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Hassan M, Tutar L, Sari-Ak D, Rasul A, Basheer E, Tutar Y. Non-genetic heterogeneity and immune subtyping in breast cancer: Implications for immunotherapy and targeted therapeutics. Transl Oncol 2024; 47:102055. [PMID: 39002207 PMCID: PMC11299575 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2024.102055] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/25/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a complex and multifactorial disease, driven by genetic alterations that promote tumor growth and progression. However, recent research has highlighted the importance of non-genetic factors in shaping cancer evolution and influencing therapeutic outcomes. Non-genetic heterogeneity refers to diverse subpopulations of cancer cells within breast tumors, exhibiting distinct phenotypic and functional properties. These subpopulations can arise through various mechanisms, including clonal evolution, genetic changes, epigenetic changes, and reversible phenotypic transitions. Although genetic and epigenetic changes are important points of the pathology of breast cancer yet, the immune system also plays a crucial role in its progression. In clinical management, histologic and molecular classification of BC are used. Immunological subtyping of BC has gained attention in recent years as compared to traditional techniques. Intratumoral heterogeneity revealed by immunological microenvironment (IME) has opened novel opportunities for immunotherapy research. This systematic review is focused on non-genetic variability to identify and interlink immunological subgroups in breast cancer. This review provides a deep understanding of adaptive methods adopted by tumor cells to withstand changes in the tumor microenvironment and selective pressure imposed by medications. These adaptive methods include alterations in drug targets, immune system evasion, activation of survival pathways, and alterations in metabolism. Understanding non-genetic heterogeneity is essential for the development of targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudassir Hassan
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab 38000, Pakistan
| | - Lütfi Tutar
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Kırsehir Ahi Evran University, Kırsehir, Turkey
| | - Duygu Sari-Ak
- Department of Medical Biology, Hamidiye International School of Medicine, University of Health Sciences, Istanbul 34668, Turkey
| | - Azhar Rasul
- Department of Zoology, Government College University Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Punjab 38000, Pakistan
| | - Ejaz Basheer
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Sciences Government College University Faisalabad, Pakistan
| | - Yusuf Tutar
- Faculty of Medicine, Division of Biochemistry, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University, Rize, Turkey.
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2
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Xia X, Yang Z, Lu Q, Liu Z, Wang L, Du J, Li Y, Yang DH, Wu S. Reshaping the tumor immune microenvironment to improve CAR-T cell-based cancer immunotherapy. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:175. [PMID: 39187850 PMCID: PMC11346058 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02079-8] [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: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In many hematologic malignancies, the adoptive transfer of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has demonstrated notable success; nevertheless, further improvements are necessary to optimize treatment efficacy. Current CAR-T therapies are particularly discouraging for solid tumor treatment. The immunosuppressive microenvironment of tumors affects CAR-T cells, limiting the treatment's effectiveness and safety. Therefore, enhancing CAR-T cell infiltration capacity and resolving the immunosuppressive responses within the tumor microenvironment could boost the anti-tumor effect. Specific strategies include structurally altering CAR-T cells combined with targeted therapy, radiotherapy, or chemotherapy. Overall, monitoring the tumor microenvironment and the status of CAR-T cells is beneficial in further investigating the viability of such strategies and advancing CAR-T cell therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueting Xia
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Zongxin Yang
- The Second Clinical Medical School, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Qisi Lu
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, 215006, China
- Foresea Life Insurance Guangzhou General Hospital, Guangzhou, 511300, China
| | - Zhenyun Liu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Jinwen Du
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China
| | - Yuhua Li
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
| | - Dong-Hua Yang
- New York College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Mineola, NY, 11501, USA.
| | - Shaojie Wu
- Department of Hematology, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510282, China.
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3
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Xu M, Hong JJ, Zhang X, Sun M, Liu X, Kang J, Stack H, Fang W, Lei H, Lacoste X, Okada R, Jung R, Nguyen R, Shern JF, Thiele CJ, Liu Z. Targeting SWI/SNF ATPases reduces neuroblastoma cell plasticity. EMBO J 2024:10.1038/s44318-024-00206-1. [PMID: 39174852 DOI: 10.1038/s44318-024-00206-1] [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: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Tumor cell heterogeneity defines therapy responsiveness in neuroblastoma (NB), a cancer derived from neural crest cells. NB consists of two primary subtypes: adrenergic and mesenchymal. Adrenergic traits predominate in NB tumors, while mesenchymal features becomes enriched post-chemotherapy or after relapse. The interconversion between these subtypes contributes to NB lineage plasticity, but the underlying mechanisms driving this phenotypic switching remain unclear. Here, we demonstrate that SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex ATPases are essential in establishing an mesenchymal gene-permissive chromatin state in adrenergic-type NB, facilitating lineage plasticity. Targeting SWI/SNF ATPases with SMARCA2/4 dual degraders effectively inhibits NB cell proliferation, invasion, and notably, cellular plasticity, thereby preventing chemotherapy resistance. Mechanistically, depletion of SWI/SNF ATPases compacts cis-regulatory elements, diminishes enhancer activity, and displaces core transcription factors (MYCN, HAND2, PHOX2B, and GATA3) from DNA, thereby suppressing transcriptional programs associated with plasticity. These findings underscore the pivotal role of SWI/SNF ATPases in driving intrinsic plasticity and therapy resistance in neuroblastoma, highlighting an epigenetic target for combinational treatments in this cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Xu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jason J Hong
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xiyuan Zhang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ming Sun
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xingyu Liu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jeeyoun Kang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Hannah Stack
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Wendy Fang
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Haiyan Lei
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Xavier Lacoste
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Reona Okada
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Raina Jung
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Rosa Nguyen
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jack F Shern
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Carol J Thiele
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Zhihui Liu
- Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA.
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4
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Larkin A, Kunze C, Seman M, Levashkevich A, Curran J, Morris-Evans D, Lemieux S, Khalil AS, Ragunathan K. Mapping the dynamics of epigenetic adaptation in S. pombe during heterochromatin misregulation. Dev Cell 2024; 59:2222-2238.e4. [PMID: 39094565 PMCID: PMC11338711 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2024.07.006] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms enable cells to develop novel adaptive phenotypes without altering their genetic blueprint. Recent studies show histone modifications, such as heterochromatin-defining H3K9 methylation (H3K9me), can be redistributed to establish adaptive phenotypes. We developed a precision-engineered genetic approach to trigger heterochromatin misregulation on-demand in fission yeast. This enabled us to trace genome-scale RNA and H3K9me changes over time in long-term, continuous cultures. Adaptive H3K9me establishes over remarkably slow timescales relative to the initiating stress. We captured dynamic H3K9me redistribution events which depend on an RNA binding complex MTREC, ultimately leading to cells converging on an optimal adaptive solution. Upon stress removal, cells relax to new transcriptional and chromatin states, establishing memory that is tunable and primed for future adaptive epigenetic responses. Collectively, we identify the slow kinetics of epigenetic adaptation that allow cells to discover and heritably encode novel adaptive solutions, with implications for drug resistance and response to infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ajay Larkin
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Colin Kunze
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Melissa Seman
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | | | - Justin Curran
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | | | - Sophia Lemieux
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA 02453, USA
| | - Ahmad S Khalil
- Biological Design Center, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering, Harvard University, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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5
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Lorenz L, Zenz T, Oliinyk D, Meier-Rosar F, Jenke R, Aigner A, Büch T. Vorinostat Treatment of Gastric Cancer Cells Leads to ROS-Induced Cell Inhibition and a Complex Pattern of Molecular Alterations in Nrf2-Dependent Genes. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:1080. [PMID: 39204185 PMCID: PMC11357633 DOI: 10.3390/ph17081080] [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: 07/10/2024] [Revised: 08/08/2024] [Accepted: 08/13/2024] [Indexed: 09/03/2024] Open
Abstract
Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) show high antineoplastic potential in preclinical studies in various solid tumors, including gastric carcinoma; however, their use in clinical studies has not yet yielded convincing efficacies. Thus, further studies on cellular/molecular effects of HDACi are needed, for improving clinical efficacy and identifying suitable combination partners. Here, we investigated the role of oxidative stress in gastric cancer cells upon treatment with HDACi. A particular focus was laid on the role of the Nrf2 pathway, which can mediate resistance to cell-inhibitory effects of reactive oxidative species (ROS). Using fluorescence-based ROS sensors, oxidative stress was measured in human gastric cancer cell lines. Activation of the Nrf2 pathway was monitored in luciferase reporter assays as well as by mRNA and proteomic expression analyses of Nrf2 regulators and Nrf2-induced genes. Furthermore, the effects of ROS scavenger N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) and Nrf2-knockdown on HDACi-dependent antiproliferative effects were investigated in colorimetric formazan-based and clonogenic survival assays. HDACi treatment led to increased oxidative stress levels and consequently, treatment with NAC reduced cytotoxicity of HDACi. In addition, vorinostat treatment stimulated expression of a luciferase reporter under the control of an antioxidative response element, indicating activation of the Nrf2 system. This Nrf2 activation was only partially reversible by treatment with NAC, suggesting ROS independent pathways to contribute to HDACi-promoted Nrf2 activation. In line with its cytoprotective role, Nrf2 knockdown led to a sensitization against HDACi. Accordingly, the expression of antioxidant and detoxifying Nrf2 target genes was upregulated upon HDACi treatment. In conclusion, oxidative stress induction upon HDAC inhibition contributes to the antitumor effects of HDAC inhibitors, and activation of Nrf2 represents a potentially important adaptive response of gastric cancer cells in this context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leoni Lorenz
- Clinical Pharmacology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany (T.Z.); (R.J.)
| | - Tamara Zenz
- Clinical Pharmacology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany (T.Z.); (R.J.)
| | - Denys Oliinyk
- Functional Proteomics, Research Center Lobeda, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany; (D.O.); (F.M.-R.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Meier-Rosar
- Functional Proteomics, Research Center Lobeda, Jena University Hospital, 07747 Jena, Germany; (D.O.); (F.M.-R.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Robert Jenke
- Clinical Pharmacology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany (T.Z.); (R.J.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 07743 Jena, Germany
- University Cancer Center Leipzig (UCCL), University Hospital Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Achim Aigner
- Clinical Pharmacology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany (T.Z.); (R.J.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 07743 Jena, Germany
| | - Thomas Büch
- Clinical Pharmacology, Rudolf-Boehm-Institute for Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, 04107 Leipzig, Germany (T.Z.); (R.J.)
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Comprehensive Cancer Center Central Germany (CCCG), 07743 Jena, Germany
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6
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Grobben Y. Targeting amino acid-metabolizing enzymes for cancer immunotherapy. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1440269. [PMID: 39211039 PMCID: PMC11359565 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1440269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/23/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite the immune system's role in the detection and eradication of abnormal cells, cancer cells often evade elimination by exploitation of various immune escape mechanisms. Among these mechanisms is the ability of cancer cells to upregulate amino acid-metabolizing enzymes, or to induce these enzymes in tumor-infiltrating immunosuppressive cells. Amino acids are fundamental cellular nutrients required for a variety of physiological processes, and their inadequacy can severely impact immune cell function. Amino acid-derived metabolites can additionally dampen the anti-tumor immune response by means of their immunosuppressive activities, whilst some can also promote tumor growth directly. Based on their evident role in tumor immune escape, the amino acid-metabolizing enzymes glutaminase 1 (GLS1), arginase 1 (ARG1), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO) and interleukin 4 induced 1 (IL4I1) each serve as a promising target for immunotherapeutic intervention. This review summarizes and discusses the involvement of these enzymes in cancer, their effect on the anti-tumor immune response and the recent progress made in the preclinical and clinical evaluation of inhibitors targeting these enzymes.
