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Fujiwara Y, Kato S, Nishizaki D, Miyashita H, Lee S, Nesline MK, Conroy JM, DePietro P, Pabla S, Lippman SM, Kurzrock R. High indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase transcript levels predict better outcome after front-line cancer immunotherapy. iScience 2024; 27:109632. [PMID: 38632994 PMCID: PMC11022045 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109632] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), which catabolizes tryptophan, is a potential target to unlock the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Correlations between IDO1 and immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) efficacy remain unclear. Herein, we investigated IDO1 transcript expression across cancers and clinical outcome correlations. High IDO1 transcripts were more frequent in uterine (54.2%) and ovarian cancer (37.2%) but varied between and within malignancies. High IDO1 RNA expression was associated with high expression of PD-L1 (immune checkpoint ligand), CXCL10 (an effector T cell recruitment chemokine), and STAT1 (a component of the JAK-STAT pathway) (all multivariable p < 0.05). PIK3CA and CTCF alterations were more frequent in the high IDO1 group. High IDO1 expression was an independent predictor of progression-free survival (adjusted HR = 0.44, 95% CI 0.20-0.99, p = 0.049) and overall survival (adjusted HR = 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.87, p = 0.026) after front-line ICIs. IDO1 expression warrants further exploration as a predictive biomarker for immunotherapy. Moreover, co-expressed immunoregulatory molecules merit exploration for co-targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Fujiwara
- Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA
- Department of Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, New York, NY 10003, USA
| | - Shumei Kato
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Daisuke Nishizaki
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Hirotaka Miyashita
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Dartmouth Cancer Center. One Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, NH 03766, USA
| | - Suzanna Lee
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Scott M. Lippman
- Center for Personalized Cancer Therapy, University of California, San Diego, Moores Cancer Center, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Razelle Kurzrock
- MCW Cancer Center and Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
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2
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Friedman MJ, Wagner T, Lee H, Rosenfeld MG, Oh S. Enhancer-promoter specificity in gene transcription: molecular mechanisms and disease associations. Exp Mol Med 2024; 56:772-787. [PMID: 38658702 PMCID: PMC11058250 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-024-01233-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Although often located at a distance from their target gene promoters, enhancers are the primary genomic determinants of temporal and spatial transcriptional specificity in metazoans. Since the discovery of the first enhancer element in simian virus 40, there has been substantial interest in unraveling the mechanism(s) by which enhancers communicate with their partner promoters to ensure proper gene expression. These research efforts have benefited considerably from the application of increasingly sophisticated sequencing- and imaging-based approaches in conjunction with innovative (epi)genome-editing technologies; however, despite various proposed models, the principles of enhancer-promoter interaction have still not been fully elucidated. In this review, we provide an overview of recent progress in the eukaryotic gene transcription field pertaining to enhancer-promoter specificity. A better understanding of the mechanistic basis of lineage- and context-dependent enhancer-promoter engagement, along with the continued identification of functional enhancers, will provide key insights into the spatiotemporal control of gene expression that can reveal therapeutic opportunities for a range of enhancer-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meyer J Friedman
- Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tobias Wagner
- Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Haram Lee
- College of Pharmacy Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong, 30019, Republic of Korea
| | - Michael G Rosenfeld
- Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Soohwan Oh
- College of Pharmacy Korea University, 2511 Sejong-ro, Sejong, 30019, Republic of Korea.
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3
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Cheng H, Lin Y, Zhu J, Qin H, Yang W, Chang X, Feng J, Yang S, Fu L, Zhang N, Shi K, Sun J, Su Y, Jin M, Wang S, Wang H. Clinical features, treatment strategies, and prognosis of epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma in children: a multicenter experience. Transl Pediatr 2024; 13:288-299. [PMID: 38455747 PMCID: PMC10915437 DOI: 10.21037/tp-23-590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumors (IMTs) are a spectrum of tumors that range in morphology and biological behavior from benign, intermediate, to apparently malignant and epithelioid inflammatory myofibroblastic sarcoma (EIMS) is one of the malignant subtypes. This study tried to provide experience and new ideas for treating this rare disease. Methods This study retrospectively analyzed and followed up 12 children with EIMS admitted to Beijing Children's Hospital, Baoding Children's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from August 2016 to May 2022. Results Of the 12 children, 7 were male and 5 were female, with a median age of 74.50 [interquartile range (IQR), 61.50-90.00] months. Of these patients, eight had a single lesion and four had multiple lesions. The maximum diameter of the single tumor foci was 19.30 cm, the full meridian of the multiple tumor foci target lesions was 32.67 cm, and the median maximum tumor size was 11.99 (IQR, 7.80-15.70) cm. The site of disease was the abdominopelvic cavity in eight cases, the thoracic cavity in two cases, the maxillofacial region in one case, and the larynx in one case. The clinical manifestations were predominantly elevated body temperature (n=8). There was one case of ROS1 fusion mutation and nine cases of ALK fusion mutation. Of the 12 children, 6 were biopsied at the initial diagnosis and 6 were surgically treated. Follow-up treatment included preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy (n=4), peritoneal thermal perfusion therapy (n=2), targeted therapy (n=3), postoperative chemotherapy (n=5), and radiotherapy (n=3). The follow-up time was 14.50 (IQR, 10.50-31.50) months, with eight cases of tumor-free survival, two cases of death, and two cases of loss of follow-up. Conclusions EIMS in children is extremely rare and clinically aggressive. The clinical presentation is nonspecific, and the initial diagnosis of the tumor is often large. Mutations in the ALK gene are common in EIMS. Surgery is the mainstay of EIMS treatment, and patients benefit from a multidisciplinary combination that includes targeted therapies, with long-term prognosis remaining subject to ongoing follow-up.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Cheng
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Yu Lin
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jin Zhu
- Department of Pathology, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- Department of Pathology, College of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Hong Qin
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Yang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Chang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Jun Feng
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Shen Yang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Libing Fu
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Kui Shi
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Baoding Children’s Hospital, Baoding, China
| | - Jian Sun
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yan Su
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Jin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
| | - Huanmin Wang
- Department of Oncology Surgery, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Major Diseases in Children, Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children’s Health, Beijing, China
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4
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Gu M, Ren B, Fang Y, Ren J, Liu X, Wang X, Zhou F, Xiao R, Luo X, You L, Zhao Y. Epigenetic regulation in cancer. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e495. [PMID: 38374872 PMCID: PMC10876210 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications are defined as heritable changes in gene activity that do not involve changes in the underlying DNA sequence. The oncogenic process is driven by the accumulation of alterations that impact genome's structure and function. Genetic mutations, which directly disrupt the DNA sequence, are complemented by epigenetic modifications that modulate gene expression, thereby facilitating the acquisition of malignant characteristics. Principals among these epigenetic changes are shifts in DNA methylation and histone mark patterns, which promote tumor development and metastasis. Notably, the reversible nature of epigenetic alterations, as opposed to the permanence of genetic changes, positions the epigenetic machinery as a prime target in the discovery of novel therapeutics. Our review delves into the complexities of epigenetic regulation, exploring its profound effects on tumor initiation, metastatic behavior, metabolic pathways, and the tumor microenvironment. We place a particular emphasis on the dysregulation at each level of epigenetic modulation, including but not limited to, the aberrations in enzymes responsible for DNA methylation and histone modification, subunit loss or fusions in chromatin remodeling complexes, and the disturbances in higher-order chromatin structure. Finally, we also evaluate therapeutic approaches that leverage the growing understanding of chromatin dysregulation, offering new avenues for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minzhi Gu
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Bo Ren
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yuan Fang
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Jie Ren
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xiaohong Liu
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xing Wang
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Feihan Zhou
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Ruiling Xiao
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Xiyuan Luo
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Lei You
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
| | - Yupei Zhao
- Department of General SurgeryPeking Union Medical College HospitalPeking Union Medical CollegeChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic TumorChinese Academy of Medical SciencesBeijingP. R. China
- National Science and Technology Key Infrastructure on Translational Medicine in Peking Union Medical College HospitalBeijingP. R. China
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5
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Liu Y, Qi W, Yin J, He X, Duan S, Bao H, Li C, Shi M, Wang J, Song S. High CTCF expression mediated by FGD5-AS1/miR-19a-3p axis is associated with immunosuppression and pancreatic cancer progression. Heliyon 2023; 9:e22584. [PMID: 38144356 PMCID: PMC10746436 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e22584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The most common reason for cancer-related death globally is predicted to be pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the deadliest cancers. The CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) regulates the three-dimensional structure of chromatin, was reported to be highly regulated in various malignancies. However, the underlying biological functions and possible pathways via which CTCF promotes PC progression remain unclear. Herein, we examined the CTCF function in PC and discovered that CTCF expression in PC tissues was significantly raised compared to neighboring healthy tissues. Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis demonstrated a strong connection between elevated CTCF expression and poor patient prognosis. A study of the ROC curve (receiver operating characteristic) revealed an AUC value for CTCF of 0.968. Subsequent correlation analysis exhibited a strong relationship between immunosuppression and CTCF expression in PC. CTCF knockdown significantly inhibited the malignant biological process of PC in vitro and in vivo, suggesting that CTCF may be a potential PC treatment target. We also identified the FGD5 antisense RNA 1 (FGD5-AS1)/miR-19a-3p axis as a possible upstream mechanism for CTCF overexpression. In conclusion, our data suggest that ceRNA-mediated CTCF overexpression contributes to the suppression of anti-tumor immune responses in PC and could be a predictive biomarker and potential PC treatment target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yihao Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Neoplams Translational Medicine
