1
|
Fosseprez O, Cuvier O. Uncovering the functions and mechanisms of regulatory elements-associated non-coding RNAs. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2024; 1867:195059. [PMID: 39226990 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2024.195059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/05/2024]
Abstract
Over the past decade, regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) produced by RNA Pol II have been revealed as meaningful players in various essential cellular functions. In particular, thousands of ncRNAs are produced at transcriptional regulatory elements such as enhancers and promoters, where they may exert multiple functions to regulate proper development, cellular programming, transcription or genomic stability. Here, we review the mechanisms involving these regulatory element-associated ncRNAs, and particularly enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) and PROMoter uPstream Transcripts (PROMPTs). We contextualize the mechanisms described to the processing and degradation of these short lived RNAs. We summarize recent findings explaining how ncRNAs operate locally at promoters and enhancers, or further away, either shortly after their production by RNA Pol II, or through post-transcriptional stabilization. Such discoveries lead to a converging model accounting for how ncRNAs influence cellular fate, by acting on transcription and chromatin structure, which may further involve factors participating to 3D nuclear organization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Fosseprez
- Chromatin Dynamics and Cell Proliferation team; Center of Integrative Biology (CBI), Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD/UMR5077) Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UPS), F-31000, France.
| | - Olivier Cuvier
- Chromatin Dynamics and Cell Proliferation team; Center of Integrative Biology (CBI), Molecular Cellular and Developmental Biology Unit (MCD/UMR5077) Center of Integrative Biology (CBI-CNRS), Université de Toulouse (UPS), F-31000, France.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Refael T, Sudman M, Golan G, Pnueli L, Naik S, Preger-Ben Noon E, Henn A, Kaplan A, Melamed P. An i-motif-regulated enhancer, eRNA and adjacent lncRNA affect Lhb expression through distinct mechanisms in a sex-specific context. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:361. [PMID: 39158745 PMCID: PMC11335282 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05398-7] [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: 05/23/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
Genome-wide studies have demonstrated regulatory roles for diverse non-coding elements, but their precise and interrelated functions have often remained enigmatic. Addressing the need for mechanistic insight, we studied their roles in expression of Lhb which encodes the pituitary gonadotropic hormone that controls reproduction. We identified a bi-directional enhancer in gonadotrope-specific open chromatin, whose functional eRNA (eRNA2) supports permissive chromatin at the Lhb locus. The central untranscribed region of the enhancer contains an iMotif (iM), and is bound by Hmgb2 which stabilizes the iM and directs transcription specifically towards the functional eRNA2. A distinct downstream lncRNA, associated with an inducible G-quadruplex (G4) and iM, also facilitates Lhb expression, following its splicing in situ. GnRH activates Lhb transcription and increased levels of all three RNAs, eRNA2 showing the highest response, while estradiol, which inhibits Lhb, repressed levels of eRNA2 and the lncRNA. The levels of these regulatory RNAs and Lhb mRNA correlate highly in female mice, though strikingly not in males, suggesting a female-specific function. Our findings, which shed new light on the workings of non-coding elements and non-canonical DNA structures, reveal novel mechanisms regulating transcription which have implications not only in the central control of reproduction but also for other inducible genes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tal Refael
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Maya Sudman
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Gil Golan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Lilach Pnueli
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Sujay Naik
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3109601, Israel
| | - Ella Preger-Ben Noon
- Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3109601, Israel
| | - Arnon Henn
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Ariel Kaplan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Saha D, Animireddy S, Lee J, Thommen A, Murvin MM, Lu Y, Calabrese JM, Bartholomew B. Enhancer switching in cell lineage priming is linked to eRNA, Brg1's AT-hook, and SWI/SNF recruitment. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1855-1869.e5. [PMID: 38593804 PMCID: PMC11104297 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.013] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
RNA transcribed from enhancers, i.e., eRNA, has been suggested to directly activate transcription by recruiting transcription factors and co-activators. Although there have been specific examples of eRNA functioning in this way, it is not clear how general this may be. We find that the AT-hook of SWI/SNF preferentially binds RNA and, as part of the esBAF complex, associates with eRNA transcribed from intronic and intergenic regions. Our data suggest that SWI/SNF is globally recruited in cis by eRNA to cell-type-specific enhancers, representative of two distinct stages that mimic early mammalian development, and not at enhancers that are shared between the two stages. In this manner, SWI/SNF facilitates recruitment and/or activation of MLL3/4, p300/CBP, and Mediator to stage-specific enhancers and super-enhancers that regulate the transcription of metabolic and cell lineage priming-related genes. These findings highlight a connection between ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling and eRNA in cell identity and typical- and super-enhancer activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dhurjhoti Saha
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; UT MD Anderson Cancer, Center for Cancer Epigenetics, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Srinivas Animireddy
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; UT MD Anderson Cancer, Center for Cancer Epigenetics, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Junwoo Lee
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; UT MD Anderson Cancer, Center for Cancer Epigenetics, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - Anna Thommen
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; UT MD Anderson Cancer, Center for Cancer Epigenetics, Houston, TX 77054, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - McKenzie M Murvin
- Department of Pharmacology, RNA Discovery Center, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Mechanistic, Interdisciplinary Studies in Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Yue Lu
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA
| | - J Mauro Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacology, RNA Discovery Center, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Curriculum in Mechanistic, Interdisciplinary Studies in Biology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Blaine Bartholomew
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, UT MD Anderson Center, Houston, TX 77054, USA; UT MD Anderson Cancer, Center for Cancer Epigenetics, Houston, TX 77054, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Li Q, Liu X, Wen J, Chen X, Xie B, Zhao Y. Enhancer RNAs: mechanisms in transcriptional regulation and functions in diseases. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:191. [PMID: 37537618 PMCID: PMC10398997 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01206-0] [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: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent years, increasingly more non-coding RNAs have been detected with the development of high-throughput sequencing technology, including microRNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), and piwi-interacting RNA (piRNAs). The discovery of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) in 2010 has further broadened the range of non-coding RNAs revealed. eRNAs are non-coding RNA molecules produced by the transcription of DNA cis-acting elements, enhancer fragments. Recent studies revealed that the transcription of eRNAs may be a biological marker responding to enhancer activity that can participate in the regulation of coding gene transcription. In this review, we discussed the biological characteristics of eRNAs, their functions in transcriptional regulation, the regulation factors of eRNAs production, and the research progress of eRNAs in different diseases. Video Abstract.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qianhui Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecologic Oncology Research Office, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Gynecologic Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.63 Duobao Road, Liwan District, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, 510150, People's Republic of China
| | - Xin Liu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecologic Oncology Research Office, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Gynecologic Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.63 Duobao Road, Liwan District, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, 510150, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingtao Wen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecologic Oncology Research Office, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Gynecologic Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.63 Duobao Road, Liwan District, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, 510150, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecologic Oncology Research Office, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Gynecologic Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.63 Duobao Road, Liwan District, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, 510150, People's Republic of China
| | - Bumin Xie
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecologic Oncology Research Office, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Gynecologic Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.63 Duobao Road, Liwan District, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, 510150, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Zhao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Department of Gynecologic Oncology Research Office, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Targeted Therapy for Gynecologic Oncology, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Major Obstetric Diseases, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, No.63 Duobao Road, Liwan District, Guangdong Province, Guangzhou City, 510150, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Sun G, Wei Y, Zhou B, Wang M, Luan R, Bai Y, Li H, Wang S, Zheng D, Wang C, Wang S, Zeng K, Liu S, Lin L, He M, Zhang Q, Zhao Y. BAP18 facilitates CTCF-mediated chromatin accessible to regulate enhancer activity in breast cancer. Cell Death Differ 2023; 30:1260-1278. [PMID: 36828916 PMCID: PMC10154423 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-023-01135-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) signaling pathway is a crucial target for ERα-positive breast cancer therapeutic strategies. Co-regulators and other transcription factors cooperate for effective ERα-related enhancer activation. Recent studies demonstrate that the transcription factor CTCF is essential to participate in ERα/E2-induced enhancer transactivation. However, the mechanism of how CTCF is achieved remains unknown. Here, we provided evidence that BAP18 is required for CTCF recruitment on ERα-enriched enhancers, facilitating CTCF-mediated chromatin accessibility to promote enhancer RNAs transcription. Consistently, GRO-seq demonstrates that the enhancer activity is positively correlated with BAP18 enrichment. Furthermore, BAP18 interacts with SMARCA1/BPTF to accelerate the recruitment of CTCF to ERα-related enhancers. Interestingly, BAP18 is involved in chromatin accessibility within enhancer regions, thereby increasing enhancer transactivation and enhancer-promoter looping. BAP18 depletion increases the sensitivity of anti-estrogen and anti-enhancer treatment in MCF7 cells. Collectively, our study indicates that BAP18 coordinates with CTCF to enlarge the transactivation of ERα-related enhancers, providing a better understanding of BAP18/CTCF coupling chromatin remodeling and E-P looping in the regulation of enhancer transcription.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ge Sun
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yuntao Wei
- Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang City, 110042, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Baosheng Zhou
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Manlin Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Ruina Luan
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yu Bai
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Hao Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shan Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Dantong Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Chunyu Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shengli Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Kai Zeng