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Deng K, Liang L, Yang Y, Wu Y, Li Y, Zhang R, Tian Y, Lu C. The Wdr5-H3K4me3 Epigenetic Axis Regulates Pancreatic Tumor Immunogenicity and Immune Suppression. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:8773. [PMID: 39201460 PMCID: PMC11354242 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25168773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 07/26/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 09/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The WDR5/MLL1-H3K4me3 epigenetic axis is often activated in both tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells to drive various cellular responses in the tumor microenvironment and has been extensively studied in hematopoietic cancer, but its respective functions in tumor cells and immune cells in the context of tumor growth regulation of solid tumor is still incompletely understood. We report here that WDR5 exhibits a higher expression level in human pancreatic tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal pancreas. Moreover, WDR5 expression is negatively correlated with patients' response to chemotherapy or immunotherapy in human colon cancer and melanoma. However, WDR5 expression is positively correlated with the HLA level in human cancer cells, and H3K4me3 enrichment is observed at the promoter region of the HLA-A, HLA-B, and HLA-C genes in pancreatic cancer cells. Using mouse tumor cell lines and in vivo tumor models, we determined that WDR5 deficiency or inhibition significantly represses MHC I expression in vitro and in vivo in pancreatic tumor cells. Mechanistically, we determine that WDR5 deficiency inhibits H3K4me3 deposition at the MHC I (H2K) promoter region to repress MHC I (H2K) transcription. On the other hand, WDR5 depletion leads to the effective downregulation of immune checkpoints and immunosuppressive cytokines, including TGFβ and IL6, in the pancreatic tumor microenvironments. Our data determine that WDR5 not only regulates tumor cell immunogenicity to suppress tumor growth but also activates immune suppressive pathways to promote tumor immune evasion. Selective activation of the WDR5-MHC I pathway and/or selective inhibition of the WDR5-immune checkpoint and WDR5-cytokine pathways should be considered in WDR5-based epigenetic cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaidi Deng
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (K.D.); (L.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Liyan Liang
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (K.D.); (L.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yingcui Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (K.D.); (L.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yanmin Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (K.D.); (L.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yan Li
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (K.D.); (L.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.)
| | - Rongrong Zhang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; (R.Z.); (Y.T.)
| | - Yulin Tian
- Institute of Materia Medica, Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China; (R.Z.); (Y.T.)
| | - Chunwan Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; (K.D.); (L.L.); (Y.Y.); (Y.W.); (Y.L.)
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8
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Jain N, Li JL, Tong L, Jasmine F, Kibriya MG, Demanelis K, Oliva M, Chen LS, Pierce BL. DNA methylation correlates of chronological age in diverse human tissue types. Epigenetics Chromatin 2024; 17:25. [PMID: 39118140 PMCID: PMC11308253 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-024-00546-6] [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: 02/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND While the association of chronological age with DNA methylation (DNAm) in whole blood has been extensively studied, the tissue-specificity of age-related DNAm changes remains an active area of research. Studies investigating the association of age with DNAm in tissues such as brain, skin, immune cells, fat, and liver have identified tissue-specific and non-specific effects, thus, motivating additional studies of diverse human tissue and cell types. RESULTS Here, we performed an epigenome-wide association study, leveraging DNAm data (Illumina EPIC array) from 961 tissue samples representing 9 tissue types (breast, lung, colon, ovary, prostate, skeletal muscle, testis, whole blood, and kidney) from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. We identified age-associated CpG sites (false discovery rate < 0.05) in 8 tissues (all except skeletal muscle, n = 47). This included 162,002 unique hypermethylated and 90,626 hypomethylated CpG sites across all tissue types, with 130,137 (80%) hypermethylated CpGs and 74,703 (82%) hypomethylated CpG sites observed in a single tissue type. While the majority of age-associated CpG sites appeared tissue-specific, the patterns of enrichment among genomic features, such as chromatin states and CpG islands, were similar across most tissues, suggesting common mechanisms underlying cellular aging. Consistent with previous findings, we observed that hypermethylated CpG sites are enriched in regions with repressed polycomb signatures and CpG islands, while hypomethylated CpG sites preferentially occurred in non-CpG islands and enhancers. To gain insights into the functional effects of age-related DNAm changes, we assessed the correlation between DNAm and local gene expression changes to identify age-related expression quantitative trait methylation (age-eQTMs). We identified several age-eQTMs present in multiple tissue-types, including in the CDKN2A, HENMT1, and VCWE regions. CONCLUSION Overall, our findings will aid future efforts to develop biomarkers of aging and understand mechanisms of aging in diverse human tissue types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niyati Jain
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Committee on Genetics, Genomics and Systems Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - James L Li
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Interdisciplinary Scientist Training Program, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Lin Tong
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Farzana Jasmine
- Institute for Population and Precision Health (IPPH), Biological Sciences Division, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Muhammad G Kibriya
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Kathryn Demanelis
- Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, 15261, USA
- UPMC Hillman Cancer Center, Pittsburgh, PA, 15232, USA
| | - Meritxell Oliva
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
- Genomics Research Center, AbbVie, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Lin S Chen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA
| | - Brandon L Pierce
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Department of Human Genetics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, 60637, USA.
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9
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Zhang Y, Zhang S. CRISPR perfect adaptation for robust control of cellular immune and apoptotic responses. Nucleic Acids Res 2024:gkae665. [PMID: 39087566 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 06/26/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024] Open
Abstract
A central challenge in the quest for precise gene regulation within mammalian cells is the development of regulatory networks that can achieve perfect adaptation-where outputs consistently return to a set baseline post-stimulus. Here, we present such a system that leverages the CRISPR activation (CRISPRa) and anti-CRISPR proteins as two antithetic elements to establish perfect adaptation in mammalian cells and dynamically regulate gene expression. We demonstrate that this system can maintain stable expression levels of target genes in the face of external perturbations, thus providing a robust platform for biological applications. The versatility of our system is further showcased through its integration with endogenous regulatory mechanisms in T cells, such as the NF-κB-mediated immune response, and its ability to program apoptosis responses for precise spatial and temporal control of cellular growth and death. This study not only advances our understanding of gene regulation in mammalian cells but also opens new avenues for therapeutic intervention, particularly in diseases characterized by dysregulated gene expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichi Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuyi Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Beijing Frontier Research Center for Biological Structure, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
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10
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Araujo-Abad S, Rizzuti B, Soto-Conde L, Vidal M, Abian O, Velazquez-Campoy A, Neira JL, de Juan Romero C. Citrullinating enzyme PADI4 and transcriptional repressor RING1B bind in cancer cells. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 274:133163. [PMID: 38878927 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.133163] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Polycomb groups (PcGs) are transcriptional repressors, formed by a complex of several proteins, involved in multicellular development and cancer epigenetics. One of these proteins is the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase RING1 (or RING1B), associated with the regulation of transcriptional repression and responsible for monoubiquitylation of the histone H2A. On the other hand, PADI4 is one of the human isoforms of a family of enzymes implicated in the conversion of arginine to citrulline, and it is also involved in the development of glioblastoma, among other types of cancers. In this work, we showed the association of PADI4 and RING1B in the nucleus and cytosol in several cancer cell lines by using immunofluorescence and proximity ligation assays. Furthermore, we demonstrated that binding was hampered in the presence of GSK484, an enzymatic PADI4 inhibitor, suggesting that RING1B could bind to the active site of PADI4, as confirmed by protein-protein docking simulations. In vitro and in silico findings showed that binding to PADI4 occurred for the isolated fragments corresponding to both the N-terminal (residues 1-221) and C-terminal (residues 228-336) regions of RING1B. Binding to PADI4 was also hampered by GSK484, as shown by isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) experiments for the sole N-terminal region, and by both NMR and ITC for the C-terminal one. The dissociation constants between PADI4 and any of the two isolated RING1B fragments were in the low micromolar range (~2-10 μM), as measured by fluorescence and ITC. The interaction between RING1B and PADI4 might imply citrullination of the former, leading to several biological consequences, as well as being of potential therapeutic relevance for improving cancer treatment with the generation of new antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Salome Araujo-Abad
- Cancer Research Group, Faculty of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Universidad de Las Américas, 170124 Quito, Ecuador; IDIBE, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche (Alicante), Spain.
| | - Bruno Rizzuti
- CNR-NANOTEC, SS Rende (CS), Department of Physics, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy; Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain
| | | | - Miguel Vidal
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Calle Ramiro de Maeztu, 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Olga Abian
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área Temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 28029 Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Adrian Velazquez-Campoy
- Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Aragón (IIS Aragón), Zaragoza, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en el Área Temática de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), 28029 Madrid, Spain; Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular y Celular, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - José L Neira
- IDIBE, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche (Alicante), Spain; Institute of Biocomputation and Physics of Complex Systems (BIFI), Universidad de Zaragoza, 50018 Zaragoza, Spain.
| | - Camino de Juan Romero
- IDIBE, Universidad Miguel Hernández, 03202 Elche (Alicante), Spain; Unidad de Investigación, Fundación para el Fomento de la Investigación Sanitaria y Biomédica de la Comunidad Valenciana (FISABIO), Hospital General Universitario de Elche, Camí de l'Almazara 11, 03203 Elche (Alicante), Spain.
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11
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Zhang S, Lin T, Xiong X, Chen C, Tan P, Wei Q. Targeting histone modifiers in bladder cancer therapy - preclinical and clinical evidence. Nat Rev Urol 2024; 21:495-511. [PMID: 38374198 DOI: 10.1038/s41585-024-00857-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Bladder cancer in the most advanced, muscle-invasive stage is lethal, and very limited therapeutic advances have been reported for decades. To date, cisplatin-based chemotherapy remains the first-line therapy for advanced bladder cancer. Late-line options have historically been limited. In the past few years, next-generation sequencing technology has enabled chromatin remodelling gene mutations to be characterized, showing that these alterations are more frequent in urothelial bladder carcinoma than in other cancer types. Histone modifiers have functional roles in tumour progression by modulating the expression of tumour suppressors and oncogenes and, therefore, have been considered as novel drug targets for cancer therapy. The roles of epigenetic reprogramming through histone modifications have been increasingly studied in bladder cancer, and the therapeutic efficacy of targeting those histone modifiers genetically or chemically is being assessed in preclinical studies. Results from preclinical studies in bladder cancer encouraged the investigation of some of these drugs in clinical trials, which yield mixed results. Further understanding of how alterations of histone modification mechanistically contribute to bladder cancer progression, drug resistance and tumour microenvironment remodelling will be required to facilitate clinical application of epigenetic drugs in bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyu Zhang
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Tianhai Lin
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Xingyu Xiong
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Chong Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Ping Tan
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
| | - Qiang Wei
- Department of Urology, Institute of Urology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China.
