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Yu HJ, Byun YH, Park CK. Techniques for assessing telomere length: A methodological review. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1489-1498. [PMID: 38633384 PMCID: PMC11021795 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.04.011] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are located at the ends of chromosomes and have specific sequences with a distinctive structure that safeguards genes. They possess capping structures that protect chromosome ends from fusion events and ensure chromosome stability. Telomeres shorten in length during each cycle of cell division. When this length reaches a certain threshold, it can lead to genomic instability, thus being implicated in various diseases, including cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. The possibility of telomeres serving as a biomarker for aging and age-related disease is being explored, and their significance is still under study. This is because post-mitotic cells, which are mature cells that do not undergo mitosis, do not experience telomere shortening due to age. Instead, other causes, for example, exposure to oxidative stress, can directly damage the telomeres, causing genomic instability. Nonetheless, a general agreement has been established that measuring telomere length offers valuable insights and forms a crucial foundation for analyzing gene expression and epigenetic data. Numerous approaches have been developed to accurately measure telomere lengths. In this review, we summarize various methods and their advantages and limitations for assessing telomere length.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeon Jong Yu
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yoon Hwan Byun
- Department of Neurosurgery, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Chul-Kee Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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2
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Chien JF, Liu H, Wang BA, Luo C, Bartlett A, Castanon R, Johnson ND, Nery JR, Osteen J, Li J, Altshul J, Kenworthy M, Valadon C, Liem M, Claffey N, O'Connor C, Seeker LA, Ecker JR, Behrens MM, Mukamel EA. Cell-type-specific effects of age and sex on human cortical neurons. Neuron 2024; 112:2524-2539.e5. [PMID: 38838671 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2024.05.013] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Altered transcriptional and epigenetic regulation of brain cell types may contribute to cognitive changes with advanced age. Using single-nucleus multi-omic DNA methylation and transcriptome sequencing (snmCT-seq) in frontal cortex from young adult and aged donors, we found widespread age- and sex-related variation in specific neuron types. The proportion of inhibitory SST- and VIP-expressing neurons was reduced in aged donors. Excitatory neurons had more profound age-related changes in their gene expression and DNA methylation than inhibitory cells. Hundreds of genes involved in synaptic activity, including EGR1, were less expressed in aged adults. Genes located in subtelomeric regions increased their expression with age and correlated with reduced telomere length. We further mapped cell-type-specific sex differences in gene expression and X-inactivation escape genes. Multi-omic single-nucleus epigenomes and transcriptomes provide new insight into the effects of age and sex on human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jo-Fan Chien
- Department of Physics, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Hanqing Liu
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Bang-An Wang
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Chongyuan Luo
- Department of Human Genetics, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Anna Bartlett
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Rosa Castanon
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Nicholas D Johnson
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Joseph R Nery
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Julia Osteen
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Junhao Li
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Jordan Altshul
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Mia Kenworthy
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Cynthia Valadon
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Michelle Liem
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Naomi Claffey
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Carolyn O'Connor
- Flow Cytometry Core Facility, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Luise A Seeker
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Joseph R Ecker
- Genomic Analysis Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - M Margarita Behrens
- Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; Computational Neurobiology Laboratory, Salk Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| | - Eran A Mukamel
- Department of Cognitive Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Amiard S, Feit L, Vanrobays E, Simon L, Le Goff S, Loizeau L, Wolff L, Butter F, Bourbousse C, Barneche F, Tatout C, Probst AV. The TELOMERE REPEAT BINDING proteins TRB4 and TRB5 function as transcriptional activators of PRC2-controlled genes to regulate plant development. PLANT COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 5:100890. [PMID: 38566416 PMCID: PMC11287191 DOI: 10.1016/j.xplc.2024.100890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Plant-specific transcriptional regulators called TELOMERE REPEAT BINDING proteins (TRBs) combine two DNA-binding domains, the GH1 domain, which binds to linker DNA and is shared with H1 histones, and the Myb/SANT domain, which specifically recognizes the telobox DNA-binding site motif. TRB1, TRB2, and TRB3 proteins recruit Polycomb group complex 2 (PRC2) to deposit H3K27me3 and JMJ14 to remove H3K4me3 at gene promoters containing telobox motifs to repress transcription. Here, we demonstrate that TRB4 and TRB5, two related paralogs belonging to a separate TRB clade conserved in spermatophytes, regulate the transcription of several hundred genes involved in developmental responses to environmental cues. TRB4 binds to several thousand sites in the genome, mainly at transcription start sites and promoter regions of transcriptionally active and H3K4me3-marked genes, but, unlike TRB1, it is not enriched at H3K27me3-marked gene bodies. However, TRB4 can physically interact with the catalytic components of PRC2, SWINGER, and CURLY LEAF (CLF). Unexpectedly, we show that TRB4 and TRB5 are required for distinctive phenotypic traits observed in clf mutant plants and thus function as transcriptional activators of several hundred CLF-controlled genes, including key flowering genes. We further demonstrate that TRB4 shares multiple target genes with TRB1 and physically and genetically interacts with members of both TRB clades. Collectively, these results reveal that TRB proteins engage in both positive and negative interactions with other members of the family to regulate plant development through both PRC2-dependent and -independent mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Amiard
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
| | - Léa Feit
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Emmanuel Vanrobays
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Lauriane Simon
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Samuel Le Goff
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Loriane Loizeau
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Léa Wolff
- Institut de biologie de l'Ecole normale supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular Biology, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Clara Bourbousse
- Institut de biologie de l'Ecole normale supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Fredy Barneche
- Institut de biologie de l'Ecole normale supérieure (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, CNRS, INSERM, Université PSL, Paris, France
| | - Christophe Tatout
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France
| | - Aline V Probst
- iGReD, CNRS, Inserm, Université Clermont Auvergne, 63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
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Graham MK, Xu B, Davis C, Meeker AK, Heaphy CM, Yegnasubramanian S, Dyer MA, Zeineldin M. The TERT Promoter is Polycomb-Repressed in Neuroblastoma Cells with Long Telomeres. CANCER RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS 2024; 4:1533-1547. [PMID: 38837897 PMCID: PMC11188873 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Acquiring a telomere maintenance mechanism is a hallmark of high-risk neuroblastoma and commonly occurs by expressing telomerase (TERT). Telomerase-negative neuroblastoma has long telomeres and utilizes the telomerase-independent alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) mechanism. Conversely, no discernable telomere maintenance mechanism is detected in a fraction of neuroblastoma with long telomeres. Here, we show, unlike most cancers, DNA of the TERT promoter is broadly hypomethylated in neuroblastoma. In telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cells, the hypomethylated DNA promoter is approximately 1.5 kb. The TERT locus shows active chromatin marks with low enrichment for the repressive mark, H3K27me3. MYCN, a commonly amplified oncogene in neuroblstoma, binds to the promoter and induces TERT expression. Strikingly, in neuroblastoma with long telomeres, the hypomethylated region spans the entire TERT locus, including multiple nearby genes with enrichment for the repressive H3K27me3 chromatin mark. Furthermore, subtelomeric regions showed enrichment of repressive chromatin marks in neuroblastomas with long telomeres relative to those with short telomeres. These repressive marks were even more evident at the genic loci, suggesting a telomere position effect (TPE). Inhibiting H3K27 methylation by three different EZH2 inhibitors induced the expression of TERT in cell lines with long telomeres and H3K27me3 marks in the promoter region. EZH2 inhibition facilitated MYCN binding to the TERT promoter in neuroblastoma cells with long telomeres. Taken together, these data suggest that epigenetic regulation of TERT expression differs in neuroblastoma depending on the telomere maintenance status, and H3K27 methylation is important in repressing TERT expression in neuroblastoma with long telomeres. SIGNIFICANCE The epigenetic landscape of the TERT locus is unique in neuroblastoma. The DNA at the TERT locus, unlike other cancer cells and similar to normal cells, are hypomethylated in telomerase-positive neuroblastoma cells. The TERT locus is repressed by polycomb repressive complex-2 complex in neuroblastoma cells that have long telomeres and do not express TERT. Long telomeres in neuroblastoma cells are also associated with repressive chromatin states at the chromosomal termini, suggesting TPE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mindy K. Graham
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Beisi Xu
- Center for Applied Bioinformatics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Christine Davis
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Alan K. Meeker
- Department of Urology, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Christopher M. Heaphy
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian
- Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular Radiation Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
- Department of Urology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Michael A. Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, Maryland
- Department of Ophthalmology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee
| | - Maged Zeineldin
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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Projahn EF, Fuellen G, Walter M, Möller S. Proposing candidate genes under telomeric control based on cross-species position data. NAR Genom Bioinform 2024; 6:lqae037. [PMID: 38666215 PMCID: PMC11044432 DOI: 10.1093/nargab/lqae037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this paper, we present a comprehensive computational framework aimed at suggesting genes whose transcriptional regulation is likely to be influenced by their chromosomal position. This framework provides a user-friendly web interface, enabling researchers to explore the positional properties of all human genes and their orthologs across species, with a focus on their relation to the telomeres. Our approach involves multiple scoring methods, each adjustable by users, representing different features of the genes' positional variation across species. The resulting rankings can be combined to identify candidate genes that may be subject to position effects. Furthermore, the ranking can be tailored to a specific set of reference genes. We evaluate the method within the context of TPE-OLD, a mechanism where telomeres can exert a direct influence on gene expression across considerable genomic distances, and empower researchers to delve deeper into genes of interest, analyzing their position across species and estimating their susceptibility to position effects like TPE-OLD. We also provide simple enrichment analyses of user-provided gene lists in relation to top-ranking candidate genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elias F Projahn
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Georg Fuellen
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Michael Walter
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Steffen Möller
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
- Institute for Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
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Deb S, Berei J, Miliavski E, Khan MJ, Broder TJ, Akurugo TA, Lund C, Fleming SE, Hillwig R, Ross J, Puri N. The Effects of Smoking on Telomere Length, Induction of Oncogenic Stress, and Chronic Inflammatory Responses Leading to Aging. Cells 2024; 13:884. [PMID: 38891017 PMCID: PMC11172003 DOI: 10.3390/cells13110884] [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: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, potential biomarkers of aging, are known to shorten with continued cigarette smoke exposure. In order to further investigate this process and its impact on cellular stress and inflammation, we used an in vitro model with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) and observed the downregulation of telomere stabilizing TRF2 and POT1 genes after CSE treatment. hTERT is a subunit of telomerase and a well-known oncogenic marker, which is overexpressed in over 85% of cancers and may contribute to lung cancer development in smokers. We also observed an increase in hTERT and ISG15 expression levels after CSE treatment, as well as increased protein levels revealed by immunohistochemical staining in smokers' lung tissue samples compared to non-smokers. The effects of ISG15 overexpression were further studied by quantifying IFN-γ, an inflammatory protein induced by ISG15, which showed greater upregulation in smokers compared to non-smokers. Similar changes in gene expression patterns for TRF2, POT1, hTERT, and ISG15 were observed in blood and buccal swab samples from smokers compared to non-smokers. The results from this study provide insight into the mechanisms behind smoking causing telomere shortening and how this may contribute to the induction of inflammation and/or tumorigenesis, which may lead to comorbidities in smokers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shreya Deb
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Joseph Berei
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Edward Miliavski
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Muhammad J. Khan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Taylor J. Broder
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Thomas A. Akurugo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Cody Lund
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
| | - Sara E. Fleming
- Department of Pathology, UW Health SwedishAmerican Hospital, Rockford, IL 61107, USA;
| | - Robert Hillwig
- Department of Health Sciences Education, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA;
| | - Joseph Ross
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA;
| | - Neelu Puri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Illinois College of Medicine at Rockford, Rockford, IL 61107, USA; (S.D.); (J.B.); (E.M.); (M.J.K.); (T.J.B.); (T.A.A.); (C.L.)