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Shuchang Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Lin Lin
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Mingcong He
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Cancer Hospital of China Medical University, Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Institute, Shenyang City, 110042, Liaoning Province, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology, Key Laboratory of Medical Cell Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang City, 110122, Liaoning Province, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Shen Y, Huang Z, Yang R, Chen Y, Wang Q, Gao L. Insights into Enhancer RNAs: Biogenesis and Emerging Role in Brain Diseases. Neuroscientist 2023; 29:166-176. [PMID: 34612730 DOI: 10.1177/10738584211046889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Enhancers are cis-acting elements that control the transcription of target genes and are transcribed into a class of noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) termed enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). eRNAs have shorter half-lives than mRNAs and long noncoding RNAs; however, the frequency of transcription of eRNAs is close to that of mRNAs. eRNA expression is associated with a high level of histone mark H3K27ac and a low level of H3K27me3. Although eRNAs only account for a small proportion of ncRNAs, their functions are important. eRNAs can not only increase enhancer activity by promoting the formation of enhancer-promoter loops but also regulate transcriptional activation. Increasing numbers of studies have found that eRNAs play an important role in the occurrence and development of brain diseases; however, further research into eRNAs is required. This review discusses the concept, characteristics, classification, function, and potential roles of eRNAs in brain diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Shen
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.,West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhengyi Huang
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.,West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Ruiqing Yang
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.,West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunlong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.,West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China.,Department of Immunology, West China School of Preclinical and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| | - Linbo Gao
- Laboratory of Molecular Translational Medicine, Center for Translational Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children (Sichuan University), Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Panahi-Moghadam S, Hassani S, Farivar S, Vakhshiteh F. Emerging Role of Enhancer RNAs as Potential Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarkers in Cancer. Noncoding RNA 2022; 8:ncrna8050066. [PMID: 36287118 PMCID: PMC9607539 DOI: 10.3390/ncrna8050066] [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: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are distal cis-acting elements that are commonly recognized to regulate gene expression via cooperation with promoters. Along with regulating gene expression, enhancers can be transcribed and generate a class of non-coding RNAs called enhancer RNAs (eRNAs). The current discovery of abundant tissue-specific transcription of enhancers in various diseases such as cancers raises questions about the potential role of eRNAs in disease diagnosis and therapy. This review aimed to demonstrate the current understanding of eRNAs in cancer research with a focus on the potential roles of eRNAs as prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers in cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Somayeh Panahi-Moghadam
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran 1411713116, Iran
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran
| | - Shokoufeh Hassani
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1417614411, Iran
- Toxicology and Diseases Group, Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center (PSRC), The Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (TIPS), Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS), Tehran 1417614411, Iran
| | - Shirin Farivar
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran 1983969411, Iran
| | - Faezeh Vakhshiteh
- Oncopathology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS), Tehran 1449614535, Iran
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Nair SJ, Suter T, Wang S, Yang L, Yang F, Rosenfeld MG. Transcriptional enhancers at 40: evolution of a viral DNA element to nuclear architectural structures. Trends Genet 2022; 38:1019-1047. [PMID: 35811173 PMCID: PMC9474616 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Gene regulation by transcriptional enhancers is the dominant mechanism driving cell type- and signal-specific transcriptional diversity in metazoans. However, over four decades since the original discovery, how enhancers operate in the nuclear space remains largely enigmatic. Recent multidisciplinary efforts combining real-time imaging, genome sequencing, and biophysical strategies provide insightful but conflicting models of enhancer-mediated gene control. Here, we review the discovery and progress in enhancer biology, emphasizing the recent findings that acutely activated enhancers assemble regulatory machinery as mesoscale architectural structures with distinct physical properties. These findings help formulate novel models that explain several mysterious features of the assembly of transcriptional enhancers and the mechanisms of spatial control of gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sreejith J Nair
- Department of Oncology, Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA.
| | - Tom Suter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Susan Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Feng Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Michael G Rosenfeld
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
Enhancers confer precise spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression in response to developmental and environmental stimuli. Over the last decade, the transcription of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) – nascent RNAs transcribed from active enhancers – has emerged as a key factor regulating enhancer activity. eRNAs are relatively short-lived RNA species that are transcribed at very high rates but also quickly degraded. Nevertheless, eRNAs are deeply intertwined within enhancer regulatory networks and are implicated in a number of transcriptional control mechanisms. Enhancers show changes in function and sequence over evolutionary time, raising questions about the relationship between enhancer sequences and eRNA function. Moreover, the vast majority of single nucleotide polymorphisms associated with human complex diseases map to the non-coding genome, with causal disease variants enriched within enhancers. In this Primer, we survey the diverse roles played by eRNAs in enhancer-dependent gene expression, evaluating different models for eRNA function. We also explore questions surrounding the genetic conservation of enhancers and how this relates to eRNA function and dysfunction. Summary: This Primer evaluates the ideas that underpin developing models for eRNA function, exploring cases in which perturbed eRNA function contributes to disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura J. Harrison
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biosciences, Sheffield Institute For Nucleic Acids, The University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank , Sheffield S10 2TN , UK
| | - Daniel Bose
- Molecular and Cellular Biology, School of Biosciences, Sheffield Institute For Nucleic Acids, The University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank , Sheffield S10 2TN , UK
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wang K, Escobar M, Li J, Mahata B, Goell J, Shah S, Cluck M, Hilton I. Systematic comparison of CRISPR-based transcriptional activators uncovers gene-regulatory features of enhancer-promoter interactions. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:7842-7855. [PMID: 35849129 PMCID: PMC9371918 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2021] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclease-inactivated CRISPR/Cas-based (dCas-based) systems have emerged as powerful technologies to synthetically reshape the human epigenome and gene expression. Despite the increasing adoption of these platforms, their relative potencies and mechanistic differences are incompletely characterized, particularly at human enhancer-promoter pairs. Here, we systematically compared the most widely adopted dCas9-based transcriptional activators, as well as an activator consisting of dCas9 fused to the catalytic core of the human CBP protein, at human enhancer-promoter pairs. We find that these platforms display variable relative expression levels in different human cell types and that their transactivation efficacies vary based upon the effector domain, effector recruitment architecture, targeted locus and cell type. We also show that each dCas9-based activator can induce the production of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) and that this eRNA induction is positively correlated with downstream mRNA expression from a cognate promoter. Additionally, we use dCas9-based activators to demonstrate that an intrinsic transcriptional and epigenetic reciprocity can exist between human enhancers and promoters and that enhancer-mediated tracking and engagement of a downstream promoter can be synthetically driven by targeting dCas9-based transcriptional activators to an enhancer. Collectively, our study provides new insights into the enhancer-mediated control of human gene expression and the use of dCas9-based activators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Mario Escobar
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Barun Mahata
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Jacob Goell
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Spencer Shah
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Madeleine Cluck
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| | - Isaac B Hilton
- Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
- Department of BioSciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005, USA
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Lewis MW, Wisniewska K, King CM, Li S, Coffey A, Kelly MR, Regner MJ, Franco HL. Enhancer RNA Transcription Is Essential for a Novel CSF1 Enhancer in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:1852. [PMID: 35406623 PMCID: PMC8997997 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14071852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are critical regulatory elements in the genome that help orchestrate spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression during development and normal physiology. In cancer, enhancers are often rewired by various genetic and epigenetic mechanisms for the activation of oncogenes that lead to initiation and progression. A key feature of active enhancers is the production of non-coding RNA molecules called enhancer RNAs, whose functions remain unknown but can be used to specify active enhancers de novo. Using a combination of eRNA transcription and chromatin modifications, we have identified a novel enhancer located 30 kb upstream of Colony Stimulating Factor 1 (CSF1). Notably, CSF1 is implicated in the progression of breast cancer, is overexpressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines, and its enhancer is primarily active in TNBC patient tumors. Genomic deletion of the enhancer (via CRISPR/Cas9) enabled us to validate this regulatory element as a bona fide enhancer of CSF1 and subsequent cell-based assays revealed profound effects on cancer cell proliferation, colony formation, and migration. Epigenetic silencing of the enhancer via CRISPR-interference assays (dCas9-KRAB) coupled to RNA-sequencing, enabled unbiased identification of additional target genes, such as RSAD2, that are predictive of clinical outcome. Additionally, we repurposed the RNA-guided RNA-targeting CRISPR-Cas13 machinery to specifically degrade the eRNAs transcripts produced at this enhancer to determine the consequences on CSF1 mRNA expression, suggesting a post-transcriptional role for these non-coding transcripts. Finally, we test our eRNA-dependent model of CSF1 enhancer function and demonstrate that our results are extensible to other forms of cancer. Collectively, this work describes a novel enhancer that is active in the TNBC subtype, which is associated with cellular growth, and requires eRNA transcripts for proper enhancer function. These results demonstrate the significant impact of enhancers in cancer biology and highlight their potential as tractable targets for therapeutic intervention.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Lewis
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Kamila Wisniewska
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Caitlin M. King
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Shen Li
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Alisha Coffey
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
| | - Michael R. Kelly
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Matthew J. Regner
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Hector L. Franco
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA; (M.W.L.); (K.W.); (C.M.K.); (S.L.); (A.C.); (M.R.K.); (M.J.R.)
