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Ye C, Jiang N, Zheng J, Zhang S, Zhang J, Zhou J. Epigenetic therapy: Research progress of decitabine in the treatment of solid tumors. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2024; 1879:189066. [PMID: 38163523 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Decitabine's early successful therapeutic outcomes in hematologic malignancies have led to regulatory approvals from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for addressing myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These approvals have sparked keen interest in exploring the potential of decitabine for treating solid tumors. Continuous preclinical and clinical trials have proved that low doses of decitabine also bring benefits in treating solid tumors, and various proposed mechanisms attempt to explain the potential efficacy. It is important to note that the application of decitabine in solid tumors is still considered investigational. This article reviews the application mechanism and current status of decitabine in the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenlin Ye
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Zheng
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Shumeng Zhang
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingchen Zhang
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianya Zhou
- Department of Respiratory Disease, Thoracic Disease Center, The First Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
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Ahuja P, Yadav R, Goyal S, Yadav C, Ranga S, Kadian L. Targeting epigenetic deregulations for the management of esophageal carcinoma: recent advances and emerging approaches. Cell Biol Toxicol 2023; 39:2437-2465. [PMID: 37338772 DOI: 10.1007/s10565-023-09818-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
Ranking from seventh in incidence to sixth in mortality, esophageal carcinoma is considered a severe malignancy of food pipe. Later-stage diagnosis, drug resistance, and a high mortality rate contribute to its lethality. Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma are the two main histological subtypes of esophageal carcinoma, with squamous cell carcinoma alone accounting for more than eighty percent of its cases. While genetic anomalies are well known in esophageal cancer, accountability of epigenetic deregulations is also being explored for the recent two decades. DNA methylation, histone modifications, and functional non-coding RNAs are the crucial epigenetic players involved in the modulation of different malignancies, including esophageal carcinoma. Targeting these epigenetic aberrations will provide new insights into the development of biomarker tools for risk stratification, early diagnosis, and effective therapeutic intervention. This review discusses different epigenetic alterations, emphasizing the most significant developments in esophageal cancer epigenetics and their potential implication for the detection, prognosis, and treatment of esophageal carcinoma. Further, the preclinical and clinical status of various epigenetic drugs has also been reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parul Ahuja
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, (Haryana), Rohtak, 124001, India
| | - Ritu Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, (Haryana), Rohtak, 124001, India.
| | - Sandeep Goyal
- Department of Internal Medicine, Pt. B.D, Sharma University of Health Sciences, (Haryana), Rohtak, 124001, India
| | - Chetna Yadav
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, (Haryana), Rohtak, 124001, India
| | - Shalu Ranga
- Department of Genetics, Maharshi Dayanand University, (Haryana), Rohtak, 124001, India
| | - Lokesh Kadian
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, USA
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3
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Shim K, Jo H, Jeoung D. Cancer/Testis Antigens as Targets for RNA-Based Anticancer Therapy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14679. [PMID: 37834126 PMCID: PMC10572814 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914679] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 09/25/2023] [Accepted: 09/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In the last few decades, RNA-based drugs have emerged as a promising candidate in the treatment of various diseases. The introduction of messenger RNA (mRNA) as a vaccine or therapeutic agent enables the production of almost any functional protein/peptide. The key to applying RNA therapy in clinical trials is developing safe and effective delivery systems. Exosomes and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) have been exploited as promising vehicles for drug delivery. This review discusses the feasibility of exosomes and LNPs as vehicles for mRNA delivery. Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) show restricted expression in normal tissues and widespread expression in cancer tissues. Many of these CTAs show expression in the sera of patients with cancers. These characteristics of CTAs make them excellent targets for cancer immunotherapy. This review summarizes the roles of CTAs in various life processes and current studies on mRNAs encoding CTAs. Clinical studies present the beneficial effects of mRNAs encoding CTAs in patients with cancers. This review highlight clinical studies employing mRNA-LNPs encoding CTAs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Dooil Jeoung
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural Sciences, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Republic of Korea; (K.S.); (H.J.)