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12
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Pedersen EA, Verhaegen ME, Joseph MK, Harms KL, Harms PW. Merkel cell carcinoma: updates in tumor biology, emerging therapies, and preclinical models. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1413793. [PMID: 39136002 PMCID: PMC11317257 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1413793] [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: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 07/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is an aggressive cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma thought to arise via either viral (Merkel cell polyomavirus) or ultraviolet-associated pathways. Surgery and radiotherapy have historically been mainstays of management, and immunotherapy has improved outcomes for advanced disease. However, there remains a lack of effective therapy for those patients who fail to respond to these established approaches, underscoring a critical need to better understand MCC biology for more effective prognosis and treatment. Here, we review the fundamental aspects of MCC biology and the recent advances which have had profound impact on management. The first genetically-engineered mouse models for MCC tumorigenesis provide opportunities to understand the potential MCC cell of origin and may prove useful for preclinical investigation of novel therapeutics. The MCC cell of origin debate has also been advanced by recent observations of MCC arising in association with a clonally related hair follicle tumor or squamous cell carcinoma in situ. These studies also suggested a role for epigenetics in the origin of MCC, highlighting a potential utility for this therapeutic avenue in MCC. These and other therapeutic targets form the basis for a wealth of ongoing clinical trials to improve MCC management. Here, we review these recent advances in the context of the existing literature and implications for future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mallory K. Joseph
- Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Kelly L. Harms
- Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - Paul W. Harms
- Department of Dermatology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
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13
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Ames A, Seman M, Larkin A, Raiymbek G, Chen Z, Levashkevich A, Kim B, Biteen JS, Ragunathan K. Epigenetic memory is governed by an effector recruitment specificity toggle in Heterochromatin Protein 1. Nat Commun 2024; 15:6276. [PMID: 39054315 PMCID: PMC11272775 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50538-z] [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: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
HP1 proteins are essential for establishing and maintaining transcriptionally silent heterochromatin. They dimerize, forming a binding interface to recruit diverse chromatin-associated factors. Although HP1 proteins are known to rapidly evolve, the extent of variation required to achieve functional specialization is unknown. To investigate how changes in amino acid sequence impacts heterochromatin formation, we performed a targeted mutagenesis screen of the S. pombe HP1 homolog, Swi6. Substitutions within an auxiliary surface adjacent to the HP1 dimerization interface produce Swi6 variants with divergent maintenance properties. Remarkably, substitutions at a single amino acid position lead to the persistent gain or loss of epigenetic inheritance. These substitutions increase Swi6 chromatin occupancy in vivo and altered Swi6-protein interactions that reprogram H3K9me maintenance. We show how relatively minor changes in Swi6 amino acid composition in an auxiliary surface can lead to profound changes in epigenetic inheritance providing a redundant mechanism to evolve HP1-effector specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Ames
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Melissa Seman
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Ajay Larkin
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Gulzhan Raiymbek
- Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Ziyuan Chen
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA
| | | | - Bokyung Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, MA, 02453, USA
| | - Julie Suzanne Biteen
- Department of Biophysics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48104, USA
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14
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Huang C, Zhao C, Sun Y, Feng T, Ren J, Qu X. A Hydrogen-Bonded Organic Framework-Based Mitochondrion-Targeting Bioorthogonal Platform for the Modulation of Mitochondrial Epigenetics. NANO LETTERS 2024; 24:8929-8939. [PMID: 38865330 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.4c01794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2024]
Abstract
Bioorthogonal chemistry represents a powerful tool in chemical biology, which shows great potential in epigenetic modulation. As a proof of concept, the epigenetic modulation model of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is selected because mtDNA establishes a relative hypermethylation stage under oxidative stress, which impairs the mitochondrion-based therapeutic effect during cancer therapy. Herein, we design a new biocompatible hydrogen-bonded organic framework (HOF) for a HOF-based mitochondrion-targeting bioorthogonal platform TPP@P@PHOF-2. PHOF-2 can activate a prodrug (pro-procainamide) in situ, which can specifically inhibit DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) activity and remodel the epigenetic modification of mtDNA, making it more susceptible to ROS damage. In addition, PHOF-2 can also catalyze artemisinin to produce large amounts of ROS, effectively damaging mtDNA and achieving better chemodynamic therapy demonstrated by both in vitro and in vivo studies. This work provides new insights into developing advanced bioorthogonal therapy and expands the applications of HOF and bioorthogonal catalysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Congcong Huang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Chuanqi Zhao
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Yue Sun
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Tingting Feng
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Jinsong Ren
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
| | - Xiaogang Qu
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and State Key Laboratory of Rare Earth Resource Utilization, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun, Jilin 130022, P. R. China
- School of Applied Chemistry and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230026, P. R. China
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15
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Ivancevic A, Simpson DM, Joyner OM, Bagby SM, Nguyen LL, Bitler BG, Pitts TM, Chuong EB. Endogenous retroviruses mediate transcriptional rewiring in response to oncogenic signaling in colorectal cancer. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eado1218. [PMID: 39018396 PMCID: PMC466953 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ado1218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Cancer cells exhibit rewired transcriptional regulatory networks that promote tumor growth and survival. However, the mechanisms underlying the formation of these pathological networks remain poorly understood. Through a pan-cancer epigenomic analysis, we found that primate-specific endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are a rich source of enhancers displaying cancer-specific activity. In colorectal cancer and other epithelial tumors, oncogenic MAPK/AP1 signaling drives the activation of enhancers derived from the primate-specific ERV family LTR10. Functional studies in colorectal cancer cells revealed that LTR10 elements regulate tumor-specific expression of multiple genes associated with tumorigenesis, such as ATG12 and XRCC4. Within the human population, individual LTR10 elements exhibit germline and somatic structural variation resulting from a highly mutable internal tandem repeat region, which affects AP1 binding activity. Our findings reveal that ERV-derived enhancers contribute to transcriptional dysregulation in response to oncogenic signaling and shape the evolution of cancer-specific regulatory networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atma Ivancevic
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - David M. Simpson
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Olivia M. Joyner
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Stacey M. Bagby
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Lily L. Nguyen
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Ben G. Bitler
- Division of Reproductive Sciences, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Todd M. Pitts
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Edward B. Chuong
- BioFrontiers Institute and Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
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16
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Cristalli C, Scotlandi K. Targeting DNA Methylation Machinery in Pediatric Solid Tumors. Cells 2024; 13:1209. [PMID: 39056791 PMCID: PMC11275080 DOI: 10.3390/cells13141209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/16/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a key epigenetic regulatory mechanism that plays a critical role in a variety of cellular processes, including the regulation of cell fate during development, maintenance of cell identity, and genome stability. DNA methylation is tightly regulated by enzymatic reactions and its deregulation plays an important role in the development of cancer. Specific DNA methylation alterations have been found in pediatric solid tumors, providing new insights into the development of these tumors. In addition, DNA methylation profiles have greatly contributed to tune the diagnosis of pediatric solid tumors and to define subgroups of patients with different risks of progression, leading to the reduction in unwanted toxicity and the improvement of treatment efficacy. This review highlights the dysregulated DNA methylome in pediatric solid tumors and how this information provides promising targets for epigenetic therapies, particularly inhibitors of DNMT enzymes (DNMTis). Opportunities and limitations are considered, including the ability of DNMTis to induce viral mimicry and immune signaling by tumors. Besides intrinsic action against cancer cells, DNMTis have the potential to sensitize immune-cold tumors to immunotherapies and may represent a remarkable option to improve the treatment of challenging pediatric solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Cristalli
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano, 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Via di Barbiano, 1/10, 40136 Bologna, Italy
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17
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Liu Z, Zhou X, Tang F. Epigenetic regulators as the foundation for molecular classification of colorectal cancer. Cancer Biol Med 2024; 21:j.issn.2095-3941.2024.0176. [PMID: 39015014 PMCID: PMC11271224 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2024.0176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking University Third Hospital Cancer Center, Beijing 100191, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing 100871, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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18
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Zahraeifard S, Xiao Z, So JY, Ahad A, Montoya S, Park WY, Sornapudi T, Andohkow T, Read A, Kedei N, Koparde V, Yang H, Lee M, Wong N, Cam M, Wang K, Ruppin E, Luo J, Hollander C, Yang L. Loss of tumor suppressors promotes inflammatory tumor microenvironment and enhances LAG3+T cell mediated immune suppression. Nat Commun 2024; 15:5873. [PMID: 38997291 PMCID: PMC11245525 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50262-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Low response rate, treatment relapse, and resistance remain key challenges for cancer treatment with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Here we report that loss of specific tumor suppressors (TS) induces an inflammatory response and promotes an immune suppressive tumor microenvironment. Importantly, low expression of these TSs is associated with a higher expression of immune checkpoint inhibitory mediators. Here we identify, by using in vivo CRISPR/Cas9 based loss-of-function screening, that NF1, TSC1, and TGF-β RII as TSs regulating immune composition. Loss of each of these three TSs leads to alterations in chromatin accessibility and enhances IL6-JAK3-STAT3/6 inflammatory pathways. This results in an immune suppressive landscape, characterized by increased numbers of LAG3+ CD8 and CD4 T cells. ICB targeting LAG3 and PD-L1 simultaneously inhibits metastatic progression in preclinical triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) mouse models of NF1-, TSC1- or TGF-β RII- deficient tumors. Our study thus reveals a role of TSs in regulating metastasis via non-cell-autonomous modulation of the immune compartment and provides proof-of-principle for ICB targeting LAG3 for patients with NF1-, TSC1- or TGF-β RII-inactivated cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Zahraeifard
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Zhiguang Xiao
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jae Young So
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Abdul Ahad
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Selina Montoya
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Woo Yong Park
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Trinadharao Sornapudi
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tiffany Andohkow
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Abigail Read
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Noemi Kedei
- Collaborative Protein Technology Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Vishal Koparde
- Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Sciences, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Howard Yang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Maxwell Lee
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Nathan Wong
- Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
- Advanced Biomedical Computational Sciences, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Leidos Biomedical Research, Inc., Frederick, MD, 21701, USA
| | - Maggie Cam
- Collaborative Bioinformatics Resource, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Kun Wang
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Eytan Ruppin
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Ji Luo
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Christine Hollander
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Li Yang
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
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19
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Marin JJG, Macias RIR, Asensio M, Romero MR, Temprano AG, Pereira OR, Jimenez S, Mauriz JL, Di Giacomo S, Avila MA, Efferth T, Briz O. Strategies to enhance the response of liver cancer to pharmacological treatments. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 327:C11-C33. [PMID: 38708523 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00176.2024] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In contrast to other types of cancers, there is no available efficient pharmacological treatment to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from major primary liver cancers, i.e., hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. This dismal situation is partly due to the existence in these tumors of many different and synergistic mechanisms of resistance, accounting for the lack of response of these patients, not only to classical chemotherapy but also to more modern pharmacological agents based on the inhibition of tyrosine kinase receptors (TKIs) and the stimulation of the immune response against the tumor using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This review summarizes the efforts to develop strategies to overcome this severe limitation, including searching for novel drugs derived from synthetic, semisynthetic, or natural products with vectorial properties against therapeutic targets to increase drug uptake or reduce drug export from cancer cells. Besides, immunotherapy is a promising line of research that is already starting to be implemented in clinical practice. Although less successful than in other cancers, the foreseen future for this strategy in treating liver cancers is considerable. Similarly, the pharmacological inhibition of epigenetic targets is highly promising. Many novel "epidrugs," able to act on "writer," "reader," and "eraser" epigenetic players, are currently being evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, gene therapy is a broad field of research in the fight against liver cancer chemoresistance, based on the impressive advances recently achieved in gene manipulation. In sum, although the present is still dismal, there is reason for hope in the non-too-distant future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose J G Marin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocio I R Macias
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maitane Asensio
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta R Romero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro G Temprano
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Olívia R Pereira
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
- Research Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (LiveWell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Silvia Jimenez
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Farmacia Hospitalaria, Hospital de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jose L Mauriz
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of Leon, Leon, Spain
| | - Silvia Di Giacomo
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Matias A Avila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Hepatology Laboratory, Solid Tumors Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdisNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oscar Briz
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
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20
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Abou-el-Enein M. The Fate(s) of CAR T-Cell Therapy: Navigating the Risks of CAR+ T-Cell Malignancy. Blood Cancer Discov 2024; 5:249-257. [PMID: 38713831 PMCID: PMC11215381 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-23-0272] [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: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The introduction of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy represents a landmark advancement in treating resistant forms of cancer such as leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. However, concerns about long-term safety have emerged following an FDA investigation into reports of second primary malignancies (SPM) after CAR-T cell treatment. This review offers a thorough examination of how genetically modified T cells might transform into CAR+ SPM. It explores genetic and molecular pathways leading to T-cell lymphomagenesis, the balance between CAR T-cell persistence, stemness, and oncogenic risk, and the trade-off of T-cell exhaustion, which may limit therapy efficacy but potentially reduce lymphomagenesis risk. Significance: An FDA probe into 22 cases of second primary T-cell malignancies following CAR T-cell therapy stresses the need to investigate their origins. Few may arise from preexisting genetic and epigenetic alterations and those introduced during therapeutic engineering. Technological advances, regulatory oversight, and patient monitoring are essential to mitigate potential risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Abou-el-Enein
- Division of Medical Oncology, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
- Department of Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
- USC/CHLA Cell Therapy Program, University of Southern California and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California.