- Bioinformatics and Computational Biology Graduate Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- The Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Han Z, Li W. Enhancer RNA: What we know and what we can achieve. Cell Prolif 2022; 55:e13202. [PMID: 35170113 PMCID: PMC9055912 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are important cis-acting elements that can regulate gene transcription and cell fate alongside promoters. In fact, many human cancers and diseases are associated with the malfunction of enhancers. Recent studies have shown that enhancers can produce enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) by RNA polymerase II. In this review, we discuss eRNA production, characteristics, functions and mechanics. eRNAs can determine chromatin accessibility, histone modification and gene expression by constructing a 'chromatin loop', thereby bringing enhancers to their target gene. eRNA can also be involved in the phase separation with enhancers and other proteins. eRNAs are abundant, and importantly, tissue-specific in tumours, various diseases and stem cells; thus, eRNAs can be a potential target for disease diagnosis and treatment. As eRNA is produced from the active transcription of enhancers and is involved in the regulation of cell fate, its manipulation will influence cell function, and therefore, it can be a new target for biological therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Han
- Stem Cell and Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Wei Li
- Stem Cell and Cancer Center, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Super enhancers as master gene regulators in the pathogenesis of hematologic malignancies. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2022; 1877:188697. [PMID: 35150791 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2022.188697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptional deregulation of multiple oncogenes, tumor suppressors and survival pathways is a cancer cell hallmark. Super enhancers (SE) are long stretches of active enhancers in close linear proximity that ensure extraordinarily high expression levels of key genes associated with cell lineage, function and survival. SE landscape is intrinsically prone to changes and reorganization during the course of normal cell differentiation. This functional plasticity is typically utilized by cancer cells, which remodel their SE landscapes to ensure oncogenic transcriptional reprogramming. Multiple recent studies highlighted structural genetic mechanisms in non-coding regions that create new SE or hijack already existing ones. In addition, alterations in abundance/activity of certain SE-associated proteins or certain viral infections can elicit new super enhancers and trigger SE-driven transcriptional changes. For these reasons, SE profiling emerged as a powerful tool for discovering the core transcriptional regulatory circuits in tumor cells. This, in turn, provides new insights into cancer cell biology, and identifies main nodes of key cellular pathways to be potentially targeted. Since SEs are susceptible to inhibition, their disruption results in exponentially amassing 'butterfly' effect on gene expression and cell function. Moreover, many of SE elements are druggable, opening new therapeutic opportunities. Indeed, SE targeting drugs have been studied preclinically in various hematologic malignancies with promising effects. Herein, we review the unique features of SEs, present different cis- and trans-acting mechanisms through which hematologic tumor cells acquire SEs, and finally, discuss the potential of SE targeting in the therapy of hematologic malignancies.
Collapse
|
14
|
Choi HI, An GY, Yoo E, Baek M, Chai JC, Binas B, Lee YS, Jung KH, Chai YG. Targeting of noncoding RNAs encoded by a novel MYC enhancers inhibits the proliferation of human hepatic carcinoma cells in vitro. Sci Rep 2022; 12:855. [PMID: 35039581 PMCID: PMC8764030 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-04869-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The proto-oncogene MYC is important for development and cell growth, however, its abnormal regulation causes cancer. Recent studies identified distinct enhancers of MYC in various cancers, but any MYC enhancer(s) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain(s) elusive. By analyzing H3K27ac enrichment and enhancer RNA (eRNA) expression in cultured HCC cells, we identified six putative MYC enhancer regions. Amongst these, two highly active enhancers, located ~ 800 kb downstream of the MYC gene, were identified by qRT-PCR and reporter assays. We functionally confirmed these enhancers by demonstrating a significantly reduced MYC expression and cell proliferation upon CRISPR/Cas9-based deletion and/or antisense oligonucleotide (ASO)-mediated inhibition. In conclusion, we identified potential MYC enhancers of HCC and propose that the associated eRNAs may be suitable targets for HCC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hae In Choi
- Department of Bionanotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04673, Republic of Korea
| | - Ga Yeong An
- Department of Bionanotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04673, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunyoung Yoo
- Department of Bionanotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04673, Republic of Korea
| | - Mina Baek
- Department of Molecular & Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Natural Science and Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Choul Chai
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Bert Binas
- Department of Molecular & Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Young Seek Lee
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyoung Hwa Jung
- Convergence Technology Campus of Korea Polytechnic II, Incheon, 21417, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Biopharmaceutical Systems, Gwangmyeong Convergence Technology Campus of Korea Polytechnic II, Gwangmyeong-si, Gyeonggi-do, 14222, Republic of Korea.
| | - Young Gyu Chai
- Department of Bionanotechnology, Hanyang University, Seoul, 04673, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Molecular & Life Science, Hanyang University, Ansan, Gyeonggi-do, 15588, Republic of Korea.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Tan H, Liu T, Zhou T. Exploring the role of eRNA in regulating gene expression. MATHEMATICAL BIOSCIENCES AND ENGINEERING : MBE 2022; 19:2095-2119. [PMID: 35135243 DOI: 10.3934/mbe.2022098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
eRNAs as the products of enhancers can regulate gene expression via various possible ways, but which regulation way is more reasonable is debatable in biology, and in particular, how eRNAs impact gene expression remains unclear. Here we introduce a mechanistic model of gene expression to address these issues. This model considers three possible regulation ways of eRNA: Type-I by which eRNA regulates transcriptional activity by facilitating the formation of enhancer-promoter (E-P) loop, Type-II by which eRNA directly promotes the mRNA production rate, and mixed regulation (i.e., the combination of Type-I and Type-II). We show that with the increase of the E-P loop length, mRNA distribution can transition from unimodality to bimodality or vice versa in all the three regulation cases. However, in contrast to the other two regulations, Type-II regulation can lead to the highest mean mRNA level and the lowest mRNA noise, independent of the E-P loop length. These results would not only reveal the essential mechanism of how eRNA regulates gene expression, but also imply a new mechanism for phenotypic switching, namely the E-P loop can induce phenotypic switching.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Heli Tan
- School of Financial Mathematics and Statistics, Guangdong University of Finance, Guangzhou 510521, China
| | - Tuoqi Liu
- School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Tianshou Zhou
- School of Mathematics, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
- Guangdong Province Key Laboratory of Computational Science, Guangzhou 510275, China
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Gu W, Jiang X, Wang W, Mujagond P, Liu J, Mai Z, Tang H, li S, Xiao H, Zhao J. Super-Enhancer-Associated Long Non-Coding RNA LINC01485 Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Regulating MiR-619-5p/RUNX2 Axis. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:846154. [PMID: 35663324 PMCID: PMC9161675 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.846154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanisms of super-enhancer-associated LINC01485/miR-619-5p/RUNX2 signaling axis involvement in osteogenic differentiation of human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs). METHODS Osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs was induced in vitro. The expression levels of LINC01485 and miR-619-5p during osteogenesis were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Osteogenic differentiation was examined by qRT-PCR, western blot, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining, ALP activity measurement, and Alizarin Red S (ARS) staining assays. Thereafter, the effects of LINC01485 and miR-619-5p on osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs were evaluated by performing loss- and gain-of-function experiments. Subsequently, a fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) assay was employed to determine the cellular localization of LINC01485. Bioinformatics analysis, RNA antisense purification (RAP) assay, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were conducted to analyze the interactions of LINC01485, miR-619-5p, and RUNX2. Rescue experiments were performed to further delineate the role of the competitive endogenous RNA (ceRNA) signaling axis consisting of LINC01485/miR-619-5p/RUNX2 in osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. RESULTS The expression of LINC01485 was up-regulated during osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. The overexpression of LINC01485 promoted osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs by up-regulating the expression of osteogenesis-related genes [e.g., runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), osterix (OSX), collagen type 1 alpha 1 (COL1A1), osteocalcin (OCN), and osteopontin (OPN)], and increasing the activity of ALP. ALP staining and ARS staining were also found to be increased upon overexpression of LINC01485. The opposing results were obtained upon LINC01485 interference in hBMSCs. miR-619-5p was found to inhibit osteogenic differentiation. FISH assay displayed that LINC01485 was mainly localized in the cytoplasm. RAP assay results showed that LINC01485 bound to miR-619-5p, and dual-luciferase reporter assay verified that LINC01485 bound to miR-619-5p, while miR-619-5p and RUNX2 bound to each other. Rescue experiments illustrated that LINC01485 could promote osteogenesis by increasing RUNX2 expression by sponging miR-619-5p. CONCLUSION LINC01485 could influence RUNX2 expression by acting as a ceRNA of miR-619-5p, thereby promoting osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. The LINC01485/miR-619-5p/RUNX2 axis might comprise a novel target in the bone tissue engineering field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenli Gu
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xiao Jiang
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | | | - Jingpeng Liu
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhaoyi Mai
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hai Tang
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Simin li
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hui Xiao
- Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Xiao, ; Jianjiang Zhao,
| | - Jianjiang Zhao
- Shenzhen Stomatological Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, China
- *Correspondence: Hui Xiao, ; Jianjiang Zhao,
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Heterogeneity among enhancer RNAs: origins, consequences and perspectives. Essays Biochem 2021; 65:709-721. [PMID: 34414426 DOI: 10.1042/ebc20200064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are non-coding RNAs transcribed from distal cis-regulatory elements (i.e. enhancers), which are stereotyped as short, rarely spliced and unstable. In fact, a non-negligible fraction of eRNAs seems to be longer, spliced and more stable, and their cognate enhancers are epigenomically and functionally distinguishable from typical enhancers. In this review, we first summarized the genomic and molecular origins underlying the observed heterogeneity among eRNAs. Then, we discussed how their heterogeneous properties (e.g. stability) affect the modes of interaction with their regulatory partners, from promiscuous cis-interactions to specific trans-interactions. Finally, we highlighted the existence of a seemingly continuous spectrum of eRNA properties and its implications in the genomic origins of non-coding RNA genes from an evolutionary perspective.
