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Yao W, Hu X, Wang X. Crossing epigenetic frontiers: the intersection of novel histone modifications and diseases. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2024; 9:232. [PMID: 39278916 PMCID: PMC11403012 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-024-01918-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 09/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone post-translational modifications (HPTMs), as one of the core mechanisms of epigenetic regulation, are garnering increasing attention due to their close association with the onset and progression of diseases and their potential as targeted therapeutic agents. Advances in high-throughput molecular tools and the abundance of bioinformatics data have led to the discovery of novel HPTMs which similarly affect gene expression, metabolism, and chromatin structure. Furthermore, a growing body of research has demonstrated that novel histone modifications also play crucial roles in the development and progression of various diseases, including various cancers, cardiovascular diseases, infectious diseases, psychiatric disorders, and reproductive system diseases. This review defines nine novel histone modifications: lactylation, citrullination, crotonylation, succinylation, SUMOylation, propionylation, butyrylation, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation, and 2-hydroxybutyrylation. It comprehensively introduces the modification processes of these nine novel HPTMs, their roles in transcription, replication, DNA repair and recombination, metabolism, and chromatin structure, as well as their involvement in promoting the occurrence and development of various diseases and their clinical applications as therapeutic targets and potential biomarkers. Moreover, this review provides a detailed overview of novel HPTM inhibitors targeting various targets and their emerging strategies in the treatment of multiple diseases while offering insights into their future development prospects and challenges. Additionally, we briefly introduce novel epigenetic research techniques and their applications in the field of novel HPTM research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Yao
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China
| | - Xinting Hu
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
- Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
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2
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Ocaña-Paredes B, Rivera-Orellana S, Ramírez-Sánchez D, Montalvo-Guerrero J, Freire MP, Espinoza-Ferrao S, Altamirano-Colina A, Echeverría-Espinoza P, Ramos-Medina MJ, Echeverría-Garcés G, Granda-Moncayo D, Jácome-Alvarado A, Andrade MG, López-Cortés A. The pharmacoepigenetic paradigm in cancer treatment. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1381168. [PMID: 38720770 PMCID: PMC11076712 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1381168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications, characterized by changes in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence, play a crucial role in the development and progression of cancer by significantly influencing gene activity and cellular function. This insight has led to the development of a novel class of therapeutic agents, known as epigenetic drugs. These drugs, including histone deacetylase inhibitors, histone acetyltransferase inhibitors, histone methyltransferase inhibitors, and DNA methyltransferase inhibitors, aim to modulate gene expression to curb cancer growth by uniquely altering the epigenetic landscape of cancer cells. Ongoing research and clinical trials are rigorously evaluating the efficacy of these drugs, particularly their ability to improve therapeutic outcomes when used in combination with other treatments. Such combination therapies may more effectively target cancer and potentially overcome the challenge of drug resistance, a significant hurdle in cancer therapy. Additionally, the importance of nutrition, inflammation control, and circadian rhythm regulation in modulating drug responses has been increasingly recognized, highlighting their role as critical modifiers of the epigenetic landscape and thereby influencing the effectiveness of pharmacological interventions and patient outcomes. Epigenetic drugs represent a paradigm shift in cancer treatment, offering targeted therapies that promise a more precise approach to treating a wide spectrum of tumors, potentially with fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy. This progress marks a step towards more personalized and precise interventions, leveraging the unique epigenetic profiles of individual tumors to optimize treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belén Ocaña-Paredes
- Cancer Research Group (CRG), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - David Ramírez-Sánchez
- Cancer Research Group (CRG), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | - María Paula Freire
- Cancer Research Group (CRG), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | | | - María José Ramos-Medina
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Faculty of Biosciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Gabriela Echeverría-Garcés
- Centro de Referencia Nacional de Genómica, Secuenciación y Bioinformática, Instituto Nacional de Investigación en Salud Pública “Leopoldo Izquieta Pérez”, Quito, Ecuador
- Latin American Network for the Implementation and Validation of Clinical Pharmacogenomics Guidelines (RELIVAF-CYTED), Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Andrea Jácome-Alvarado
- Cancer Research Group (CRG), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - María Gabriela Andrade
- Cancer Research Group (CRG), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
| | - Andrés López-Cortés
- Cancer Research Group (CRG), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Las Américas, Quito, Ecuador
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3