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Sukowati C, Cabral LKD, Anfuso B, Dituri F, Negro R, Giannelli G, Tiribelli C. PD-L1 Downregulation and DNA Methylation Inhibition for Molecular Therapy against Cancer Stem Cells in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:13357. [PMID: 37686163 PMCID: PMC10487900 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a heterogeneous cancer characterized by various cellular subtypes. This study investigates the potential of a combination strategy using immunotherapy and epigenetic reprogramming against HCC. We used a transgenic HCC mouse C57BL/6J-TG(ALB1HBV)44BRI/J to assess the dynamics of the programmed death receptor and its ligand (PD-1/PD-L1) and DNA methylation markers. In parallel, PD-L1 RNA silencing was performed in various human HCC cell lines, while combination therapy was performed in a co-culture system using long-term exposure of 5-Azacytidine (5-AZA) and an anti-PD-L1. Data from the mouse model showed that the expressions of Pdcd1, Pdcd1l1, and DNA methyltransferase 1 (Dnmt1) were significantly higher in HCC as compared to the wild-type mice (p < 0.01), supported by the high presence of PD-L1 methylated DNA. In HCC cell lines, PD-L1 silencing was accompanied by DNMT1 reduction, mostly noted in aggressive HCC cell lines, followed by the dysregulation of the cancer stem cell marker EpCAM. In combination therapy, the growth of HCC cells and lymphocytes was limited by the PD-L1 antibody, further reduced in the presence of 5-AZA by up to 20% (p < 0.001). The data demonstrated that combination therapy might be an option as a potential treatment for heterogeneous HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caecilia Sukowati
- Liver Cancer Unit, Italian Liver Foundation NPO, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34049 Trieste, Italy (C.T.)
- Eijkman Research Center for Molecular Biology, National Research and Innovation Agency of Indonesia (BRIN), B.J. Habibie Building, Jl. M.H. Thamrin No. 8, Jakarta Pusat 10340, Indonesia
| | - Loraine Kay D. Cabral
- Liver Cancer Unit, Italian Liver Foundation NPO, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34049 Trieste, Italy (C.T.)
- Doctoral School in Molecular Biomedicine, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa, 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Beatrice Anfuso
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazzale Europa, 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesco Dituri
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Saverio de Bellis Research Hospital, Via Turi 27, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberto Negro
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Saverio de Bellis Research Hospital, Via Turi 27, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Giannelli
- National Institute of Gastroenterology, IRCCS Saverio de Bellis Research Hospital, Via Turi 27, Castellana Grotte, 70013 Bari, Italy
| | - Claudio Tiribelli
- Liver Cancer Unit, Italian Liver Foundation NPO, AREA Science Park, Basovizza, 34049 Trieste, Italy (C.T.)
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He XF, Hu X, Wen GJ, Wang Z, Lin WJ. O-GlcNAcylation in cancer development and immunotherapy. Cancer Lett 2023; 566:216258. [PMID: 37279852 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2023.216258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
O-linked β-D-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), as a posttranslational modification (PTM), is a reversible reaction that attaches β-N-GlcNAc to Ser/Thr residues on specific proteins by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). O-GlcNAcase (OGA) removes the O-GlcNAc from O-GlcNAcylated proteins. O-GlcNAcylation regulates numerous cellular processes, including signal transduction, the cell cycle, metabolism, and energy homeostasis. Dysregulation of O-GlcNAcylation contributes to the development of various diseases, including cancers. Accumulating evidence has revealed that higher expression levels of OGT and hyper-O-GlcNAcylation are detected in many cancer types and governs glucose metabolism, proliferation, metastasis, invasion, angiogenesis, migration and drug resistance. In this review, we describe the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of OGT- or O-GlcNAcylation-mediated tumorigenesis. Moreover, we discuss the potential role of O-GlcNAcylation in tumor immunotherapy. Furthermore, we highlight that compounds can target O-GlcNAcylation by regulating OGT to suppress oncogenesis. Taken together, targeting protein O-GlcNAcylation might be a promising strategy for the treatment of human malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Fen He
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wenzhou Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiaoli Hu
- Department of Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Gao-Jing Wen
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wenzhou Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhiwei Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Laboratory Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Anhui, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Wen-Jing Lin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Wenzhou Third Clinical Institute Affiliated to Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang, China.