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7
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Ding K, Zhangwang J, Lei M, Xiong C. Insight into telomere regulation: road to discovery and intervention in plasma drug-protein targets. BMC Genomics 2024; 25:231. [PMID: 38431573 PMCID: PMC10909270 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-024-10116-5] [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: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomere length is a critical metric linked to aging, health, and disease. Currently, the exploration of target proteins related to telomere length is usually limited to the context of aging and specific diseases, which limits the discovery of more relevant drug targets. This study integrated large-scale plasma cis-pQTLs data and telomere length GWAS datasets. We used Mendelian randomization(MR) to identify drug target proteins for telomere length, providing essential clues for future precision therapy and targeted drug development. METHODS Using plasma cis-pQTLs data from a previous GWAS study (3,606 Pqtls associated with 2,656 proteins) and a GWAS dataset of telomere length (sample size: 472,174; GWAS ID: ieu-b-4879) from UK Biobank, using MR, external validation, and reverse causality testing, we identified essential drug target proteins for telomere length. We also performed co-localization, Phenome-wide association studies and enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network construction, search for existing intervening drugs, and potential drug/compound prediction for these critical targets to strengthen and expand our findings. RESULTS After Bonferron correction (p < 0.05/734), RPN1 (OR: 0.96; 95%CI: (0.95, 0.97)), GDI2 (OR: 0.94; 95%CI: (0.92, 0.96)), NT5C (OR: 0.97; 95%CI: (0.95, 0.98)) had a significant negative causal association with telomere length; TYRO3 (OR: 1.11; 95%CI: (1.09, 1.15)) had a significant positive causal association with telomere length. GDI2 shared the same genetic variants with telomere length (coloc.abf-PPH 4 > 0.8). CONCLUSION Genetically determined plasma RPN1, GDI2, NT5C, and TYRO3 have significant causal effects on telomere length and can potentially be drug targets. Further exploration of the role and mechanism of these proteins/genes in regulating telomere length is needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaixi Ding
- School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China
| | - Juejue Zhangwang
- School of Clinical Medicine, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China
| | - Ming Lei
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
| | - Chunping Xiong
- Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 610075, China.
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8
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Lu X, Liu L. Genome stability from the perspective of telomere length. Trends Genet 2024; 40:175-186. [PMID: 37957036 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2023.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres and their associated proteins protect the ends of chromosomes to maintain genome stability. Telomeres undergo progressive shortening with each cell division in mammalian somatic cells without telomerase, resulting in genome instability. When telomeres reach a critically short length or are recognized as a damage signal, cells enter a state of senescence, followed by cell cycle arrest, programmed cell death, or immortalization. This review provides an overview of recent advances in the intricate relationship between telomeres and genome instability. Alongside well-established mechanisms such as chromosomal fusion and telomere fusion, we will delve into the perspective on genome stability by examining the role of retrotransposons. Retrotransposons represent an emerging pathway to regulate genome stability through their interactions with telomeres.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China; Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China; Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin 300020, China; Institute of Translational Medicine, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin 300000, China.
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9
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Li B. Unwrap RAP1's Mystery at Kinetoplastid Telomeres. Biomolecules 2024; 14:67. [PMID: 38254667 PMCID: PMC10813129 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010067] [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: 12/06/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Although located at the chromosome end, telomeres are an essential chromosome component that helps maintain genome integrity and chromosome stability from protozoa to mammals. The role of telomere proteins in chromosome end protection is conserved, where they suppress various DNA damage response machineries and block nucleolytic degradation of the natural chromosome ends, although the detailed underlying mechanisms are not identical. In addition, the specialized telomere structure exerts a repressive epigenetic effect on expression of genes located at subtelomeres in a number of eukaryotic organisms. This so-called telomeric silencing also affects virulence of a number of microbial pathogens that undergo antigenic variation/phenotypic switching. Telomere proteins, particularly the RAP1 homologs, have been shown to be a key player for telomeric silencing. RAP1 homologs also suppress the expression of Telomere Repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), which is linked to their roles in telomere stability maintenance. The functions of RAP1s in suppressing telomere recombination are largely conserved from kinetoplastids to mammals. However, the underlying mechanisms of RAP1-mediated telomeric silencing have many species-specific features. In this review, I will focus on Trypanosoma brucei RAP1's functions in suppressing telomeric/subtelomeric DNA recombination and in the regulation of monoallelic expression of subtelomere-located major surface antigen genes. Common and unique mechanisms will be compared among RAP1 homologs, and their implications will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibo Li
- Center for Gene Regulation in Health and Disease, Department of Biological, Geological, and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Cleveland State University, 2121 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA;
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
- Department of Inflammation and Immunity, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
- Center for RNA Science and Therapeutics, Case Western Reserve University, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA
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10
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Valeeva LR, Abdulkina LR, Agabekian IA, Shakirov EV. Telomere biology and ribosome biogenesis: structural and functional interconnections. Biochem Cell Biol 2023; 101:394-409. [PMID: 36989538 DOI: 10.1139/bcb-2022-0383] [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] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are nucleoprotein structures that play a pivotal role in the protection and maintenance of eukaryotic chromosomes. Telomeres and the enzyme telomerase, which replenishes telomeric DNA lost during replication, are important factors necessary to ensure continued cell proliferation. Cell proliferation is also dependent on proper and efficient protein synthesis, which is carried out by ribosomes. Mutations in genes involved in either ribosome biogenesis or telomere biology result in cellular abnormalities and can cause human genetic diseases, defined as ribosomopathies and telomeropathies, respectively. Interestingly, recent discoveries indicate that many of the ribosome assembly and rRNA maturation factors have additional noncanonical functions in telomere biology. Similarly, several key proteins and enzymes involved in telomere biology, including telomerase, have unexpected roles in rRNA transcription and maturation. These observations point to an intriguing cross-talk mechanism potentially explaining the multiple pleiotropic symptoms of mutations in many causal genes identified in various telomeropathy and ribosomopathy diseases. In this review, we provide a brief summary of eukaryotic telomere and rDNA loci structures, highlight several universal features of rRNA and telomerase biogenesis, evaluate intriguing interconnections between telomere biology and ribosome assembly, and conclude with an assessment of overlapping features of human diseases of telomeropathies and ribosomopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liia R Valeeva
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
| | - Liliia R Abdulkina
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Inna A Agabekian
- Institute of Fundamental Medicine and Biology, Kazan Federal University, Kazan 420008, Republic of Tatarstan, Russia
| | - Eugene V Shakirov
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25701, USA
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Marshall University, Huntington, WV 25755, USA
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11
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Wolf SE, Shalev I. The shelterin protein expansion of telomere dynamics: Linking early life adversity, life history, and the hallmarks of aging. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105261. [PMID: 37268182 PMCID: PMC10527177 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is characterized by functional decline occurring alongside changes to several hallmarks of aging. One of the hallmarks includes attrition of repeated DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes called telomeres. While telomere attrition is linked to morbidity and mortality, whether and how it causally contributes to lifelong rates of functional decline is unclear. In this review, we propose the shelterin-telomere hypothesis of life history, in which telomere-binding shelterin proteins translate telomere attrition into a range of physiological outcomes, the extent of which may be modulated by currently understudied variation in shelterin protein levels. Shelterin proteins may expand the breadth and timing of consequences of telomere attrition, e.g., by translating early life adversity into acceleration of the aging process. We consider how the pleiotropic roles of shelterin proteins provide novel insights into natural variation in physiology, life history, and lifespan. We highlight key open questions that encourage the integrative, organismal study of shelterin proteins that enhances our understanding of the contribution of the telomere system to aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah E Wolf
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA.
| | - Idan Shalev
- Department of Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA 16802, USA
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12
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Sanpedro-Luna JA, Vega-Alvarado L, Vázquez-Cruz C, Sánchez-Alonso P. Global Gene Expression of Post-Senescent Telomerase-Negative ter1Δ Strain of Ustilago maydis. J Fungi (Basel) 2023; 9:896. [PMID: 37755003 PMCID: PMC10532341 DOI: 10.3390/jof9090896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
We analyzed the global expression patterns of telomerase-negative mutants from haploid cells of Ustilago maydis to identify the gene network required for cell survival in the absence of telomerase. Mutations in either of the telomerase core subunits (trt1 and ter1) of the dimorphic fungus U. maydis cause deficiencies in teliospore formation. We report the global transcriptome analysis of two ter1Δ survivor strains of U. maydis, revealing the deregulation of telomerase-deleted responses (TDR) genes, such as DNA-damage response, stress response, cell cycle, subtelomeric, and proximal telomere genes. Other differentially expressed genes (DEGs) found in the ter1Δ survivor strains were related to pathogenic lifestyle factors, plant-pathogen crosstalk, iron uptake, meiosis, and melanin synthesis. The two ter1Δ survivors were phenotypically comparable, yet DEGs were identified when comparing these strains. Our findings suggest that teliospore formation in U. maydis is controlled by key pathogenic lifestyle and meiosis genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Antonio Sanpedro-Luna
- Posgrado en Microbiología, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico;
| | - Leticia Vega-Alvarado
- Instituto de Ciencias Aplicadas y Tecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de Mexico 04510, Mexico;
| | - Candelario Vázquez-Cruz
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico;
| | - Patricia Sánchez-Alonso
- Centro de Investigaciones en Ciencias Microbiológicas, Instituto de Ciencias, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Puebla 72570, Mexico;
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13
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Kuan XY, Fauzi NSA, Ng KY, Bakhtiar A. Exploring the Causal Relationship Between Telomere Biology and Alzheimer's Disease. Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:4169-4183. [PMID: 37046137 PMCID: PMC10293431 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03337-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/14/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres, also known as the "protective caps" of our chromosomes, shorten with each cell cycle due to the end replication problem. This process, termed telomere attrition, is associated with many age-related disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite the numerous studies conducted in this field, the role of telomere attrition in the onset of the disease remains unclear. To investigate the causal relationship between short telomeres and AD, this review aims to highlight the primary factors that regulate telomere length and maintain its integrity, with an additional outlook on the role of oxidative stress, which is commonly associated with aging and molecular damage. Although some findings thus far might be contradictory, telomere attrition likely plays a crucial role in the progression of AD due to its close association with oxidative stress. The currently available treatments for AD are only symptomatic without affecting the progression of the disease. The components of telomere biology discussed in this paper have previously been studied as an alternative treatment option for several diseases and have exhibited promising in vitro and in vivo results. Hence, this should provide a basis for future research to develop a potential therapeutic strategy for AD. (Created with BioRender.com).
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-Yuen Kuan
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Syahira Ahmad Fauzi
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Khuen Yen Ng
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Athirah Bakhtiar
- School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, 47500, Bandar Sunway, Selangor, Malaysia.