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Buisman SC, de Haan G. Epigenetic Changes as a Target in Aging Haematopoietic Stem Cells and Age-Related Malignancies. Cells 2019; 8:E868. [PMID: 31405121 PMCID: PMC6721661 DOI: 10.3390/cells8080868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 08/07/2019] [Accepted: 08/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with multiple molecular and functional changes in haematopoietic cells. Most notably, the self-renewal and differentiation potential of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are compromised, resulting in myeloid skewing, reduced output of red blood cells and decreased generation of immune cells. These changes result in anaemia, increased susceptibility for infections and higher prevalence of haematopoietic malignancies. In HSCs, age-associated global epigenetic changes have been identified. These epigenetic alterations in aged HSCs can occur randomly (epigenetic drift) or are the result of somatic mutations in genes encoding for epigenetic proteins. Mutations in loci that encode epigenetic modifiers occur frequently in patients with haematological malignancies, but also in healthy elderly individuals at risk to develop these. It may be possible to pharmacologically intervene in the aberrant epigenetic program of derailed HSCs to enforce normal haematopoiesis or treat age-related haematopoietic diseases. Over the past decade our molecular understanding of epigenetic regulation has rapidly increased and drugs targeting epigenetic modifications are increasingly part of treatment protocols. The reversibility of epigenetic modifications renders these targets for novel therapeutics. In this review we provide an overview of epigenetic changes that occur in aging HSCs and age-related malignancies and discuss related epigenetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja C Buisman
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Gerald de Haan
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 9700 Groningen, The Netherlands
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4
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Pinel C, Prainsack B, McKevitt C. Markers as mediators: A review and synthesis of epigenetics literature. BIOSOCIETIES 2019; 13:276-303. [PMID: 31105763 PMCID: PMC6520226 DOI: 10.1057/s41292-017-0068-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics, the study of the processes that control gene expression without a change in DNA sequence, highlights the importance of environmental factors in gene regulation. This paper maps the terrain of epigenetics and identifies four main research subfields: gene expression; molecular epigenetics; clinical epigenetics and epigenetic epidemiology. Within and across these fields, we analyse of what is conceptualised as environment and demonstrate the variable ways authors understand epigenetics environments. Then, following an analysis of the discursive strategies employed by epigenetics researchers, we demonstrate how authors portray the interactions between genes, epigenetics, and environment as relationships linking the outside (where the environment is located) with the inside (where the genes are located). We argue that authors assign specific roles to each actor: the environment as the active player initiating the relationship, the genes as recipients, and epigenetics as mediators between environment and genes. Framed as mediators, epigenetic markers can be understood as enablers of communication between environment and genome, capable of processing and organising signals so as to regulate the interactions between the actors of epigenetic relationships. This finding complicates the observation by social science scholars that the interactions between environment and genes can be understood through the concept of signal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémence Pinel
- School of Population Sciences and Health Services Research, King’s College London, UK
| | - Barbara Prainsack
- Department of Political Science, University of Vienna, Austria
- Department of Global Health & Social Medicine, King’s College London, UK
| | - Christopher McKevitt
- School of Population Sciences and Health Services Research, King’s College London, UK
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5
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Huber TD, Wang F, Singh S, Johnson BR, Zhang J, Sunkara M, Van Lanen SG, Morris AJ, Phillips GN, Thorson JS. Functional AdoMet Isosteres Resistant to Classical AdoMet Degradation Pathways. ACS Chem Biol 2016; 11:2484-91. [PMID: 27351335 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.6b00348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet) is an essential enzyme cosubstrate in fundamental biology with an expanding range of biocatalytic and therapeutic applications. We report the design, synthesis, and evaluation of stable, functional AdoMet isosteres that are resistant to the primary contributors to AdoMet degradation (depurination, intramolecular cyclization, and sulfonium epimerization). Corresponding biochemical and structural studies demonstrate the AdoMet surrogates to serve as competent enzyme cosubstrates and to bind a prototypical class I model methyltransferase (DnrK) in a manner nearly identical to AdoMet. Given this conservation in function and molecular recognition, the isosteres presented are anticipated to serve as useful surrogates in other AdoMet-dependent processes and may also be resistant to, and/or potentially even inhibit, other therapeutically relevant AdoMet-dependent metabolic transformations (such as the validated drug target AdoMet decarboxylase). This work also highlights the ability of the prototypical class I model methyltransferase DnrK to accept non-native surrogate acceptors as an enabling feature of a new high-throughput methyltransferase assay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler D. Huber
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
- Center
for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Fengbin Wang
- Department
of Biosciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, United States
| | - Shanteri Singh
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
- Center
for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Brooke R. Johnson