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6
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Ai H, Yang H, Li L, Ma J, Liu K, Li Z. Cancer/testis antigens: promising immunotherapy targets for digestive tract cancers. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1190883. [PMID: 37398650 PMCID: PMC10311965 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1190883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Digestive tract cancers, including esophageal, gastric, and colorectal cancers, are the major cause of death among cancer patients worldwide due to the heterogeneity of cancer cells, which limits the effectiveness of traditional treatment methods. Immunotherapy represents a promising treatment strategy for improving the prognosis of patients with digestive tract cancers. However, the clinical application of this approach is limited by the absence of optimal targets. Cancer/testis antigens are characterized by low or absent expression in normal tissues, but high expression in tumor tissues, making them an attractive target for antitumor immunotherapy. Recent preclinical trials have shown promising results for cancer/testis antigen-targeted immunotherapy in digestive cancer. However, practical problems and difficulties in clinical application remain. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of cancer/testis antigens in digestive tract cancers, covering their expression, function, and potential as an immunotherapy target. Additionally, the current state of cancer/testis antigens in digestive tract cancer immunotherapy is discussed, and we predict that these antigens hold great promise as an avenue for breakthroughs in the treatment of digestive tract cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihan Ai
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Hang Yang
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Liang Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Jie Ma
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Kangdong Liu
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, China-United States (US) Hormel (Henan) Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
- Research Center of Basic Medicine, Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
| | - Zhi Li
- Department of General Surgery, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou, Henan, China
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Xie Z, Zhou Z, Yang S, Zhang S, Shao B. Epigenetic regulation and therapeutic targets in the tumor microenvironment. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2023; 4:17. [PMID: 37273004 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-023-00126-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The tumor microenvironment (TME) is crucial to neoplastic processes, fostering proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis. Epigenetic regulations, primarily including DNA and RNA methylation, histone modification and non-coding RNA, have been generally recognized as an essential feature of tumor malignancy, exceedingly contributing to the dysregulation of the core gene expression in neoplastic cells, bringing about the evasion of immunosurveillance by influencing the immune cells in TME. Recently, compelling evidence have highlighted that clinical therapeutic approaches based on epigenetic machinery modulate carcinogenesis through targeting TME components, including normalizing cells' phenotype, suppressing cells' neovascularization and repressing the immunosuppressive components in TME. Therefore, TME components have been nominated as a promising target for epigenetic drugs in clinical cancer management. This review focuses on the mechanisms of epigenetic modifications occurring to the pivotal TME components including the stroma, immune and myeloid cells in various tumors reported in the last five years, concludes the tight correlation between TME reprogramming and tumor progression and immunosuppression, summarizes the current advances in cancer clinical treatments and potential therapeutic targets with reference to epigenetic drugs. Finally, we summarize some of the restrictions in the field of cancer research at the moment, further discuss several interesting epigenetic gene targets with potential strategies to boost antitumor immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuojun Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Sichuan, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Zirui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Sichuan, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuxian Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Sichuan, 610041, Chengdu, China
| | - Shiwen Zhang
- Department of Oral Implantology, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Sichuan, 610041, Chengdu, China.
| | - Bin Shao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases and National Clinical Research Center for Oral Diseases, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, No. 14, Section 3, South Renmin Road, Sichuan, 610041, Chengdu, China.
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Liu C, Liu J, Shao J, Huang C, Dai X, Shen Y, Hou W, Shen Y, Yu Y. MAGED4B Promotes Glioma Progression via Inactivation of the TNF-α-induced Apoptotic Pathway by Down-regulating TRIM27 Expression. Neurosci Bull 2023; 39:273-291. [PMID: 35986882 PMCID: PMC9905453 DOI: 10.1007/s12264-022-00926-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 06/09/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022] Open
Abstract
MAGED4B belongs to the melanoma-associated antigen family; originally found in melanoma, it is expressed in various types of cancer, and is especially enriched in glioblastoma. However, the functional role and molecular mechanisms of MAGED4B in glioma are still unclear. In this study, we found that the MAGED4B level was higher in glioma tissue than that in non-cancer tissue, and the level was positively correlated with glioma grade, tumor diameter, Ki-67 level, and patient age. The patients with higher levels had a worse prognosis than those with lower MAGED4B levels. In glioma cells, MAGED4B overexpression promoted proliferation, invasion, and migration, as well as decreasing apoptosis and the chemosensitivity to cisplatin and temozolomide. On the contrary, MAGED4B knockdown in glioma cells inhibited proliferation, invasion, and migration, as well as increasing apoptosis and the chemosensitivity to cisplatin and temozolomide. MAGED4B knockdown also inhibited the growth of gliomas implanted into the rat brain. The interaction between MAGED4B and tripartite motif-containing 27 (TRIM27) in glioma cells was detected by co-immunoprecipitation assay, which showed that MAGED4B was co-localized with TRIM27. In addition, MAGED4B overexpression down-regulated the TRIM27 protein level, and this was blocked by carbobenzoxyl-L-leucyl-L-leucyl-L-leucine (MG132), an inhibitor of the proteasome. On the contrary, MAGED4B knockdown up-regulated the TRIM27 level. Furthermore, MAGED4B overexpression increased TRIM27 ubiquitination in the presence of MG132. Accordingly, MAGED4B down-regulated the protein levels of genes downstream of ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) involved in the tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced apoptotic pathway. These findings indicate that MAGED4B promotes glioma growth via a TRIM27/USP7/receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 1 (RIP1)-dependent TNF-α-induced apoptotic pathway, which suggests that MAGED4B is a potential target for glioma diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Liu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
- Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Jun Liu
- Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Juntang Shao
- Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Cheng Huang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Xingliang Dai
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Yujun Shen
- Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Weishu Hou
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China
| | - Yuxian Shen
- Biopharmaceutical Research Institute, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China.