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14
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Zhang X, Yu Q, Wu Y, Zhang Y, He Y, Wang R, Yu X, Li S. Glc7/PP1 dephosphorylates histone H3T11 to regulate autophagy and telomere silencing in response to nutrient availability. Cell Discov 2023; 9:71. [PMID: 37433812 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00551-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
How cells adapt their gene expression to nutritional changes remains poorly understood. Histone H3T11 is phosphorylated by pyruvate kinase to repress gene transcription. Here, we identify the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), Glc7 as the enzyme that specifically dephosphorylates H3T11. We also characterize two novel Glc7-containing complexes and reveal their roles in regulating gene expression upon glucose starvation. Specifically, the Glc7-Sen1 complex dephosphorylates H3T11 to activate the transcription of autophagy-related genes. The Glc7-Rif1-Rap1 complex dephosphorylates H3T11 to derepress the transcription of telomere-proximal genes. Upon glucose starvation, Glc7 expression is up-regulated and more Glc7 translocates into the nucleus to dephosphorylate H3T11, leading to induction of autophagy and derepressed transcription of telomere-proximal genes. Furthermore, the functions of PP1/Glc7 and the two Glc7-containing complexes are conserved in mammals to regulate autophagy and telomere structure. Collectively, our results reveal a novel mechanism that regulate gene expression and chromatin structure in response to glucose availability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qi Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yinsheng Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yi He
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Rongsha Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xilan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
| | - Shanshan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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15
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Dhillon VS, Deo P, Fenech M. The Relationship between Telomere Length and Nucleoplasmic Bridges and Severity of Disease in Prostate Cancer Patients. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3351. [PMID: 37444460 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15133351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide (TTAGGG) sequences that stabilize the chromosome ends and play an important role in the prevention of cancer initiation and progression. Nucleoplasmic bridges (NPBs) are formed when chromatids remain joined together during mitotic anaphase either due to mis-repair of DNA breaks or due to chromatid end fusion as a result of telomere loss or telomere dysfunction. We tested the hypotheses that (i) telomere length (TL) is shorter in prostate cancer (PC) patients relative to healthy age-matched individuals, (ii) TL differs in different stages of PC and (iii) shorter TL is significantly correlated with NPBs formation in PC cases. TL was measured in whole blood by well-established quantitative PCR method and the frequency of NPBs was measured in lymphocytes using cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome (CBMNcyt) assay. Our results indicate that TL is shorter and NPBs are increased in PC patients relative to age-matched healthy controls. Furthermore, TL was significantly shorter (p = 0.03) in patients with a Gleason score more than 7 and there was also a significant trend of decreasing TL across all three stages (p trend = 0.01; Gleason score <7, 7 and >7). Furthermore, TL was significantly inversely correlated with NPB frequency in PC patients (r = -0.316; p = 0.001) but not in controls (r = 0.163; p = 0.06) and their relationships became stronger with higher Gleason scores. More studies are required that can confirm our observations and explore mechanistic differences in the role of telomeres in NPB formation in PC cases relative to non-cancer cases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Varinderpal S Dhillon
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Permal Deo
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
| | - Michael Fenech
- Health and Biomedical Innovation, Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, Adelaide 5000, Australia
- Genome Health Foundation, North Brighton 5048, Australia
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16
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Eisen B, Binah O. Modeling Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy Cardiomyopathy with Patients' Induced Pluripotent Stem-Cell-Derived Cardiomyocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108657. [PMID: 37240001 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked progressive muscle degenerative disease caused by mutations in the dystrophin gene, resulting in death by the end of the third decade of life at the latest. A key aspect of the DMD clinical phenotype is dilated cardiomyopathy, affecting virtually all patients by the end of the second decade of life. Furthermore, despite respiratory complications still being the leading cause of death, with advancements in medical care in recent years, cardiac involvement has become an increasing cause of mortality. Over the years, extensive research has been conducted using different DMD animal models, including the mdx mouse. While these models present certain important similarities to human DMD patients, they also have some differences which pose a challenge to researchers. The development of somatic cell reprograming technology has enabled generation of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) which can be differentiated into different cell types. This technology provides a potentially endless pool of human cells for research. Furthermore, hiPSCs can be generated from patients, thus providing patient-specific cells and enabling research tailored to different mutations. DMD cardiac involvement has been shown in animal models to include changes in gene expression of different proteins, abnormal cellular Ca2+ handling, and other aberrations. To gain a better understanding of the disease mechanisms, it is imperative to validate these findings in human cells. Furthermore, with the recent advancements in gene-editing technology, hiPSCs provide a valuable platform for research and development of new therapies including the possibility of regenerative medicine. In this article, we review the DMD cardiac-related research performed so far using human hiPSCs-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) carrying DMD mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binyamin Eisen
- Cardiac Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
| | - Ofer Binah
- Cardiac Research Laboratory, Department of Physiology, Biophysics and Systems Biology, Rappaport Faculty of Medicine and Research Institute, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa 3200003, Israel
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17
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Zhao N, Yin G, Liu C, Zhang W, Shen Y, Wang D, Lin Z, Yang J, Mao J, Guo R, Zhang Y, Wang F, Liu Z, Lu X, Liu L. Critically short telomeres derepress retrotransposons to promote genome instability in embryonic stem cells. Cell Discov 2023; 9:45. [PMID: 37130870 PMCID: PMC10154409 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-023-00538-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomeres, at the ends of chromosomes, protect chromosomes from fusion and preserve genomic stability. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying telomere attrition-induced genome instability remain to be understood. We systematically analyzed the expression of retrotransposons and performed genomic sequencing of different cell and tissue types with telomeres of varying lengths due to telomerase deficiency. We found that critically short telomeres altered retrotransposon activity to promote genomic instability in mouse embryonic stem cells, as evidenced by elevated numbers of single nucleotide variants, indels and copy number variations (CNVs). Transpositions of retrotransposons such as LINE1 resulting from the short telomeres can also be found in these genomes with elevated number of mutations and CNVs. Retrotransposon activation is linked to increased chromatin accessibility, and reduced heterochromatin abundance correlates with short telomeres. Re-elongation of telomeres upon recovery of telomerase partly represses retrotransposons and heterochromatin accumulation. Together, our findings suggest a potential mechanism by which telomeres maintain genomic stability by suppressing chromatin accessibility and retrotransposon activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Guoxing Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chun Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Weiyu Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Genome Institute of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Dan Wang
- 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhenzhen Lin
- 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jiao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Jian Mao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Renpeng Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Yongwang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Feng Wang
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Zhe Liu
- 2011 Collaborative Innovation Center of Tianjin for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Xinyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
- College of Pharmacy, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
- Frontiers Science Center for Cell Responses, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
- Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Tianjin, China.
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Nankai University, Tianjin, China.
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18
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Donoghue LJ, Stockwell AD, Neighbors M, Sheng RX, Prabhakaran R, Wolters PJ, Lancaster LH, Kropski JA, Blackwell TS, McCarthy MI, Yaspan BL. Identification of a Genetic Susceptibility Locus for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in the 16p Subtelomere Using Whole-Genome Sequencing. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 2023; 207:941-944. [PMID: 36603154 PMCID: PMC10111979 DOI: 10.1164/rccm.202206-1139le] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
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19
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Rey-Millet M, Pousse M, Soithong C, Ye J, Mendez-Bermudez A, Gilson E. Senescence-associated transcriptional derepression in subtelomeres is determined in a chromosome-end-specific manner. Aging Cell 2023; 22:e13804. [PMID: 36924026 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Aging is a continuous process leading to physiological deterioration with age. One of the factors contributing to aging is telomere shortening, causing alterations in the protein protective complex named shelterin and replicative senescence. Here, we address the question of the link between this telomere shortening and the transcriptional changes occurring in senescent cells. We found that in replicative senescent cells, the genes whose expression escaped repression are enriched in subtelomeres. The shelterin protein TRF2 and the nuclear lamina factor Lamin B1, both downregulated in senescent cells, are involved in the regulation of some but not all of these subtelomeric genes, suggesting complex mechanisms of transcriptional regulation. Indeed, the subtelomeres containing these derepressed genes are enriched in factors of polycomb repression (EZH2 and H3K27me3), insulation (CTCF and MAZ), and cohesion (RAD21 and SMC3) while being associated with the open A-type chromatin compartment. These findings unveil that the subtelomere transcriptome associated with senescence is determined in a chromosome-end-specific manner according to the type of higher-order chromatin structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Rey-Millet
- CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Faculty of Medicine Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Mélanie Pousse
- CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Faculty of Medicine Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Chan Soithong
- CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Faculty of Medicine Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France
| | - Jing Ye
- Department of Geriatrics, Medical center on Aging of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,International Laboratory in Hematology, Cancer and Aging, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherches en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, RuiJin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/CNRS/INSERM/University Côte d'Azur, Shanghai, China
| | - Aaron Mendez-Bermudez
- CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Faculty of Medicine Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.,Department of Geriatrics, Medical center on Aging of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,International Laboratory in Hematology, Cancer and Aging, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherches en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, RuiJin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/CNRS/INSERM/University Côte d'Azur, Shanghai, China
| | - Eric Gilson
- CNRS, INSERM, IRCAN, Faculty of Medicine Nice, Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France.,Department of Geriatrics, Medical center on Aging of Shanghai Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,International Laboratory in Hematology, Cancer and Aging, Pôle Sino-Français de Recherches en Sciences du Vivant et Génomique, RuiJin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine/CNRS/INSERM/University Côte d'Azur, Shanghai, China.,Department of medical genetics, CHU, Nice, France
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20
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Telomere Length Changes in Cancer: Insights on Carcinogenesis and Potential for Non-Invasive Diagnostic Strategies. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:genes14030715. [PMID: 36980987 PMCID: PMC10047978 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Telomere dynamics play a crucial role in the maintenance of chromosome integrity; changes in telomere length may thus contribute to the development of various diseases including cancer. Understanding the role of telomeric DNA in carcinogenesis and detecting the presence of cell-free telomeric DNA (cf-telDNA) in body fluids offer a potential biomarker for novel cancer screening and diagnostic strategies. Liquid biopsy is becoming increasingly popular due to its undeniable benefits over conventional invasive methods. However, the organization and function of cf-telDNA in the extracellular milieu are understudied. This paper provides a review based on 3,398,017 cancer patients, patients with other conditions, and control individuals with the aim to shed more light on the inconsistent nature of telomere lengthening/shortening in oncological contexts. To gain a better understanding of biological factors (e.g., telomerase activation, alternative lengthening of telomeres) affecting telomere homeostasis across different types of cancer, we summarize mechanisms responsible for telomere length maintenance. In conclusion, we compare tissue- and liquid biopsy-based approaches in cancer assessment and provide a brief outlook on the methodology used for telomere length evaluation, highlighting the advances of state-of-the-art approaches in the field.