Collapse
|
18
|
Abstract
The world of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) has opened up massive new prospects in understanding the regulation of gene expression. Not only are there seemingly almost infinite numbers of lncRNAs in the mammalian cell, but they have highly diverse mechanisms of action. In the nucleus, some are chromatin-associated, transcribed from transcriptional enhancers (eRNAs) and/or direct changes in the epigenetic landscape with profound effects on gene expression. The pituitary gonadotrope is responsible for activation of reproduction through production and secretion of appropriate levels of the gonadotropic hormones. As such, it exemplifies a cell whose function is defined through changes in developmental and temporal patterns of gene expression, including those that are hormonally induced. Roles for diverse distal regulatory elements and eRNAs in gonadotrope biology have only just begun to emerge. Here, we will present an overview of the different kinds of lncRNAs that alter gene expression, and what is known about their roles in regulating some of the key gonadotrope genes. We will also review various screens that have detected differentially expressed pituitary lncRNAs associated with changes in reproductive state and those whose expression is found to play a role in gonadotrope-derived nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. We hope to shed light on this exciting new field, emphasize the open questions, and encourage research to illuminate the roles of lncRNAs in various endocrine systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tal Refael
- Faculty of Biology, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
| | - Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of Biology, Technion Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel
- Correspondence: Philippa Melamed, PhD, Faculty of Biology, Technion - Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 32000, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Fu W, Zhao J, Hu W, Dai L, Jiang Z, Zhong S, Deng B, Huang Y, Wu W, Yin J. LINC01224/ZNF91 Promote Stem Cell-Like Properties and Drive Radioresistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer Manag Res 2021; 13:5671-5681. [PMID: 34285587 PMCID: PMC8286114 DOI: 10.2147/cmar.s313744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Radioresistance is the main reason for the failure of radiotherapy in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the molecular mechanism of radioresistance is still unclear. Methods An RNA-Seq assay was used to screen differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and genes in irradiation-resistant NSCLC cells. RT-PCR and Western blotting assays were performed to analyze the expressions of lncRNAs and genes. The chromosome conformation capture (3C) assay was performed to measure chromatin interactions. Cell cytotoxicity, cell apoptosis, sphere formation and Transwell assays were performed to assess cellular function. Results In this study, it was found that LINC01224 increased during the induction of radioresistance in NSCLC cells. LINC01224 was located within the enhancer of ZNF91, and LINC01224 could affect the transcription of ZNF91 by regulating the long-range interactions between the ZNF91 enhancer and promoter. Moreover, upregulation of LINC01224 and ZNF91 could promote irradiation resistance by regulating the stem cell-like properties of NSCLC cells. In addition, high expression levels of LINC01224 and ZNF91 in tissue samples were associated with radioresistance in NSCLC patients. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that LINC01224/ZNF91 drove radioresistance regulation by promoting the stem cell-like properties in NSCLC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenfan Fu
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Zhao
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Weimin Hu
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Dai
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Zeyong Jiang
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengpeng Zhong
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Boyun Deng
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Yun Huang
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenjie Wu
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Yin
- Departments of Chest Surgery, Affiliated Cancer Hospital & Institute of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510095, People's Republic of China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Razin SV, Gavrilov AA. Non-coding RNAs in chromatin folding and nuclear organization. Cell Mol Life Sci 2021; 78:5489-5504. [PMID: 34117518 PMCID: PMC11072467 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-021-03876-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
One of the most intriguing questions facing modern biology concerns how the genome directs the construction of cells, tissues, and whole organisms. It is tempting to suggest that the part of the genome that does not encode proteins contains architectural plans. We are still far from understanding how these plans work at the level of building tissues and the body as a whole. However, the results of recent studies demonstrate that at the cellular level, special non-coding RNAs serve as scaffolds for the construction of various intracellular structures. The term "architectural RNAs" was proposed to designate this subset of non-coding RNAs. In this review, we discuss the role of architectural RNAs in the construction of the cell nucleus and maintenance of the three-dimensional organization of the genome.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sergey V Razin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334, Moscow, Russia.
- Faculty of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119234, Moscow, Russia.
| | - Alexey A Gavrilov
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334, Moscow, Russia
- Center for Precision Genome Editing and Genetic Technologies for Biomedicine, Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, 119334, Moscow, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Adhikary S, Roy S, Chacon J, Gadad SS, Das C. Implications of Enhancer Transcription and eRNAs in Cancer. Cancer Res 2021; 81:4174-4182. [PMID: 34016622 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-20-4010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite extensive progress in developing anticancer therapies, therapy resistance remains a major challenge that promotes disease relapse. The changes that lead to therapy resistance can be intrinsically present or may be initiated during treatment. Genetic and epigenetic heterogeneity in tumors make it more challenging to deal with therapy resistance. Recent advances in genome-wide analyses have revealed that the deregulation of distal gene regulatory elements, such as enhancers, appears in several pathophysiological conditions, including cancer. Beyond the conventional function of enhancers in recruiting transcription factors to gene promoters, enhancer elements are also transcribed into noncoding RNAs known as enhancer RNAs (eRNA). Accumulating evidence suggests that uncontrolled enhancer activity with aberrant eRNA expression promotes oncogenesis. Interestingly, tissue-specific, transcribed eRNAs from active enhancers can serve as potential therapeutic targets or biomarkers in several cancer types. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms of enhancer transcription and eRNAs as well as their potential roles in cancer and drug resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Santanu Adhikary
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, India.,Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Siddhartha Roy
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Jessica Chacon
- Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, Texas
| | - Shrikanth S Gadad
- Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, Texas. .,Center of Emphasis in Cancer, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Paul L. Foster School of Medicine, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, Texas.,Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso, El Paso, Texas.,Cecil H. and Ida Green Center for Reproductive Biology Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Chandrima Das
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata, India. .,Homi Bhaba National Institute, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Luo J, Qu L, Gao F, Lin J, Liu J, Lin A. LncRNAs: Architectural Scaffolds or More Potential Roles in Phase Separation. Front Genet 2021; 12:626234. [PMID: 33868368 PMCID: PMC8044363 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.626234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Biomolecules specifically aggregate in the cytoplasm and nucleus, driving liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) formation and diverse biological processes. Extensive studies have focused on revealing multiple functional membraneless organelles in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Condensation compositions of LLPS, such as proteins and RNAs affecting the formation of phase separation, have been gradually unveiled. LncRNAs possessing abundant second structures usually promote phase separation formation by providing architectural scaffolds for diverse RNAs and proteins interaction in both the nucleus and cytoplasm. Beyond scaffolds, lncRNAs may possess more diverse functions, such as functioning as enhancer RNAs or buffers. In this review, we summarized current studies on the function of phase separation and its related lncRNAs, mainly in the nucleus. This review will facilitate our understanding of the formation and function of phase separation and the role of lncRNAs in these processes and related biological activities. A deeper understanding of the formation and maintaining of phase separation will be beneficial for disease diagnosis and treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Luo
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Qu
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feiran Gao
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Jun Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Women's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Zhejiang University-University of Edinburgh Institute (ZJU-UoE Institute), Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Haining, China
| | - Aifu Lin
- College of Life Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Breast Center of The First Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Farooq U, Saravanan B, Islam Z, Walavalkar K, Singh AK, Jayani RS, Meel S, Swaminathan S, Notani D. An interdependent network of functional enhancers regulates transcription and EZH2 loading at the INK4a/ARF locus. Cell Rep 2021; 34:108898. [PMID: 33761351 PMCID: PMC7611173 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.108898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [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: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The INK4a/ARF locus encodes important cell-cycle regulators p14ARF, p15INK4b, and p16INK4a. The neighboring gene desert to this locus is the most reproducible GWAS hotspot that harbors one of the densest enhancer clusters in the genome. However, how multiple enhancers that overlap with GWAS variants regulate the INK4a/ARF locus is unknown, which is an important step in linking genetic variation with associated diseases. Here, we show that INK4a/ARF promoters interact with a subset of enhancers in the cluster, independent of their H3K27ac and eRNA levels. Interacting enhancers transcriptionally control each other and INK4a/ARF promoters over long distances as an interdependent single unit. The deletion of even a single interacting enhancer results in an unexpected collapse of the entire enhancer cluster and leads to EZH2 enrichment on promoters in an ANRIL-independent manner. Dysregulated genes genome-wide mimic 9p21-associated diseases under these scenarios. Our results highlight intricate dependencies of promoter-interacting enhancers on each other.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Umer Farooq
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India; The University of Trans-Disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology, IVRI Road, Bangalore 560064, India
| | - Bharath Saravanan
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India; Sastra Deemed University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613401, India
| | - Zubairul Islam
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India; Sastra Deemed University, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu 613401, India
| | - Kaivalya Walavalkar
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Anurag Kumar Singh
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Ranveer Singh Jayani
- School of Medicine, Howard Hughes Medical Centre, University of California, La Jolla, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Sweety Meel
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Sudha Swaminathan
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India
| | - Dimple Notani
- Genetics and Development, National Centre for Biological Sciences, Tata Institute for Fundamental Research, Bangalore 560065, India.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Odame E, Chen Y, Zheng S, Dai D, Kyei B, Zhan S, Cao J, Guo J, Zhong T, Wang L, Li L, Zhang H. Enhancer RNAs: transcriptional regulators and workmates of NamiRNAs in myogenesis. Cell Mol Biol Lett 2021; 26:4. [PMID: 33568070 PMCID: PMC7877072 DOI: 10.1186/s11658-021-00248-x] [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: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
miRNAs are well known to be gene repressors. A newly identified class of miRNAs termed nuclear activating miRNAs (NamiRNAs), transcribed from miRNA loci that exhibit enhancer features, promote gene expression via binding to the promoter and enhancer marker regions of the target genes. Meanwhile, activated enhancers produce endogenous non-coding RNAs (named enhancer RNAs, eRNAs) to activate gene expression. During chromatin looping, transcribed eRNAs interact with NamiRNAs through enhancer-promoter interaction to perform similar functions. Here, we review the functional differences and similarities between eRNAs and NamiRNAs in myogenesis and disease. We also propose models demonstrating their mutual mechanism and function. We conclude that eRNAs are active molecules, transcriptional regulators, and partners of NamiRNAs, rather than mere RNAs produced during enhancer activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Odame
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Shuailong Zheng
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Dinghui Dai
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Bismark Kyei
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Siyuan Zhan
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiaxue Cao
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Jiazhong Guo
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Tao Zhong
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Linjie Wang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China
| | - Li Li
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
| | - Hongping Zhang
- Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, China.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Shalev D, Melamed P. The role of the hypothalamus and pituitary epigenomes in central activation of the reproductive axis at puberty. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2020; 518:111031. [PMID: 32956708 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 08/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Puberty is programmed through a multifactorial gene network which works to activate the pulsatile secretion of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), and subsequently elevate circulating levels of the pituitary gonadotropins that stimulate gonadal activity. Although this developmental transition normally occurs at a limited age-range in individuals of the same genetic background and environment, pubertal onset can occur prematurely or be delayed following changes in ambient conditions, or due to genetic variations or mutations, many of which have remained elusive due to their location in distal regulatory elements. Growing evidence is pointing to a pivotal role for the epigenome in regulating key genes in the reproductive hypothalamus and pituitary at this time, which might mediate some of the plasticity of pubertal timing. This review will address epigenetic mechanisms which have been demonstrated in the KNDy neurons that increase the output of pulsatile GnRH, and those involved in activation of the GnRH gene and its receptor, and describes how GnRH utilizes epigenetic mechanisms to stimulate transcription of the pituitary gonadotropin genes in the context of the chromatin landscape.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dor Shalev
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 32000, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Redondo-Antón J, Fontela MG, Notario L, Torres-Ruiz R, Rodríguez-Perales S, Lorente E, Lauzurica P. Functional Characterization of a Dual Enhancer/Promoter Regulatory Element Leading Human CD69 Expression. Front Genet 2020; 11:552949. [PMID: 33193627 PMCID: PMC7652794 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.552949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The CD69 gene encodes a C-type lectin glycoprotein with immune regulatory properties which is expressed on the cell surfaces of all activated hematopoietic cells. CD69 activation kinetics differ by developmental stage, cell linage and activating conditions, and these differences have been attributed to the participation of complex gene regulatory networks. An evolutionarily conserved regulatory element, CNS2, located 4kb upstream of the CD69 gene transcriptional start site, has been proposed as the major candidate governing the gene transcriptional activation program. To investigate the function of human CNS2, we studied the effect of its endogenous elimination via CRISPR-Cas9 on CD69 protein and mRNA expression levels in various immune cell lines. Even when the entire promoter region was maintained, CNS2-/- cells did not express CD69, thus indicating that CNS2 has promoter-like characteristics. However, like enhancers, inverted CNS2 sustained transcription, although at a diminished levels, thereby suggesting that it has dual promoter and enhancer functions. Episomal luciferase assays further suggested that both functions are combined within the CNS2 regulatory element. In addition, CNS2 directs its own bidirectional transcription into two different enhancer-derived RNAs molecules (eRNAs) which are transcribed from two independent transcriptional start sites in opposite directions. This eRNA transcription is dependent on only the enhancer sequence itself, because in the absence of the CD69 promoter, sufficient RNA polymerase II levels are maintained at CNS2 to drive eRNA expression. Here, we describe a regulatory element with overlapping promoter and enhancer functions, which is essential for CD69 gene transcriptional regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Redondo-Antón
- Immune Gene Regulation and Antigen Presentation Group, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - M G Fontela
- Immune Gene Regulation and Antigen Presentation Group, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura Notario
- Immune Gene Regulation and Antigen Presentation Group, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Raúl Torres-Ruiz
- Molecular Cytogenetics and Genome Editing Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Sandra Rodríguez-Perales
- Molecular Cytogenetics and Genome Editing Unit, Spanish National Cancer Research Centre (CNIO), Madrid, Spain
| | - Elena Lorente
- Immune Gene Regulation and Antigen Presentation Group, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Lauzurica
- Immune Gene Regulation and Antigen Presentation Group, National Center for Microbiology, Institute of Health Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Noncoding RNAs Set the Stage for RNA Polymerase II Transcription. Trends Genet 2020; 37:279-291. [PMID: 33046273 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2020.09.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Effective synthesis of mammalian messenger (m)RNAs depends on many factors that together direct RNA polymerase II (pol II) through the different stages of the transcription cycle and ensure efficient cotranscriptional processing of mRNAs. In addition to the many proteins involved in transcription initiation, elongation, and termination, several noncoding (nc)RNAs also function as global transcriptional regulators. Understanding the mode of action of these non-protein regulators has been an intense area of research in recent years. Here, we describe how these ncRNAs influence key regulatory steps of the transcription process, to affect large numbers of genes. Through direct association with pol II or by modulating the activity of transcription or RNA processing factors, these regulatory RNAs perform critical roles in gene expression.
Collapse
|
28
|
Bar-Sadeh B, Rudnizky S, Pnueli L, Bentley GR, Stöger R, Kaplan A, Melamed P. Unravelling the role of epigenetics in reproductive adaptations to early-life environment. Nat Rev Endocrinol 2020; 16:519-533. [PMID: 32620937 DOI: 10.1038/s41574-020-0370-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Reproductive function adjusts in response to environmental conditions in order to optimize success. In humans, this plasticity includes age of pubertal onset, hormone levels and age at menopause. These reproductive characteristics vary across populations with distinct lifestyles and following specific childhood events, and point to a role for the early-life environment in shaping adult reproductive trajectories. Epigenetic mechanisms respond to external signals, exert long-term effects on gene expression and have been shown in animal and cellular studies to regulate normal reproductive function, strongly implicating their role in these adaptations. Moreover, human cohort data have revealed differential DNA methylation signatures in proxy tissues that are associated with reproductive phenotypic variation, although the cause-effect relationships are difficult to discern, calling for additional complementary approaches to establish functionality. In this Review, we summarize how adult reproductive function can be shaped by childhood events. We discuss why the influence of the childhood environment on adult reproductive function is an important consideration in understanding how reproduction is regulated and necessitates consideration by clinicians treating women with diverse life histories. The resolution of the molecular mechanisms responsible for human reproductive plasticity could also lead to new approaches for intervention by targeting these epigenetic modifications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ben Bar-Sadeh
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sergei Rudnizky
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lilach Pnueli
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | | | - Reinhard Stöger
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK
| | - Ariel Kaplan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Guh CY, Hsieh YH, Chu HP. Functions and properties of nuclear lncRNAs-from systematically mapping the interactomes of lncRNAs. J Biomed Sci 2020; 27:44. [PMID: 32183863 PMCID: PMC7079490 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-020-00640-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 03/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein and DNA have been considered as the major components of chromatin. But beyond that, an increasing number of studies show that RNA occupies a large amount of chromatin and acts as a regulator of nuclear architecture. A significant fraction of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) prefers to stay in the nucleus and cooperate with protein complexes to modulate epigenetic regulation, phase separation, compartment formation, and nuclear organization. An RNA strand also can invade into double-stranded DNA to form RNA:DNA hybrids (R-loops) in living cells, contributing to the regulation of gene expression and genomic instability. In this review, we discuss how nuclear lncRNAs orchestrate cellular processes through their interactions with proteins and DNA and summarize the recent genome-wide techniques to study the functions of lncRNAs by revealing their interactomes in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chia-Yu Guh
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Sec. 4 Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Yu-Hung Hsieh
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Sec. 4 Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China
| | - Hsueh-Ping Chu
- Institute of Molecular and Cellular Biology, National Taiwan University, No. 1 Sec. 4 Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan, Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Call SG, Duren RP, Panigrahi AK, Nguyen L, Freire PR, Grimm SL, Coarfa C, Conneely OM. Targeting Oncogenic Super Enhancers in MYC-Dependent AML Using a Small Molecule Activator of NR4A Nuclear Receptors. Sci Rep 2020; 10:2851. [PMID: 32071334 PMCID: PMC7029036 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-59469-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic reprogramming in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) leads to the aberrant activation of super enhancer (SE) landscapes that drive the expression of key oncogenes, including the oncogenic MYC pathway. These SEs have been identified as promising therapeutic targets, and have given rise to a new class of drugs, including BET protein inhibitors, which center on targeting SE activity. NR4A nuclear receptors are tumor suppressors of AML that function in part through transcriptional repression of the MYC-driven oncogenic program via mechanisms that remain unclear. Here we show that NR4A1, and the NR4A inducing drug dihydroergotamine (DHE), regulate overlapping gene expression programs in AML and repress transcription of a subset of SE-associated leukemic oncogenes, including MYC. NR4As interact with an AML-selective SE cluster that governs MYC transcription and decommissions its activation status by dismissing essential SE-bound coactivators including BRD4, Mediator and p300, leading to loss of p300-dependent H3K27 acetylation and Pol 2-dependent eRNA transcription. DHE shows similar efficacy to the BET inhibitor JQ1 at repressing SE-dependent MYC expression and AML growth in mouse xenografts. Thus, DHE induction of NR4As provides an alternative strategy to BET inhibitors to target MYC dependencies via suppression of the AML-selective SE governing MYC expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- S Greg Call
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Molecular and Cellular Biology PhD Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Ryan P Duren
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Integrative Molecular and Biomedical Sciences PhD Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Anil K Panigrahi
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Loc Nguyen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Pablo R Freire
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Molecular and Cellular Biology PhD Program, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Sandra L Grimm
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Cristian Coarfa
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,Center for Precision Environmental Health, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Orla M Conneely
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Dan L Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Arnold PR, Wells AD, Li XC. Diversity and Emerging Roles of Enhancer RNA in Regulation of Gene Expression and Cell Fate. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 7:377. [PMID: 31993419 PMCID: PMC6971116 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2019.00377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are cis-regulatory elements in the genome that cooperate with promoters to control target gene transcription. Unlike promoters, enhancers are not necessarily adjacent to target genes and can exert their functions regardless of enhancer orientations, positions and spatial segregations from target genes. Thus, for a long time, the question as to how enhancers act in a temporal and spatial manner attracted considerable attention. The recent discovery that enhancers are also abundantly transcribed raises interesting questions about the exact roles of enhancer RNA (eRNA) in gene regulation. In this review, we highlight the process of enhancer transcription and the diverse features of eRNA. We review eRNA functions, which include enhancer-promoter looping, chromatin modifying, and transcription regulating. As eRNA are transcribed from active enhancers, they exhibit tissue and lineage specificity, and serve as markers of cell state and function. Finally, we discuss the unique relationship between eRNA and super enhancers in phase separation wherein eRNA may contribute significantly to cell fate decisions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Preston R Arnold
- Texas A&M Health Science Center, College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, United States.,Immunobiology and Transplant Sciences, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Andrew D Wells
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Xian C Li
- Immunobiology and Transplant Sciences, Department of Surgery, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Wu M, Shen J. From Super-Enhancer Non-coding RNA to Immune Checkpoint: Frameworks to Functions. Front Oncol 2019; 9:1307. [PMID: 31824865 PMCID: PMC6883490 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.01307] [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: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Super-enhancers (SEs) are clusters of enhancers that play a key role in regulating genes that determine cell identity. Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are non-coding RNAs transcribed from enhancers that function to promote the enhancer's functions via multiple mechanisms, such as recruiting transcription factors to specific enhancers, promoting enhancer-promoter looping, directing chromatin accessibility, interacting with RNA polymerase II and facilitating histone acetylation. Understanding how super-enhancer RNAs (seRNAs) contribute to specific gene regulation has thus become an area of active interest. Immune checkpoint deregulation is one of the key characteristics of tumors and autoimmune diseases, and is also closely related to cell identity. Recent studies revealed a potential pathway for seRNA's involvement in regulating the expression of immune checkpoints. The present study reviews the current knowledge of eRNA function, immune checkpoint blockage mechanism, and its effect. In addition, for the first time, we explore the direct and indirect roles of seRNAs in regulating immune checkpoint expression in cancer and autoimmune diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Manqing Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, School of Medicine, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Shen