| | - Wenxin Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingxin Yin
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Neoplams Translational Medicine
| | - Xirui He
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Songqi Duan
- Department of Zoology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071 China
| | - Haili Bao
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Neoplams Translational Medicine
| | - Chen Li
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Neoplams Translational Medicine
| | - Minmin Shi
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Neoplams Translational Medicine
| | - Jiao Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shaohua Song
- Department of General Surgery, Pancreatic Disease Center, Research Institute of Pancreatic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Pancreatic Neoplams Translational Medicine
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Marquardt RM, Tran DN, Lessey BA, Rahman MS, Jeong JW. Epigenetic Dysregulation in Endometriosis: Implications for Pathophysiology and Therapeutics. Endocr Rev 2023; 44:1074-1095. [PMID: 37409951 PMCID: PMC10638603 DOI: 10.1210/endrev/bnad020] [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: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a prevalent gynecological condition associated with pelvic pain and infertility. Despite more than a century of research, the etiology of endometriosis still eludes scientific consensus. This lack of clarity has resulted in suboptimal prevention, diagnosis, and treatment options. Evidence of genetic contributors to endometriosis is interesting but limited; however, significant progress has been made in recent years in identifying an epigenetic role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis through clinical studies, in vitro cell culture experiments, and in vivo animal models. The predominant findings include endometriosis-related differential expression of DNA methyltransferases and demethylases, histone deacetylases, methyltransferases, and demethylases, and regulators of chromatin architecture. There is also an emerging role for miRNAs in controlling epigenetic regulators in the endometrium and endometriosis. Changes in these epigenetic regulators result in differential chromatin organization and DNA methylation, with consequences for gene expression independent of a genetic sequence. Epigenetically altered expression of genes related to steroid hormone production and signaling, immune regulation, and endometrial cell identity and function have all been identified and appear to play into the pathophysiological mechanisms of endometriosis and resulting infertility. This review summarizes and critically discusses early seminal findings, the ever-growing recent evidence of epigenetic contributions to the pathophysiology of endometriosis, and implications for proposed epigenetically targeted therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan M Marquardt
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Biology, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Dinh Nam Tran
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Bruce A Lessey
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Md Saidur Rahman
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Jae-Wook Jeong
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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7
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Fontana D, Crespiatico I, Crippa V, Malighetti F, Villa M, Angaroni F, De Sano L, Aroldi A, Antoniotti M, Caravagna G, Piazza R, Graudenzi A, Mologni L, Ramazzotti D. Evolutionary signatures of human cancers revealed via genomic analysis of over 35,000 patients. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5982. [PMID: 37749078 PMCID: PMC10519956 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41670-3] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Recurring sequences of genomic alterations occurring across patients can highlight repeated evolutionary processes with significant implications for predicting cancer progression. Leveraging the ever-increasing availability of cancer omics data, here we unveil cancer's evolutionary signatures tied to distinct disease outcomes, representing "favored trajectories" of acquisition of driver mutations detected in patients with similar prognosis. We present a framework named ASCETIC (Agony-baSed Cancer EvoluTion InferenCe) to extract such signatures from sequencing experiments generated by different technologies such as bulk and single-cell sequencing data. We apply ASCETIC to (i) single-cell data from 146 myeloid malignancy patients and bulk sequencing from 366 acute myeloid leukemia patients, (ii) multi-region sequencing from 100 early-stage lung cancer patients, (iii) exome/genome data from 10,000+ Pan-Cancer Atlas samples, and (iv) targeted sequencing from 25,000+ MSK-MET metastatic patients, revealing subtype-specific single-nucleotide variant signatures associated with distinct prognostic clusters. Validations on several datasets underscore the robustness and generalizability of the extracted signatures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diletta Fontana
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Ilaria Crespiatico
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Valentina Crippa
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Federica Malighetti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Matteo Villa
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Fabrizio Angaroni
- Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Center of Computational Biology, Human Technopole, Milano, Italy
| | - Luca De Sano
- Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Aroldi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
- Hematology and Clinical Research Unit, Fondazione IRCCS San Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy
| | - Marco Antoniotti
- Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
- Bicocca Bioinformatics, Biostatistics and Bioimaging Centre-B4, Milan, Italy
| | - Giulio Caravagna
- Department of Mathematics and Geosciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Rocco Piazza
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Alex Graudenzi
- Department of Informatics, Systems and Communication, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy.
- Bicocca Bioinformatics, Biostatistics and Bioimaging Centre-B4, Milan, Italy.
- Institute of Molecular Bioimaging and Physiology, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (IBFM-CNR), Segrate, Milan, Italy.
| | - Luca Mologni
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy
| | - Daniele Ramazzotti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, Monza, Italy.
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8
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Yang J, Horton JR, Liu B, Corces VG, Blumenthal RM, Zhang X, Cheng X. Structures of CTCF-DNA complexes including all 11 zinc fingers. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8447-8462. [PMID: 37439339 PMCID: PMC10484683 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) binds tens of thousands of enhancers and promoters on mammalian chromosomes by means of its 11 tandem zinc finger (ZF) DNA-binding domain. In addition to the 12-15-bp CORE sequence, some of the CTCF binding sites contain 5' upstream and/or 3' downstream motifs. Here, we describe two structures for overlapping portions of human CTCF, respectively, including ZF1-ZF7 and ZF3-ZF11 in complex with DNA that incorporates the CORE sequence together with either 3' downstream or 5' upstream motifs. Like conventional tandem ZF array proteins, ZF1-ZF7 follow the right-handed twist of the DNA, with each finger occupying and recognizing one triplet of three base pairs in the DNA major groove. ZF8 plays a unique role, acting as a spacer across the DNA minor groove and positioning ZF9-ZF11 to make cross-strand contacts with DNA. We ascribe the difference between the two subgroups of ZF1-ZF7 and ZF8-ZF11 to residues at the two positions -6 and -5 within each finger, with small residues for ZF1-ZF7 and bulkier and polar/charged residues for ZF8-ZF11. ZF8 is also uniquely rich in basic amino acids, which allows salt bridges to DNA phosphates in the minor groove. Highly specific arginine-guanine and glutamine-adenine interactions, used to recognize G:C or A:T base pairs at conventional base-interacting positions of ZFs, also apply to the cross-strand interactions adopted by ZF9-ZF11. The differences between ZF1-ZF7 and ZF8-ZF11 can be rationalized structurally and may contribute to recognition of high-affinity CTCF binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - John R Horton
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Robert M Blumenthal
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, and Program in Bioinformatics, The University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, Toledo, OH 43614, USA
| | - Xing Zhang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaodong Cheng
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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9
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Hewitt SC, Gruzdev A, Willson CJ, Wu SP, Lydon JP, Galjart N, DeMayo FJ. Chromatin architectural factor CTCF is essential for progesterone-dependent uterine maturation. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23103. [PMID: 37489832 PMCID: PMC10372848 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300862r] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
Receptors for estrogen and progesterone frequently interact, via Cohesin/CTCF loop extrusion, at enhancers distal from regulated genes. Loss-of-function CTCF mutation in >20% of human endometrial tumors indicates its importance in uterine homeostasis. To better understand how CTCF-mediated enhancer-gene interactions impact endometrial development and function, the Ctcf gene was selectively deleted in female reproductive tissues of mice. Prepubertal Ctcfd/d uterine tissue exhibited a marked reduction in the number of uterine glands compared to those without Ctcf deletion (Ctcff/f mice). Post-pubertal Ctcfd/d uteri were hypoplastic with significant reduction in both the amount of the endometrial stroma and number of glands. Transcriptional profiling revealed increased expression of stem cell molecules Lif, EOMES, and Lgr5, and enhanced inflammation pathways following Ctcf deletion. Analysis of the response of the uterus to steroid hormone stimulation showed that CTCF deletion affects a subset of progesterone-responsive genes. This finding indicates (1) Progesterone-mediated signaling remains functional following Ctcf deletion and (2) certain progesterone-regulated genes are sensitive to Ctcf deletion, suggesting they depend on gene-enhancer interactions that require CTCF. The progesterone-responsive genes altered by CTCF ablation included Ihh, Fst, and Errfi1. CTCF-dependent progesterone-responsive uterine genes enhance critical processes including anti-tumorigenesis, which is relevant to the known effectiveness of progesterone in inhibiting progression of early-stage endometrial tumors. Overall, our findings reveal that uterine Ctcf plays a key role in progesterone-dependent expression of uterine genes underlying optimal post-pubertal uterine development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - San-Pin Wu
- Pregnancy & Female Reproduction, DIR RDBL, NIEHS RTP, NC
| | | | - Niels Galjart
- Dept. of Cell Biology, Erasmus MC, Rotterdam, Netherlands
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10