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21
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Salerno D, Peruzzi G, Giuseppe Rubens Pascucci, Levrero M, Belloni L, Pediconi N. miRNA-27a-3p is involved in the plasticity of differentiated hepatocytes. Gene 2024; 913:148387. [PMID: 38499211 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148387] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epigenetic mechanisms, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and chromatin remodeling, are highly involved in the regulation of hepatocyte viability, proliferation, and plasticity. We have previously demonstrated that repression of H3K27 methylation in differentiated hepatic HepaRG cells by treatment with GSK-J4, an inhibitor of JMJD3 and UTX H3K27 demethylase activity, changed their phenotype, inducing differentiated hepatocytes to proliferate. In addition to the epigenetic enzymatic role in the regulation of the retro-differentiation process, emerging evidence indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in controlling hepatocyte proliferation during liver regeneration. Hence, the aim of this work is to investigate the impact of H3K27 methylation on miRNAs expression profile and its role in the regulation of the differentiation status of human hepatic progenitors HepaRG cells. METHODS A miRNA-sequencing was carried out in differentiated HepaRG cells treated or not with GSK-J4. Target searching and Gene Ontology analysis were performed to identify the molecular processes modulated by differentially expressed miRNAs. The biological functions of selected miRNAs was further investigated by transfection of miRNAs inhibitors or mimics in differentiated HepaRG cells followed by qPCR analysis, albumin ELISA assay, CD49a FACS analysis and EdU staining. RESULTS We identified 12 miRNAs modulated by GSK-J4; among these, miR-27a-3p and miR- 423-5p influenced the expression of several proliferation genes in differentiated HepaRG cells. MiR-27a-3p overexpression increased the number of hepatic cells reentering proliferation. Interestingly, both miR-27a-3p and miR-423-5p did not affect the expression levels of genes involved in the differentiation of progenitors HepaRG cells. CONCLUSIONS Modulation of H3K27me3 methylation in differentiated HepaRG cells, by GSK-J4 treatment, influenced miRNA' s expression profile pushing liver cells towards a proliferating phenotype. We demonstrated the involvement of miR-27a-3p in reinducing proliferation of differentiated hepatocytes suggesting a potential role in liver plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debora Salerno
- Dept. of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy; Center for Life Nano & Neuro Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giovanna Peruzzi
- Center for Life Nano & Neuro Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Rubens Pascucci
- Research Unit of Clinical Immunology and Vaccinology, Academic Department of Pediatrics, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, Rome, Italy; Department of Systems Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Italy
| | - Massimo Levrero
- Cancer Research Center of Lyon (CRCL), INSERM U1052, CNRS UMR5286, Lyon, France
| | - Laura Belloni
- Center for Life Nano & Neuro Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; Dept. of Medical and Surgical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Via Giorgio Nicola Papanicolau, 00189 Rome, Italy.
| | - Natalia Pediconi
- Center for Life Nano & Neuro Science, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Viale Regina Elena 291, 00161 Rome, Italy; Dept. of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
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22
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Chapple RH, Liu X, Natarajan S, Alexander MIM, Kim Y, Patel AG, LaFlamme CW, Pan M, Wright WC, Lee HM, Zhang Y, Lu M, Koo SC, Long C, Harper J, Savage C, Johnson MD, Confer T, Akers WJ, Dyer MA, Sheppard H, Easton J, Geeleher P. An integrated single-cell RNA-seq map of human neuroblastoma tumors and preclinical models uncovers divergent mesenchymal-like gene expression programs. Genome Biol 2024; 25:161. [PMID: 38898465 PMCID: PMC11186099 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-024-03309-4] [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: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric cancer, where preclinical studies suggest that a mesenchymal-like gene expression program contributes to chemotherapy resistance. However, clinical outcomes remain poor, implying we need a better understanding of the relationship between patient tumor heterogeneity and preclinical models. RESULTS Here, we generate single-cell RNA-seq maps of neuroblastoma cell lines, patient-derived xenograft models (PDX), and a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM). We develop an unsupervised machine learning approach ("automatic consensus nonnegative matrix factorization" (acNMF)) to compare the gene expression programs found in preclinical models to a large cohort of patient tumors. We confirm a weakly expressed, mesenchymal-like program in otherwise adrenergic cancer cells in some pre-treated high-risk patient tumors, but this appears distinct from the presumptive drug-resistance mesenchymal programs evident in cell lines. Surprisingly, however, this weak-mesenchymal-like program is maintained in PDX and could be chemotherapy-induced in our GEMM after only 24 h, suggesting an uncharacterized therapy-escape mechanism. CONCLUSIONS Collectively, our findings improve the understanding of how neuroblastoma patient tumor heterogeneity is reflected in preclinical models, provides a comprehensive integrated resource, and a generalizable set of computational methodologies for the joint analysis of clinical and pre-clinical single-cell RNA-seq datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard H Chapple
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Xueying Liu
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Sivaraman Natarajan
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Margaret I M Alexander
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Yuna Kim
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Anand G Patel
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Christy W LaFlamme
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Min Pan
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - William C Wright
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Hyeong-Min Lee
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Yinwen Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Meifen Lu
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Selene C Koo
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Courtney Long
- Animal Resources Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - John Harper
- Animal Resources Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Chandra Savage
- Animal Resources Center, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Melissa D Johnson
- Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Thomas Confer
- Center for In Vivo Imaging and Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Walter J Akers
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX, 75390, USA
| | - Michael A Dyer
- Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, 20815, USA
| | - Heather Sheppard
- Department of Pathology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - John Easton
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Paul Geeleher
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
- Department of Oncology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA.
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23
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Pang L, Zhou F, Liu Y, Ali H, Khan F, Heimberger AB, Chen P. Epigenetic regulation of tumor immunity. J Clin Invest 2024; 134:e178540. [PMID: 39133578 PMCID: PMC11178542 DOI: 10.1172/jci178540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Although cancer has long been considered a genetic disease, increasing evidence shows that epigenetic aberrations play a crucial role in affecting tumor biology and therapeutic response. The dysregulated epigenome in cancer cells reprograms the immune landscape within the tumor microenvironment, thereby hindering antitumor immunity, promoting tumor progression, and inducing immunotherapy resistance. Targeting epigenetically mediated tumor-immune crosstalk is an emerging strategy to inhibit tumor progression and circumvent the limitations of current immunotherapies, including immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this Review, we discuss the mechanisms by which epigenetic aberrations regulate tumor-immune interactions and how epigenetically targeted therapies inhibit tumor progression and synergize with immunotherapy.
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24
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Bharti R, Dey G, Khan D, Myers A, Huffman OG, Saygin C, Braley C, Richards E, Sangwan N, Willard B, Lathia JD, Fox PL, Lin F, Jha BK, Brown JM, Yu JS, Dwidar M, Joehlin-Price A, Vargas R, Michener CM, Longworth MS, Reizes O. Cell surface CD55 traffics to the nucleus leading to cisplatin resistance and stemness by inducing PRC2 and H3K27 trimethylation on chromatin in ovarian cancer. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:121. [PMID: 38853277 PMCID: PMC11163727 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02028-5] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Platinum resistance is the primary cause of poor survival in ovarian cancer (OC) patients. Targeted therapies and biomarkers of chemoresistance are critical for the treatment of OC patients. Our previous studies identified cell surface CD55, a member of the complement regulatory proteins, drives chemoresistance and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs are implicated in tumor recurrence and metastasis in multiple cancers. METHODS Protein localization assays including immunofluorescence and subcellular fractionation were used to identify CD55 at the cell surface and nucleus of cancer cells. Protein half-life determinations were used to compare cell surface and nuclear CD55 stability. CD55 deletion mutants were generated and introduced into cancer cells to identify the nuclear trafficking code, cisplatin sensitivity, and stem cell frequency that were assayed using in vitro and in vivo models. Detection of CD55 binding proteins was analyzed by immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry. Target pathways activated by CD55 were identified by RNA sequencing. RESULTS CD55 localizes to the nucleus of a subset of OC specimens, ascites from chemoresistant patients, and enriched in chemoresistant OC cells. We determined that nuclear CD55 is glycosylated and derived from the cell surface pool of CD55. Nuclear localization is driven by a trafficking code containing the serine/threonine (S/T) domain of CD55. Nuclear CD55 is necessary for cisplatin resistance, stemness, and cell proliferation in OC cells. CD55 S/T domain is necessary for nuclear entry and inducing chemoresistance to cisplatin in both in vitro and in vivo models. Deletion of the CD55 S/T domain is sufficient to sensitize chemoresistant OC cells to cisplatin. In the nucleus, CD55 binds and attenuates the epigenetic regulator and tumor suppressor ZMYND8 with a parallel increase in H3K27 trimethylation and members of the Polycomb Repressive Complex 2. CONCLUSIONS For the first time, we show CD55 localizes to the nucleus in OC and promotes CSC and chemoresistance. Our studies identify a therapeutic mechanism for treating platinum resistant ovarian cancer by blocking CD55 nuclear entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rashmi Bharti
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Goutam Dey
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Debjit Khan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Alex Myers
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Olivia G Huffman
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Caner Saygin
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Present address: Section of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Chad Braley
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
| | - Elliott Richards
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Reproductive, Endocrinology, and Infertility, Obstetrics and Gynecology Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Naseer Sangwan
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Microbiome Analytics and Composition Core Facility, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Belinda Willard
- Proteomics and Metabolomics Core, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA
| | - Justin D Lathia
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Paul L Fox
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Feng Lin
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Immunity and Inflammation, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Babal Kant Jha
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Center for Immunotherapy & Precision Immuno-oncology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - J Mark Brown
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Jennifer S Yu
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute of the Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Mohammed Dwidar
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Microbial Culturing and Engineering Facility, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Amy Joehlin-Price
- Anatomic Pathology, Pathology and Lab Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Roberto Vargas
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecologic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Chad M Michener
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Gynecologic Oncology, Obstetrics and Gynecologic Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Michelle S Longworth
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA
- Department of Immunity and Inflammation, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Ofer Reizes
- Department of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Sciences, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, 9500 Euclid Avenue Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA.
- Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, Cleveland, OH, USA.
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25
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Wei Z, Zhao Y, Cai J, Xie Y. The Nucleolar Protein C1orf131 Is a Novel Gene Involved in the Progression of Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells through the AKT Signalling Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6381. [PMID: 38928092 PMCID: PMC11203618 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25126381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2024] [Revised: 06/03/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most widespread cancer in the world, and its development is associated with complex biological mechanisms that are poorly understood. Here, we revealed a marked upregulation in the mRNA level of C1orf131 in LUAD samples compared to non-tumor tissue samples in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Depletion of C1orf131 suppressed cell proliferation and growth, whereas it stimulated apoptosis in LUAD cells. Mechanistic investigations revealed that C1orf131 knockdown induced cell cycle dysregulation via the AKT and p53/p21 signalling pathways. Additionally, C1orf131 knockdown blocked cell migration through the modulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in lung adenocarcinoma. Notably, we identified the C1orf131 protein nucleolar localization sequence, which included amino acid residues 137-142 (KKRKLT) and 240-245 (KKKRKG). Collectively, C1orf131 has potential as a novel therapeutic marker for patients in the future, as it plays a vital role in the progression of lung adenocarcinoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Wei
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, the College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China;
| | - Yiming Zhao
- College of Medical Informatics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China;
| | - Jing Cai
- National Talent Introduction Demonstration Base, the College of Basic Medicine, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150081, China;
| | - Yajun Xie
- The Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Laboratory Medical Diagnostics, the College of Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, China;
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26
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Wu P, Liu Z, Zheng L, Zhou Z, Wang W, Lu C. Comprehensive multimodal and multiomic profiling reveals epigenetic and transcriptional reprogramming in lung tumors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.06.06.597667. [PMID: 38895479 PMCID: PMC11185586 DOI: 10.1101/2024.06.06.597667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2024]
Abstract
Epigenomic mechanisms are critically involved in mediation of genetic and environmental factors that underlie cancer development. Histone modifications represent highly informative epigenomic marks that reveal activation and repression of gene activities and dysregulation of transcriptional control due to tumorigenesis. Here, we present a comprehensive epigenomic and transcriptomic mapping of 18 tumor and 20 non-neoplastic tissues from non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma patients. Our profiling covers 5 histone marks including activating (H3K4me3, H3K4me1, and H3K27ac) and repressive (H3K27me3 and H3K9me3) marks and the transcriptome using only 20 mg of tissue per sample, enabled by low-input omic technologies. Using advanced integrative bioinformatic analysis, we uncovered cancer-driving signaling cascade networks, changes in 3D genome modularity, and differential expression and functionalities of transcription factors and noncoding RNAs. Many of these identified genes and regulatory molecules showed no significant change in their expression or a single epigenomic modality, emphasizing the power of integrative multimodal and multiomic analysis using patient samples.
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27
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Patel AS, Yanai I. A developmental constraint model of cancer cell states and tumor heterogeneity. Cell 2024; 187:2907-2918. [PMID: 38848676 PMCID: PMC11256907 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.04.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a disease that stems from a fundamental liability inherent to multicellular life forms in which an individual cell is capable of reneging on the interests of the collective organism. Although cancer is commonly described as an evolutionary process, a less appreciated aspect of tumorigenesis may be the constraints imposed by the organism's developmental programs. Recent work from single-cell transcriptomic analyses across a range of cancer types has revealed the recurrence, plasticity, and co-option of distinct cellular states among cancer cell populations. Here, we note that across diverse cancer types, the observed cell states are proximate within the developmental hierarchy of the cell of origin. We thus posit a model by which cancer cell states are directly constrained by the organism's "developmental map." According to this model, a population of cancer cells traverses the developmental map, thereby generating a heterogeneous set of states whose interactions underpin emergent tumor behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayushi S Patel
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA
| | - Itai Yanai
- Institute for Systems Genetics, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Perlmutter Cancer Center, NYU Langone Health, New York, NY, USA.
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28
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Liao H, Chen X, Wang H, Lin Y, Chen L, Yuan K, Liao M, Jiang H, Peng J, Wu Z, Huang J, Li J, Zeng Y. Whole-Genome DNA Methylation Profiling of Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma Reveals Prognostic Subtypes with Distinct Biological Drivers. Cancer Res 2024; 84:1747-1763. [PMID: 38471085 PMCID: PMC11148548 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-3298] [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: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is the second most prevalent primary liver cancer. Although the genetic characterization of iCCA has led to targeted therapies for treating tumors with FGFR2 alterations and IDH1/2 mutations, only a limited number of patients can benefit from these strategies. Epigenomic profiles have emerged as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers for improving the treatment of cancers. In this study, we conducted whole-genome bisulfite sequencing on 331 iCCAs integrated with genetic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses, demonstrating the existence of four DNA methylation subtypes of iCCAs (S1-S4) that exhibited unique postoperative clinical outcomes. The S1 group was an IDH1/2 mutation-specific subtype with moderate survival. The S2 subtype was characterized by the lowest methylation level and the highest mutational burden among the four subtypes and displayed upregulation of a gene-expression pattern associated with cell cycle/DNA replication. The S3 group was distinguished by high interpatient heterogeneity of tumor immunity, a gene-expression pattern associated with carbohydrate metabolism, and an enrichment of KRAS alterations. Patients with the S2 and S3 subtypes had the shortest survival among the four subtypes. Tumors in the S4 subtype, which had the best prognosis, showed global methylation levels comparable to normal controls, increased FGFR2 fusions/BAP1 mutations, and the highest copy-number variant burdens. Further integrative and functional analyses identified GBP4 demethylation, which is highly prevalent in the S2 and S3 groups, as an epigenetic oncogenic factor that regulates iCCA proliferation, migration, and invasion. Together, this study identifies prognostic methylome alterations and epigenetic drivers in iCCA. SIGNIFICANCE Characterization of the DNA methylome of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma integrated with genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic analyses uncovers molecular mechanisms affected by genome-wide DNA methylation alterations, providing a resource for identifying potential therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haotian Liao
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xing Chen
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Haichuan Wang
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Youpei Lin
- Department of Liver Surgery and Transplantation, Liver Cancer Institute, Zhongshan Hospital, and Key Laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Cancer Invasion, (Ministry of Education), Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Department of Hepatobiliary Cancer, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, China
| | - Kefei Yuan
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Mingheng Liao
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hanyu Jiang
- Department of Radiology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiajie Peng
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, Shanxi, China
| | - Zhenru Wu
- Institute of Clinical Pathology, Key Laboratory of Transplant Engineering and Immunology, NHC, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiwei Huang
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxin Li
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yong Zeng
- Division of Liver Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Laboratory of Liver Surgery, and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Liu Z, Hu Y, Xie H, Chen K, Wen L, Fu W, Zhou X, Tang F. Single-Cell Chromatin Accessibility Analysis Reveals the Epigenetic Basis and Signature Transcription Factors for the Molecular Subtypes of Colorectal Cancers. Cancer Discov 2024; 14:1082-1105. [PMID: 38445965 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-23-1445] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease, with well-characterized subtypes based on genome, DNA methylome, and transcriptome signatures. To chart the epigenetic landscape of colorectal cancers, we generated a high-quality single-cell chromatin accessibility atlas of epithelial cells for 29 patients. Abnormal chromatin states acquired in adenomas were largely retained in colorectal cancers, which were tightly accompanied by opposite changes of DNA methylation. Unsupervised analysis on malignant cells revealed two epigenetic subtypes, exactly matching the iCMS classification, and key iCMS-specific transcription factors (TFs) were identified, including HNF4A and PPARA for iCMS2 tumors and FOXA3 and MAFK for iCMS3 tumors. Notably, subtype-specific TFs bind to distinct target gene sets and contribute to both interpatient similarities and diversities for both chromatin accessibilities and RNA expressions. Moreover, we identified CpG-island methylator phenotypes and pinpointed chromatin state signatures and TF regulators for the CIMP-high subtype. Our work systematically revealed the epigenetic basis of the well-known iCMS and CIMP classifications of colorectal cancers. SIGNIFICANCE Our work revealed the epigenetic basis of the well-known iCMS and CIMP classifications of colorectal cancers. Moreover, interpatient minor similarities and major diversities of chromatin accessibility signatures of TF target genes can faithfully explain the corresponding interpatient minor similarities and major diversities of RNA expression signatures of colorectal cancers, respectively. This article is featured in Selected Articles from This Issue, p. 897.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenyu Liu
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, China
| | - Yuqiong Hu
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Reconstruction, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Beijing Institute for Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Haoling Xie
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Kexuan Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, China
| | - Lu Wen
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Fu
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking University Third Hospital Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Xin Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Peking University Third Hospital Cancer Center, Beijing, China
| | - Fuchou Tang
- School of Life Sciences, Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Center, Department of General Surgery, Third Hospital, Peking University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Genomics (ICG), Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Differentiation, Beijing, China
- Academy for Advanced Interdisciplinary Studies, Peking University, Beijing, China
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30
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Thakur C, Qiu Y, Pawar A, Chen F. Epigenetic regulation of breast cancer metastasis. Cancer Metastasis Rev 2024; 43:597-619. [PMID: 37857941 DOI: 10.1007/s10555-023-10146-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/21/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed malignancy and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality among women worldwide. Recurrent metastasis is associated with poor patient outcomes and poses a significant challenge in breast cancer therapies. Cancer cells adapting to a new tissue microenvironment is the key event in distant metastasis development, where the disseminating tumor cells are likely to acquire genetic and epigenetic alterations during the process of metastatic colonization. Despite several decades of research in this field, the exact mechanisms governing metastasis are not fully understood. However, emerging body of evidence indicates that in addition to genetic changes, epigenetic reprogramming of cancer cells and the metastatic niche are paramount toward successful metastasis. Here, we review and discuss the latest knowledge about the salient attributes of metastasis and epigenetic regulation in breast cancer and crucial research domains that need further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chitra Thakur
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Lauterbur Drive, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
| | - Yiran Qiu
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Lauterbur Drive, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Aashna Pawar
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Lauterbur Drive, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Fei Chen
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Lauterbur Drive, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
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31
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Dai E, Wang W, Li Y, Ye D, Li Y. Lactate and lactylation: Behind the development of tumors. Cancer Lett 2024; 591:216896. [PMID: 38641309 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
There is growing evidence that lactate can have a wide range of biological impacts in addition to being a waste product of metabolism. Because of the Warburg effect, tumors generate lots of lactate, which create a tumor microenvironment (TME) with low nutrition, hypoxia, and low pH. As a result, the immunosuppressive network is established to gain immune escape potential and regulate tumor growth. Consequently, the tumor lactate pathway is emerging as a possible therapeutic target for tumor. Importantly, Zhao et al. first discovered histone lysine lactylation (Kla) in 2019, which links gene regulation to cell metabolism through dysmetabolic activity and epigenetic modifications, influencing TME and tumor development. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore the effects of lactate and lactylation on the TME and tumors, and provide theoretical basis for further research on potential therapeutic targets and biomarkers, with the view to providing new ideas and methods for tumor treatment and prognosis evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enci Dai
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai, 201600, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai, 201600, China.
| | - Yingying Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai, 201600, China.
| | - Defeng Ye
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, No. 100 Haining Road, Hongkou District, Shanghai, 200080, China.
| | - Yanli Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, 650 Xinsongjiang Road, Shanghai, 201600, China.