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
- Center
for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Jianjun Zhang
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
- Center
for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Manjula Sunkara
- Division
of Cardiovascular Medicine, Gill Heart Institute, University of Kentucky, 1000 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Steven G. Van Lanen
- Center
for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - Andrew J. Morris
- Division
of Cardiovascular Medicine, Gill Heart Institute, University of Kentucky, 1000 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
| | - George N. Phillips
- Department
of Biosciences, Rice University, 6100 Main Street, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Rice University, Space Science 201, Houston, Texas 77251-1892, United States
| | - Jon S. Thorson
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
- Center
for Pharmaceutical Research and Innovation (CPRI), College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, 789 South Limestone Street, Lexington, Kentucky 40536-0596, United States
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6
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Soto J, Rodriguez-Antolin C, Vallespín E, de Castro Carpeño J, Ibanez de Caceres I. The impact of next-generation sequencing on the DNA methylation-based translational cancer research. Transl Res 2016; 169:1-18.e1. [PMID: 26687736 DOI: 10.1016/j.trsl.2015.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/14/2015] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics is currently in an exponential phase of growth, constituting one of the most promising fields in science, particularly in cancer research. Impaired epigenetic processes can lead to abnormal gene activity or inactivity, causing cellular disorders that are closely associated with tumor initiation and progression. Thus, there is a pivotal role of massive sequencing techniques for epigenetics, which aim to find novel biomarkers, factors of prognosis and prediction, and targets for achieving personalized treatments. We present a brief description of the evolution of next-generation sequencing technologies and its coupling with DNA methylation analysis techniques, highlighting its future in translational medicine and presenting significant findings in several malignancies. We also expose critical topics related to the implementation of these approaches, which is expected to be affordable for most research centers in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Soto
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, INGEMM, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Biomarkers and Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Rodriguez-Antolin
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, INGEMM, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Biomarkers and Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Vallespín
- Structural and Functional Genomics, INGEMM-IdiPAZ-CIBERER, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Inmaculada Ibanez de Caceres
- Cancer Epigenetics Laboratory, INGEMM, La Paz University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; Biomarkers and Experimental Therapeutics in Cancer, IdiPAZ, Madrid, Spain.
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7
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Dupras C, Ravitsky V. Epigenetics in the Neoliberal "Regime of Truth": A Biopolitical Perspective on Knowledge Translation. Hastings Cent Rep 2015; 46:26-35. [PMID: 26659400 DOI: 10.1002/hast.522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Recent findings in epigenetics have been attracting much attention from social scientists and bioethicists because they reveal the molecular mechanisms by which exposure to socioenvironmental factors, such as pollutants and social adversity, can influence the expression of genes throughout life. Most surprisingly, some epigenetic modifications may also be heritable via germ cells across generations. Epigenetics may be the missing molecular evidence of the importance of using preventive strategies at the policy level to reduce the incidence and prevalence of common diseases. But while this "policy translation" of epigenetics introduces new arguments in favor of public health strategies and policy-making, a more "clinical translation" of epigenetics is also emerging. It focuses on the biochemical mechanisms and epigenetic variants at the origin of disease, leading to novel biomedical means of assessing epigenetic susceptibility and reversing detrimental epigenetic variants. In this paper, we argue that the impetus to create new biomedical interventions to manipulate and reverse epigenetic variants is likely to garner more attention than effective social and public health interventions and therefore also to garner a greater share of limited public resources. This is likely to happen because of the current biopolitical context in which scientific findings are translated. This contemporary neoliberal "regime of truth," to use a term from Michel Foucault, greatly influences the ways in which knowledge is being interpreted and implemented. Building on sociologist Thomas Lemke's Foucauldian "analytics of biopolitics" and on literature from the field of science and technology studies, we present two sociological trends that may impede the policy translation of epigenetics: molecularization and biomedicalization. These trends, we argue, are likely to favor the clinical translation of epigenetics-in other words, the development of new clinical tools fostering what has been called "personalized" or "precision" medicine. In addition, we argue that an overemphasized clinical translation of epigenetics may further reinforce this biopolitical landscape through four processes closely related to neoliberal pathways of thinking: the internalization and isolation (aspects of liberal individualism) of socioenvironmental determinants of health and increased opportunities for commodification and technologicalization (aspects of economic liberalism) of health care interventions.