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21
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Hill C, Duffy S, Coulter T, Maxwell AP, McKnight AJ. Harnessing Genomic Analysis to Explore the Role of Telomeres in the Pathogenesis and Progression of Diabetic Kidney Disease. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:609. [PMID: 36980881 PMCID: PMC10048490 DOI: 10.3390/genes14030609] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of diabetes is increasing globally, and this trend is predicted to continue for future decades. Research is needed to uncover new ways to manage diabetes and its co-morbidities. A significant secondary complication of diabetes is kidney disease, which can ultimately result in the need for renal replacement therapy, via dialysis or transplantation. Diabetic kidney disease presents a substantial burden to patients, their families and global healthcare services. This review highlights studies that have harnessed genomic, epigenomic and functional prediction tools to uncover novel genes and pathways associated with DKD that are useful for the identification of therapeutic targets or novel biomarkers for risk stratification. Telomere length regulation is a specific pathway gaining attention recently because of its association with DKD. Researchers are employing both observational and genetics-based studies to identify telomere-related genes associated with kidney function decline in diabetes. Studies have also uncovered novel functions for telomere-related genes beyond the immediate regulation of telomere length, such as transcriptional regulation and inflammation. This review summarises studies that have revealed the potential to harness therapeutics that modulate telomere length, or the associated epigenetic modifications, for the treatment of DKD, to potentially slow renal function decline and reduce the global burden of this disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Hill
- Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Seamus Duffy
- Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Tiernan Coulter
- Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
| | - Alexander Peter Maxwell
- Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
- Regional Nephrology Unit, Belfast City Hospital, Belfast BT9 7AB, UK
| | - Amy Jayne McKnight
- Centre for Public Health, Queen’s University of Belfast, Belfast BT12 6BA, UK
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22
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Zhang X, Zhang C, Zhou D, Zhang T, Chen X, Ren J, He C, Meng F, Zhou Q, Yang Q, Dai C, Lin G, Zeng S, Leng L. Telomeres cooperate in zygotic genome activation by affecting DUX4/ Dux transcription. iScience 2023; 26:106158. [PMID: 36843839 PMCID: PMC9950522 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.106158] [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: 09/16/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Zygotic genome activation (ZGA) is initiated once the genome chromatin state is organized in the newly formed zygote. Telomeres are specialized chromatin structures at the ends of chromosomes and are reset during early embryogenesis, while the details and significance of telomere changes in preimplantation embryos remain unclear. We demonstrated that the telomere length was shortened in the minor ZGA stage and significantly elongated in the major ZGA stage of human and mouse embryos. Expression of the ZGA pioneer factor DUX4/Dux was negatively correlated with the telomere length. ATAC sequencing data revealed that the chromatin accessibility peaks on the DUX4 promoter region (i.e., the subtelomere of chromosome 4q) were transiently augmented in human minor ZGA. Reduction of telomeric heterochromatin H3K9me3 in the telomeric region also synergistically activated DUX4 expression with p53 in human embryonic stem cells. We propose herein that telomeres regulate the expression of DUX4/Dux through chromatin remodeling and are thereby involved in ZGA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaorui Zhang
- Hospital of Hunan Guangxiu, Hunan Normal University, Hunan 410001, China,Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China,Department of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Changquan Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Di Zhou
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China
| | - Tianlei Zhang
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Xueqin Chen
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jinlin Ren
- Hospital of Hunan Guangxiu, Hunan Normal University, Hunan 410001, China
| | - Caixia He
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China
| | - Fei Meng
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Qinwei Zhou
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China
| | - Qiaohui Yang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Congling Dai
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Ge Lin
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China,Corresponding author
| | - Sicong Zeng
- Hospital of Hunan Guangxiu, Hunan Normal University, Hunan 410001, China,Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China,Corresponding author
| | - Lizhi Leng
- Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of Citic-Xiangya, Hunan 410008, China,NHC Key Laboratory of Human Stem and Reproductive Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China,Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Development and Carcinogenesis, Changsha, China,Corresponding author
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23
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Vinayagamurthy S, Bagri S, Mergny JL, Chowdhury S. Telomeres expand sphere of influence: emerging molecular impact of telomeres in non-telomeric functions. Trends Genet 2023; 39:59-73. [PMID: 36404192 PMCID: PMC7614491 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2022.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2022] [Revised: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Although the impact of telomeres on physiology stands well established, a question remains: how do telomeres impact cellular functions at a molecular level? This is because current understanding limits the influence of telomeres to adjacent subtelomeric regions despite the wide-ranging impact of telomeres. Emerging work in two distinct aspects offers opportunities to bridge this gap. First, telomere-binding factors were found with non-telomeric functions. Second, locally induced DNA secondary structures called G-quadruplexes are notably abundant in telomeres, and gene regulatory regions genome wide. Many telomeric factors bind to G-quadruplexes for non-telomeric functions. Here we discuss a more general model of how telomeres impact the non-telomeric genome - through factors that associate at telomeres and genome wide - and influence cell-intrinsic functions, particularly aging, cancer, and pluripotency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soujanya Vinayagamurthy
- Integrative and Functional Biology Unit, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi 110025, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Sulochana Bagri
- Integrative and Functional Biology Unit, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi 110025, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Institute of Biophysics of the CAS, v.v.i. Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic; Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, CNRS, INSERM, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, 91128 Palaiseau, France
| | - Shantanu Chowdhury
- Integrative and Functional Biology Unit, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi 110025, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India; GNR Knowledge Centre for Genome and Informatics, CSIR Institute of Genomics and Integrative Biology, New Delhi 110025, India.
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24
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González-Amor M, Dorado B, Andrés V. Emerging roles of interferon-stimulated gene-15 in age-related telomere attrition, the DNA damage response, and cardiovascular disease. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1128594. [PMID: 37025175 PMCID: PMC10071045 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1128594] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Population aging and age-related cardiovascular disease (CVD) are becoming increasingly prevalent worldwide, generating a huge medical and socioeconomic burden. The complex regulation of aging and CVD and the interaction between these processes are crucially dependent on cellular stress responses. Interferon-stimulated gene-15 (ISG15) encodes a ubiquitin-like protein expressed in many vertebrate cell types that can be found both free and conjugated to lysine residues of target proteins via a post-translational process termed ISGylation. Deconjugation of ISG15 (deISGylation) is catalyzed by the ubiquitin-specific peptidase 18 (USP18). The ISG15 pathway has mostly been studied in the context of viral and bacterial infections and in cancer. This minireview summarizes current knowledge on the role of ISG15 in age-related telomere shortening, genomic instability, and DNA damage accumulation, as well as in hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, major CVD risk factors prevalent in the elderly population.
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Affiliation(s)
- María González-Amor
- CIBER Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
- Molecular and Genetic Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Novel Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Beatriz Dorado
- CIBER Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
- Molecular and Genetic Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Novel Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Vicente Andrés
- CIBER Enfermedades Cardiovasculares (CIBERCV), Madrid, Spain
- Molecular and Genetic Cardiovascular Pathophysiology Laboratory, Novel Mechanisms of Atherosclerosis Program, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
- *Correspondence: Vicente Andrés,
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25
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Ujvari B, Raven N, Madsen T, Klaassen M, Dujon AM, Schultz AG, Nunney L, Lemaître J, Giraudeau M, Thomas F. Telomeres, the loop tying cancer to organismal life-histories. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:6273-6285. [PMID: 35510763 PMCID: PMC9790343 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Recent developments in telomere and cancer evolutionary ecology demonstrate a very complex relationship between the need of tissue repair and controlling the emergence of abnormally proliferating cells. The trade-off is balanced by natural and sexual selection and mediated via both intrinsic and environmental factors. Here, we explore the effects of telomere-cancer dynamics on life history traits and strategies as well as on the cumulative effects of genetic and environmental factors. We show that telomere-cancer dynamics constitute an incredibly complex and multifaceted process. From research to date, it appears that the relationship between telomere length and cancer risk is likely nonlinear with good evidence that both (too) long and (too) short telomeres can be associated with increased cancer risk. The ability and propensity of organisms to respond to the interplay of telomere dynamics and oncogenic processes, depends on the combination of its tissue environments, life history strategies, environmental challenges (i.e., extreme climatic conditions), pressure by predators and pollution, as well as its evolutionary history. Consequently, precise interpretation of telomere-cancer dynamics requires integrative and multidisciplinary approaches. Finally, incorporating information on telomere dynamics and the expression of tumour suppressor genes and oncogenes could potentially provide the synergistic overview that could lay the foundations to study telomere-cancer dynamics at ecosystem levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Nynke Raven
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Thomas Madsen
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Marcel Klaassen
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Antoine M. Dujon
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Aaron G. Schultz
- Centre for Integrative EcologySchool of Life and Environmental SciencesDeakin UniversityGeelongVictoriaAustralia
| | - Leonard Nunney
- Department of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal BiologyUniversity of California, RiversideRiversideCaliforniaUSA
| | - Jean‐François Lemaître
- Université de LyonLyonFrance,Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie ÉvolutiveUniversité Lyon 1CNRSUMR5558VilleurbanneFrance
| | - Mathieu Giraudeau
- CREEC/CANECEV (CREES)MIVEGECUnité Mixte de RecherchesIRD 224–CNRS 5290–Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance,LIENSsUMR 7266 CNRS‐La Rochelle UniversitéLa RochelleFrance
| | - Frédéric Thomas
- CREEC/CANECEV (CREES)MIVEGECUnité Mixte de RecherchesIRD 224–CNRS 5290–Université de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
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26
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Libertini G, Corbi G, Shubernetskaya O, Ferrara N. Is Human Aging a Form of Phenoptosis? BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2022; 87:1446-1464. [PMID: 36717439 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297922120033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A much debated question is whether aging is the cumulative consequence of degenerative factors insufficiently opposed by natural selection, or, on the contrary, an ordered process, genetically determined and regulated, modeled by natural selection, and for which the definition of phenoptotic phenomenon would be entirely appropriate. In this review, theoretical arguments and empirical data about the two hypotheses are exposed, with more evidence in support of the thesis of aging as a form of phenoptosis. However, as the thesis of aging as an adaptive and programmed phenomenon necessarily requires the existence of specific mechanisms that determine to age, such as the subtelomere-telomere theory proposed for this purpose, the evidence supporting the mechanisms described by this theory is reported. In particular, it is highlighted that the recent interpretation of the role of TERRA sequences in the context of subtelomere-telomere theory is a fundamental point in supporting the hypothesized mechanisms. Furthermore, some characteristics of the mechanisms proposed by the theory, such as epigenetic modifications in aging, gradual cell senescence, cell senescence, limits in cell duplications, and fixed size of the telomeric heterochromatin hood, are exposed in their compatibility with both the thesis of aging as phenoptotic phenomenon and the opposite thesis. In short, aging as a form of phenoptosis appears a scientifically sound hypothesis while the opposite thesis should clarify the meaning of various phenomena that appear to invalidate it.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacinto Libertini
- Italian Society for Evolutionary Biology (SIBE), Asti, 14100, Italy. .,Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Graziamaria Corbi
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, 86100, Italy. .,Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), Firenze, 50129, Italy
| | - Olga Shubernetskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - Nicola Ferrara
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy. .,Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SPA - Società Benefit, IRCCS, Telese Terme, BN, 82037, Italy
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27
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The diverse repertoire of ISG15: more intricate than initially thought. Exp Mol Med 2022; 54:1779-1792. [PMID: 36319753 PMCID: PMC9722776 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-022-00872-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
ISG15, the product of interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene 15, is the first identified ubiquitin-like protein (UBL), which plays multifaceted roles not only as a free intracellular or extracellular molecule but also as a post-translational modifier in the process of ISG15 conjugation (ISGylation). ISG15 has only been identified in vertebrates, indicating that the functions of ISG15 and its conjugation are restricted to higher eukaryotes and have evolved with IFN signaling. Despite the highlighted complexity of ISG15 and ISGylation, it has been suggested that ISG15 and ISGylation profoundly impact a variety of cellular processes, including protein translation, autophagy, exosome secretion, cytokine secretion, cytoskeleton dynamics, DNA damage response, telomere shortening, and immune modulation, which emphasizes the necessity of reassessing ISG15 and ISGylation. However, the underlying mechanisms and molecular consequences of ISG15 and ISGylation remain poorly defined, largely due to a lack of knowledge on the ISG15 target repertoire. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the mechanistic understanding and molecular consequences of ISG15 and ISGylation. We also highlight new insights into the roles of ISG15 and ISGylation not only in physiology but also in the pathogenesis of various human diseases, especially in cancer, which could contribute to therapeutic intervention in human diseases.