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32
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Das C, Bhattacharya A, Adhikari S, Mondal A, Mondal P, Adhikary S, Roy S, Ramos K, Yadav KK, Tainer JA, Pandita TK. A prismatic view of the epigenetic-metabolic regulatory axis in breast cancer therapy resistance. Oncogene 2024; 43:1727-1741. [PMID: 38719949 PMCID: PMC11161412 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-024-03054-9] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation established during development to maintain patterns of transcriptional expression and silencing for metabolism and other fundamental cell processes can be reprogrammed in cancer, providing a molecular mechanism for persistent alterations in phenotype. Metabolic deregulation and reprogramming are thus an emerging hallmark of cancer with opportunities for molecular classification as a critical preliminary step for precision therapeutic intervention. Yet, acquisition of therapy resistance against most conventional treatment regimens coupled with tumor relapse, continue to pose unsolved problems for precision healthcare, as exemplified in breast cancer where existing data informs both cancer genotype and phenotype. Furthermore, epigenetic reprograming of the metabolic milieu of cancer cells is among the most crucial determinants of therapeutic resistance and cancer relapse. Importantly, subtype-specific epigenetic-metabolic interplay profoundly affects malignant transformation, resistance to chemotherapy, and response to targeted therapies. In this review, we therefore prismatically dissect interconnected epigenetic and metabolic regulatory pathways and then integrate them into an observable cancer metabolism-therapy-resistance axis that may inform clinical intervention. Optimally coupling genome-wide analysis with an understanding of metabolic elements, epigenetic reprogramming, and their integration by metabolic profiling may decode missing molecular mechanisms at the level of individual tumors. The proposed approach of linking metabolic biochemistry back to genotype, epigenetics, and phenotype for specific tumors and their microenvironment may thus enable successful mechanistic targeting of epigenetic modifiers and oncometabolites despite tumor metabolic heterogeneity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandrima Das
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India.
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India.
| | - Apoorva Bhattacharya
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
| | - Swagata Adhikari
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Atanu Mondal
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Payel Mondal
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Santanu Adhikary
- Biophysics and Structural Genomics Division, Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, 1/AF Bidhannagar, Kolkata, 700064, India
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Siddhartha Roy
- Structural Biology and Bioinformatics Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, 700032, India
| | - Kenneth Ramos
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Kamlesh K Yadav
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
- School of Engineering Medicine, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - John A Tainer
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
| | - Tej K Pandita
- Center for Genomics and Precision Medicine, Texas A&M University, School of Medicine, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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Stephens GS, Park J, Eagle A, You J, Silva-Pérez M, Fu CH, Choi S, Romain CPS, Sugimoto C, Buffington SA, Zheng Y, Costa-Mattioli M, Liu Y, Robison AJ, Chin J. Persistent ∆FosB expression limits recurrent seizure activity and provides neuroprotection in the dentate gyrus of APP mice. Prog Neurobiol 2024; 237:102612. [PMID: 38642602 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2024.102612] [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: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Recurrent seizures lead to accumulation of the activity-dependent transcription factor ∆FosB in hippocampal dentate granule cells in both mouse models of epilepsy and mouse models of Alzheimer's disease (AD), which is also associated with increased incidence of seizures. In patients with AD and related mouse models, the degree of ∆FosB accumulation corresponds with increasing severity of cognitive deficits. We previously found that ∆FosB impairs spatial memory in mice by epigenetically regulating expression of target genes such as calbindin that are involved in synaptic plasticity. However, the suppression of calbindin in conditions of neuronal hyperexcitability has been demonstrated to provide neuroprotection to dentate granule cells, indicating that ∆FosB may act over long timescales to coordinate neuroprotective pathways. To test this hypothesis, we used viral-mediated expression of ∆JunD to interfere with ∆FosB signaling over the course of several months in transgenic mice expressing mutant human amyloid precursor protein (APP), which exhibit spontaneous seizures and develop AD-related neuropathology and cognitive deficits. Our results demonstrate that persistent ∆FosB activity acts through discrete modes of hippocampal target gene regulation to modulate neuronal excitability, limit recurrent seizure activity, and provide neuroprotection to hippocampal dentate granule cells in APP mice.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jin Park
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - Andrew Eagle
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, USA
| | - Jason You
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | | | - Chia-Hsuan Fu
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - Sumin Choi
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | | | - Chiho Sugimoto
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, USA
| | - Shelly A Buffington
- Center for Precision Environmental Health, Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | - Yi Zheng
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA
| | | | - Yin Liu
- Department of Neurobiology and Anatomy, McGovern Medical School at UT Health, USA
| | - A J Robison
- Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, USA
| | - Jeannie Chin
- Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, USA.
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34
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Ser MH, Webb M, Thomsen A, Sener U. Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Inhibitors in Glioma: From Bench to Bedside. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:682. [PMID: 38931350 PMCID: PMC11207016 DOI: 10.3390/ph17060682] [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: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutant gliomas are a primary malignancy of the central nervous system (CNS) malignancies, most commonly affecting adults under the age of 55. Standard of care therapy for IDH-mutant gliomas involves maximal safe resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. However, despite good initial responses to multimodality treatment, recurrence is virtually universal. IDH-mutant gliomas represent a life-limiting prognosis. For this reason, there is a great need for novel treatments that can prolong survival. Uniquely for IDH-mutant gliomas, the IDH mutation is the direct driver of oncogenesis through its oncometabolite 2-hydroxygluterate. Inhibition of this mutated IDH with a corresponding reduction in 2-hydroxygluterate offers an attractive treatment target. Researchers have tested several IDH inhibitors in glioma through preclinical and early clinical trials. A phase III clinical trial of an IDH1 and IDH2 inhibitor vorasidenib yielded promising results among patients with low-grade IDH-mutant gliomas who had undergone initial surgery and no radiation or chemotherapy. However, many questions remain regarding optimal use of IDH inhibitors in clinical practice. In this review, we discuss the importance of IDH mutations in oncogenesis of adult-type diffuse gliomas and current evidence supporting the use of IDH inhibitors as therapeutic agents for glioma treatment. We also examine unresolved questions and propose potential directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Merve Hazal Ser
- Department of Neurology, SBU Istanbul Research and Training Hospital, Istanbul 34098, Turkey
| | - Mason Webb
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.W.); (U.S.)
| | - Anna Thomsen
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Ugur Sener
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; (M.W.); (U.S.)
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
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35
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Viña-Feás A, Temes-Rodríguez J, Vidal-Capón A, Novas S, Rodríguez-Castro J, Pequeño-Valtierra A, Pasantes JJ, Tubío JMC, Garcia-Souto D. Unravelling epigenetic mechanisms in Cerastoderma edule genome: a comparison of healthy and neoplastic cockles. Mol Genet Genomics 2024; 299:58. [PMID: 38789628 PMCID: PMC11126487 DOI: 10.1007/s00438-024-02148-z] [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: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Cancer is a multifaceted genetic disease characterized by the acquisition of several essential hallmarks. Notably, certain cancers exhibit horizontal transmissibility, observed across mammalian species and diverse bivalves, the latter referred to as hemic neoplasia. Within this complex landscape, epigenetic mechanisms such as histone modifications and cytosine methylation emerge as fundamental contributors to the pathogenesis of these transmissible cancers. Our study delves into the epigenetic landscape of Cerastoderma edule, focusing on whole-genome methylation and hydroxymethylation profiles in heathy specimens and transmissible neoplasias by means of Nanopore long-read sequencing. Our results unveiled a global hypomethylation in the neoplastic specimens compared to their healthy counterparts, emphasizing the role of DNA methylation in these tumorigenic processes. Furthermore, we verified that intragenic CpG methylation positively correlated with gene expression, emphasizing its role in modulating transcription in healthy and neoplastic cockles, as also highlighted by some up-methylated oncogenic genes. Hydroxymethylation levels were significantly more elevated in the neoplastic samples, particularly within satellites and complex repeats, likely related to structural functions. Additionally, our analysis also revealed distinct methylation and activity patterns in retrotransposons, providing additional insights into bivalve neoplastic processes. Altogether, these findings contribute to understanding the epigenetic dynamics of bivalve neoplasias and shed light on the roles of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation in tumorigenesis. Understanding these epigenetic alterations holds promise for advancing our broader understanding of cancer epigenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Viña-Feás
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Javier Temes-Rodríguez
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | - Samuel Novas
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, Vigo, Spain
| | - Jorge Rodríguez-Castro
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Ana Pequeño-Valtierra
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | | | - Jose M C Tubío
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - Daniel Garcia-Souto
- Genomes and Disease, Centre for Research in Molecular Medicine and Chronic Diseases (CiMUS), Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Santiago de Compostela (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Department of Zoology, Genetics and Physical Anthropology, Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Environment, Arts and Society, College of Arts, Sciences & Education (CASE), Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA.
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36
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Schiroli G, Kartha V, Duarte FM, Kristiansen TA, Mayerhofer C, Shrestha R, Earl A, Hu Y, Tay T, Rhee C, Buenrostro JD, Scadden DT. Cell of origin epigenetic priming determines susceptibility to Tet2 mutation. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4325. [PMID: 38773071 PMCID: PMC11109152 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48508-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mutations can result in clonal hematopoiesis (CH) with heterogeneous clinical outcomes. Here, we investigate how the cell state preceding Tet2 mutation impacts the pre-malignant phenotype. Using an inducible system for clonal analysis of myeloid progenitors, we find that the epigenetic features of clones at similar differentiation status are highly heterogeneous and functionally respond differently to Tet2 mutation. Cell differentiation stage also influences Tet2 mutation response indicating that the cell of origin's epigenome modulates clone-specific behaviors in CH. Molecular features associated with higher risk outcomes include Sox4 that sensitizes cells to Tet2 inactivation, inducing dedifferentiation, altered metabolism and increasing the in vivo clonal output of mutant cells, as confirmed in primary GMP and HSC models. Our findings validate the hypothesis that epigenetic features can predispose specific clones for dominance, explaining why identical genetic mutations can result in different phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Schiroli
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Vinay Kartha
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Fabiana M Duarte
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Trine A Kristiansen
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Christina Mayerhofer
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Rojesh Shrestha
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Andrew Earl
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Yan Hu
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Tristan Tay
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Catherine Rhee
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Jason D Buenrostro
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Gene Regulation Observatory, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
| | - David T Scadden
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, 02114, USA.