| | - Yongqiang Yu
- Department of Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China.
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Liu WJ, Zhao Y, Chen X, Miao ML, Zhang RQ. Epigenetic modifications in esophageal cancer: An evolving biomarker. Front Genet 2023; 13:1087479. [PMID: 36704345 PMCID: PMC9871503 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.1087479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is a widespread cancer of the digestive system that has two main subtypes: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA). In the diverse range of cancer therapy schemes, the side effects of conventional treatments remain an urgent challenge to be addressed. Therefore, the pursuit of novel drugs with multiple targets, good efficacy, low side effects, and low cost has become a hot research topic in anticancer therapy. Based on this, epigenetics offers an attractive target for the treatment of esophageal cancer, where major mechanisms such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNA regulation, chromatin remodelling and nucleosome localization offer new opportunities for the prevention and treatment of esophageal cancer. Recently, research on epigenetics has remained at a high level of enthusiasm, focusing mainly on translating the basic research into the clinical setting and transforming epigenetic alterations into targets for cancer screening and detection in the clinic. With the increasing emergence of tumour epigenetic markers and antitumor epigenetic drugs, there are also more possibilities for anti-esophageal cancer treatment. This paper focuses on esophageal cancer and epigenetic modifications, with the aim of unravelling the close link between them to facilitate precise and personalized treatment of esophageal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Jian Liu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yuan Zhao
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xu Chen
- School of Basic Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Man-Li Miao
- School of Basic Medicine, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Ren-Quan Zhang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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Bi SQ, Zhang QM, Zeng X, Liu C, Nong WX, Xie H, Li F, Lin LN, Luo B, Ge YY, Xie XX. Combined treatment with epigenetic agents enhances anti-tumor activity of MAGE-D4 peptide-specific T cells by upregulating the MAGE-D4 expression in glioma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:873639. [PMID: 35992806 PMCID: PMC9382192 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.873639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
ObjectiveThe study evaluated the efficacy of combined epigenetic drugs of decitabine (DAC), valproic acid (VPA), and trichostatin A (TSA) on immunotherapy against glioma.MethodsThe expression and prognosis of MAGE-D4 in glioma were analyzed online, and the expression of MAGE-D4 and HLA-A2 in glioma induced by epigenetic drugs was detected by qRT-PCR, Western blot, and flow cytometry. The methylation status of the MAGE-D4 promoter was determined by pyrosequencing. An HLA-A2 restricted MAGE-D4 peptide was predicted and synthesized. An affinity assay and a peptide/HLA complex stability assay were performed to determine the affinity between peptide and HLA. CCK8 assay, CFSE assay, ELISA and ELISPOT were performed to detect the function of MAGE-D4 peptide-specific T cells. Flow cytometry, ELISA, and cytotoxicity assays were used to detect the cytotoxicity effect of MAGE-D4 peptide-specific T cells combined with epigenetic drugs against glioma in vitro. Finally, the glioma-loaded mouse model was applied to test the inhibitory effect of specific T cells on gliomas in vivo.ResultsMAGE-D4 was highly expressed in glioma and correlated with poor prognosis. Glioma cells could be induced to express MAGE-D4 and HLA-A2 by epigenetic drugs. MAGE-D4-associated peptides were found that induce DCs to stimulate the highest T-cell activities of proliferation, IL-2 excretion, and IFN-γ secretion. MAGE-D4 peptide-specific T cells treated with TSA only or combining TSA and DAC had the most cytotoxicity effect, and its cytotoxicity effect on glioma cells decreased significantly after HLA blocking. In vivo experiments also confirmed that MAGE-D4-specific T cells inhibit TSA-treated glioma.ConclusionMAGE-D4 is highly expressed in glioma and correlated with the prognosis of glioma. The novel MAGE-D4 peptide identified was capable of inducing MAGE-D4-specific T cells that can effectively inhibit glioma growth, and the epigenetic drug application can enhance this inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shui-Qing Bi