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28
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Niveta JPS, Kumar MA, Parvathi VD. Telomere attrition and inflammation: the chicken and the egg story. EGYPTIAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL HUMAN GENETICS 2022. [DOI: 10.1186/s43042-022-00335-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
AbstractThe challenge to improve human life span has progressed with the advent of health care services and technologies. This improvement poses a new challenge of an associated wave of diseases and pathologies that have not been observed or experienced. This has led to rise in geriatric population who are currently facing health challenges that needs to be addressed by the research community. This review focuses primarily on two mechanisms that have contributed to aging and associated pathologies: telomere attrition and inflammatory insults. A strong interplay appears to exist between telomere attrition and inflammation, and this could be the basis of many pathologies associated with increasing age. This creates a scientific dilemma as to what comes first: telomere attrition or inflammation. This review will enthuse the reader to the underlying molecules and mechanisms associated with telomere attrition and inflammation and their contribution to aging.
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29
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Jäger K, Mensch J, Grimmig ME, Neuner B, Gorzelniak K, Türkmen S, Demuth I, Hartmann A, Hartmann C, Wittig F, Sporbert A, Hermann A, Fuellen G, Möller S, Walter M. A conserved long-distance telomeric silencing mechanism suppresses mTOR signaling in aging human fibroblasts. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabk2814. [PMID: 35977016 PMCID: PMC9385144 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abk2814] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres are repetitive nucleotide sequences at the ends of each chromosome. It has been hypothesized that telomere attrition evolved as a tumor suppressor mechanism in large long-lived species. Long telomeres can silence genes millions of bases away through a looping mechanism called telomere position effect over long distances (TPE-OLD). The function of this silencing mechanism is unknown. We determined a set of 2322 genes with high positional conservation across replicatively aging species that includes known and candidate TPE-OLD genes that may mitigate potentially harmful effects of replicative aging. Notably, we identified PPP2R2C as a tumor suppressor gene, whose up-regulation by TPE-OLD in aged human fibroblasts leads to dephosphorylation of p70S6 kinase and mammalian target of rapamycin suppression. A mechanistic link between telomeres and a tumor suppressor mechanism supports the hypothesis that replicative aging fulfills a tumor suppressor function and motivates previously unknown antitumor and antiaging strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathrin Jäger
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Berlin, Germany
| | - Juliane Mensch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Berlin, Germany
| | - Maria Elisabeth Grimmig
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Bruno Neuner
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Kerstin Gorzelniak
- Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Seval Türkmen
- LNS Hematooncogenetics, National Center of Genetics Luxembourg, Dudelange, Luxemburg
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Medical Genetics and Human Genetics, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ilja Demuth
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Berlin, Germany
- Berlin Institute of Health at Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, BCRT - Berlin Institute of Health Center for Regenerative Therapies, Berlin, Germany
| | - Alexander Hartmann
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Christiane Hartmann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht-Kossel”, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
| | - Felix Wittig
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Anje Sporbert
- Advanced Light Microscopy, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Hermann
- Translational Neurodegeneration Section “Albrecht-Kossel”, Department of Neurology, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, 18147 Rostock, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Neurodegenerative Erkrankungen (DZNE) Rostock/Greifswald, Rostock, Germany
- Center for Transdisciplinary Neurosciences Rostock (CTNR), University Medical Center Rostock, Rostock, Germany
| | - Georg Fuellen
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Steffen Möller
- Institute for Biostatistics and Informatics in Medicine and Ageing Research, Rostock University Medical Center, Rostock, Germany
| | - Michael Walter
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, Rostock University Medical Center, University of Rostock, Rostock, Germany
- Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Berlin Institute of Health, Institute of Laboratory Medicine, Clinical Chemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Berlin, Germany
- Corresponding author.
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30
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Wylie A, Jones AE, Das S, Lu WJ, Abrams JM. Distinct p53 isoforms code for opposing transcriptional outcomes. Dev Cell 2022; 57:1833-1846.e6. [PMID: 35820415 PMCID: PMC9378576 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2022.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
p53 genes are conserved transcriptional activators that respond to stress. These proteins can also downregulate genes, but the mechanisms are not understood and are generally assumed to be indirect. Here, we investigate synthetic and native cis-regulatory elements in Drosophila to examine opposing features of p53-mediated transcriptional control in vivo. We show that transcriptional repression by p53 operates continuously through canonical DNA binding sites that confer p53-dependent transactivation at earlier developmental stages. p53 transrepression is correlated with local H3K9me3 chromatin marks and occurs without the need for stress or Chk2. In sufficiency tests, two p53 isoforms qualify as transrepressors and a third qualifies as a transcriptional activator. Targeted isoform-specific knockouts dissociate these opposing transcriptional activities, highlighting features that are dispensable for transactivation but critical for repression and for proper germ cell formation. Together, these results demonstrate that certain p53 isoforms function as constitutive tissue-specific repressors, raising important implications for tumor suppression by the human counterpart.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annika Wylie
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Amanda E Jones
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Simanti Das
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Wan-Jin Lu
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - John M Abrams
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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31
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Montero‐Conde C, Leandro‐García LJ, Martínez‐Montes ÁM, Martínez P, Moya FJ, Letón R, Gil E, Martínez‐Puente N, Guadalix S, Currás‐Freixes M, García‐Tobar L, Zafon C, Jordà M, Riesco‐Eizaguirre G, González‐García P, Monteagudo M, Torres‐Pérez R, Mancikova V, Ruiz‐Llorente S, Pérez‐Martínez M, Pita G, Galofré JC, Gonzalez‐Neira A, Cascón A, Rodríguez‐Antona C, Megías D, Blasco MA, Caleiras E, Rodríguez‐Perales S, Robledo M. Comprehensive molecular analysis of immortalization hallmarks in thyroid cancer reveals new prognostic markers. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e1001. [PMID: 35979662 PMCID: PMC9386325 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Comprehensive molecular studies on tumours are needed to delineate immortalization process steps and identify sensitive prognostic biomarkers in thyroid cancer. METHODS AND RESULTS In this study, we extensively characterize telomere-related alterations in a series of 106 thyroid tumours with heterogeneous clinical outcomes. Using a custom-designed RNA-seq panel, we identified five telomerase holoenzyme-complex genes upregulated in clinically aggressive tumours compared to tumours from long-term disease-free patients, being TERT and TERC denoted as independent prognostic markers by multivariate regression model analysis. Characterization of alterations related to TERT re-expression revealed that promoter mutations, methylation and/or copy gains exclusively co-occurred in clinically aggressive tumours. Quantitative-FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) analysis of telomere lengths showed a significant shortening in these carcinomas, which matched with a high proliferative rate measured by Ki-67 immunohistochemistry. RNA-seq data analysis indicated that short-telomere tumours exhibit an increased transcriptional activity in the 5-Mb-subtelomeric regions, site of several telomerase-complex genes. Gene upregulation enrichment was significant for specific chromosome-ends such as the 5p, where TERT is located. Co-FISH analysis of 5p-end and TERT loci showed a more relaxed chromatin configuration in short telomere-length tumours compared to normal telomere-length tumours. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our findings support that telomere shortening leads to a 5p subtelomeric region reorganization, facilitating the transcription and accumulation of alterations at TERT-locus.