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA.
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37
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Abe Y, Sano T, Otsuka N, Ogawa M, Tanaka N. PRMT5-mediated methylation of STAT3 is required for lung cancer stem cell maintenance and tumour growth. Commun Biol 2024; 7:593. [PMID: 38760429 PMCID: PMC11101626 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06290-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024] Open
Abstract
STAT3 is constitutively activated in many cancer types, including lung cancer, and can induce cancer cell proliferation and cancer stem cell (CSC) maintenance. STAT3 is activated by tyrosine kinases, such as JAK and SRC, but the mechanism by which STAT3 maintains its activated state in cancer cells remains unclear. Here, we show that PRMT5 directly methylates STAT3 and enhances its activated tyrosine phosphorylation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. PRMT5 expression is also induced by STAT3, suggesting the presence of a positive feedback loop in cancer cells. Furthermore, methylation of STAT3 at arginine 609 by PRMT5 is important for its transcriptional activity and support of tumour growth and CSC maintenance. Indeed, NSCLC cells expressing the STAT3 mutant which R609 was replaced to alanine (R609K) show significantly impaired tumour growth in nude mice. Overall, our study reveals a mechanism by which STAT3 remains activated in NSCLC and provides a new target for cancer therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshinori Abe
- Laboratory of Molecular Analysis, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takumi Sano
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Otsuka
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masashi Ogawa
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Oncology, Institute for Advanced Medical Sciences, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
- Division of Cell Physiology, Department of Physiology and Cell Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe University, Kobe, Japan.
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38
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Huang R, Kang T, Chen S. The role of tumor-associated macrophages in tumor immune evasion. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2024; 150:238. [PMID: 38713256 PMCID: PMC11076352 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-024-05777-4] [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: 03/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tumor growth is closely linked to the activities of various cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME), particularly immune cells. During tumor progression, circulating monocytes and macrophages are recruited, altering the TME and accelerating growth. These macrophages adjust their functions in response to signals from tumor and stromal cells. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), similar to M2 macrophages, are key regulators in the TME. METHODS We review the origins, characteristics, and functions of TAMs within the TME. This analysis includes the mechanisms through which TAMs facilitate immune evasion and promote tumor metastasis. Additionally, we explore potential therapeutic strategies that target TAMs. RESULTS TAMs are instrumental in mediating tumor immune evasion and malignant behaviors. They release cytokines that inhibit effector immune cells and attract additional immunosuppressive cells to the TME. TAMs primarily target effector T cells, inducing exhaustion directly, influencing activity indirectly through cellular interactions, or suppressing through immune checkpoints. Additionally, TAMs are directly involved in tumor proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, and metastasis. Developing innovative tumor-targeted therapies and immunotherapeutic strategies is currently a promising focus in oncology. Given the pivotal role of TAMs in immune evasion, several therapeutic approaches have been devised to target them. These include leveraging epigenetics, metabolic reprogramming, and cellular engineering to repolarize TAMs, inhibiting their recruitment and activity, and using TAMs as drug delivery vehicles. Although some of these strategies remain distant from clinical application, we believe that future therapies targeting TAMs will offer significant benefits to cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruizhe Huang
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Ting Kang
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China
| | - Siyu Chen
- Department of Oncology, Xin Hua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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Ames A, Seman M, Larkin A, Raiymbek G, Chen Z, Levashkevich A, Kim B, Biteen JS, Ragunathan K. Epigenetic memory is governed by an effector recruitment specificity toggle in Heterochromatin Protein 1. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.11.28.569027. [PMID: 38077059 PMCID: PMC10705379 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.28.569027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
HP1 proteins are essential for establishing and maintaining transcriptionally silent heterochromatin. They dimerize, forming a binding interface to recruit diverse chromatin-associated factors. HP1 proteins are specialized and rapidly evolve, but the extent of variation required to achieve functional specialization is unknown. To investigate how changes in amino acid sequence impacts epigenetic inheritance, we performed a targeted mutagenesis screen of the S. pombe HP1 homolog, Swi6. Substitutions within an auxiliary surface adjacent to the HP1 dimerization interface produced Swi6 variants with divergent maintenance properties. Remarkably, substitutions at a single amino acid position led to the persistent gain or loss of epigenetic inheritance. These substitutions increased Swi6 chromatin occupancy in vivo and altered Swi6-protein interactions that reprogram H3K9me maintenance. We show that relatively minor changes in Swi6 amino acid composition can lead to profound changes in epigenetic inheritance which provides a redundant mechanism to evolve novel effector specificity. .
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40
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Di Marco T, Mazzoni M, Greco A, Cassinelli G. Non-oncogene dependencies: Novel opportunities for cancer therapy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024:116254. [PMID: 38704100 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116254] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Targeting oncogene addictions have changed the history of subsets of malignancies and continues to represent an excellent therapeutic opportunity. Nonetheless, alternative strategies are required to treat malignancies driven by undruggable oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor genes and to overcome drug resistance also occurring in cancers addicted to actionable drivers. The discovery of non-oncogene addiction (NOA) uncovered novel therapeutically exploitable "Achilles' heels". NOA refers to genes/pathways not oncogenic per sé but essential for the tumor cell growth/survival while dispensable for normal cells. The clinical success of several classes of conventional and molecular targeted agents can be ascribed to their impact on both tumor cell-associated intrinsic as well as microenvironment-related extrinsic NOA. The integration of genetic, computational and pharmacological high-throughput approaches led to the identification of an expanded repertoire of synthetic lethality interactions implicating NOA targets. Only a few of them have been translated into the clinics as most NOA vulnerabilities are not easily druggable or appealing targets. Nonetheless, their identification has provided in-depth knowledge of tumor pathobiology and suggested novel therapeutic opportunities. Here, we summarize conceptual framework of intrinsic and extrinsic NOA providing exploitable vulnerabilities. Conventional and emerging methodological approaches used to disclose NOA dependencies are reported together with their limits. We illustrate NOA paradigmatic and peculiar examples and outline the functional/mechanistic aspects, potential druggability and translational interest. Finally, we comment on difficulties in exploiting the NOA-generated knowledge to develop novel therapeutic approaches to be translated into the clinics and to fully harness the potential of clinically available drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Di Marco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Mazzoni
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Greco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuliana Cassinelli
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy.
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41
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Niekamp S, Marr SK, Oei TA, Subramanian R, Kingston RE. Modularity of PRC1 composition and chromatin interaction define condensate properties. Mol Cell 2024; 84:1651-1666.e12. [PMID: 38521066 PMCID: PMC11234260 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
Polycomb repressive complexes (PRCs) play a key role in gene repression and are indispensable for proper development. Canonical PRC1 forms condensates in vitro and in cells that are proposed to contribute to the maintenance of repression. However, how chromatin and the various subunits of PRC1 contribute to condensation is largely unexplored. Using a reconstitution approach and single-molecule imaging, we demonstrate that nucleosomal arrays and PRC1 act synergistically, reducing the critical concentration required for condensation by more than 20-fold. We find that the exact combination of PHC and CBX subunits determines condensate initiation, morphology, stability, and dynamics. Particularly, PHC2's polymerization activity influences condensate dynamics by promoting the formation of distinct domains that adhere to each other but do not coalesce. Live-cell imaging confirms CBX's role in condensate initiation and highlights PHC's importance for condensate stability. We propose that PRC1 composition can modulate condensate properties, providing crucial regulatory flexibility across developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Niekamp
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Sharon K Marr
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Theresa A Oei
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Department of Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Radhika Subramanian
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Robert E Kingston
- Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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42
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Parreno V, Loubiere V, Schuettengruber B, Fritsch L, Rawal CC, Erokhin M, Győrffy B, Normanno D, Di Stefano M, Moreaux J, Butova NL, Chiolo I, Chetverina D, Martinez AM, Cavalli G. Transient loss of Polycomb components induces an epigenetic cancer fate. Nature 2024; 629:688-696. [PMID: 38658752 PMCID: PMC11096130 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07328-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Although cancer initiation and progression are generally associated with the accumulation of somatic mutations1,2, substantial epigenomic alterations underlie many aspects of tumorigenesis and cancer susceptibility3-6, suggesting that genetic mechanisms might not be the only drivers of malignant transformation7. However, whether purely non-genetic mechanisms are sufficient to initiate tumorigenesis irrespective of mutations has been unknown. Here, we show that a transient perturbation of transcriptional silencing mediated by Polycomb group proteins is sufficient to induce an irreversible switch to a cancer cell fate in Drosophila. This is linked to the irreversible derepression of genes that can drive tumorigenesis, including members of the JAK-STAT signalling pathway and zfh1, the fly homologue of the ZEB1 oncogene, whose aberrant activation is required for Polycomb perturbation-induced tumorigenesis. These data show that a reversible depletion of Polycomb proteins can induce cancer in the absence of driver mutations, suggesting that tumours can emerge through epigenetic dysregulation leading to inheritance of altered cell fates.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Parreno
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - V Loubiere
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology, Vienna BioCenter, Vienna, Austria
| | - B Schuettengruber
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - L Fritsch
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - C C Rawal
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - M Erokhin
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - B Győrffy
- Semmelweis University Department of Bioinformatics, Budapest, Hungary
- Department of Biophysics, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - D Normanno
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - M Di Stefano
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - J Moreaux
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- Department of Biological Hematology, CHU Montpellier, Montpellier, France
- UFR Medicine, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - N L Butova
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - I Chiolo
- University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - D Chetverina
- Institute of Gene Biology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - A-M Martinez
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
| | - G Cavalli
- Institute of Human Genetics, CNRS, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France.