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8
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Zhang Y, Su J, Yu D, Wu Q, Yan H. EpiDiff: entropy-based quantitative identification of differential epigenetic modification regions from epigenomes. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE OF THE IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. IEEE ENGINEERING IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY SOCIETY. ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE 2015; 2013:655-8. [PMID: 24109772 DOI: 10.1109/embc.2013.6609585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Genome-wide epigenetic modification dynamics, including DNA methylation and chromatin modification, are involved in biological processes such as development, aging, and disease. Quantitative identification of differential epigenetic modification regions (DEMRs) from various temporal and spatial epigenomes is a crucial step towards investigating the relationship between epigenotype and phenotype. Here, we describe EpiDiff (http://bioinfo.hrbmu.edu.cn/epidiff/), an integrated software platform that supports quantification of epigenetic difference and identification of DEMRs by Shannon entropy. Two main modules, quantitative differential chromatin modification region (QDCMR) and quantitative differentially methylated region (QDMR) are provided for bioinformatic analysis of chromatin modifications and DNA methylation data, respectively. The third module, quantitative differential expressed gene (QDEG), can be used to identify differentially expressed genes. The platform-free and species-free nature of EpiDiff makes it potentially applicable to a wide variety of epigenomes at an unprecedented scale and resolution. The graphical user interface provides biologists with a practicable and reliable way to analyze and visualize epigenetic difference.
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Andreoli F, Del Rio A. Computer-aided Molecular Design of Compounds Targeting Histone Modifying Enzymes. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2015; 13:358-65. [PMID: 26082827 PMCID: PMC4459771 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2015.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Revised: 04/24/2015] [Accepted: 04/30/2015] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Growing evidences show that epigenetic mechanisms play crucial roles in the genesis and progression of many physiopathological processes. As a result, research in epigenetic grew at a fast pace in the last decade. In particular, the study of histone post-translational modifications encountered an extraordinary progression and many modifications have been characterized and associated to fundamental biological processes and pathological conditions. Histone modifications are the catalytic result of a large set of enzyme families that operate covalent modifications on specific residues at the histone tails. Taken together, these modifications elicit a complex and concerted processing that greatly contribute to the chromatin remodeling and may drive different pathological conditions, especially cancer. For this reason, several epigenetic targets are currently under validation for drug discovery purposes and different academic and industrial programs have been already launched to produce the first pre-clinical and clinical outcomes. In this scenario, computer-aided molecular design techniques are offering important tools, mainly as a consequence of the increasing structural information available for these targets. In this mini-review we will briefly discuss the most common types of known histone modifications and the corresponding operating enzymes by emphasizing the computer-aided molecular design approaches that can be of use to speed-up the efforts to generate new pharmaceutically relevant compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico Andreoli
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alberto Del Rio
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine (DIMES), Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126 Bologna, Italy
- Institute of Organic Synthesis and Photoreactivity, National Research Council, Via P. Gobetti, 101 40129 Bologna, Italy
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10
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Anestopoulos I, Voulgaridou GP, Georgakilas AG, Franco R, Pappa A, Panayiotidis MI. Epigenetic therapy as a novel approach in hepatocellular carcinoma. Pharmacol Ther 2014; 145:103-19. [PMID: 25205159 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2014.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 09/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver malignancy and one with high fatality. Its 5-year survival rate remains low and thus, there is a need for improvement of current treatment strategies as well as development of novel targeted methodologies in order to optimize existing therapeutic protocols. To this end, only recently, it was discovered that its pathophysiology also involves epigenetic alterations in DNA methylation, histone modifications and/or non-coding microRNA patterns. Unlike genetic events, epigenetic alterations are reversible and thus potentially considered to be an alternative option in cancer treatment protocols. In this review, we describe the general characteristics and resulted major alterations of the epigenetic machinery as well as current state of progress of epigenetic therapy (via different single or combinatorial experimental approaches) in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Anestopoulos