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Kodada D, Hyblova M, Krumpolec P, Janostiakova N, Barath P, Grendar M, Blandova G, Petrovic O, Janega P, Repiska V, Minarik G. The Potential of Liquid Biopsy in Detection of Endometrial Cancer Biomarkers: A Pilot Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097811. [PMID: 37175518 PMCID: PMC10178554 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer belongs to the most common gynecologic cancer types globally, with increasing incidence. There are numerous ways of classifying different cases. The most recent decade has brought advances in molecular classification, which show more accurate prognostic factors and the possibility of personalised adjuvant treatment. In addition, diagnostic approaches lag behind these advances, with methods causing patients discomfort while lacking the reproducibility of tissue sampling for biopsy. Minimally invasive liquid biopsies could therefore represent an alternative screening and diagnostic approach in patients with endometrial cancer. The method could potentially detect molecular changes in this cancer type and identify patients at early stages. In this pilot study, we tested such a detection method based on circulating tumour DNA isolated from the peripheral blood plasma of 21 Slovak endometrial cancer patients. We successfully detected oncomutations in the circulating DNA of every single patient, although the prognostic value of the detected mutations failed to offer certainty. Furthermore, we detected changes associated with clonal hematopoiesis, including DNMT3A mutations, which were present in the majority of circulating tumour DNA samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominik Kodada
- Medirex Group Academy, 94905 Nitra, Slovakia
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | | | - Nikola Janostiakova
- Medirex Group Academy, 94905 Nitra, Slovakia
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - Marian Grendar
- Medirex Group Academy, 94905 Nitra, Slovakia
- Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin, Comenius University in Bratislava, 03601 Martin, Slovakia
| | - Gabriela Blandova
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | | | - Pavol Janega
- Medirex Group Academy, 94905 Nitra, Slovakia
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vanda Repiska
- Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University in Bratislava, 84215 Bratislava, Slovakia
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11
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Smits WK, Vermeulen C, Hagelaar R, Kimura S, Vroegindeweij EM, Buijs-Gladdines JGCAM, van de Geer E, Verstegen MJAM, Splinter E, van Reijmersdal SV, Buijs A, Galjart N, van Eyndhoven W, van Min M, Kuiper R, Kemmeren P, Mullighan CG, de Laat W, Meijerink JPP. Elevated enhancer-oncogene contacts and higher oncogene expression levels by recurrent CTCF inactivating mutations in acute T cell leukemia. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112373. [PMID: 37060567 PMCID: PMC10750298 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112373] [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: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 03/18/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Monoallelic inactivation of CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) in human cancer drives altered methylated genomic states, altered CTCF occupancy at promoter and enhancer regions, and deregulated global gene expression. In patients with T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL), we find that acquired monoallelic CTCF-inactivating events drive subtle and local genomic effects in nearly half of t(5; 14) (q35; q32.2) rearranged patients, especially when CTCF-binding sites are preserved in between the BCL11B enhancer and the TLX3 oncogene. These solitary intervening sites insulate TLX3 from the enhancer by inducing competitive looping to multiple binding sites near the TLX3 promoter. Reduced CTCF levels or deletion of the intervening CTCF site abrogates enhancer insulation by weakening competitive looping while favoring TLX3 promoter to BCL11B enhancer looping, which elevates oncogene expression levels and leukemia burden.
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Affiliation(s)
- Willem K Smits
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Carlo Vermeulen
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Center for Molecular Medicine, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Rico Hagelaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Shunsuke Kimura
- Laboratory of Pathology, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Memphis TN, USA
| | | | | | - Ellen van de Geer
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Marjon J A M Verstegen
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Arjan Buijs
- Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Niels Galjart
- Department of Cell Biology, Erasmus University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Roland Kuiper
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Department of Genetics, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Patrick Kemmeren
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Charles G Mullighan
- Laboratory of Pathology, St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital, Memphis TN, USA
| | - Wouter de Laat
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, the Netherlands; Hubrecht Institute-KNAW, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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12
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Mao A, Chen C, Portillo-Ledesma S, Schlick T. Effect of Single-Residue Mutations on CTCF Binding to DNA: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24076395. [PMID: 37047368 PMCID: PMC10094706 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
In humans and other eukaryotes, DNA is condensed into chromatin fibers that are further wound into chromosomes. This organization allows regulatory elements in the genome, often distant from each other in the linear DNA, to interact and facilitate gene expression through regions known as topologically associating domains (TADs). CCCTC–binding factor (CTCF) is one of the major components of TAD formation and is responsible for recruiting a partner protein, cohesin, to perform loop extrusion and facilitate proper gene expression within TADs. Because single-residue CTCF mutations have been linked to the development of a variety of cancers in humans, we aim to better understand how these mutations affect the CTCF structure and its interaction with DNA. To this end, we compare all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of a wildtype CTCF–DNA complex to those of eight different cancer-linked CTCF mutant sequences. We find that most mutants have lower binding energies compared to the wildtype protein, leading to the formation of less stable complexes. Depending on the type and position of the mutation, this loss of stability can be attributed to major changes in the electrostatic potential, loss of hydrogen bonds between the CTCF and DNA, and/or destabilization of specific zinc fingers. Interestingly, certain mutations in specific fingers can affect the interaction with the DNA of other fingers, explaining why mere single mutations can impair CTCF function. Overall, these results shed mechanistic insights into experimental observations and further underscore CTCF’s importance in the regulation of chromatin architecture and gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Mao
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, Silver Building, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.M.); (C.C.); (S.P.-L.)
| | - Carrie Chen
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, Silver Building, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.M.); (C.C.); (S.P.-L.)
| | - Stephanie Portillo-Ledesma
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, Silver Building, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.M.); (C.C.); (S.P.-L.)
| | - Tamar Schlick
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Square East, Silver Building, New York, NY 10003, USA; (A.M.); (C.C.); (S.P.-L.)
- Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, 251 Mercer St., New York, NY 10012, USA
- New York University-East China Normal University Center for Computational Chemistry, New York University Shanghai, Shanghai 200122, China
- Simons Center for Computational Physical Chemistry, New York University, 24 Waverly Place, Silver Building, New York, NY 10003, USA
- Correspondence:
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13
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Dehingia B, Milewska M, Janowski M, Pękowska A. CTCF
shapes chromatin structure and gene expression in health and disease. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e55146. [PMID: 35993175 PMCID: PMC9442299 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202255146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Bondita Dehingia
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Małgorzata Milewska
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Marcin Janowski
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
| | - Aleksandra Pękowska
- Dioscuri Centre for Chromatin Biology and Epigenomics, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw Poland
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14
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Lebeau B, Zhao K, Jangal M, Zhao T, Guerra M, Greenwood CMT, Witcher M. Single base-pair resolution analysis of DNA binding motif with MoMotif reveals an oncogenic function of CTCF zinc-finger 1 mutation. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:8441-8458. [PMID: 35947648 PMCID: PMC9410893 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac658] [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: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Defining the impact of missense mutations on the recognition of DNA motifs is highly dependent on bioinformatic tools that define DNA binding elements. However, classical motif analysis tools remain limited in their capacity to identify subtle changes in complex binding motifs between distinct conditions. To overcome this limitation, we developed a new tool, MoMotif, that facilitates a sensitive identification, at the single base-pair resolution, of complex, or subtle, alterations to core binding motifs, discerned from ChIP-seq data. We employed MoMotif to define the previously uncharacterized recognition motif of CTCF zinc-finger 1 (ZF1), and to further define the impact of CTCF ZF1 mutation on its association with chromatin. Mutations of CTCF ZF1 are exclusive to breast cancer and are associated with metastasis and therapeutic resistance, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. Using MoMotif, we identified an extension of the CTCF core binding motif, necessitating a functional ZF1 to bind appropriately. Using a combination of ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq, we discover that the inability to bind this extended motif drives an altered transcriptional program associated with the oncogenic phenotypes observed clinically. Our study demonstrates that MoMotif is a powerful new tool for comparative ChIP-seq analysis and characterising DNA-protein contacts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Maika Jangal
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Tiejun Zhao
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Maria Guerra
- Lady Davis Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montréal, Québec H3T 1E2, Canada
| | - Celia M T Greenwood
- Correspondence may also be addressed to Celia Greenwood. Tel: +1 514 340 8222 (Ext 28397);
| | - Michael Witcher
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +1 514 340 8222 (Ext 23363);
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15
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Renaud-Pageot C, Quivy JP, Lochhead M, Almouzni G. CENP-A Regulation and Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:907120. [PMID: 35721491 PMCID: PMC9201071 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.907120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, CENP-A, a histone H3 variant found in the centromeric chromatin, is critical for faithful chromosome segregation and genome integrity maintenance through cell divisions. Specifically, it has dual functions, enabling to define epigenetically the centromere position and providing the foundation for building up the kinetochore. Regulation of its dynamics of synthesis and deposition ensures to propagate proper centromeres on each chromosome across mitosis and meiosis. However, CENP-A overexpression is a feature identified in many cancers. Importantly, high levels of CENP-A lead to its mislocalization outside the centromere. Recent studies in mammals have begun to uncover how CENP-A overexpression can affect genome integrity, reprogram cell fate and impact 3D nuclear organization in cancer. Here, we summarize the mechanisms that orchestrate CENP-A regulation. Then we review how, beyond its centromeric function, CENP-A overexpression is linked to cancer state in mammalian cells, with a focus on the perturbations that ensue at the level of chromatin organization. Finally, we review the clinical interest for CENP-A in cancer treatment.