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Department of Neurosurgery, The People’s Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Guangxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Qing-Mei Zhang
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Key laboratory of Preclinical Medicine, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region, Nanning, China
| | - Xia Zeng
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Chang Liu
- Department of Neurosurgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Wei-Xia Nong
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Huan Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Feng Li
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Li-Na Lin
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Bin Luo
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Key laboratory of Preclinical Medicine, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region, Nanning, China
| | - Ying-Ying Ge
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- *Correspondence: Ying-Ying Ge, ; Xiao-Xun Xie,
| | - Xiao-Xun Xie
- Department of Histology and Embryology, School of Preclinical Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
- Key laboratory of Preclinical Medicine, Education Department of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous region, Nanning, China
- *Correspondence: Ying-Ying Ge, ; Xiao-Xun Xie,
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Bai R, Yuan C. Kita-Kyushu Lung Cancer Antigen-1 (KK-LC-1): A Promising Cancer Testis Antigen. Aging Dis 2022; 13:1267-1277. [PMID: 35855340 PMCID: PMC9286905 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.1207] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer has always been a huge problem in the field of human health, and its early diagnosis and treatment are the key to solving this problem. Cancer testis antigens (CTAs) are a family of multifunctional proteins that are specifically expressed in male spermatozoa and tumor cells but not in healthy somatic cells. Studies have found that CTAs are involved in the occurrence and development of tumors, and some CTAs trigger immunogenicity, which suggests a possibility of tumor immunotherapy. The differential expression and function of CTAs in normal tissues and tumor cells can promote the screening of tumor markers and the development of new immunotherapies. This article introduces the expression of Kita-Kyushu lung cancer antigen-1 (KK-LC-1), a new member of the CTA family, in different types of tumors and its role in immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Bai
- 1Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Cheng Yuan
- 2Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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12
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Smiline Girija AS. Protean role of epigenetic mechanisms and their impact in regulating the Tregs in TME. Cancer Gene Ther 2022; 29:661-664. [PMID: 34321625 DOI: 10.1038/s41417-021-00371-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2021] [Revised: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Constitutive expression of Foxp3+ Tregs in the tumor microenvironment (TME) specifically renders immune suppression in the tumor tissues. Being highly stable and self-tolerant, Tregs may be influenced by various epigenetic-associated mechanisms while exhibiting their functions. DNA methylation, histone acetylation, epigenetic silencing, alteration in chromatin networks, etc., are some of the main factors underlying the epigenetic-based Treg cell functional modulations in the TME. The possible reasons on why these epigenetic modulations should be specifically targeted are thus discussed, so that enhanced anti-tumor immunity in TME can be achieved.
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Affiliation(s)
- A S Smiline Girija
- Department of Microbiology, Saveetha Dental College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Chennai, 600 077, India.