- State Key Laboratory for Oncogenes and Related Genes, Key Laboratory of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Ministry of Health, School of Medicine, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Shanghai Institute of Digestive Disease, Ren Ji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Lewis MW, Li S, Franco HL. Transcriptional control by enhancers and enhancer RNAs. Transcription 2019; 10:171-186. [PMID: 31791217 PMCID: PMC6948965 DOI: 10.1080/21541264.2019.1695492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2019] [Revised: 11/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The regulation of gene expression is a fundamental cellular process and its misregulation is a key component of disease. Enhancers are one of the most salient regulatory elements in the genome and help orchestrate proper spatiotemporal gene expression during development, in homeostasis, and in response to signaling. Notably, molecular aberrations at enhancers, such as translocations and single nucleotide polymorphisms, are emerging as an important source of human variation and susceptibility to disease. Herein we discuss emerging paradigms addressing how genes are regulated by enhancers, common features of active enhancers, and how non-coding enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) can direct gene expression programs that underlie cellular phenotypes. We survey the current evidence, which suggests that eRNAs can bind to transcription factors, mediate enhancer-promoter interactions, influence RNA Pol II elongation, and act as decoys for repressive cofactors. Furthermore, we discuss current methodologies for the identification of eRNAs and novel approaches to elucidate their functions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael W. Lewis
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shen Li
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Hector L. Franco
- The Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Insights into active intragenic enhancers. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 515:423-428. [PMID: 31160092 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.05.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Enhancers can regulate gene transcription from afar. Many enhancers are located in genes. Although the regulatory roles of several individual intragenic enhancers have been elaborated, a genome-wide insight into intragenic enhancers remains to be elucidated. We found that active intragenic enhancers have a preference for being located in expressed genes. Unlike intergenic enhancers, active intragenic enhancers are enriched of H3K79me2 epigenetic signal, and depleted of variant histone H2A.Z. Moreover, eRNAs of active intragenic enhancers show lower degradation rates than those of the other enhancers. Our findings will have implications in understanding functions of intragenic enhancers.
Collapse
|
35
|
Kyzar EJ, Zhang H, Pandey SC. Adolescent Alcohol Exposure Epigenetically Suppresses Amygdala Arc Enhancer RNA Expression to Confer Adult Anxiety Susceptibility. Biol Psychiatry 2019; 85:904-914. [PMID: 30827484 PMCID: PMC6684056 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2018.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Revised: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure is an emerging risk factor for adult psychopathology, such as anxiety disorders. Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs transcribed from enhancer regions that regulate synaptic plasticity-associated gene expression, including Arc, but their role in AIE-induced susceptibility to anxiety in adulthood is unknown. METHODS Rats were exposed to AIE (ethanol exposure 2 days on/off) or intermittent normal saline during postnatal days 28 to 41 and allowed to grow to adulthood for analysis of behavior and biochemical measures. Some AIE rats and rats with intermittent normal saline exposure were exposed to an acute challenge with ethanol in adulthood. Cohorts of alcohol-naïve adult rats were cannulated in the central nucleus of amygdala and infused with either Kdm6b small interfering RNA or an antisense locked nucleic acid oligonucleotide specific to Arc eRNA before behavioral and biochemical analysis. RESULTS AIE adult rats displayed heightened anxiety and decreased Arc eRNA expression, which is regulated epigenetically through decreased Kdm6b expression. This triggered condensed chromatin at the synaptic activity response element site and promoter of the Arc gene, facilitating increased negative elongation factor binding to the Arc promoter and decreasing Arc expression in the amygdala. Knockdown of Kdm6b or Arc eRNA expression in the central nucleus of amygdala provoked anxiety in alcohol-naïve adult rats and recapitulated the molecular and epigenetic phenotypes of AIE. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that eRNA regulation via epigenetic reprogramming in the amygdala, particularly at the Arc synaptic activity response element site, contributes to adult anxiety after adolescent alcohol exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evan J Kyzar
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Huaibo Zhang
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Subhash C Pandey
- Center for Alcohol Research in Epigenetics, Department of Psychiatry, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois; Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois.
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Hamdan FH, Johnsen SA. Perturbing Enhancer Activity in Cancer Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2019; 11:cancers11050634. [PMID: 31067678 PMCID: PMC6563029 DOI: 10.3390/cancers11050634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 04/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/05/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Tight regulation of gene transcription is essential for normal development, tissue homeostasis, and disease-free survival. Enhancers are distal regulatory elements in the genome that provide specificity to gene expression programs and are frequently misregulated in cancer. Recent studies examined various enhancer-driven malignant dependencies and identified different approaches to specifically target these programs. In this review, we describe numerous features that make enhancers good transcriptional targets in cancer therapy and discuss different approaches to overcome enhancer perturbation. Interestingly, a number of approved therapeutic agents, such as cyclosporine, steroid hormones, and thiazolidinediones, actually function by affecting enhancer landscapes by directly targeting very specific transcription factor programs. More recently, a broader approach to targeting deregulated enhancer programs has been achieved via Bromodomain and Extraterminal (BET) inhibition or perturbation of transcription-related cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK). One challenge to enhancer-targeted therapy is proper patient stratification. We suggest that monitoring of enhancer RNA (eRNA) expression may serve as a unique biomarker of enhancer activity that can help to predict and monitor responsiveness to enhancer-targeted therapies. A more thorough investigation of cancer-specific enhancers and the underlying mechanisms of deregulation will pave the road for an effective utilization of enhancer modulators in a precision oncology approach to cancer treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Feda H Hamdan
- Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| | - Steven A Johnsen
- Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Molecular Epigenetics Lab, Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Nair SJ, Yang L, Meluzzi D, Oh S, Yang F, Friedman MJ, Wang S, Suter T, Alshareedah I, Gamliel A, Ma Q, Zhang J, Hu Y, Tan Y, Ohgi KA, Jayani RS, Banerjee PR, Aggarwal AK, Rosenfeld MG. Phase separation of ligand-activated enhancers licenses cooperative chromosomal enhancer assembly. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2019; 26:193-203. [PMID: 30833784 PMCID: PMC6709854 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-019-0190-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 212] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
A crucial feature of differentiated cells is the rapid activation of enhancer-driven transcriptional programs in response to signals. The potential contributions of physicochemical properties of enhancer assembly in signaling events remain poorly understood. Here we report that in human breast cancer cells, the acute 17β-estradiol-dependent activation of functional enhancers requires assembly of an enhancer RNA-dependent ribonucleoprotein (eRNP) complex exhibiting properties of phase-separated condensates. Unexpectedly, while acute ligand-dependent assembly of eRNPs resulted in enhancer activation sensitive to chemical disruption of phase separation, chronically activated enhancers proved resistant to such disruption, with progressive maturation of eRNPs to a more gel-like state. Acute, but not chronic, stimulation resulted in ligand-induced, condensin-dependent changes in spatial chromatin conformation based on homotypic enhancer association, resulting in cooperative enhancer-activation events. Thus, distinct physicochemical properties of eRNP condensates on enhancers serve as determinants of rapid ligand-dependent alterations in chromosomal architecture and cooperative enhancer activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sreejith J Nair
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Lu Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Dario Meluzzi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Soohwan Oh
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Feng Yang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Meyer J Friedman
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Susan Wang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tom Suter
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | | | - Amir Gamliel
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Qi Ma
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jie Zhang
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yiren Hu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Biological Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Yuliang Tan
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Kenneth A Ohgi
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ranveer Singh Jayani
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Priya R Banerjee
- Department of Physics, University at Buffalo-SUNY, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Aneel K Aggarwal
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Michael G Rosenfeld
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department and School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Li L, Zhuang Y, Zhao X, Li X. Long Non-coding RNA in Neuronal Development and Neurological Disorders. Front Genet 2019; 9:744. [PMID: 30728830 PMCID: PMC6351443 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2018] [Accepted: 12/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcripts which are usually more than 200 nt in length, and which do not have the protein-coding capacity. LncRNAs can be categorized based on their generation from distinct DNA elements, or derived from specific RNA processing pathways. During the past several decades, dramatic progress has been made in understanding the regulatory functions of lncRNAs in diverse biological processes, including RNA processing and editing, cell fate determination, dosage compensation, genomic imprinting and development etc. Dysregulation of lncRNAs is involved in multiple human diseases, especially neurological disorders. In this review, we summarize the recent progress made with regards to the function of lncRNAs and associated molecular mechanisms, focusing on neuronal development and neurological disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ling Li
- The Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yingliang Zhuang
- The Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xingsen Zhao
- The Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuekun Li
- The Children's Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Translational Medicine, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Mao R, Wu Y, Ming Y, Xu Y, Wang S, Chen X, Wang X, Fan Y. Enhancer RNAs: a missing regulatory layer in gene transcription. SCIENCE CHINA-LIFE SCIENCES 2018; 62:905-912. [PMID: 30593613 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-017-9370-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/01/2018] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Enhancers and super-enhancers exert indispensable roles in maintaining cell identity through spatiotemporally regulating gene transcription. Meanwhile, active enhancers and super-enhancers also produce transcripts termed enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) from their DNA elements. Although enhancers have been identified for more than 30 years, widespread transcription from enhancers are just discovered by genome-wide sequencing and considered as the key to understand longstanding questions in gene transcription. RNA-transcribed enhancers are marked by histone modifications such as H3K4m1/2 and H3K27Ac, and enriched with transcription regulatory factors such as LDTFs, P300, CBP, BRD4 and MED1. Those regulatory factors might constitute a Mega-Trans-like complex to potently activate enhancers. Compared to mRNAs, eRNAs are quite unstable and play roles at local. Functionally, it has been shown that eRNAs promote formation of enhancer-promoter loops. Several studies also demonstrated that eRNAs help the binding of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) or transition of paused RNAPII by de-association of the negative elongation factor (NELF) complex. Nevertheless, these proposed mechanisms are not universally accepted and still under controversy. Here, we comprehensively summarize the reported findings and make perspectives for future exploration. We also believe that super-enhancer derived RNAs (seRNAs) might be informative to understand the nature of super-enhancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Renfang Mao
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yuanyuan Wu
- Basic Medical Research Center, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yue Ming
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yuanpei Xu
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Shouyan Wang
- Basic Medical Research Center, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Xia Chen
- Basic Medical Research Center, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Xiaoying Wang
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China
| | - Yihui Fan
- Basic Medical Research Center, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, 226019, China.