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16
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Segueni J, Noordermeer D. CTCF: a misguided jack-of-all-trades in cancer cells. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:2685-2698. [PMID: 35685367 PMCID: PMC9166472 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.05.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence and progression of cancers is accompanied by a dysregulation of transcriptional programs. The three-dimensional (3D) organization of the human genome has emerged as an important multi-level mediator of gene transcription and regulation. In cancer cells, this organization can be restructured, providing a framework for the deregulation of gene activity. The CTCF protein, initially identified as the product from a tumor suppressor gene, is a jack-of-all-trades for the formation of 3D genome organization in normal cells. Here, we summarize how CTCF is involved in the multi-level organization of the human genome and we discuss emerging insights into how perturbed CTCF function and DNA binding causes the activation of oncogenes in cancer cells, mostly through a process of enhancer hijacking. Moreover, we highlight non-canonical functions of CTCF that can be relevant for the emergence of cancers as well. Finally, we provide guidelines for the computational identification of perturbed CTCF binding and reorganized 3D genome structure in cancer cells.
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17
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Li Z, Zhou X, Cai S, Fan J, Wei Z, Chen Y, Cao G. Key roles of CCCTC-binding factor in cancer evolution and development. EXPLORATION OF MEDICINE 2021. [DOI: 10.37349/emed.2021.00068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The processes of cancer and embryonic development have a partially overlapping effect. Several transcription factor families, which are highly conserved in the evolutionary history of biology, play a key role in the development of cancer and are often responsible for the pivotal developmental processes such as cell survival, expansion, senescence, and differentiation. As an evolutionary conserved and ubiquitously expression protein, CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) has diverse regulatory functions, including gene regulation, imprinting, insulation, X chromosome inactivation, and the establishment of three-dimensional (3D) chromatin structure during human embryogenesis. In various cancers, CTCF is considered as a tumor suppressor gene and plays homeostatic roles in maintaining genome function and integrity. However, the mechanisms of CTCF in tumor development have not been fully elucidated. Here, this review will focus on the key roles of CTCF in cancer evolution and development (Cancer Evo-Dev) and embryogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zishuai Li
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Xinyu Zhou
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shiliang Cai
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Junyan Fan
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Zhimin Wei
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yifan Chen
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Guangwen Cao
- Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
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18
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Alharbi AB, Schmitz U, Bailey CG, Rasko JEJ. CTCF as a regulator of alternative splicing: new tricks for an old player. Nucleic Acids Res 2021; 49:7825-7838. [PMID: 34181707 PMCID: PMC8373115 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkab520] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Three decades of research have established the CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) as a ubiquitously expressed chromatin organizing factor and master regulator of gene expression. A new role for CTCF as a regulator of alternative splicing (AS) has now emerged. CTCF has been directly and indirectly linked to the modulation of AS at the individual transcript and at the transcriptome-wide level. The emerging role of CTCF-mediated regulation of AS involves diverse mechanisms; including transcriptional elongation, DNA methylation, chromatin architecture, histone modifications, and regulation of splicing factor expression and assembly. CTCF thereby appears to not only co-ordinate gene expression regulation but contributes to the modulation of transcriptomic complexity. In this review, we highlight previous discoveries regarding the role of CTCF in AS. In addition, we summarize detailed mechanisms by which CTCF mediates AS regulation. We propose opportunities for further research designed to examine the possible fate of CTCF-mediated alternatively spliced genes and associated biological consequences. CTCF has been widely acknowledged as the 'master weaver of the genome'. Given its multiple connections, further characterization of CTCF's emerging role in splicing regulation might extend its functional repertoire towards a 'conductor of the splicing orchestra'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adel B Alharbi
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
- Computational BioMedicine Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Cancer & Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - Ulf Schmitz
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Computational BioMedicine Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Charles G Bailey
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Cancer & Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
| | - John E J Rasko
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
- Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia
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19
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de Castro CPM, Cadefau M, Cuartero S. The Mutational Landscape of Myeloid Leukaemia in Down Syndrome. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:4144. [PMID: 34439298 PMCID: PMC8394284 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13164144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Children with Down syndrome (DS) are particularly prone to haematopoietic disorders. Paediatric myeloid malignancies in DS occur at an unusually high frequency and generally follow a well-defined stepwise clinical evolution. First, the acquisition of mutations in the GATA1 transcription factor gives rise to a transient myeloproliferative disorder (TMD) in DS newborns. While this condition spontaneously resolves in most cases, some clones can acquire additional mutations, which trigger myeloid leukaemia of Down syndrome (ML-DS). These secondary mutations are predominantly found in chromatin and epigenetic regulators-such as cohesin, CTCF or EZH2-and in signalling mediators of the JAK/STAT and RAS pathways. Most of them are also found in non-DS myeloid malignancies, albeit at extremely different frequencies. Intriguingly, mutations in proteins involved in the three-dimensional organization of the genome are found in nearly 50% of cases. How the resulting mutant proteins cooperate with trisomy 21 and mutant GATA1 to promote ML-DS is not fully understood. In this review, we summarize and discuss current knowledge about the sequential acquisition of genomic alterations in ML-DS.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maria Cadefau
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus Can Ruti, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.P.M.d.C); (M.C.)
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruti, 08916 Badalona, Spain
| | - Sergi Cuartero
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute (IJC), Campus Can Ruti, 08916 Badalona, Spain; (C.P.M.d.C); (M.C.)
- Germans Trias i Pujol Research Institute (IGTP), Campus Can Ruti, 08916 Badalona, Spain
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20
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Lu K, Liu C, Liu Y, Luo A, Chen J, Lei Z, Kong J, Xiao X, Zhang S, Wang YZ, Ma L, Dou SX, Wang PY, Li M, Li G, Li W, Chen P. Curaxin-Induced DNA Topology Alterations Trigger the Distinct Binding Response of CTCF and FACT at the Single-Molecule Level. Biochemistry 2021; 60:494-499. [PMID: 33570402 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The candidate anticancer drug curaxins can insert into DNA base pairs and efficiently inhibit the growth of various cancers. However, how curaxins alter the genomic DNA structure and affect the DNA binding property of key proteins remains to be clarified. Here, we first showed that curaxin CBL0137 strongly stabilizes the interaction between the double strands of DNA and reduces DNA bending and twist rigidity simultaneously, by single-molecule magnetic tweezers. More importantly, we found that CBL0137 greatly impairs the binding of CTCF but facilitates trapping FACT on DNA. We revealed that CBL0137 clamps the DNA double helix that may induce a huge barrier for DNA unzipping during replication and transcription and causes the distinct binding response of CTCF and FACT on DNA. Our work provides a novel mechanical insight into CBL0137's anticancer mechanisms at the nucleic acid level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Lu
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Cuifang Liu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yinuo Liu
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Anfeng Luo
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Jun Chen
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China
| | - Zhichao Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces, Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, and iChEM, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361005, China
| | - Jingwei Kong
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xue Xiao
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shuming Zhang
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,Key Laboratory of Environment and Female Reproductive Health, West China School of Public Health & West China Fourth Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yi-Zhou Wang
- Genome Analysis Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Synthetic Biology Center, Agricultural Genomics Institute at Shenzhen, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518124, China
| | - Lu Ma
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Shuo-Xing Dou
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Peng-Ye Wang
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Ming Li
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.,Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Guohong Li
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Wei Li
- National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics and Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Physics, Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.,Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Dongguan, Guangdong 523808, China
| | - Ping Chen
- Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100069, China.,National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, CAS Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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21
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Abstract
Diagnosis and treatment of disease demand a sound understanding of the underlying mechanisms, determining any Achilles' heel that can be targeted in effective therapies. Throughout history, this endeavour to decipher the origin and mechanism of transformation of a normal cell into cancer has led to various theories-from cancer as a curse to an understanding at the level of single-cell heterogeneity, meaning even among a single sub-type of cancer there are myriad molecular challenges to overcome. With increasing insight into cancer genetics and biology, the disease has become ever more complex to understand. The complexity of cancer as a disease was distilled into key traits by Hanahan and Weinberg in their seminal 'Hallmarks of Cancer' reviews. This lucid conceptualization of complex cancer biology is widely accepted and has helped advance cancer therapeutics by targeting the various hallmarks but, with the advancement in technologies, there is greater granularity in how we view cancer as a disease, and the additional understanding over the past decade requires us to revisit the hallmarks of cancer. Based on extensive study of the cancer research literature, we propose four novel hallmarks of cancer, namely, the ability of cells to regress from a specific specialized functional state, epigenetic changes that can affect gene expression, the role of microorganisms and neuronal signalling, to be included in the hallmark conceptualization along with evidence of various means to exploit them therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sasi S. Senga
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen
Mary University of London, London EC1M
6BQ, UK
| | - Richard P. Grose
- Centre for Tumour Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen
Mary University of London, London EC1M
6BQ, UK
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22
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Structure-function relationships explain CTCF zinc finger mutation phenotypes in cancer. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:7519-7536. [PMID: 34657170 PMCID: PMC8629902 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03946-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) plays fundamental roles in transcriptional regulation and chromatin architecture maintenance. CTCF is also a tumour suppressor frequently mutated in cancer, however, the structural and functional impact of mutations have not been examined. We performed molecular and structural characterisation of five cancer-specific CTCF missense zinc finger (ZF) mutations occurring within key intra- and inter-ZF residues. Functional characterisation of CTCF ZF mutations revealed a complete (L309P, R339W, R377H) or intermediate (R339Q) abrogation as well as an enhancement (G420D) of the anti-proliferative effects of CTCF. DNA binding at select sites was disrupted and transcriptional regulatory activities abrogated. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics confirmed that mutations in residues specifically contacting DNA bases or backbone exhibited loss of DNA binding. However, R339Q and G420D were stabilised by the formation of new primary DNA bonds, contributing to gain-of-function. Our data confirm that a spectrum of loss-, change- and gain-of-function impacts on CTCF zinc fingers are observed in cell growth regulation and gene regulatory activities. Hence, diverse cellular phenotypes of mutant CTCF are clearly explained by examining structure-function relationships.