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13
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Cai X, Zhan H, Ye Y, Yang J, Zhang M, Li J, Zhuang Y. Current Progress and Future Perspectives of Immune Checkpoint in Cancer and Infectious Diseases. Front Genet 2021; 12:785153. [PMID: 34917131 PMCID: PMC8670224 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.785153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The inhibitory regulators, known as immune checkpoints, prevent overreaction of the immune system, avoid normal tissue damage, and maintain immune homeostasis during the antimicrobial or antiviral immune response. Unfortunately, cancer cells can mimic the ligands of immune checkpoints to evade immune surveillance. Application of immune checkpoint blockade can help dampen the ligands expressed on cancer cells, reverse the exhaustion status of effector T cells, and reinvigorate the antitumor function. Here, we briefly introduce the structure, expression, signaling pathway, and targeted drugs of several inhibitory immune checkpoints (PD-1/PD-L1, CTLA-4, TIM-3, LAG-3, VISTA, and IDO1). And we summarize the application of immune checkpoint inhibitors in tumors, such as single agent and combination therapy and adverse reactions. At the same time, we further discussed the correlation between immune checkpoints and microorganisms and the role of immune checkpoints in microbial-infection diseases. This review focused on the current knowledge about the role of the immune checkpoints will help in applying immune checkpoints for clinical therapy of cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Cai
- Heilongjiang Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Harbin, China
| | - Huajie Zhan
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Yuguang Ye
- Department of Gynecology, Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital, Harbin, China
| | - Jinjin Yang
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
| | - Minghui Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Chifeng City Hospital, Chifeng, China
- *Correspondence: Yuan Zhuang, ; Jing Li, ; Minghui Zhang,
| | - Jing Li
- Department of Pathology and Electron Microscopy Center, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Yuan Zhuang, ; Jing Li, ; Minghui Zhang,
| | - Yuan Zhuang
- Department of Pathology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China
- *Correspondence: Yuan Zhuang, ; Jing Li, ; Minghui Zhang,
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Pang J, Pan H, Yang C, Meng P, Xie W, Li J, Li Y, Xiao SY. Prognostic Value of Immune-Related Multi-IncRNA Signatures Associated With Tumor Microenvironment in Esophageal Cancer. Front Genet 2021; 12:722601. [PMID: 34659345 PMCID: PMC8516150 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.722601] [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: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Esophageal cancer is the eighth most common cancer and the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Hence, for a better understanding of tumor microenvironment and to seek for novel molecular targets for esophageal cancer, we performed related studies on two histopathological subtypes of esophageal cancer: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC). Bioinformatic analyses were conducted based on the RNA-seq, genomic mutation, and clinical data from TCGA and GEO cohorts. We clustered patients into high-immunity and low-immunity groups through the ssGSEA results. The ESTIMATE algorithm was used to evaluate the tumor microenvironment. Patients with high immunity in both ESCC and EAC had lower tumor purity and poor survival. Subsequently, CIBERSORT was performed to learn about the detailed difference of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) between high- and low-immunity patients. Specific increase of M2 macrophages and decrease of activated dendric cells can be observed in ESCC and EAC, respectively. The most enriched functions and pathways of high-immunity patients were immunoglobulin complex, MHC class II protein complex, and allograft rejection according to the GO terms and KEGG. Two prognostic immune-related multi-lncRNA risk models were constructed and validated by ROC curve and PCA in ESCC and EAC. High-risk patients in both subtypes had poor survival, advanced clinical characteristics, and higher drug susceptibility except cisplatin and sorafenib. In addition, the tumor mutation burden (TMB) was positively correlated with the risk level in the ESCC and EAC and showed distinct differences between the two subtypes. In summary, we comprehensively analyzed the tumor microenvironment for two subtypes of esophageal cancer, identified two multi-lncRNA signatures predictive for the prognosis, and explored the possibility of the signatures to forecast drug susceptibility as well as TMB for the first time. The findings may serve as a conceptual basis for innovative strategy of individualized immunotherapy for esophageal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Pang
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - He Pan
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Chunxiu Yang
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Pei Meng
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Wen Xie
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jiahao Li
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yueying Li
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shu-Yuan Xiao
- Department of Pathology, Wuhan University Center for Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.,Department of Pathology, University of Chicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, United States