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
| | | | - Alexandros G Georgakilas
- School of Applied Mathematical & Physical Sciences, National Technical University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Rodrigo Franco
- Redox Biology Center, School of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Redox Biology Center, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA
| | - Aglaia Pappa
- Department of Molecular Biology & Genetics, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece
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11
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Zheng J, Xiong D, Sun X, Wang J, Hao M, Ding T, Xiao G, Wang X, Mao Y, Fu Y, Shen K, Wang J. Signification of Hypermethylated in Cancer 1 (HIC1) as Tumor Suppressor Gene in Tumor Progression. CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL CANCER MICROENVIRONMENT SOCIETY 2012; 5:285-93. [PMID: 22528874 PMCID: PMC3460058 DOI: 10.1007/s12307-012-0103-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2012] [Accepted: 03/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Hypermethylated in cancer 1(HIC1) was identified as a strong suppressor gene in chromosome region 17p13.3 telomeric to TP53. This gene encodes a transcriptional repressor and is ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues but downexpressed in different tumor tissues where it is hypermethylated. The hypermethylation of this chromosomal region leads to epigenetic inactivation of HIC1, which would prompt cancer cells to alter survival and signaling pathways or specific transcription factors during the period of tumorigenesis. In vitro, HIC1 function is mainly a sequence-specific transcriptional repressor interacting with a still growing range of histone deacetylase(HDAC)-dependent and HDAC-independent corepressor complexes. Furthermore, a role for HIC1 in tumor development is firmly supported by Hic1 deficient mouse model and two double heterozygote models cooperate with p53 and Ptch1. Notably, our findings suggest that potential factors derived from tumor microenviroment may play a role in modulating HIC1 expression in tumor cells by epigenetic modification, which is responsible for tumor progression. In this review, we will describe genomic and proteinic structure of HIC1, and summary the potential role of HIC1 in human various solid tumors and leukemia, and explore the influence of tumor microenviroment on inducing HIC1 expression in tumor cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianghua Zheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Dan Xiong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Xueqing Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Jinglong Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Mingang Hao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Tao Ding
- Department of Urological Surgery, Shanghai the Tenth People’s Hospital of Tong Ji University, Shanghai, 200072 China
| | - Gang Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Xiumin Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Yan Mao
- Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Yuejie Fu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, RenJi Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Kunwei Shen
- Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Comprehensive Breast Health Center, Shanghai, 200025 China
| | - Jianhua Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular & Cell Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200025 China
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12
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Affiliation(s)
- Barkur S. Shastry
- Department of Biological Sciences; Oakland University; Rochester; MI ; 48309; USA
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13
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Lanzuolo C. Epigenetic alterations in muscular disorders. Comp Funct Genomics 2012; 2012:256892. [PMID: 22761545 PMCID: PMC3385594 DOI: 10.1155/2012/256892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2012] [Revised: 04/11/2012] [Accepted: 04/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms, acting via chromatin organization, fix in time and space different transcriptional programs and contribute to the quality, stability, and heritability of cell-specific transcription programs. In the last years, great advances have been made in our understanding of mechanisms by which this occurs in normal subjects. However, only a small part of the complete picture has been revealed. Abnormal gene expression patterns are often implicated in the development of different diseases, and thus epigenetic studies from patients promise to fill an important lack of knowledge, deciphering aberrant molecular mechanisms at the basis of pathogenesis and diseases progression. The identification of epigenetic modifications that could be used as targets for therapeutic interventions could be particularly timely in the light of pharmacologically reversion of pathological perturbations, avoiding changes in DNA sequences. Here I discuss the available information on epigenetic mechanisms that, altered in neuromuscular disorders, could contribute to the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Lanzuolo