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32
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Wu T, Xu S, Chen B, Bao L, Ma J, Han W, Xu A, Yu KN, Wu L, Chen S. Ambient PM2.5 exposure causes cellular senescence via DNA damage, micronuclei formation, and cGAS activation. Nanotoxicology 2022; 16:757-775. [PMID: 36403163 DOI: 10.1080/17435390.2022.2147460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Ambient PM2.5 is one of the environmental risk factors and was correlated with senescence-related diseases based on the epidemiologic investigation. However, little is known about senescence induced by PM2.5 as well as the underlying mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated that PM2.5 exposure aggravated cellular senescence in vivo and in vitro, and disrupted micronuclei (MN) played a vital role in this process. Our results suggested that the nuclear envelope (NE) of PM2.5-induced MN was ruptured. Subsequently, cGAS was found to localize to approximately 80% of the disrupted MN but few for intact MN. Upon examination of cGAMP and SA-β-Gal, the cGAS-STING pathway was found activated and related to cellular senescence induced by PM2.5. Taken together, we reported a novel finding that PM2.5 exposure causes cellular senescence via DNA damage, MN formation, and cGAS activation. These results revealed the potential toxicity of PM2.5 and its related mechanisms in cellular senescence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Wu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
| | - Shengmin Xu
- Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Biao Chen
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Lingzhi Bao
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Jie Ma
- School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Wei Han
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - An Xu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China
| | - Kwan Ngok Yu
- Department of Physics, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China.,State Key Laboratory in Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Lijun Wu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,Information Materials and Intelligent Sensing Laboratory of Anhui Province, Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Shaopeng Chen
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, China.,School of Public Health, Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
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33
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Milardi G, Di Lorenzo B, Gerosa J, Barzaghi F, Di Matteo G, Omrani M, Jofra T, Merelli I, Barcella M, Filippini M, Conti A, Ferrua F, Pozzo Giuffrida F, Dionisio F, Rovere‐Querini P, Marktel S, Assanelli A, Piemontese S, Brigida I, Zoccolillo M, Cirillo E, Giardino G, Danieli MG, Specchia F, Pacillo L, Di Cesare S, Giancotta C, Romano F, Matarese A, Chetta AA, Trimarchi M, Laurenzi A, De Pellegrin M, Darin S, Montin D, Marinoni M, Dellepiane RM, Sordi V, Lougaris V, Vacca A, Melzi R, Nano R, Azzari C, Bongiovanni L, Pignata C, Cancrini C, Plebani A, Piemonti L, Petrovas C, Di Micco R, Ponzoni M, Aiuti A, Cicalese MP, Fousteri G. Follicular helper T cell signature of replicative exhaustion, apoptosis, and senescence in common variable immunodeficiency. Eur J Immunol 2022; 52:1171-1189. [PMID: 35562849 PMCID: PMC9542315 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202149480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is the most frequent primary antibody deficiency whereby follicular helper T (Tfh) cells fail to establish productive responses with B cells in germinal centers. Here, we analyzed the frequency, phenotype, transcriptome, and function of circulating Tfh (cTfh) cells in CVID patients displaying autoimmunity as an additional phenotype. A group of patients showed a high frequency of cTfh1 cells and a prominent expression of PD-1 and ICOS as well as a cTfh mRNA signature consistent with highly activated, but exhausted, senescent, and apoptotic cells. Plasmatic CXCL13 levels were elevated in this group and positively correlated with cTfh1 cell frequency and PD-1 levels. Monoallelic variants in RTEL1, a telomere length- and DNA repair-related gene, were identified in four patients belonging to this group. Their blood lymphocytes showed shortened telomeres, while their cTfh were more prone to apoptosis. These data point toward a novel pathogenetic mechanism in CVID, whereby alterations in DNA repair and telomere elongation might predispose to antibody deficiency. A Th1, highly activated but exhausted and apoptotic cTfh phenotype was associated with this form of CVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Milardi
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Biagio Di Lorenzo
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Jolanda Gerosa
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Federica Barzaghi
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Gigliola Di Matteo
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataVia Cracovia 50Rome00133Italy
- Immune and Infectious Diseases Division, Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Academic Department of PediatricsBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSPiazza di Sant'Onofrio 4Rome00165Italy
| | - Maryam Omrani
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Department of Computer Science, Systems and Communication, University of Milano‐BicoccaPiazza dell'Ateneo Nuovo 1Milan20126Italy
| | - Tatiana Jofra
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Ivan Merelli
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Department of BioinformaticsInstitute for Biomedical TechnologiesNational Research CouncilVia Fratelli Cervi 93Segrate20090Italy
| | - Matteo Barcella
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Matteo Filippini
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Anastasia Conti
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Francesca Ferrua
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Francesco Pozzo Giuffrida
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Francesca Dionisio
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Patrizia Rovere‐Querini
- Department of ImmunologyTransplantation and Infectious DiseasesIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Sarah Marktel
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Andrea Assanelli
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Simona Piemontese
- Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Immacolata Brigida
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Matteo Zoccolillo
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Emilia Cirillo
- Department of Translational Medical SciencesSection of PediatricsFederico II University of NaplesCorso Umberto I, 40, 80138Italy
| | - Giuliana Giardino
- Department of Translational Medical SciencesSection of PediatricsFederico II University of NaplesCorso Umberto I, 40, 80138Italy
| | - Maria Giovanna Danieli
- Department of Clinical and Molecular SciencesMarche Polytechnic University of AnconaClinica MedicaVia Tronto 10/aAncona60126Italy
| | - Fernando Specchia
- Department of PediatricsS. Orsola‐Malpighi HospitalUniversity of BolognaVia Giuseppe Massarenti 9Bologna40138Italy
| | - Lucia Pacillo
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataVia Cracovia 50Rome00133Italy
- Immune and Infectious Diseases Division, Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Academic Department of PediatricsBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSPiazza di Sant'Onofrio 4Rome00165Italy
| | - Silvia Di Cesare
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataVia Cracovia 50Rome00133Italy
- Immune and Infectious Diseases Division, Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Academic Department of PediatricsBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSPiazza di Sant'Onofrio 4Rome00165Italy
| | - Carmela Giancotta
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataVia Cracovia 50Rome00133Italy
- Immune and Infectious Diseases Division, Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Academic Department of PediatricsBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSPiazza di Sant'Onofrio 4Rome00165Italy
| | - Francesca Romano
- Pediatric Immunology DivisionDepartment of PediatricsAnna Meyer Children's University HospitalViale Gaetano Pieraccini 24Florence50139Italy
| | - Alessandro Matarese
- Department of Respiratory MedicineSanti AntonioBiagio and Cesare Arrigo HospitalVia Venezia 16Alessandria15121Italy
| | - Alfredo Antonio Chetta
- Department of Medicine and SurgeryRespiratory Disease and Lung Function UnitUniversity of ParmaStr. dell'Università 12Parma43121Italy
| | - Matteo Trimarchi
- Otorhinolaryngology Unit, Head and Neck Department, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Pathology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Andrea Laurenzi
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Maurizio De Pellegrin
- Unit of Orthopaedics, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific InstituteVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Silvia Darin
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Davide Montin
- Department of Pediatrics and Public HealthRegina Margherita HospitalPiazza Polonia 94Turin10126Italy
| | - Maddalena Marinoni
- Pediatric UnitOspedale “F. Del Ponte”Via Filippo del Ponte 19Varese21100Italy
| | - Rosa Maria Dellepiane
- Department of PediatricsFondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore PoliclinicoUniversity of MilanVia Francesco Sforza 35Milan20122Italy
| | - Valeria Sordi
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Vassilios Lougaris
- Department of Clinical and Experimental SciencesPediatrics Clinic and Institute for Molecular Medicine A. NocivelliUniversity of BresciaPiazza del Mercato 15Brescia25121Italy
| | - Angelo Vacca
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human OncologyUniversity of Bari Medical SchoolPiazza Umberto I, 1Bari70121Italy
| | - Raffaella Melzi
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Rita Nano
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Chiara Azzari
- Pediatric Immunology DivisionDepartment of PediatricsAnna Meyer Children's University HospitalViale Gaetano Pieraccini 24Florence50139Italy
| | - Lucia Bongiovanni
- Pathology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Claudio Pignata
- Department of Translational Medical SciencesSection of PediatricsFederico II University of NaplesCorso Umberto I, 40, 80138Italy
| | - Caterina Cancrini
- Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome Tor VergataVia Cracovia 50Rome00133Italy
- Immune and Infectious Diseases Division, Research Unit of Primary Immunodeficiencies, Academic Department of PediatricsBambino Gesù Children's HospitalIRCCSPiazza di Sant'Onofrio 4Rome00165Italy
| | - Alessandro Plebani
- Department of Clinical and Experimental SciencesPediatrics Clinic and Institute for Molecular Medicine A. NocivelliUniversity of BresciaPiazza del Mercato 15Brescia25121Italy
| | - Lorenzo Piemonti
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity Vita‐Salute San RaffaeleVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Constantinos Petrovas
- Tissue Analysis Core, Immunology LaboratoryVaccine Research CenterNational Institute of Allergy and Infectious DiseasesNational Institutes of Health9000 Rockville PikeBethesdaMD20892USA
| | - Raffaella Di Micco
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Maurilio Ponzoni
- Pathology UnitIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity Vita‐Salute San RaffaeleVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Alessandro Aiuti
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Faculty of MedicineUniversity Vita‐Salute San RaffaeleVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Maria Pia Cicalese
- Pediatric Immunohematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, IRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
- Pathogenesis and therapy of primary immunodeficiencies UnitSan Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene TherapySr‐TIGETIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
| | - Georgia Fousteri
- Division of Immunology, Transplantation, and Infectious DiseasesDiabetes Research InstituteIRCCS San Raffaele HospitalVia Olgettina 60Milan20132Italy
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34
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Andreu-Sánchez S, Aubert G, Ripoll-Cladellas A, Henkelman S, Zhernakova DV, Sinha T, Kurilshikov A, Cenit MC, Jan Bonder M, Franke L, Wijmenga C, Fu J, van der Wijst MGP, Melé M, Lansdorp P, Zhernakova A. Genetic, parental and lifestyle factors influence telomere length. Commun Biol 2022; 5:565. [PMID: 35681050 PMCID: PMC9184499 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03521-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The average length of telomere repeats (TL) declines with age and is considered to be a marker of biological ageing. Here, we measured TL in six blood cell types from 1046 individuals using the clinically validated Flow-FISH method. We identified remarkable cell-type-specific variations in TL. Host genetics, environmental, parental and intrinsic factors such as sex, parental age, and smoking are associated to variations in TL. By analysing the genome-wide methylation patterns, we identified that the association of maternal, but not paternal, age to TL is mediated by epigenetics. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data for 62 participants revealed differential gene expression in T-cells. Genes negatively associated with TL were enriched for pathways related to translation and nonsense-mediated decay. Altogether, this study addresses cell-type-specific differences in telomere biology and its relation to cell-type-specific gene expression and highlights how perinatal factors play a role in determining TL, on top of genetics and lifestyle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Andreu-Sánchez
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Geraldine Aubert
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Repeat Diagnostics Inc, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Aida Ripoll-Cladellas
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, 08034, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Sandra Henkelman
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Daria V Zhernakova
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Center for Computer Technologies, ITMO University, St. Petersburg, 197101, Russia
| | - Trishla Sinha
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Alexander Kurilshikov
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Carmen Cenit
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition, and Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology (IATA-CSIC), 46980, Paterna-Valencia, Spain
| | - Marc Jan Bonder
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Division of Computational Genomics and Systems Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, Genome Biology Unit, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lude Franke
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Cisca Wijmenga
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Jingyuan Fu
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Monique G P van der Wijst
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Marta Melé
- Life Sciences Department, Barcelona Supercomputing Center, 08034, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Peter Lansdorp
- Terry Fox Laboratory, British Columbia Cancer Research Center, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
- European Research Institute for the Biology of Ageing, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
- Departments of Hematology and Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
| | - Alexandra Zhernakova
- Department of Genetics, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands.
