinone-induced mutations. TOXIN REV 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/15569543.2020.1744660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Minjuan Zeng
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
- Laboratory Animal Center, Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | | | - Ke Zhang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Hairong Liang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Jie Bao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University, Zhanjiang, China
| | - Yuting Chen
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Shiheng Zhu
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Hui Yang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Yixian Wei
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Lihao Guo
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
| | - Huanwen Tang
- Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Dongguan Key Laboratory of Environmental Medicine, School of Public Health, Guangdong Medical University, Dongguan, China
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Chung FFL, Herceg Z. The Promises and Challenges of Toxico-Epigenomics: Environmental Chemicals and Their Impacts on the Epigenome. ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVES 2020; 128:15001. [PMID: 31950866 PMCID: PMC7015548 DOI: 10.1289/ehp6104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 12/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been estimated that a substantial portion of chronic and noncommunicable diseases can be caused or exacerbated by exposure to environmental chemicals. Multiple lines of evidence indicate that early life exposure to environmental chemicals at relatively low concentrations could have lasting effects on individual and population health. Although the potential adverse effects of environmental chemicals are known to the scientific community, regulatory agencies, and the public, little is known about the mechanistic basis by which these chemicals can induce long-term or transgenerational effects. To address this question, epigenetic mechanisms have emerged as the potential link between genetic and environmental factors of health and disease. OBJECTIVES We present an overview of epigenetic regulation and a summary of reported evidence of environmental toxicants as epigenetic disruptors. We also discuss the advantages and challenges of using epigenetic biomarkers as an indicator of toxicant exposure, using measures that can be taken to improve risk assessment, and our perspectives on the future role of epigenetics in toxicology. DISCUSSION Until recently, efforts to apply epigenomic data in toxicology and risk assessment were restricted by an incomplete understanding of epigenomic variability across tissue types and populations. This is poised to change with the development of new tools and concerted efforts by researchers across disciplines that have led to a better understanding of epigenetic mechanisms and comprehensive maps of epigenomic variation. With the foundations now in place, we foresee that unprecedented advancements will take place in the field in the coming years. https://doi.org/10.1289/EHP6104.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Zdenko Herceg
- Epigenetics Group, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
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Sahnane N, Ottini G, Turri-Zanoni M, Furlan D, Battaglia P, Karligkiotis A, Albeni C, Cerutti R, Mura E, Chiaravalli AM, Castelnuovo P, Sessa F, Facco C. Comprehensive analysis of HPV infection, EGFR exon 20 mutations and LINE1 hypomethylation as risk factors for malignant transformation of sinonasal-inverted papilloma to squamous cell carcinoma. Int J Cancer 2018; 144:1313-1320. [PMID: 30411788 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.31971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Different risk factors are suspected to be involved in malignant transformation of sinonasal papillomas and include HPV infection, tobacco smoking, occupational exposure, EGFR/KRAS mutations and DNA methylation alterations. In our study, 25 inverted sinonasal papillomas (ISPs), 5 oncocytic sinonasal papillomas (OSP) and 35 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) from 54 patients were genotyped for 10 genes involved in EGFR signalling. HPV-DNA detection was performed by in-situ hybridisation and LINE-1 methylation was quantitatively determined by bisulphite-pyrosequencing. High-risk HPV was observed only in 13% of ISP-associated SCC and in 8% of de novo-SCC patients. EGFR mutations occurred in 72% of ISPs, 30% of ISP-associated SCCs and 17% of de novo-SCCs. At 5-year follow-up, SCC arose in only 30% (6/20) of patients with EGFR-mutated ISPs compared to 76% (13/17) of patients with EGFR-wild-type ISP (p = 0.0044). LINE-1 hypomethylation significantly increased from papilloma/early stage SCC to advanced stage SCC (p = 0.03) and was associated with occupational exposure (p = 0.01) and worse prognosis (p = 0.09). In conclusion, our results suggest that a small subset of these tumours could be related to HPV infection; EGFR mutations characterise those ISPs with a lower risk of developing into SCC; LINE-1 hypomethylation is associated with occupational exposure and could identify more aggressive nasal SCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Sahnane
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Giorgia Ottini
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Mario Turri-Zanoni
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Daniela Furlan
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Paolo Battaglia
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Apostolos Karligkiotis
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Chiara Albeni
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Roberta Cerutti
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Eleonora Mura
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Chiaravalli
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Paolo Castelnuovo
- Division of Otorhinolaryngology, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Fausto Sessa
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
| | - Carla Facco
- Unit of Pathology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Insubria and ASST Sette-Laghi, Varese, Italy
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