- CNR Institute of Cellular Biology and Neurobiology, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Via Del Fosso di Fiorano 64, 00143 Rome, Italy
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Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecological cancers, largely owing to the development of recurrent intractable disease. Only a small number of distinct genetic mutations are known to contribute to ovarian carcinogenesis. Furthermore, understanding mechanistic genotype-phenotype links is complicated by frequent aneuploidy. Epigenetic deregulation is even more prominent, and ovarian cancers are replete with such aberrations that repress tumor suppressors and activate proto-oncogenes. Epigenetic therapies are emerging as promising agents for resensitizing platinum-resistant ovarian cancers. These drugs may also have the potential to alter epigenetic programming in cancer progenitor cells and provide a strategy for improving therapy of ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan K Murphy
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Gynecologic Oncology, Duke University Medical Center, PO Box 91012, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
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15
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Kubota T, Takae H, Miyake K. Epigenetic mechanisms and therapeutic perspectives for neurodevelopmental disorders. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2012; 5:369-83. [PMID: 24281407 PMCID: PMC3763642 DOI: 10.3390/ph5040369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2012] [Revised: 03/23/2012] [Accepted: 03/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The number of children with mild neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, has been recently increasing in advanced countries. This increase is probably caused by environmental factors rather than genetic factors, because it is unlikely that genetic mutation rates suddenly increased within a short period. Epigenetics is a mechanism that regulates gene expression, depending not on the underlying DNA sequence but on the chemical modifications of DNA and histone proteins. Because mental stress can alter the epigenetic status in neuronal cells, environmental factors may alter brain function through epigenetic changes. However, one advantage of epigenetic changes is their reversibility. Therefore, diseases due to abnormal epigenetic regulation are theoretically treatable. In fact, several drugs for treating mental diseases are known to have restoring effects on aberrant epigenetic statuses, and a novel therapeutic strategy targeting gene has been developed. In this review, we discuss epigenetic mechanisms of congenital and acquired neurodevelopmental disorders, drugs with epigenetic effects, novel therapeutic strategies for epigenetic diseases, and future perspectives in epigenetic medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeo Kubota
- Department of Epigenetic Medicine, University of Yamanashi, 1110 Shimokato, Chuo, Yamanashi 490-3898, Japan.
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16
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Parmar S, Seeringer A, Denich D, Gärtner F, Pitterle K, Syrovets T, Ohmle B, Stingl JC. Variability in transport and biotransformation of cytarabine is associated with its toxicity in peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Pharmacogenomics 2011; 12:503-14. [PMID: 21521023 DOI: 10.2217/pgs.10.200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
AIM To adopt an individualized approach to assess cytarabine (ara-C) hematotoxicity, we studied the relationship between pharmacogenetic variability in the cytidine deaminase gene (CDA) and ara-C toxicity in native peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 100 healthy volunteers. MATERIALS & METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were incubated for 48 h with 3 µM ara-C, and cell viability was analyzed by flow cytometry with and without the addition of an equilibrative nucleoside transporter transport inhibitor. CDA promoter and exonic variants were genotyped to derive haplotypes for the CDA gene. RESULTS Significant between-subject variability was observed in ara-C toxicity (21-fold with 40.1% coefficient of variation compared with 1.2-fold within-subject variability [9.6% coefficient of variation]). Inhibition of hENT1 reversed ara-C cytotoxicity. The linked CDA promoter variants -451C>T, -92A>G, -31Del and the exonic 79A>C variant were associated with ara-C toxicity (p < 0.05). CDA*2A haplotype was associated with ara-C toxicity (p = 0.03). CONCLUSION Genetic polymorphisms within CDA may be risk factors for ara-C-induced hematotoxicity. Original submitted 6 October 2010; Revision submitted 29 November 2010.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumit Parmar
- Institute of Pharmacology of Natural Products & Clinical Pharmacology, University of Ulm, Germany
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17