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23
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Chai P, Yu J, Jia R, Wen X, Ding T, Zhang X, Ni H, Jia R, Ge S, Zhang H, Fan X. Generation of onco-enhancer enhances chromosomal remodeling and accelerates tumorigenesis. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 48:12135-12150. [PMID: 33196849 PMCID: PMC7708045 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkaa1051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromatin remodeling impacts the structural neighborhoods and regulates gene expression. However, the role of enhancer-guided chromatin remodeling in the gene regulation remains unclear. Here, using RNA-seq and ChIP-seq, we identified for the first time that neurotensin (NTS) serves as a key oncogene in uveal melanoma and that CTCF interacts with the upstream enhancer of NTS and orchestrates an 800 kb chromosomal loop between the promoter and enhancer. Intriguingly, this novel CTCF-guided chromatin loop was ubiquitous in a cohort of tumor patients. In addition, a disruption in this chromosomal interaction prevented the histone acetyltransferase EP300 from embedding in the promoter of NTS and resulted in NTS silencing. Most importantly, in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that the ability of tumor formation was significantly suppressed via deletion of the enhancer by CRISPR-Cas9. These studies delineate a novel onco-enhancer guided epigenetic mechanism and provide a promising therapeutic concept for disease therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peiwei Chai
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Jie Yu
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Ruobing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Xuyang Wen
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Tianyi Ding
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Frontier Science Research Center for Stem Cells, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Frontier Science Research Center for Stem Cells, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Hongyan Ni
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Renbing Jia
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - Shengfang Ge
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
| | - He Zhang
- Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital, School of Life Science and Technology, Tongji University, Shanghai, P. R. China.,Frontier Science Research Center for Stem Cells, Tongji University, Shanghai, 200092, P. R. China
| | - Xianqun Fan
- Department of Ophthalmology, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Orbital Diseases and Ocular Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai JiaoTong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, P. R. China
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24
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Abstract
Mutations of the cohesin complex in human cancer were first discovered ~10 years ago. Since then, researchers worldwide have demonstrated that cohesin is among the most commonly mutated protein complexes in cancer. Inactivating mutations in genes encoding cohesin subunits are common in bladder cancers, paediatric sarcomas, leukaemias, brain tumours and other cancer types. Also in those 10 years, the prevailing view of the functions of cohesin in cell biology has undergone a revolutionary transformation. Initially, the predominant view of cohesin was as a ring that encircled and cohered replicated chromosomes until its cleavage triggered the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. As such, early studies focused on the role of tumour-derived cohesin mutations in the fidelity of chromosome segregation and aneuploidy. However, over the past 5 years the cohesin field has shifted dramatically, and research now focuses on the primary role of cohesin in generating, maintaining and regulating the intra-chromosomal DNA looping events that modulate 3D genome organization and gene expression. This Review focuses on recent discoveries in the cohesin field that provide insight into the role of cohesin inactivation in cancer pathogenesis, and opportunities for exploiting these findings for the clinical benefit of patients with cohesin-mutant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd Waldman
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC, USA.
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25
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Heidari-Khoei H, Esfandiari F, Hajari MA, Ghorbaninejad Z, Piryaei A, Baharvand H. Organoid technology in female reproductive biomedicine. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2020; 18:64. [PMID: 32552764 PMCID: PMC7301968 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-020-00621-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent developments in organoid technology are revolutionizing our knowledge about the biology, physiology, and function of various organs. Female reproductive biology and medicine also benefit from this technology. Organoids recapitulate features of different reproductive organs including the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries, as well as trophoblasts. The genetic stability of organoids and long-lasting commitment to their tissue of origin during long-term culture makes them attractive substitutes for animal and in vitro models. Despite current limitations, organoids offer a promising platform to address fundamental questions regarding the reproductive system's physiology and pathology. They provide a human source to harness stem cells for regenerative medicine, heal damaged epithelia in specific diseases, and study biological processes in healthy and pathological conditions. The combination of male and female reproductive organoids with other technologies, such as microfluidics technology, would enable scientists to create a multi-organoid-on-a-chip platform for the next step to human-on-a-chip platforms for clinical applications, drug discovery, and toxicology studies. The present review discusses recent advances in producing organoid models of reproductive organs and highlights their applications, as well as technical challenges and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heidar Heidari-Khoei
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, P.O. Box: 16635-148, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran
| | - Fereshteh Esfandiari
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, P.O. Box: 16635-148, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran
| | - Mohammad Amin Hajari
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, P.O. Box: 16635-148, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran
| | - Zeynab Ghorbaninejad
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, P.O. Box: 16635-148, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran
| | - Abbas Piryaei
- Urogenital Stem Cell Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
- Department of Biology and Anatomical Sciences, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, P.O. Box: 19395-4719, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Hossein Baharvand
- Department of Stem Cells and Developmental Biology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, P.O. Box: 16635-148, Tehran, 1665659911, Iran.
- Department of Developmental Biology, University of Science and Culture, Tehran, Iran.
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26
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Sprissler R, Perkins B, Johnstone L, Babiker HM, Chalasani P, Lau B, Hammer M, Mahadevan D. Rare Tumor-Normal Matched Whole Exome Sequencing Identifies Novel Genomic Pathogenic Germline and Somatic Aberrations. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E1618. [PMID: 32570879 PMCID: PMC7352311 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12061618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/05/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Whole exome sequencing (WES) of matched tumor-normal pairs in rare tumors has the potential to identify genome-wide mutations and copy number alterations (CNAs). We evaluated 27 rare cancer patients with tumor-normal matching by WES and tumor-only next generation sequencing (NGS) as a comparator. Our goal was to: 1) identify known and novel variants and CNAs in rare cancers with comparison to common cancers; 2) examine differences between germline and somatic variants and how that functionally impacts rare tumors; 3) detect and characterize alleles in biologically relevant genes-pathways that may be of clinical importance but not represented in classical cancer genes. We identified 3343 germline single nucleotide variants (SNVs) and small indel variants-1670 in oncogenes and 1673 in tumor suppressor genes-generating an average of 124 germline variants/case. The number of somatic SNVs and small indels detected in all cases was 523:306 in oncogenes and 217 in tumor suppressor genes. Of the germline variants, six were identified to be pathogenic or likely pathogenic. In the 27 analyzed rare cancer cases, CNAs are variable depending on tumor type, germline pathogenic variants are more common. Cell fate pathway mutations (e.g., Hippo, Notch, Wnt) dominate pathogenesis and double hit (mutation + CNV) represent ~18% cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan Sprissler
- Department of Health Sciences, Center for Applied Genetics and Genomic Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
- Arizona Research Labs, University of Arizona Genetics Core, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (L.J.); (B.L.)
| | - Bryce Perkins
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; (B.P.); (H.M.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Laurel Johnstone
- Arizona Research Labs, University of Arizona Genetics Core, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (L.J.); (B.L.)
| | - Hani M. Babiker
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; (B.P.); (H.M.B.); (P.C.)
- Department of Medicine—Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, Mays Cancer Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Pavani Chalasani
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; (B.P.); (H.M.B.); (P.C.)
- Department of Medicine—Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, Mays Cancer Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
| | - Branden Lau
- Arizona Research Labs, University of Arizona Genetics Core, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (L.J.); (B.L.)
| | - Michael Hammer
- Department of Health Sciences, Center for Applied Genetics and Genomic Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA;
- Arizona Research Labs, University of Arizona Genetics Core, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA; (L.J.); (B.L.)