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35
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Radchenko EA, Aksenova AY, Volkov KV, Shishkin AA, Pavlov YI, Mirkin SM. Partners in crime: Tbf1 and Vid22 promote expansions of long human telomeric repeats at an interstitial chromosome position in yeast. PNAS NEXUS 2022; 1:pgac080. [PMID: 35832866 PMCID: PMC9272169 DOI: 10.1093/pnasnexus/pgac080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In humans, telomeric repeats (TTAGGG)n are known to be present at internal chromosomal sites. These interstitial telomeric sequences (ITSs) are an important source of genomic instability, including repeat length polymorphism, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for this instability remain to be understood. Here, we studied the mechanisms responsible for expansions of human telomeric (Htel) repeats that were artificially inserted inside a yeast chromosome. We found that Htel repeats in an interstitial chromosome position are prone to expansions. The propensity of Htel repeats to expand depends on the presence of a complex of two yeast proteins: Tbf1 and Vid22. These two proteins are physically bound to an interstitial Htel repeat, and together they slow replication fork progression through it. We propose that slow progression of the replication fork through the protein complex formed by the Tbf1 and Vid22 partners at the Htel repeat cause DNA strand slippage, ultimately resulting in repeat expansions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kirill V Volkov
- Laboratory of Amyloid Biology, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, 199034, Russia
| | | | - Youri I Pavlov
- Eppley Institute for Research In Cancer and Allied Diseases, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
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36
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Boldyreva LV, Andreyeva EN, Pindyurin AV. Position Effect Variegation: Role of the Local Chromatin Context in Gene Expression Regulation. Mol Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s0026893322030049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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37
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Hermanova B, Riedlova P, Dalecka A, Jirik V, Janout V, Sram RJ. Air pollution and molecular changes in age-related diseases. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2022; 32:772-790. [PMID: 32723182 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2020.1797643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Assessment of the impact that air contaminants have on health is difficult as this is a complex mixture of substances that varies depending on the time and place. There are many studies on the association between air pollution and increased morbidity and mortality. Before the effect of polluted air is manifested at the level of the organs, an impact can be observed at the molecular level. These include some new biomarkers, like a shortening of the mean telomere length in DNA, dysregulation of gene expression caused by microRNA levels or a variation in the copy number of mitochondrial DNA. These changes may predispose individuals to premature development of age-related diseases and consequently to shortening of life. The common attribute, shared by changes at the molecular level and the development of diseases, is the presence of oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Hermanova
- Centre for Epidemiological Research, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - P Riedlova
- Centre for Epidemiological Research, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - A Dalecka
- Centre for Epidemiological Research, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - V Jirik
- Centre for Epidemiological Research, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - V Janout
- Centre for Epidemiological Research, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - R J Sram
- Centre for Epidemiological Research, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
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38
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Stephens Z, Ferrer A, Boardman L, Iyer RK, Kocher JPA. Telogator: a method for reporting chromosome-specific telomere lengths from long reads. Bioinformatics 2022; 38:1788-1793. [PMID: 35022670 PMCID: PMC8963315 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION Telomeres are the repetitive sequences found at the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and are often thought of as a 'biological clock,' with their average length shortening during division in most cells. In addition to their association with senescence, abnormal telomere lengths are well known to be associated with multiple cancers, short telomere syndromes and as risk factors for a broad range of diseases. While a majority of methods for measuring telomere length will report average lengths across all chromosomes, it is known that aberrations in specific chromosome arms are biomarkers for certain diseases. Due to their repetitive nature, characterizing telomeres at this resolution is prohibitive for short read sequencing approaches, and is challenging still even with longer reads. RESULTS We present Telogator: a method for reporting chromosome-specific telomere length from long read sequencing data. We demonstrate Telogator's sensitivity in detecting chromosome-specific telomere length in simulated data across a range of read lengths and error rates. Telogator is then applied to 10 germline samples, yielding a high correlation with short read methods in reporting average telomere length. In addition, we investigate common subtelomere rearrangements and identify the minimum read length required to anchor telomere/subtelomere boundaries in samples with these haplotypes. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION Telogator is written in Python3 and is available at github.com/zstephens/telogator. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary Stephens
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | | | - Lisa Boardman
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA
| | - Ravishankar K Iyer
- Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre A Kocher
- Department of Quantitative Health Sciences, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA
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39
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Lister-Shimauchi EH, McCarthy B, Lippincott M, Ahmed S. Genetic and Epigenetic Inheritance at Telomeres. EPIGENOMES 2022; 6:9. [PMID: 35323213 PMCID: PMC8947350 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes6010009] [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: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Transgenerational inheritance can occur at telomeres in distinct contexts. Deficiency for telomerase or telomere-binding proteins in germ cells can result in shortened or lengthened chromosome termini that are transmitted to progeny. In human families, altered telomere lengths can result in stem cell dysfunction or tumor development. Genetic inheritance of altered telomeres as well as mutations that alter telomeres can result in progressive telomere length changes over multiple generations. Telomeres of yeast can modulate the epigenetic state of subtelomeric genes in a manner that is mitotically heritable, and the effects of telomeres on subtelomeric gene expression may be relevant to senescence or other human adult-onset disorders. Recently, two novel epigenetic states were shown to occur at C. elegans telomeres, where very low or high levels of telomeric protein foci can be inherited for multiple generations through a process that is regulated by histone methylation.Together, these observations illustrate that information relevant to telomere biology can be inherited via genetic and epigenetic mechanisms, although the broad impact of epigenetic inheritance to human biology remains unclear.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan H. Lister-Shimauchi
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA; (E.H.L.-S.); (B.M.); (M.L.)
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Benjamin McCarthy
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA; (E.H.L.-S.); (B.M.); (M.L.)
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Michael Lippincott
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA; (E.H.L.-S.); (B.M.); (M.L.)
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
| | - Shawn Ahmed
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA; (E.H.L.-S.); (B.M.); (M.L.)
- Department of Biology, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3280, USA
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40
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Sexual Dimorphism in Telomere Length in Childhood Autism. J Autism Dev Disord 2022; 53:2050-2061. [PMID: 35220523 DOI: 10.1007/s10803-022-05486-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are strikingly more prevalent in males, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for ASD sex-differential risk are poorly understood. Abnormally shorter telomeres have been associated with autism. Examination of relative telomere lengths (RTL) among non-syndromic male (N = 14) and female (N = 10) children with autism revealed that only autistic male children had significantly shorter RTL than typically-developing controls (N = 24) and paired siblings (N = 10). While average RTL of autistic girls did not differ significantly from controls, it was substantially longer than autistic boys. Our findings indicate a sexually-dimorphic pattern of RTL in childhood autism and could have important implications for RTL as a potential biomarker and the role/s of telomeres in the molecular mechanisms responsible for ASD sex-biased prevalence and etiology.
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Semeraro MD, Almer G, Renner W, Gruber HJ, Herrmann M. Telomere length in leucocytes and solid tissues of young and aged rats. Aging (Albany NY) 2022; 14:1713-1728. [PMID: 35220278 PMCID: PMC8908913 DOI: 10.18632/aging.203922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Background: Telomeres are protective nucleoprotein structures at the end of chromosomes that shorten with age. Telomere length (TL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) has been proposed as surrogate marker for TL in the entire organism. Solid evidence that supports this concept is lacking. Methods: Relative TL (RTL) was measured in PBMCS and multiple solid tissues from 24 young (4 months) and 24 aged (14 months) Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. The mRNA expression of telomerase (TERT) and shelterin proteins TERF-1 and TERF-2 was also measured. Results: Mean RTL in PBMCs and solid tissues of young rats ranged from 0.64 ± 0.26 in large intestine to 1.07 ± 0.22 in skeletal muscle. RTL in PBMCs correlated with that in kidney (r = 0.315, p = 0.008), skeletal muscle (r = 0.276, p = 0.022), liver (r = 0.269, p = 0.033), large intestine (r = −0.463, p = 7.035E-5) and aorta (r = −0.273, p = 0.028). A significant difference of RTL between young and aged animals was only observed in aorta (0.98 ± 0.15 vs. 0.76 ± 0.11, p = 1.987E-6), lung (0.76 ± 0.14 vs. 0.85 ± 0.14, p = 0.024) and visceral fat (0.83 ± 0.14 vs. 0.92 ± 0.15, p = 0.44). The expression of TERT significantly differed between the tested organs with highest levels in liver and kidney. Age-related differences in TERT expression were found in PBMCs, skeletal muscle, and visceral fat. mRNA expression of TERF-1 and TERF-2 was tissue-specific with the highest levels in liver. Age-related differences in TERF-1 and TERF-2 expression were inconsistent. Conclusions: The present study questions the utility of RTL in PBMCs as a biomarker for the individual assessment of aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Donatella Semeraro
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Gunter Almer
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Wilfried Renner
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Hans-Jürgen Gruber
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
| | - Markus Herrmann
- Clinical Institute of Medical and Chemical Laboratory Diagnostics (CIMCL), Medical University of Graz, Graz 8036, Austria
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42
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Genome-wide screens identify specific drivers of mutant hTERT promoters. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:2105171119. [PMID: 35027447 PMCID: PMC8784157 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2105171119] [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] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in hTERT promoter are seen in over 19% of human cancers, irrespective of the cancer type. Understanding the molecular players that regulate Mut-hTERT promoters may help the design of effective targeting strategies to inhibit telomerase reactivation specifically in cancer cells. Our work uses genome-wide functional screens to identify 30 specific regulators of Mut-hTERT promoters. These candidates identified from the screening serve as an excellent resource to understand how telomerase is reactivated and as targets for making inhibitors to telomerase, a key driver of cancer. Cancer-specific hTERT promoter mutations reported in 19% of cancers result in enhanced telomerase activity. Understanding the distinctions between transcriptional regulation of wild-type (WT) and mutant (Mut) hTERT promoters may open up avenues for development of inhibitors which specially block hTERT expression in cancer cells. To comprehensively identify physiological regulators of WT- or Mut-hTERT promoters, we generated several isogenic reporter cells driven by endogenous hTERT loci. Genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 and small interfering RNA screens using these isogenic reporter lines identified specific regulators of Mut-hTERT promoters. We validate and characterize one of these hits, namely, MED12, a kinase subunit of mediator complex. We demonstrate that MED12 specifically drives expression of hTERT from the Mut-hTERT promoter by mediating long-range chromatin interaction between the proximal Mut-hTERT promoter and T-INT1 distal regulatory region 260 kb upstream. Several hits identified in our screens could serve as potential therapeutic targets, inhibition of which may specifically block Mut-hTERT promoter driven telomerase reactivation in cancers.
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43
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Williams DL, Sikora VM, Hammer MA, Amin S, Brinjikji T, Brumley EK, Burrows CJ, Carrillo PM, Cromer K, Edwards SJ, Emri O, Fergle D, Jenkins MJ, Kaushik K, Maydan DD, Woodard W, Clowney EJ. May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor: Non-deterministic Mechanisms Diversifying Cell Surface Molecule Expression. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:720798. [PMID: 35087825 PMCID: PMC8787164 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.720798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
How does the information in the genome program the functions of the wide variety of cells in the body? While the development of biological organisms appears to follow an explicit set of genomic instructions to generate the same outcome each time, many biological mechanisms harness molecular noise to produce variable outcomes. Non-deterministic variation is frequently observed in the diversification of cell surface molecules that give cells their functional properties, and is observed across eukaryotic clades, from single-celled protozoans to mammals. This is particularly evident in immune systems, where random recombination produces millions of antibodies from only a few genes; in nervous systems, where stochastic mechanisms vary the sensory receptors and synaptic matching molecules produced by different neurons; and in microbial antigenic variation. These systems employ overlapping molecular strategies including allelic exclusion, gene silencing by constitutive heterochromatin, targeted double-strand breaks, and competition for limiting enhancers. Here, we describe and compare five stochastic molecular mechanisms that produce variety in pathogen coat proteins and in the cell surface receptors of animal immune and neuronal cells, with an emphasis on the utility of non-deterministic variation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donnell L. Williams
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Veronica Maria Sikora
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Max A. Hammer
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Sayali Amin
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Taema Brinjikji
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Emily K. Brumley
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Connor J. Burrows
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Paola Michelle Carrillo
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kirin Cromer
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Summer J. Edwards
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Olivia Emri
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Daniel Fergle
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - M. Jamal Jenkins
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Krishangi Kaushik
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Daniella D. Maydan
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Wrenn Woodard
- MCDB 464 – Cellular Diversity in the Immune and Nervous Systems, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - E. Josephine Clowney
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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Vicari MR, Bruschi DP, Cabral-de-Mello DC, Nogaroto V. Telomere organization and the interstitial telomeric sites involvement in insects and vertebrates chromosome evolution. Genet Mol Biol 2022; 45:e20220071. [DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2022-0071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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45
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Frankel D, Delecourt V, Novoa-del-Toro EM, Robin JD, Airault C, Bartoli C, Carabalona A, Perrin S, Mazaleyrat K, De Sandre-Giovannoli A, Magdinier F, Baudot A, Lévy N, Kaspi E, Roll P. miR-376a-3p and miR-376b-3p overexpression in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria fibroblasts inhibits cell proliferation and induces premature senescence. iScience 2022; 25:103757. [PMID: 35118365 PMCID: PMC8800101 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare genetic disorder, in which an abnormal and toxic protein called progerin, accumulates in cell nuclei, leading to major cellular defects. Among them, chromatin remodeling drives gene expression changes, including miRNA dysregulation. In our study, we evaluated miRNA expression profiles in HGPS and control fibroblasts. We identified an enrichment of overexpressed miRNAs belonging to the 14q32.2-14q32.3 miRNA cluster. Using 3D FISH, we demonstrated that overexpression of these miRNAs is associated with chromatin remodeling at this specific locus in HGPS fibroblasts. We then focused on miR-376b-3p and miR-376a-3p, both overexpressed in HGPS fibroblasts. We demonstrated that their induced overexpression in control fibroblasts decreases cell proliferation and increases senescence, whereas their inhibition in HGPS fibroblasts rescues proliferation defects and senescence and decreases progerin accumulation. By targeting these major processes linked to premature aging, these two miRNAs may play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of HGPS. Several miRNAs are deregulated in HGPS fibroblasts compared with controls Progerin leads to overexpression of miRNAs belonging to the 14q32.2-14q32.3 cluster miR-376a and miR-376b overexpression decreases cell proliferation and increases senescence
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Affiliation(s)
- Diane Frankel
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, MMG, Hôpital la Timone, Service de Biologie Cellulaire, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, Marseille, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Annachiara De Sandre-Giovannoli
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, MMG, Hôpital la Timone, Département de Génétique Médicale, Biological Resource Center (CRB-TAC), Marseille, France
| | | | - Anaïs Baudot
- Aix Marseille Univ, INSERM, MMG, Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Lévy
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, MMG, Hôpital la Timone, Département de Génétique Médicale, Biological Resource Center (CRB-TAC), Marseille, France
| | - Elise Kaspi
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, MMG, Hôpital la Timone, Service de Biologie Cellulaire, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, Marseille, France
| | - Patrice Roll
- Aix Marseille Univ, APHM, INSERM, MMG, Hôpital la Timone, Service de Biologie Cellulaire, 27 Bd Jean Moulin, Marseille, France
- Corresponding author
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46
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Lin J, Epel E. Stress and telomere shortening: Insights from cellular mechanisms. Ageing Res Rev 2022; 73:101507. [PMID: 34736994 PMCID: PMC8920518 DOI: 10.1016/j.arr.2021.101507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 65.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 10/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Short telomeres confer risk of degenerative diseases. Chronic psychological stress can lead to disease through many pathways, and research from in vitro studies to human longitudinal studies has pointed to stress-induced telomere damage as an important pathway. However, there has not been a comprehensive model to describe how changes in stress physiology and neuroendocrine pathways can lead to changes in telomere biology. Critically short telomeres or the collapse of the telomere structure caused by displacement of telomere binding protein complex shelterin elicit a DNA damage response and lead to senescence or apoptosis. In this narrative review, we summarize the key roles glucocorticoids, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondria, and inflammation play in mediating the relationship between psychological stress and telomere maintenance. We emphasis that these mediators are interconnected and reinforce each other in positive feedback loops. Telomere length has not been studied across the lifespan yet, but the initial setting point at birth appears to be the most influential point, as it sets the lifetime trajectory, and is influenced by stress. We describe two types of intergenerational stress effects on telomeres - prenatal stress effects on telomeres during fetal development, and 'telotype transmission" -the directly inherited transmission of short telomeres from parental germline. It is clear that the initial simplistic view of telomere length as a mitotic clock has evolved into a far more complex picture of both transgenerational telomere influences, and of interconnected molecular and cellular pathways and networks, as hallmarks of aging where telomere maintenance is a key player interacting with mitochondria. Further mechanistic investigations testing this comprehensive model of stress mediators shaping telomere biology and the telomere-mitochondrial nexus will lead to better understanding from cell to human lifespan aging, and could lead to anti-aging interventions.