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Liu W, Liu X, Wu C, Jiang L. Transcriptome analysis demonstrates that long noncoding RNA is involved in the hypoxic response in Larimichthys crocea. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2018; 44:1333-1347. [PMID: 29948448 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-018-0525-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
The large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea) has low hypoxia tolerance compared with other fish species, and the mRNA levels of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α in its brain do not change markedly under hypoxic conditions. In this study, we investigated noncoding transcription in the hypoxic response mechanism of L. crocea. We generated a catalog of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) from the brain of L. crocea individuals under hypoxic stress, investigated lncRNA expression patterns, and analyzed the HIF signaling pathway by RNA sequencing. Prolyl hydroxylase domain 2 (PHD2) expression significantly increased after 6 and 12 h of hypoxia, and a lncRNA (Linc_06633.1) was found in the upstream, antisense region of PHD2. Linc_06633.1 may be an important regulator that promotes PDH2 expression under hypoxia in L. crocea, and we constructed a regulatory profile of L. crocea under hypoxic conditions. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first study that has been conducted on hypoxia signaling pathway regulation by lncRNAs in L. crocea and elucidates the role played by lncRNAs in the regulation of the hypoxia stress response in teleost fish.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoxu Liu
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, People's Republic of China
| | - Changwen Wu
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, People's Republic of China
| | - Lihua Jiang
- National Engineering Research Center of Marine Facilities Aquaculture, Zhejiang Ocean University, Zhoushan, 316022, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Ding M, Liu Y, Li J, Yao L, Liao X, Xie H, Yang K, Zhou Q, Liu Y, Huang W, Cai Z. Oestrogen promotes tumorigenesis of bladder cancer by inducing the enhancer RNA-eGREB1. J Cell Mol Med 2018; 22:5919-5927. [PMID: 30252203 PMCID: PMC6237589 DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years, studies have shown that enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) can be transcribed from enhancers. Increasing evidence has revealed that eRNAs play critical roles in the development of various cancers. Oestrogen‐associated eRNAs are closely related to breast cancer. In view of the gender differences in bladder cancer (BCa), we suppose that oestrogen‐associated eRNAs are also involved in tumorigenesis of BCa. In our study, we first demonstrated that eGREB1 derived from the enhancer of an oestrogen‐responsive gene—GREB1 was up‐regulated in BCa tissues, and the expression level of eGREB1 is positively associated with the histological grade and TNM stage of BCa. Knockdown of eGREB1 by CRISPR‐Cas13a could inhibit cell proliferation, migration and invasion and induce apoptosis in BCa cells T24 and 5637. Besides, we exhibited the promoting effect of oestrogen on BCa cells. What's more, down‐regulation of eGREB1 could improve the malignant biological characteristics of BCa cells induced by oestrogen. In conclusion, our data indicated that eGREB1 plays oncogenic role and oestrogen may promote the occurrence and progression of BCa by inducing eGREB1 production. Our findings provide new insights into the prevention of BCa and develop a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of BCa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Ding
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuhan Liu
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianfa Li
- Guangdong and Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Male Reproductive Medicine and Genetics, Institute of Urology, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen, China
| | - Lin Yao
- Department of Urology, Peking University First Hospital, Institute of Urology, Peking University, National Urological Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xinhui Liao
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Haibiao Xie
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Kang Yang
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.,University of South China, Hengyang, China
| | - Qun Zhou
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiren Huang
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Zhiming Cai
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Kaikkonen MU, Adelman K. Emerging Roles of Non-Coding RNA Transcription. Trends Biochem Sci 2018; 43:654-667. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2018.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2017] [Revised: 05/07/2018] [Accepted: 06/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
|
43
|
Feldman A, Saleh A, Pnueli L, Qiao S, Shlomi T, Boehm U, Melamed P. Sensitivity of pituitary gonadotropes to hyperglycemia leads to epigenetic aberrations and reduced follicle‐stimulating hormone levels. FASEB J 2018; 33:1020-1032. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201800943r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alona Feldman
- Faculty of BiologyTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
| | - Ayah Saleh
- Faculty of BiologyTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
| | - Lilach Pnueli
- Faculty of BiologyTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
| | - Sen Qiao
- Experimental PharmacologyCenter for Molecular Signaling (PZMS)Saarland University School of Medicine Homburg Germany
| | - Tomer Shlomi
- Faculty of BiologyTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
- Department of Computer ScienceTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
| | - Ulrich Boehm
- Experimental PharmacologyCenter for Molecular Signaling (PZMS)Saarland University School of Medicine Homburg Germany
| | - Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of BiologyTechnion–Israel Institute of Technology Haifa Israel
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Ding M, Zhan H, Liao X, Li A, Zhong Y, Gao Q, Liu Y, Huang W, Cai Z. Enhancer RNA - P2RY2e induced by estrogen promotes malignant behaviors of bladder cancer. Int J Biol Sci 2018; 14:1268-1276. [PMID: 30123075 PMCID: PMC6097482 DOI: 10.7150/ijbs.27151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are transcriptional regulatory elements that increase target gene expression. It has reported that enhancers could universally transcribe into enhancer RNAs (eRNAs) with stimulation. Increasing evidence showed eRNAs participated in various disease processes including malignant tumors. P2RY2 enhancer RNA (P2RY2e) is an estrogen-responsive eRNA and involved in the development of breast cancer. However, the relationship between P2RY2e and bladder cancer (BCa) is unclear. In the study, we discovered that P2RY2e was upregulated in BCa tissues and estrogen-treated cells. Estrogen promoted the malignant abilities of BCa cells. P2RY2e knockdown by CRISPR-Cas13a inhibit the cell multiplication, invasion and migration. Additionally, the cell apoptosis was facilitated. What's more, downregulation of P2RY2e could weaken the cancer-promoting effects of estrogen on BCa. Our study revealed that P2RY2e played a carcinogenic role in BCa and estrogen might promote the initiation of BCa by inducing P2RY2e. We provide a potential therapeutic target for BCa and a new perspective for the tumorigenesis of bladder cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Ding
- Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Hengji Zhan
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xinhui Liao
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Aolin Li
- Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China
| | - Yucheng Zhong
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Qunjun Gao
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Weiren Huang
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Zhiming Cai
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Tsai PF, Dell'Orso S, Rodriguez J, Vivanco KO, Ko KD, Jiang K, Juan AH, Sarshad AA, Vian L, Tran M, Wangsa D, Wang AH, Perovanovic J, Anastasakis D, Ralston E, Ried T, Sun HW, Hafner M, Larson DR, Sartorelli V. A Muscle-Specific Enhancer RNA Mediates Cohesin Recruitment and Regulates Transcription In trans. Mol Cell 2018; 71:129-141.e8. [PMID: 29979962 PMCID: PMC6082425 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.06.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 106] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The enhancer regions of the myogenic master regulator MyoD give rise to at least two enhancer RNAs. Core enhancer eRNA (CEeRNA) regulates transcription of the adjacent MyoD gene, whereas DRReRNA affects expression of Myogenin in trans. We found that DRReRNA is recruited at the Myogenin locus, where it colocalizes with Myogenin nascent transcripts. DRReRNA associates with the cohesin complex, and this association correlates with its transactivating properties. Despite being expressed in undifferentiated cells, cohesin is not loaded on Myogenin until the cells start expressing DRReRNA, which is then required for cohesin chromatin recruitment and maintenance. Functionally, depletion of either cohesin or DRReRNA reduces chromatin accessibility, prevents Myogenin activation, and hinders muscle cell differentiation. Thus, DRReRNA ensures spatially appropriate cohesin loading in trans to regulate gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pei-Fang Tsai
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Stefania Dell'Orso
- High-Throughput Sequencing Unit, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Joseph Rodriguez
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Karinna O Vivanco
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kyung-Dae Ko
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Kan Jiang
- Biodata Mining and Discovery Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Aster H Juan
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Aishe A Sarshad
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Laura Vian
- Translational Immunology Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Michelle Tran
- Light Imaging Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Darawalee Wangsa
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - A Hongjun Wang
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Jelena Perovanovic
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Dimitrios Anastasakis
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Evelyn Ralston
- Light Imaging Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Thomas Ried
- Genetics Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Hong-Wei Sun
- Biodata Mining and Discovery Section, NIAMS, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Markus Hafner
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Daniel R Larson
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Vittorio Sartorelli