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Kwa FAA, Balcerczyk A, Licciardi P, El-Osta A, Karagiannis TC. Chromatin modifying agents - the cutting edge of anticancer therapy. Drug Discov Today 2011; 16:543-7. [PMID: 21664485 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2011.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2010] [Revised: 04/25/2011] [Accepted: 05/20/2011] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin modifying compounds are emerging as the next generation of anticancer therapies. By altering gene expression they could be able to correct uncontrolled proliferation and, in certain cases, aberrant apoptotic pathways, which are hallmarks of malignant cells. The modulation of gene expression is regulated via chromatin remodelling processes that include DNA methylation and chromatin modifications. The identification of aberrant methylation of genes and dysregulated histone acetylation status in cancer cells provides a basis for novel epigenetic therapies. Currently available chromatin modifying agents, a group that includes DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors, exert anticancer effects by reactivating tumour suppressor genes, inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis. It is anticipated that massive parallel sequencing will identify new epigenetic targets for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Faith A A Kwa
- Epigenomic Medicine Laboratory, Baker IDI Heart & Diabetes Research Institute, 75 Commercial Road, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
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18
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Hamm CA, Costa FF. The impact of epigenomics on future drug design and new therapies. Drug Discov Today 2011; 16:626-35. [PMID: 21570477 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2011.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2010] [Revised: 03/23/2011] [Accepted: 04/19/2011] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The future of drug design and the development of new therapeutics will rely on our ability to unravel the complexities of the epigenome in normal and disease states. Proper epigenetic regulation is essential for normal differentiation in embryogenesis and development. Conversely, abnormal epigenetic regulation is a feature of complex diseases, including cancer, diabetes, heart disease and other pathologies. Epigenetic therapies hold promise for a wide range of biological applications, from cancer treatment to the establishment of induced pluripotent stem cells. The creation of more specific and effective epigenetic therapies, however, requires a more complete understanding of epigenomic landscapes. Here, we give a historical overview of the epigenomics field and how epigenetic modifications can affect embryo development and disease etiology. We also discuss the impact of current and future epigenetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher A Hamm
- Cancer Biology and Epigenomics Program, Children's Memorial Research Center and Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, 2430N. Halsted St, Box 220, Chicago, IL, USA
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Babbitt GA, Cotter CR. Functional conservation of nucleosome formation selectively biases presumably neutral molecular variation in yeast genomes. Genome Biol Evol 2010; 3:15-22. [PMID: 21135411 PMCID: PMC3014273 DOI: 10.1093/gbe/evq081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
One prominent pattern of mutational frequency, long appreciated in comparative genomics, is the bias of purine/pyrimidine conserving substitutions (transitions) over purine/pyrimidine altering substitutions (transversions). Traditionally, this transitional bias has been thought to be driven by the underlying rates of DNA mutation and/or repair. However, recent sequencing studies of mutation accumulation lines in model organisms demonstrate that substitutions generally do not accumulate at rates that would indicate a transitional bias. These observations have called into question a very basic assumption of molecular evolution; that naturally occurring patterns of molecular variation in noncoding regions accurately reflect the underlying processes of randomly accumulating neutral mutation in nuclear genomes. Here, in Saccharomyces yeasts, we report a very strong inverse association (r = −0.951, P < 0.004) between the genome-wide frequency of substitutions and their average energetic effect on nucleosome formation, as predicted by a structurally based energy model of DNA deformation around the nucleosome core. We find that transitions occurring at sites positioned nearest the nucleosome surface, which are believed to function most importantly in nucleosome formation, alter the deformation energy of DNA to the nucleosome core by only a fraction of the energy changes typical of most transversions. When we examined the same substitutions set against random background sequences as well as an existing study reporting substitutions arising in mutation accumulation lines of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we failed to find a similar relationship. These results support the idea that natural selection acting to functionally conserve chromatin organization may contribute significantly to genome-wide transitional bias, even in noncoding regions. Because nucleosome core structure is highly conserved across eukaryotes, our observations may also help to further explain locally elevated transition bias at CpG islands, which are known to destabilize nucleosomes at vertebrate promoters.
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