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA; (B.P.); (H.M.B.); (P.C.)
| | - Daruka Mahadevan
- Department of Medicine—Hematology/Oncology, University of Texas Health San Antonio, Mays Cancer Center, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA
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27
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Akhtar MS, Akhter N, Najm MZ, Deo SVS, Shukla NK, Almalki SSR, Alharbi RA, Sindi AAA, Alruwetei A, Ahmad A, Husain SA. Association of mutation and low expression of the CTCF gene with breast cancer progression. Saudi Pharm J 2020; 28:607-614. [PMID: 32435142 PMCID: PMC7229322 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2020.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background CTCF encodes 11-zinc finger protein which is implicated in multiple tumors including the carcinoma of the breast. The Present study investigates the association of CTCF mutations and their expression in breast cancer cases. Methods A total of 155 breast cancer and an equal number of adjacent normal tissue samples from 155 breast cancer patients were examined for CTCF mutation(s) by PCR-SSCP and automated DNA sequencing. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) method was used to analyze CTCF expression. Molecular findings were statistically analyzed with various clinicopathological features to identify associations of clinical relevance. Results Of the total, 16.1% (25/155) cases exhibited mutation in the CTCF gene. Missense mutations Gln > His (G > T) in exon 1 and silent mutations Ser > Ser (C > T) in exon 4 of CTCF gene were analyzed. A significant association was observed between CTCF mutations and some clinicopathological parameters namely menopausal status (p = 0.02) tumor stage (p = 0.03) nodal status (p = 0.03) and ER expression (p = 0.04). Protein expression analysis showed 42.58% samples having low or no expression (+), 38.0% with moderate (++) expression and 19.35% having high (+++) expression for CTCF. A significant association was found between CTCF protein expression and clinicopathological parameters include histological grade (p = 0.04), tumor stage (p = 0.04), nodal status (p = 0.03) and ER status (p = 0.04). Conclusions The data suggest that CTCF mutations leading to its inactivation significantly contribute to the progression of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Salman Akhtar
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India.,Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Albaha University, Albaha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Naseem Akhter
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India.,Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Albaha University, Albaha, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - S V S Deo
- Department of Surgical Oncology, DR. BRA-IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi 110029, India
| | - N K Shukla
- Department of Surgical Oncology, DR. BRA-IRCH, AIIMS, New Delhi 110029, India
| | | | - Raed A Alharbi
- Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Albaha University, Albaha, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Abdulmohsen Alruwetei
- Department of Medical Laboratory, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abrar Ahmad
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Akhtar Husain
- Human Genetics Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
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28
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Debaugny RE, Skok JA. CTCF and CTCFL in cancer. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2020; 61:44-52. [PMID: 32334335 PMCID: PMC7893514 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2020.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
CTCF plays a key role in organizing chromatin into TAD structures but it can also function as a transcription factor. CTCFL (CTCF-like), the paralog of CTCF, is normally transiently expressed in pre-meiotic male germ cells together with ubiquitously expressed CTCF. It plays a unique role in spermatogenesis by regulating expression of testis-specific genes. Genetic alterations in CTCF and its paralog CTCFL have both been found in numerous cancers, but it remains unknown to what extent CTCFL deregulates transcription on its own or by opposing CTCF. Here, we discuss some of the potential mechanisms by which these two proteins could alter gene regulation and contribute to oncogenic transcriptional programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxanne E Debaugny
- Dept. of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jane A Skok
- Dept. of Pathology, New York University Langone Health, New York, NY 10016, USA; Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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29
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Determination of novel biomarkers and pathways shared by colorectal cancer and endometrial cancer via comprehensive bioinformatics analysis. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2020.100376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
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30
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Finn EH, Misteli T. Molecular basis and biological function of variability in spatial genome organization. Science 2019; 365:365/6457/eaaw9498. [PMID: 31488662 DOI: 10.1126/science.aaw9498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 122] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The complex three-dimensional organization of genomes in the cell nucleus arises from a wide range of architectural features including DNA loops, chromatin domains, and higher-order compartments. Although these features are universally present in most cell types and tissues, recent single-cell biochemistry and imaging approaches have demonstrated stochasticity in transcription and high variability of chromatin architecture in individual cells. We review the occurrence, mechanistic basis, and functional implications of stochasticity in genome organization. We summarize recent observations on cell- and allele-specific variability of genome architecture, discuss the nature of extrinsic and intrinsic sources of variability in genome organization, and highlight potential implications of structural heterogeneity for genome function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Tom Misteli
- National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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31
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Zeng Z, Huang N, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Su Y, Zhang H, An Y. CTCF inhibits endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in cardiomyocytes by upregulating RYR2 via inhibiting S100A1. Life Sci 2019; 242:117158. [PMID: 31837328 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2019.117158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 12/05/2019] [Accepted: 12/09/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Pediatric heart failure is a common cardiovascular disease in clinical pediatrics. CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), a novel transcriptional repressor, was reported to participate in the occurrence of various cardiovascular diseases. The present study focuses on exploring the effects of CTCF on tunicamycin (TM)-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and investigating the underlying mechanisms. MATERIALS AND METHOD Expression of CTCF in blood samples of heart failure children and TM-induced cardiomyocytes were evaluated by real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Apoptotic rate of cardiomyocytes was detected by Annexin v assay. Western blotting and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were applied to examine the effect of CTCF on ER stress. Co-immunoprecipitation and western blotting were devoted to explore the mechanism by which CTCF contributes to ER stress. KEY FINDINGS We proved that CTCF was lowly expressed in blood samples of heart failure children and TM-induced cardiomyocytes, and overexpression of CTCF weaken the TM-induced ER stress. Using co-immunoprecipitation and protein blots, we demonstrated that CTCF upregulates RYR2 by inhibiting S100A1, thus mediating the PERK signaling pathway and regulating ER stress. SIGNIFICANCE Our data revealed that CTCF protects cardiomyocytes from ER stress through S100A1-RYR2 axis, and can be applied as a therapeutic target for the treatment of pediatric heart failure in future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhu Zeng
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003
| | - Nina Huang
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003
| | - Yudan Zhang
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003
| | - Ying Wang
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003
| | - Yufei Su
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003
| | - Huifang Zhang
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003
| | - Yuan An
- Department of Emergency, The Affiliated Children Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China 710003.
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32
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Qiao Z, Jiang Y, Wang L, Wang L, Jiang J, Zhang J. Mutations in KIAA1109, CACNA1C, BSN, AKAP13, CELSR2, and HELZ2 Are Associated With the Prognosis in Endometrial Cancer. Front Genet 2019; 10:909. [PMID: 31787999 PMCID: PMC6854026 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecologic malignancies. Emerging studies had demonstrated the mutations in genes could serve as diagnostic or prognostic markers for human cancers. In this study, we screened mutated genes in EC and found that the mutations in KIAA1109, CACNA1C, BSN, AKAP13, CELSR2, and HELZ2 were correlated to the overall survival time in patients with EC. Bioinformatics analysis showed KIAA1109 was involved in regulating NIK/NF-kappaB signaling, CACNA1C was found to regulate cell migration and proliferation, BSN was found to regulate Wnt signaling pathway, CELSR2 was involved in regulating cell–cell adhesion, nuclear import, and protein folding, HELZ2 was found to regulate multiple immune related biological processes, and AKAP13 was involved in regulating translation, mRNA nonsense-mediated decay, rRNA processing, translational initiation, and mRNA splicing via spliceosome. The findings provided a novel therapeutic strategy in patients with EC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiwei Qiao
- The Department of Gynaecology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shengyang, China
| | - Ying Jiang
- The Department of Gynaecology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shengyang, China
| | - Ling Wang
- The Department of Gynaecology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shengyang, China
| | - Lei Wang
- The Department of Gynaecology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shengyang, China
| | - Jing Jiang
- The Department of Gynaecology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shengyang, China
| | - Jingru Zhang
- The Department of Gynaecology, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Shengyang, China
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33
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Affiliation(s)
- Divya Reddy
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA
| | - Jerry L Workman
- Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas City, MO, USA.