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Yang P, Meng M, Zhou Q. Oncogenic cancer/testis antigens are a hallmarker of cancer and a sensible target for cancer immunotherapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2021; 1876:188558. [PMID: 33933558 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2021.188558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence shows that numerous cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are uniquely overexpressed in various types of cancer and most CTAs are oncogenic. Overexpression of oncogenic CTAs promotes carcinogenesis, cancer metastasis, and drug resistance. Oncogenic CTAs are generally associated with poor prognosis in cancer patients and are an important hallmark of cancer, making them a crucial target for cancer immunotherapy. CTAs-targeted antibodies, vaccines, and chimeric antigen receptor-modified T cells (CAR-T) have recently been used in cancer treatment and achieved promising outcomes in the preclinical and early clinical trials. However, the efficacy of current CTA-targeted therapeutics is either moderate or low in cancer therapy. CTA-targeted cancer immunotherapy is facing enormous challenges. Several critical scientific problems need to be resolved: (1) the antigen presentation function of MHC-I protein is usually deficient in cancer patients, so that very low amounts of intracellular CTA epitopes are presented to tumor cell membrane surface, leading to weak immune response and subsequent immunity to CTAs; (2) various immunosuppressive cells are rich in tumor tissues leading to diminished tumor immunity; (3) the tumor tissue microenvironment markedly reduces the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. In the current review paper, the authors propose new strategies and approaches to overcome the barriers of CTAs-targeted immunotherapy and to develop novel potent immune therapeutics against cancer. Finally, we highlight that the oncogenic CTAs have high tumor specificity and immunogenicity, and are sensible targets for cancer immunotherapy. We predict that CTAs-targeted immunotherapy will bring about breakthroughs in cancer therapy in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Yang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Medicine, Nantong University, Nantong, Jiangsu 226000, PR China
| | - Mei Meng
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China; 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China
| | - Quansheng Zhou
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China; 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
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16
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Fan C, Qu H, Wang X, Sobhani N, Wang L, Liu S, Xiong W, Zeng Z, Li Y. Cancer/testis antigens: from serology to mRNA cancer vaccine. Semin Cancer Biol 2021; 76:218-231. [PMID: 33910064 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Cancer/testis antigens (CTAs) are a group of tumor antigens expressed in numerous cancer tissues, as well as in the testis and placental tissues. There are over 200 CTAs supported by serology and expression data. The expression patterns of CTAs reflect the similarities between the processes of gametogenesis and tumorigenesis. It is notable that CTAs are highly expressed in three types of cancers (lung cancer, bladder cancer, and skin cancer), all of which have a metal etiology. Here, we review the expression, regulation, and function of CTAs and their translational prospects as cancer biomarkers and treatment targets. Many CTAs are highly immunogenic, tissue-specific, and frequently expressed in cancer tissues but not under physiological conditions, rendering them promising candidates for cancer detection. Some CTAs are associated with clinical outcomes, so they may serve as prognostic biomarkers. A small number of CTAs are membrane-bound, making them ideal targets for chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells. Mounting evidence suggests that CTAs induce humoral or cellular immune responses, providing cancer immunotherapeutic opportunities for T-cell receptors (TCRs), CAR T cell, antibody-based therapy and peptide- or mRNA-based vaccines. Indeed, CTAs are the dominating non-mutated targets in mRNA cancer vaccine development. Clinical trials on CTA TCR and vaccines have shown effectiveness, safety, and tolerance, but these successes are limited to a small number of patients. In-depth studies on CTA expression and function are needed to improve CTA-based immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmei Fan
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Hongke Qu
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Xu Wang
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Navid Sobhani
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Leiming Wang
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Shuanglin Liu
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States
| | - Wei Xiong
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zhaoyang Zeng
- The Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Cancer Research Institute and School of Basic Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Yong Li
- Section of Epidemiology and Population Science, Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, United States.
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Zhao Y, Chen Y, Jin M, Wang J. The crosstalk between m 6A RNA methylation and other epigenetic regulators: a novel perspective in epigenetic remodeling. Am J Cancer Res 2021; 11:4549-4566. [PMID: 33754077 PMCID: PMC7977459 DOI: 10.7150/thno.54967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation involves a range of sophisticated processes which contribute to heritable alterations in gene expression without altering DNA sequence. Regulatory events predominantly include DNA methylation, chromatin remodeling, histone modifications, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), and RNA modification. As the most prevalent RNA modification in eukaryotic cells, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation actively participates in the modulation of RNA metabolism. Notably, accumulating evidence has revealed complicated interrelations occurring between m6A and other well-known epigenetic modifications. Their crosstalk conspicuously triggers epigenetic remodeling, further yielding profound impacts on a variety of physiological and pathological processes, especially tumorigenesis. Herein, we provide an up-to-date review of this emerging hot area of biological research, summarizing the interplay between m6A RNA methylation and other epigenetic regulators, and highlighting their underlying functions in epigenetic reprogramming.
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