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS), NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Ding M, Liu Y, Liao X, Zhan H, Liu Y, Huang W. Enhancer RNAs (eRNAs): New Insights into Gene Transcription and Disease Treatment. J Cancer 2018; 9:2334-2340. [PMID: 30026829 PMCID: PMC6036709 DOI: 10.7150/jca.25829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2018] [Accepted: 03/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Enhancers are cis-acting elements that have the ability to increase the expression of target genes. Recent studies have shown that enhancers can act as transcriptional units for the production of enhancer RNAs (eRNAs), which are hallmarks of activity enhancers and are involved in the regulation of gene transcription. The in-depth study of eRNAs is of great significance for us to better understand enhancer function and transcriptional regulation in various diseases. Therefore, eRNAs may be a potential therapeutic target for diseases. Here, we review the current knowledge of the characteristics of eRNAs, the molecular mechanisms of eRNAs action, as well as diseases related to dysregulation of eRNAs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mengting Ding
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China.,Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230032, Anhui Province, China
| | - Yuhan Liu
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China.,Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Xinhui Liao
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Hengji Zhan
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Clinical Medicine College of Anhui Medical University, Shenzhen 518000, Guangdong, China.,Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Yuchen Liu
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| | - Weiren Huang
- Department of Urology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518000, China
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Gao WW, Xiao RQ, Zhang WJ, Hu YR, Peng BL, Li WJ, He YH, Shen HF, Ding JC, Huang QX, Ye TY, Li Y, Liu ZY, Ding R, Rosenfeld MG, Liu W. JMJD6 Licenses ERα-Dependent Enhancer and Coding Gene Activation by Modulating the Recruitment of the CARM1/MED12 Co-activator Complex. Mol Cell 2018; 70:340-357.e8. [PMID: 29628309 PMCID: PMC6258263 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2018.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2017] [Revised: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Whereas the actions of enhancers in gene transcriptional regulation are well established, roles of JmjC-domain-containing proteins in mediating enhancer activation remain poorly understood. Here, we report that recruitment of the JmjC-domain-containing protein 6 (JMJD6) to estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-bound active enhancers is required for RNA polymerase II recruitment and enhancer RNA production on enhancers, resulting in transcriptional pause release of cognate estrogen target genes. JMJD6 is found to interact with MED12 in the mediator complex to regulate its recruitment. Unexpectedly, JMJD6 is necessary for MED12 to interact with CARM1, which methylates MED12 at multiple arginine sites and regulates its chromatin binding. Consistent with its role in transcriptional activation, JMJD6 is required for estrogen/ERα-induced breast cancer cell growth and tumorigenesis. Our data have uncovered a critical regulator of estrogen/ERα-induced enhancer coding gene activation and breast cancer cell potency, providing a potential therapeutic target of ER-positive breast cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wei-Wei Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Rong-Quan Xiao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Wen-Juan Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yi-Ren Hu
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Bing-Ling Peng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Wen-Juan Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Yao-Hui He
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Hai-Feng Shen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Jian-Cheng Ding
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Qi-Xuan Huang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Tian-Yi Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Ying Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Zhi-Ying Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Rong Ding
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Michael G Rosenfeld
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Wen Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, Xiamen University, Xiang'an South Road, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Melamed P, Haj M, Yosefzon Y, Rudnizky S, Wijeweera A, Pnueli L, Kaplan A. Multifaceted Targeting of the Chromatin Mediates Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Effects on Gene Expression in the Gonadotrope. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2018; 9:58. [PMID: 29535683 PMCID: PMC5835078 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2018.00058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulates the expression of multiple genes in the pituitary gonadotropes, most notably to induce synthesis of the gonadotropins, luteinizing hormone (LH), and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), but also to ensure the appropriate functioning of these cells at the center of the mammalian reproductive endocrine axis. Aside from the activation of gene-specific transcription factors, GnRH stimulates through its membrane-bound receptor, alterations in the chromatin that facilitate transcription of its target genes. These include changes in the histone and DNA modifications, nucleosome positioning, and chromatin packaging at the regulatory regions of each gene. The requirements for each of these events vary according to the DNA sequence which determines the basal chromatin packaging at the regulatory regions. Despite considerable progress in this field in recent years, we are only beginning to understand some of the complexities involved in the role and regulation of this chromatin structure, including new modifications, extensive cross talk, histone variants, and the actions of distal enhancers and non-coding RNAs. This short review aims to integrate the latest findings on GnRH-induced alterations in the chromatin of its target genes, which indicate multiple and diverse actions. Understanding these processes is illuminating not only in the context of the activation of these hormones during the reproductive life span but may also reveal how aberrant epigenetic regulation of these genes leads to sub-fertility.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philippa Melamed
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
- *Correspondence: Philippa Melamed,
| | - Majd Haj
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Yahav Yosefzon
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Sergei Rudnizky
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Andrea Wijeweera
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lilach Pnueli
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Ariel Kaplan
- Faculty of Biology, Technion—Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
Blinka S, Rao S. Nanog Expression in Embryonic Stem Cells - An Ideal Model System to Dissect Enhancer Function. Bioessays 2017; 39:10.1002/bies.201700086. [PMID: 28977693 PMCID: PMC5878941 DOI: 10.1002/bies.201700086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2017] [Revised: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are derived from the preimplantation embryo and can differentiate into virtually any other cell type (termed pluripotency), which is governed by lineage specific transcriptions factors (TFs) binding to cis regulatory elements (CREs) to mediate changes in gene expression. The reliance on transcriptional regulation to maintain pluripotency makes ESCs a valuable model to study the role of distal CREs such as enhancers in modulating gene expression to affect cell fate decisions. This review will highlight recent advance on transcriptional enhancers, focusing on studies performed in ESCs. In addition, we argue that the Nanog locus, which encodes for an ESC-critical TF, is particularly informative because it contains multiple co-regulated genes and enhancers in close proximity to one another. The unique landscape at Nanog permits the study of ongoing questions including whether multiple enhancers function additively versus synergistically, determinants of gene specificity, and cell-to-cell variability in gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Steven Blinka
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Blood Research Institute, Blood Center of Wisconsin, 8733 West Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Sridhar Rao
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Blood Research Institute, Blood Center of Wisconsin, 8733 West Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Kimura AP, Yoneda R, Kurihara M, Mayama S, Matsubara S. A Long Noncoding RNA, lncRNA-Amhr2, Plays a Role in Amhr2 Gene Activation in Mouse Ovarian Granulosa Cells. Endocrinology 2017; 158:4105-4121. [PMID: 28938492 DOI: 10.1210/en.2017-00619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is critical to the regression of Müllerian ducts during mammalian male differentiation and targets ovarian granulosa cells and testicular Sertoli and Leydig cells of adults. Specific effects of AMH are exerted via its receptor, AMH type II receptor (Amhr2), but the mechanism by which the Amhr2 gene is specifically activated is not fully understood. To see whether a proximal promoter was sufficient for Amhr2 gene activation, we generated transgenic mice that bore the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene driven by a 500-bp mouse Amhr2 gene promoter. None of the established 10 lines, however, showed appropriate EGFP expression, indicating that the 500-bp promoter was insufficient for Amhr2 gene activation. As a regulatory element, we found a long noncoding RNA, lncRNA-Amhr2, transcribed from upstream of the Amhr2 gene in ovarian granulosa cells and testicular Sertoli cells. In primary granulosa cells, knockdown of lncRNA-Amhr2 resulted in a decrease of Amhr2 messnger RNA level, and a transient reporter gene assay showed that lncRNA-Amhr2 activation increased Amhr2 promoter activity. The activity was correlated with lncRNA-Amhr2 transcription in stably transfected OV3121 cells derived from mouse granulosa cells. Moreover, by the Tet-on system, the induction of lncRNA-Amhr2 transcription dramatically increased Amhr2 promoter activity in OV3121 cells. These results indicate that lncRNA-Amhr2 plays a role in Amhr2 gene activation in ovarian granulosa cells by enhancing promoter activity, providing insight into Amhr2 gene regulation underlying the AMH signaling in the female reproductive system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Atsushi P Kimura
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Ryoma Yoneda
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Misuzu Kurihara
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Shota Mayama
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| | - Shin Matsubara
- Graduate School of Life Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0810, Japan
| |
Collapse
|