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34
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El Khoury D, Matar R, Touma T. Curcumin and endometrial carcinoma: an old spice as a novel agent. Int J Womens Health 2019; 11:249-256. [PMID: 31354362 PMCID: PMC6586219 DOI: 10.2147/ijwh.s194262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the clinically major gynecological cancers is endometrial carcinoma that develops from the lining of the uterus. During the past years, different approaches have been developed to treat endometrial carcinoma, among which natural herbal medicine has recently faired as an effective method. The yellow Indian spice known as curcumin has been extolled for its healing powers and has recently been adopted for investigation by the scientific community as a potent anti-cancerous agent. This review focuses on the effect of curcumin on endometrial cancer (EC) and its role in specific pathways involved in carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diala El Khoury
- Department of Sciences, Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon,
| | - Rana Matar
- Department of Sciences, Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon,
| | - Tina Touma
- Department of Sciences, Notre Dame University-Louaize, Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon,
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35
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Kelleher AM, Behura SK, Burns GW, Young SL, DeMayo FJ, Spencer TE. Integrative analysis of the forkhead box A2 (FOXA2) cistrome for the human endometrium. FASEB J 2019; 33:8543-8554. [PMID: 30951376 DOI: 10.1096/fj.201900013r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The pioneer forkhead box (FOX)A2 transcription factor is specifically expressed in the glands of the uterus, which are central to endometrial function and fertility. In mice, FOXA2 is a critical regulator of uterine gland development in the neonate and gland function in the adult. An integrative approach was used here to define the FOXA2 cistrome in the human endometrium. Genome-wide mapping of FOXA2 binding intervals by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing was performed using proliferative (P)- and midsecretory (MS)-phase endometrium and integrated with the transcriptome determined by RNA sequencing. Distinctive FOXA2 binding intervals, enriched for different transcription factor binding site motifs, were detected in the P and MS endometrium. Pathway analysis revealed different biologic processes regulated by genes with FOXA2 binding intervals in the P and MS endometrium. Thus, FOXA2 is postulated to regulate gene expression in concert with other transcription factors and impact uterine gland development and function in a cycle phase-dependent manner. Analyses also identified potential FOXA2-regulated genes that influence uterine receptivity, blastocyst implantation, and stromal cell decidualization, which are key events in pregnancy establishment.-Kelleher, A. M., Behura, S. K., Burns, G. W., Young, S. L., DeMayo, F. J., Spencer, T. E. Integrative analysis of the forkhead box A2 (FOXA2) cistrome for the human endometrium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew M Kelleher
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Susanta K Behura
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,Informatics Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Gregory W Burns
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
| | - Steven L Young
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Francesco J DeMayo
- Reproductive and Developmental Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Thomas E Spencer
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.,Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Women's Health, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA
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36
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Wang Y, Yu M, Yang JX, Cao DY, Zhang Y, Zhou HM, Yuan Z, Shen K. Genomic Comparison of Endometrioid Endometrial Carcinoma and Its Precancerous Lesions in Chinese Patients by High-Depth Next Generation Sequencing. Front Oncol 2019; 9:123. [PMID: 30886832 PMCID: PMC6410638 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia (EIN), also known as endometrial atypical hyperplasia (EAH) is believed to be the precursor lesion of endometrioid endometrial carcinoma (EEC). Many genetic factors play important roles in the process of carcinogenesis, however, the key genetic alterations from dysplasia to endometrial cancer remains poorly understood. Germline mutations in Lynch syndrome genes are associated with hereditary endometrial carcinoma. The role of other cancer susceptibility genes is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the genomic alterations of premalignant endometrial lesion and EEC, and to determine the prevalence of cancer predisposition gene mutations in an unselected endometrial carcinoma patient cohort. Here, we applied a comprehensive cancer gene panel (363 cancer-related genes) to capture the exomes of cancer-related genes. Samples were collected from 79 patients with EEC and 36 patients with EIN. Our results demonstrate that EIN harbors most of the driver events reported in EEC and for the first time we reported a high frequency of the amplification of VEGFB gene in endometrial cancer. Moreover, we identified four novel candidate cancer-associated genes (CTCF, ARHGAP35, NF1, and KDR) which may be crucial in the carcinogenesis of EEC. In addition, we identified 2 patients who had a deleterious germline mutation in Lynch syndrome genes (MLH1 and MLH2), and another 8 patients harbored germline mutations of 6 non-Lynch syndrome genes (MUTYH, GALNT12, POLE, MPL, ATM, and ERCC4) which may be associated with endometrial cancer. Larger series will have to be investigated to assess the risks and the proportion of endometrial cancers attributable to other genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Yu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Xin Yang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Yan Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Hui-Mei Zhou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Yuan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Keng Shen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
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37
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Bailey CG, Metierre C, Feng Y, Baidya K, Filippova GN, Loukinov DI, Lobanenkov VV, Semaan C, Rasko JE. CTCF Expression is Essential for Somatic Cell Viability and Protection Against Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:ijms19123832. [PMID: 30513694 PMCID: PMC6321389 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is a conserved transcription factor that performs diverse roles in transcriptional regulation and chromatin architecture. Cancer genome sequencing reveals diverse acquired mutations in CTCF, which we have shown functions as a tumour suppressor gene. While CTCF is essential for embryonic development, little is known of its absolute requirement in somatic cells and the consequences of CTCF haploinsufficiency. We examined the consequences of CTCF depletion in immortalised human and mouse cells using shRNA knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing as well as examined the growth and development of heterozygous Ctcf (Ctcf+/-) mice. We also analysed the impact of CTCF haploinsufficiency by examining gene expression changes in CTCF-altered endometrial carcinoma. Knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of CTCF reduced the cellular growth and colony-forming ability of K562 cells. CTCF knockdown also induced cell cycle arrest and a pro-survival response to apoptotic insult. However, in p53 shRNA-immortalised Ctcf+/- MEFs we observed the opposite: increased cellular proliferation, colony formation, cell cycle progression, and decreased survival after apoptotic insult compared to wild-type MEFs. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated targeting in Ctcf+/- MEFs revealed a predominance of in-frame microdeletions in Ctcf in surviving clones, however protein expression could not be ablated. Examination of CTCF mutations in endometrial cancers showed locus-specific alterations in gene expression due to CTCF haploinsufficiency, in concert with downregulation of tumour suppressor genes and upregulation of estrogen-responsive genes. Depletion of CTCF expression imparts a dramatic negative effect on normal cell function. However, CTCF haploinsufficiency can have growth-promoting effects consistent with known cancer hallmarks in the presence of additional genetic hits. Our results confirm the absolute requirement for CTCF expression in somatic cells and provide definitive evidence of CTCF's role as a haploinsufficient tumour suppressor gene. CTCF genetic alterations in endometrial cancer indicate that gene dysregulation is a likely consequence of CTCF loss, contributing to, but not solely driving cancer growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles G Bailey
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
| | - Cynthia Metierre
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
| | - Yue Feng
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
| | - Kinsha Baidya
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
| | | | - Dmitri I Loukinov
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Molecular Pathology Section, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, 20852-8152 Rockville, USA.
| | - Victor V Lobanenkov
- Laboratory of Immunogenetics, Molecular Pathology Section, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases, 20852-8152 Rockville, USA.
| | - Crystal Semaan
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
| | - John Ej Rasko
- Gene and Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
- Cell and Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, 2050 NSW, Australia.
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38
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Molecular Lesions of Insulator CTCF and Its Paralogue CTCFL (BORIS) in Cancer: An Analysis from Published Genomic Studies. High Throughput 2018; 7:ht7040030. [PMID: 30275357 PMCID: PMC6306835 DOI: 10.3390/ht7040030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 09/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
CTCF (CCCTC-binding factor) is a transcription regulator with hundreds of binding sites in the human genome. It has a main function as an insulator protein, defining together with cohesins the boundaries of areas of the genome called topologically associating domains (TADs). TADs contain regulatory elements such as enhancers which function as regulators of the transcription of genes inside the boundaries of the TAD while they are restricted from regulating genes outside these boundaries. This paper will examine the most common genetic lesions of CTCF as well as its related protein CTCFL (CTCF-like also called BORIS) in cancer using publicly available data from published genomic studies. Cancer types where abnormalities in the two genes are more common will be examined for possible associations with underlying repair defects or other prevalent genetic lesions. The putative functional effects in CTCF and CTCFL lesions will also be explored.
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Aitken SJ, Ibarra-Soria X, Kentepozidou E, Flicek P, Feig C, Marioni JC, Odom DT. CTCF maintains regulatory homeostasis of cancer pathways. Genome Biol 2018; 19:106. [PMID: 30086769 PMCID: PMC6081938 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-018-1484-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND CTCF binding to DNA helps partition the mammalian genome into discrete structural and regulatory domains. Complete removal of CTCF from mammalian cells causes catastrophic genome dysregulation, likely due to widespread collapse of 3D chromatin looping and alterations to inter- and intra-TAD interactions within the nucleus. In contrast, Ctcf hemizygous mice with lifelong reduction of CTCF expression are viable, albeit with increased cancer incidence. Here, we exploit chronic Ctcf hemizygosity to reveal its homeostatic roles in maintaining genome function and integrity. RESULTS We find that Ctcf hemizygous cells show modest but robust changes in almost a thousand sites of genomic CTCF occupancy; these are enriched for lower affinity binding events with weaker evolutionary conservation across the mouse lineage. Furthermore, we observe dysregulation of the expression of several hundred genes, which are concentrated in cancer-related pathways, and are caused by changes in transcriptional regulation. Chromatin structure is preserved but some loop interactions are destabilized; these are often found around differentially expressed genes and their enhancers. Importantly, the transcriptional alterations identified in vitro are recapitulated in mouse tumors and also in human cancers. CONCLUSIONS This multi-dimensional genomic and epigenomic profiling of a Ctcf hemizygous mouse model system shows that chronic depletion of CTCF dysregulates steady-state gene expression by subtly altering transcriptional regulation, changes which can also be observed in primary tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah J. Aitken
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE UK
- Department of Histopathology, Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Hills Road, Cambridge, CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Ximena Ibarra-Soria
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE UK
| | - Elissavet Kentepozidou
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
| | - Paul Flicek
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
| | - Christine Feig
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE UK
| | - John C. Marioni
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE UK
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SD UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SA UK
| | - Duncan T. Odom
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Robinson Way, Cambridge, CB2 0RE UK
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40