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47
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Libertini G, Shubernetskaya O, Corbi G, Ferrara N. Is Evidence Supporting the Subtelomere-Telomere Theory of Aging? BIOCHEMISTRY. BIOKHIMIIA 2021; 86:1526-1539. [PMID: 34937532 DOI: 10.1134/s0006297921120026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The telomere theory tries to explain cellular mechanisms of aging as mainly caused by telomere shortening at each duplication. The subtelomere-telomere theory overcomes various shortcomings of telomere theory by highlighting the essential role of subtelomeric DNA in aging mechanisms. The present work illustrates and deepens the correspondence between assumptions and implications of subtelomere-telomere theory and experimental results. In particular, it is investigated the evidence regarding the relationships between aging and (i) epigenetic modifications; (ii) oxidation and inflammation; (iii) telomere protection; (iv) telomeric heterochromatin hood; (v) gradual cell senescence; (vi) cell senescence; and (vii) organism decline with telomere shortening. The evidence appears broadly in accordance or at least compatible with the description and implications of the subtelomere-telomere theory. In short, phenomena of cellular aging, by which the senescence of the whole organism is determined in various ways, appear substantially dependent on epigenetic modifications regulated by the subtelomere-telomere-telomeric hood-telomerase system. These phenomena appear to be not random, inevitable, and irreversible but rather induced and regulated by genetically determined mechanisms, and modifiable and reversible by appropriate methods. All this supports the thesis that aging is a genetically programmed and regulated phenoptotic phenomenon and is against the opposite thesis of aging as caused by random and inevitable degenerative factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giacinto Libertini
- Member of the Italian Society for Evolutionary Biology (SIBE), Asti, 14100, Italy. .,Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy
| | - Olga Shubernetskaya
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Moscow, 117997, Russia.
| | - Graziamaria Corbi
- Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, 86100, Italy. .,Italian Society of Gerontology and Geriatrics (SIGG), Firenze, 50129, Italy
| | - Nicola Ferrara
- Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, 80131, Italy. .,Istituti Clinici Scientifici Maugeri SPA - Società Benefit, IRCCS, Telese Terme, BN, 82037, Italy
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48
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Ohori M, Nakayama Y, Ogasawara-Shimizu M, Toyoshiba H, Nakanishi A, Aparicio S, Araki S. Gene regulatory network analysis defines transcriptome landscape with alternative splicing of human umbilical vein endothelial cells during replicative senescence. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:869. [PMID: 34856941 PMCID: PMC8641155 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-08185-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Endothelial cell senescence is the state of permanent cell cycle arrest and plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of age-related diseases. However, a comprehensive understanding of the gene regulatory network, including genome-wide alternative splicing machinery, involved in endothelial cell senescence is lacking. Results We thoroughly described the transcriptome landscape of replicative senescent human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Genes with high connectivity showing a monotonic expression increase or decrease with the culture period were defined as hub genes in the co-expression network. Computational network analysis of these genes led to the identification of canonical and non-canonical senescence pathways, such as E2F and SIRT2 signaling, which were down-regulated in lipid metabolism, and chromosome organization processes pathways. Additionally, we showed that endothelial cell senescence involves alternative splicing. Importantly, the first and last exon types of splicing, as observed in FLT1 and ACACA, were preferentially altered among the alternatively spliced genes during endothelial senescence. We further identified novel microexons in PRUNE2 and PSAP, each containing 9 nt, which were altered within the specific domain during endothelial senescence. Conclusions These findings unveil the comprehensive transcriptome pathway and novel signaling regulated by RNA processing, including gene expression and splicing, in replicative endothelial senescence. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-021-08185-x.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momoko Ohori
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.
| | - Yusuke Nakayama
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.,Present address: Discovery Technology Research Laboratories, Tsukuba Research Institute, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 17-2 Wadai, 300-4247, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Mari Ogasawara-Shimizu
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Toyoshiba
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.,Present address: Life Science AI, FRONTEO Healthcare Inc., 2-12-23 Konan, Minato-ku, 108-0075, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Atsushi Nakanishi
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Samuel Aparicio
- Molecular Oncology, BC Cancer Agency, 675 W10th Avenue, V5Z 1L3, Vancouver, BC, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, V6T 2B5, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Shinsuke Araki
- Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.
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49
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Lee KH, Kim DY, Kim W. Regulation of Gene Expression by Telomere Position Effect. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms222312807. [PMID: 34884608 PMCID: PMC8657463 DOI: 10.3390/ijms222312807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Many diseases that involve malignant tumors in the elderly affect the quality of human life; therefore, the relationship between aging and pathogenesis in geriatric diseases must be under-stood to develop appropriate treatments for these diseases. Recent reports have shown that epigenetic regulation caused by changes in the local chromatin structure plays an essential role in aging. This review provides an overview of the roles of telomere shortening on genomic structural changes during an age-dependent shift in gene expression. Telomere shortening is one of the most prominent events that is involved in cellular aging and it affects global gene expression through genome rearrangement. This review provides novel insights into the roles of telomere shortening in disease-affected cells during pathogenesis and suggests novel therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyung-Ha Lee
- Division of Cosmetic Science and Technology, Daegu Haany University, Gyeongsan 38610, Korea;
| | - Do-Yeon Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Dentistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41940, Korea
- Correspondence: (D.-Y.K.); (W.K.)
| | - Wanil Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Convergence Medical Science, Institute of Health Sciences, School of Medicine, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52727, Korea
- Correspondence: (D.-Y.K.); (W.K.)
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50
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Mojiri A, Walther BK, Jiang C, Matrone G, Holgate R, Xu Q, Morales E, Wang G, Gu J, Wang R, Cooke JP. Telomerase therapy reverses vascular senescence and extends lifespan in progeria mice. Eur Heart J 2021; 42:4352-4369. [PMID: 34389865 PMCID: PMC8603239 DOI: 10.1093/eurheartj/ehab547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is an accelerated ageing syndrome associated with premature vascular disease and death due to heart attack and stroke. In HGPS a mutation in lamin A (progerin) alters nuclear morphology and gene expression. Current therapy increases the lifespan of these children only modestly. Thus, greater understanding of the underlying mechanisms of HGPS is required to improve therapy. Endothelial cells (ECs) differentiated from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) derived from these patients exhibit hallmarks of senescence including replication arrest, increased expression of inflammatory markers, DNA damage, and telomere erosion. We hypothesized that correction of shortened telomeres may reverse these measures of vascular ageing. METHODS AND RESULTS We generated ECs from iPSCs belonging to children with HGPS and their unaffected parents. Telomerase mRNA (hTERT) was used to treat HGPS ECs. Endothelial morphology and functions were assessed, as well as proteomic and transcriptional profiles with attention to inflammatory markers, DNA damage, and EC identity genes. In a mouse model of HGPS, we assessed the effects of lentiviral transfection of mTERT on measures of senescence, focusing on the EC phenotype in various organs. hTERT treatment of human HGPS ECs improved replicative capacity; restored endothelial functions such as nitric oxide generation, acetylated low-density lipoprotein uptake and angiogenesis; and reduced the elaboration of inflammatory cytokines. In addition, hTERT treatment improved cellular and nuclear morphology, in association with a normalization of the transcriptional profile, effects that may be mediated in part by a reduction in progerin expression and an increase in sirtuin 1 (SIRT1). Progeria mice treated with mTERT lentivirus manifested similar improvements, with a reduction in inflammatory and DNA damage markers and increased SIRT1 in their vasculature and other organs. Furthermore, mTERT therapy increased the lifespan of HGPS mice. CONCLUSION Vascular rejuvenation using telomerase mRNA is a promising approach for progeria and other age-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anahita Mojiri
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Brandon K Walther
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 101 Bizzell St., College Station, TX 77840, USA
| | - Chongming Jiang
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gianfranco Matrone
- British Heart Foundation Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Rhonda Holgate
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qiu Xu
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Elisa Morales
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Guangyu Wang
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Center for Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jianhua Gu
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rongfu Wang
- Department of Medicine, and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - John P Cooke
- Center for Cardiovascular Regeneration, Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, Houston Methodist Research Institute, 6670 Bertner Ave., R10-South, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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