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Liu Q, Thoms JAI, Nunez AC, Huang Y, Knezevic K, Packham D, Poulos RC, Williams R, Beck D, Hawkins NJ, Ward RL, Wong JWH, Hesson LB, Sloane MA, Pimanda JE. Disruption of a -35 kb Enhancer Impairs CTCF Binding and MLH1 Expression in Colorectal Cells. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 24:4602-4611. [PMID: 29898989 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-17-3678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2017] [Revised: 04/17/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Purpose:MLH1 is a major tumor suppressor gene involved in the pathogenesis of Lynch syndrome and various sporadic cancers. Despite their potential pathogenic importance, genomic regions capable of regulating MLH1 expression over long distances have yet to be identified.Experimental Design: Here, we use chromosome conformation capture (3C) to screen a 650-kb region flanking the MLH1 locus to identify interactions between the MLH1 promoter and distal regions in MLH1-expressing and nonexpressing cells. Putative enhancers were functionally validated using luciferase reporter assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of endogenous regions. To evaluate whether germline variants in the enhancer might contribute to impaired MLH1 expression in patients with suspected Lynch syndrome, we also screened germline DNA from a cohort of 74 patients with no known coding mutations or epimutations at the MLH1 promoter.Results: A 1.8-kb DNA fragment, 35 kb upstream of the MLH1 transcription start site enhances MLH1 gene expression in colorectal cells. The enhancer was bound by CTCF and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated deletion of a core binding region impairs endogenous MLH1 expression. A total of 5.4% of suspected Lynch syndrome patients have a rare single-nucleotide variant (G > A; rs143969848; 2.5% in gnomAD European, non-Finnish) within a highly conserved CTCF-binding motif, which disrupts enhancer activity in SW620 colorectal carcinoma cells.Conclusions: A CTCF-bound region within the MLH1-35 enhancer regulates MLH1 expression in colorectal cells and is worthy of scrutiny in future genetic screening strategies for suspected Lynch syndrome associated with loss of MLH1 expression. Clin Cancer Res; 24(18); 4602-11. ©2018 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Liu
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Julie A I Thoms
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Andrea C Nunez
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Yizhou Huang
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Health Technologies and the School of Software, University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kathy Knezevic
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Deborah Packham
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rebecca C Poulos
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rachel Williams
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Hereditary Cancer Clinic, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dominik Beck
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Centre for Health Technologies and the School of Software, University of Technology, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Hawkins
- School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Robyn L Ward
- School of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Level 3, Brian Wilson Chancellery, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jason W H Wong
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Luke B Hesson
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- Genome.One, Kinghorn Centre for Clinical Genomics, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mathew A Sloane
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- Australian Museum, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - John E Pimanda
- Adult Cancer Program, Lowy Cancer Research Centre and Prince of Wales Clinical School, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
- School of Medical Sciences, UNSW Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
- Department of Haematology, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
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41
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Guo J, Cao B, Xu X, Wu F, Zhu B. Novel CTCF mutations in Chinese patients with ovarian endometriosis. Mol Med Rep 2018; 18:1031-1036. [PMID: 29845264 DOI: 10.3892/mmr.2018.9049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Endometriosis is a common gynecological disease characterized by the outgrowth of the endometrium, however, the detailed molecular etiology remains largely uncharacterized. Recent studies have implicated that endometriosis is potentially a precancerous lesion, and that CCCTC‑binding factor (CTCF) mutations may be involved in the pathogenesis of this disorder. However, the detailed CTCF mutation spectrum in Chinese patients with ovarian endometriosis remains largely unknown. In the present study, a cohort of 92 patients with ovarian endometriosis were analyzed for the presence of CTCF mutations by sequencing the entire coding regions. In addition, 67 healthy eutopic endometrial tissues and 46 healthy ovarian tissues from control samples (without endometriosis) were also analyzed. In total, two CTCF missense mutations, p.K206E (c.616A>G) and p.H373L (c.1118A>T), were identified in 2/92 (2.2%) endometriotic lesions. The patient with the p.K206E mutation was 26 years old and diagnosed with primary infertility, whereas the patient with the p.H373L mutation was 37 years old and concurrently diagnosed with uterine leiomyoma. The p.H373L mutation was previously identified in endometrial cancer samples with low frequency, while the p.K206E mutation was novel. In addition, no CTCF mutations were detected in the 67 healthy eutopic endometrial and 46 healthy ovarian tissue samples. In silico prediction and evolutionary conservation analysis suggested that these CTCF mutations may be pathogenic. In summary, the present study identified 2 potential pathogenic CTCF mutations in endometriotic lesions from 2/92 patients with ovarian endometriosis. These results, together with a prior exome‑sequencing based study, suggest that CTCF mutations may be involved in the development of ovarian endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiubai Guo
- Department of Gynecology, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Bianna Cao
- Department of Gynecology, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Xiaoyun Xu
- Department of Gynecology, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Fei Wu
- Department of Gynecology, Jiangxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330006, P.R. China
| | - Bin Zhu
- Gongqing College of Nanchang University, Gongqingcheng, Jiangxi 332020, P.R. China
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42
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Arzate-Mejía RG, Recillas-Targa F, Corces VG. Developing in 3D: the role of CTCF in cell differentiation. Development 2018; 145:dev137729. [PMID: 29567640 PMCID: PMC5897592 DOI: 10.1242/dev.137729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
CTCF is a highly conserved zinc-finger DNA-binding protein that mediates interactions between distant sequences in the genome. As a consequence, CTCF regulates enhancer-promoter interactions and contributes to the three-dimensional organization of the genome. Recent studies indicate that CTCF is developmentally regulated, suggesting that it plays a role in cell type-specific genome organization. Here, we review these studies and discuss how CTCF functions during the development of various cell and tissue types, ranging from embryonic stem cells and gametes, to neural, muscle and cardiac cells. We propose that the lineage-specific control of CTCF levels, and its partnership with lineage-specific transcription factors, allows for the control of cell type-specific gene expression via chromatin looping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo G Arzate-Mejía
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Félix Recillas-Targa
- Departamento de Genética Molecular, Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, México
| | - Victor G Corces
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
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43
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Flavahan WA, Gaskell E, Bernstein BE. Epigenetic plasticity and the hallmarks of cancer. Science 2018; 357:357/6348/eaal2380. [PMID: 28729483 DOI: 10.1126/science.aal2380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 799] [Impact Index Per Article: 133.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chromatin and associated epigenetic mechanisms stabilize gene expression and cellular states while also facilitating appropriate responses to developmental or environmental cues. Genetic, environmental, or metabolic insults can induce overly restrictive or overly permissive epigenetic landscapes that contribute to pathogenesis of cancer and other diseases. Restrictive chromatin states may prevent appropriate induction of tumor suppressor programs or block differentiation. By contrast, permissive or "plastic" states may allow stochastic oncogene activation or nonphysiologic cell fate transitions. Whereas many stochastic events will be inconsequential "passengers," some will confer a fitness advantage to a cell and be selected as "drivers." We review the broad roles played by epigenetic aberrations in tumor initiation and evolution and their potential to give rise to all classic hallmarks of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- William A Flavahan
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA, and Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gaskell
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA, and Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Bradley E Bernstein
- Department of Pathology and Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA, and Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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44
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Zhang B, Zhang Y, Zou X, Chan AW, Zhang R, Lee TKW, Liu H, Lau EYT, Ho NPY, Lai PB, Cheung YS, To KF, Wong HK, Choy KW, Keng VW, Chow LM, Chan KK, Cheng AS, Ko BC. The CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF)-forkhead box protein M1 axis regulates tumour growth and metastasis in hepatocellular carcinoma. J Pathol 2017; 243:418-430. [PMID: 28862757 PMCID: PMC5725705 DOI: 10.1002/path.4976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2017] [Revised: 08/16/2017] [Accepted: 08/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
CCCTC‐binding factor (CTCF) is a DNA‐binding protein that interacts with a large number of highly divergent target sequences throughout the genome. It is implicated in a variety of functions, including chromatin organization and transcriptional control. The functional role of CTCF in tumour pathogenesis remains elusive. We showed that CTCF is frequently upregulated in a subset of primary hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) as compared with non‐tumoural liver. Overexpression of CTCF was associated with shorter disease‐free survival of patients. Short hairpin RNA (shRNA)‐mediated suppression of CTCF inhibited cell proliferation, motility and invasiveness in HCC cell lines; these effects were correlated with prominent reductions in the expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT), the shelterin complex member telomerase repeat‐binding factor 1, and forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1). In contrast, upregulation of CTCF was positively correlated with FOXM1 and TERT expression in clinical HCC biopsies. Depletion of CTCF resulted in reduced motility and invasiveness in HCC cells that could be reversed by ectopic expression of FOXM1, suggesting that FOXM1 is one of the important downstream effectors of CTCF in HCC. Reporter gene analysis suggested that depletion of CTCF is associated with reduced FOXM1 and TERT promoter activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)–polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis further revealed occupancy of the FOXM1 promoter by CTCF in vivo. Importantly, depletion of CTCF by shRNA significantly inhibited tumour progression and metastasis in HCC mouse models. Our work uncovered a novel functional role of CTCF in HCC pathogenesis, which suggests that targeting CTCF could be further explored as a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC. © 2017 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Yajing Zhang
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, PR China.,Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Xiaoping Zou
- Department of Gastroenterology, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University, Nanjing, PR China
| | - Anthony Wh Chan
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Rui Zhang
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Terence Kin-Wah Lee
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Hang Liu
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Eunice Yuen-Ting Lau
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Nicole Pui-Yu Ho
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Paul Bs Lai
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Yue-Sun Cheung
- Department of Surgery, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Ka-Fai To
- Department of Anatomical and Cellular Pathology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Hoi Kin Wong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Kwong Wai Choy
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Vincent W Keng
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Larry Mc Chow
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Kenrick Ky Chan
- Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Alfred S Cheng
- School of Biomedical Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
| | - Ben Cb Ko
- The Hong Kong Polytechnic University Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen, PR China.,Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China.,State Key Laboratory of Chirosciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
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