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43
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Perurena N, Situ L, Cichowski K. Combinatorial strategies to target RAS-driven cancers. Nat Rev Cancer 2024; 24:316-337. [PMID: 38627557 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-024-00679-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Although RAS was formerly considered undruggable, various agents that inhibit RAS or specific RAS oncoproteins have now been developed. Indeed, the importance of directly targeting RAS has recently been illustrated by the clinical success of mutant-selective KRAS inhibitors. Nevertheless, responses to these agents are typically incomplete and restricted to a subset of patients, highlighting the need to develop more effective treatments, which will likely require a combinatorial approach. Vertical strategies that target multiple nodes within the RAS pathway to achieve deeper suppression are being investigated and have precedence in other contexts. However, alternative strategies that co-target RAS and other therapeutic vulnerabilities have been identified, which may mitigate the requirement for profound pathway suppression. Regardless, the efficacy of any given approach will likely be dictated by genetic, epigenetic and tumour-specific variables. Here we discuss various combinatorial strategies to treat KRAS-driven cancers, highlighting mechanistic concepts that may extend to tumours harbouring other RAS mutations. Although many promising combinations have been identified, clinical responses will ultimately depend on whether a therapeutic window can be achieved and our ability to prospectively select responsive patients. Therefore, we must continue to develop and understand biologically diverse strategies to maximize our likelihood of success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naiara Perurena
- Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lisa Situ
- Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Karen Cichowski
- Genetics Division, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Ludwig Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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44
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Yuan Y, Chen Q, Brovkina M, Clowney EJ, Yadlapalli S. Clock-dependent chromatin accessibility rhythms regulate circadian transcription. PLoS Genet 2024; 20:e1011278. [PMID: 38805552 PMCID: PMC11161047 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1011278] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Chromatin organization plays a crucial role in gene regulation by controlling the accessibility of DNA to transcription machinery. While significant progress has been made in understanding the regulatory role of clock proteins in circadian rhythms, how chromatin organization affects circadian rhythms remains poorly understood. Here, we employed ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with Sequencing) on FAC-sorted Drosophila clock neurons to assess genome-wide chromatin accessibility at dawn and dusk over the circadian cycle. We observed significant oscillations in chromatin accessibility at promoter and enhancer regions of hundreds of genes, with enhanced accessibility either at dusk or dawn, which correlated with their peak transcriptional activity. Notably, genes with enhanced accessibility at dusk were enriched with E-box motifs, while those more accessible at dawn were enriched with VRI/PDP1-box motifs, indicating that they are regulated by the core circadian feedback loops, PER/CLK and VRI/PDP1, respectively. Further, we observed a complete loss of chromatin accessibility rhythms in per01 null mutants, with chromatin consistently accessible at both dawn and dusk, underscoring the critical role of Period protein in driving chromatin compaction during the repression phase at dawn. Together, this study demonstrates the significant role of chromatin organization in circadian regulation, revealing how the interplay between clock proteins and chromatin structure orchestrates the precise timing of biological processes throughout the day. This work further implies that variations in chromatin accessibility might play a central role in the generation of diverse circadian gene expression patterns in clock neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yuan
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Qianqian Chen
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Margarita Brovkina
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - E Josephine Clowney
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Swathi Yadlapalli
- Cellular and Molecular Biology Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America
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45
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Trnkova L, Buocikova V, Mego M, Cumova A, Burikova M, Bohac M, Miklikova S, Cihova M, Smolkova B. Epigenetic deregulation in breast cancer microenvironment: Implications for tumor progression and therapeutic strategies. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116559. [PMID: 38603889 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116559] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer comprises a substantial proportion of cancer diagnoses in women and is a primary cause of cancer-related mortality. While hormone-responsive cases generally have a favorable prognosis, the aggressive nature of triple-negative breast cancer presents challenges, with intrinsic resistance to established treatments being a persistent issue. The complexity intensifies with the emergence of acquired resistance, further complicating the management of breast cancer. Epigenetic changes, encompassing DNA methylation, histone and RNA modifications, and non-coding RNAs, are acknowledged as crucial contributors to the heterogeneity of breast cancer. The unique epigenetic landscape harbored by each cellular component within the tumor microenvironment (TME) adds great diversity to the intricate regulations which influence therapeutic responses. The TME, a sophisticated ecosystem of cellular and non-cellular elements interacting with tumor cells, establishes an immunosuppressive microenvironment and fuels processes such as tumor growth, angiogenesis, and extracellular matrix remodeling. These factors contribute to challenging conditions in cancer treatment by fostering a hypoxic environment, inducing metabolic stress, and creating physical barriers to drug delivery. This article delves into the complex connections between breast cancer treatment response, underlying epigenetic changes, and vital interactions within the TME. To restore sensitivity to treatment, it emphasizes the need for combination therapies considering epigenetic changes specific to individual members of the TME. Recognizing the pivotal role of epigenetics in drug resistance and comprehending the specificities of breast TME is essential for devising more effective therapeutic strategies. The development of reliable biomarkers for patient stratification will facilitate tailored and precise treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lenka Trnkova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Verona Buocikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Michal Mego
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia; 2nd Department of Oncology, Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine & National Cancer Institute, Bratislava 83310, Slovakia
| | - Andrea Cumova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Monika Burikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Martin Bohac
- 2nd Department of Oncology, Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine & National Cancer Institute, Bratislava 83310, Slovakia; Regenmed Ltd., Medena 29, Bratislava 811 01, Slovakia; Institute of Medical Biology, Genetics and Clinical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Comenius University, Sasinkova 4, Bratislava 811 08, Slovakia
| | - Svetlana Miklikova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Marina Cihova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia
| | - Bozena Smolkova
- Cancer Research Institute, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Dubravska cesta 9, Bratislava 845 05, Slovakia.
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46
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Li Z, Qian D. Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA): from carcinogenesis to drug resistance. Clin Exp Med 2024; 24:83. [PMID: 38662139 PMCID: PMC11045593 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-024-01348-6] [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: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Extrachromosomal circular DNA (eccDNA) is a circular form of DNA that exists outside of the chromosome. Although it has only been a few decades since its discovery, in recent years, it has been found to have a close relationship with cancer, which has attracted widespread attention from researchers. Thus far, under the persistent research of researchers from all over the world, eccDNA has been found to play an important role in a variety of tumors, including breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, etc. Herein, we review the sources of eccDNA, classifications, and the mechanisms responsible for their biogenesis. In addition, we introduce the relationship between eccDNA and various cancers and the role of eccDNA in the generation and evolution of cancer. Finally, we summarize the research significance and importance of eccDNA in cancer, and highlight new prospects for the application of eccDNA in the future detection and treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoxing Li
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China
| | - Daohai Qian
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College, Wuhu, China.
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47
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Romero P, Richart L, Aflaki S, Petitalot A, Burton M, Michaud A, Masliah-Planchon J, Kuhnowski F, Le Cam S, Baliñas-Gavira C, Méaudre C, Luscan A, Hamza A, Legoix P, Vincent-Salomon A, Wassef M, Holoch D, Margueron R. EZH2 mutations in follicular lymphoma distort H3K27me3 profiles and alter transcriptional responses to PRC2 inhibition. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3452. [PMID: 38658543 PMCID: PMC11043461 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47701-x] [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: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in chromatin regulators are widespread in cancer. Among them, the histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) shows distinct alterations according to tumor type. This specificity is poorly understood. Here, we model several PRC2 alterations in one isogenic system to reveal their comparative effects. Focusing then on lymphoma-associated EZH2 mutations, we show that Ezh2Y641F induces aberrant H3K27 methylation patterns even without wild-type Ezh2, which are alleviated by partial PRC2 inhibition. Remarkably, Ezh2Y641F rewires the response to PRC2 inhibition, leading to induction of antigen presentation genes. Using a unique longitudinal follicular lymphoma cohort, we further link EZH2 status to abnormal H3K27 methylation. We also uncover unexpected variability in the mutational landscape of successive biopsies, pointing to frequent co-existence of different clones and cautioning against stratifying patients based on single sampling. Our results clarify how oncogenic PRC2 mutations disrupt chromatin and transcription, and the therapeutic vulnerabilities this creates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Romero
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
- Institut Curie, Department of Pathology, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Laia Richart
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Setareh Aflaki
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Ambre Petitalot
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Megan Burton
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Audrey Michaud
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Julien Masliah-Planchon
- Institut Curie, Pharmacogenetics Unit, Department of Genetics, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Frédérique Kuhnowski
- Institut Curie, Department of Clinical Hematology, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Samuel Le Cam
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Carlos Baliñas-Gavira
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Céline Méaudre
- Institut Curie, Department of Pathology, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Armelle Luscan
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Abderaouf Hamza
- Institut Curie, Pharmacogenetics Unit, Department of Genetics, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Patricia Legoix
- Institut Curie, Genomics of Excellence (ICGex) Platform, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Anne Vincent-Salomon
- Institut Curie, Department of Pathology, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Paris, France
| | - Michel Wassef
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France
| | - Daniel Holoch
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
| | - Raphaël Margueron
- Institut Curie, INSERM U934/CNRS UMR 3215, Paris Sciences et Lettres Research University, Sorbonne University, Paris, France.
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48
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Chapple RH, Liu X, Natarajan S, Alexander MIM, Kim Y, Patel AG, LaFlamme CW, Pan M, Wright WC, Lee HM, Zhang Y, Lu M, Koo SC, Long C, Harper J, Savage C, Johnson MD, Confer T, Akers WJ, Dyer MA, Sheppard H, Easton J, Geeleher P. An integrated single-cell RNA-seq map of human neuroblastoma tumors and preclinical models uncovers divergent mesenchymal-like gene expression programs. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.04.13.536639. [PMID: 38712039 PMCID: PMC11071300 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.13.536639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is a common pediatric cancer, where preclinical studies suggest that a mesenchymal-like gene expression program contributes to chemotherapy resistance. However, clinical outcomes remain poor, implying we need a better understanding of the relationship between patient tumor heterogeneity and preclinical models. Here, we generated single-cell RNA-seq maps of neuroblastoma cell lines, patient-derived xenograft models (PDX), and a genetically engineered mouse model (GEMM). We developed an unsupervised machine learning approach ('automatic consensus nonnegative matrix factorization' (acNMF)) to compare the gene expression programs found in preclinical models to a large cohort of patient tumors. We confirmed a weakly expressed, mesenchymal-like program in otherwise adrenergic cancer cells in some pre-treated high-risk patient tumors, but this appears distinct from the presumptive drug-resistance mesenchymal programs evident in cell lines. Surprisingly however, this weak-mesenchymal-like program was maintained in PDX and could be chemotherapy-induced in our GEMM after only 24 hours, suggesting an uncharacterized therapy-escape mechanism. Collectively, our findings improve the understanding of how neuroblastoma patient tumor heterogeneity is reflected in preclinical models, provides a comprehensive integrated resource, and a generalizable set of computational methodologies for the joint analysis of clinical and pre-clinical single-cell RNA-seq datasets.
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Teschendorff AE. On epigenetic stochasticity, entropy and cancer risk. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20230054. [PMID: 38432318 PMCID: PMC10909509 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2023.0054] [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: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic changes are known to accrue in normal cells as a result of ageing and cumulative exposure to cancer risk factors. Increasing evidence points towards age-related epigenetic changes being acquired in a quasi-stochastic manner, and that they may play a causal role in cancer development. Here, I describe the quasi-stochastic nature of DNA methylation (DNAm) changes in ageing cells as well as in normal cells at risk of neoplastic transformation, discussing the implications of this stochasticity for developing cancer risk prediction strategies, and in particular, how it may require a conceptual paradigm shift in how we select cancer risk markers. I also describe the mounting evidence that a significant proportion of DNAm changes in ageing and cancer development are related to cell proliferation, reflecting tissue-turnover and the opportunity this offers for predicting cancer risk via the development of epigenetic mitotic-like clocks. Finally, I describe how age-associated DNAm changes may be causally implicated in cancer development via an irreversible suppression of tissue-specific transcription factors that increases epigenetic and transcriptomic entropy, promoting a more plastic yet aberrant cancer stem-cell state. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'Causes and consequences of stochastic processes in development and disease'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew E. Teschendorff
- CAS Key Laboratory of Computational Biology, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health, Shanghai Institute for Biological Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yue Yang Road, Shanghai 200031, People's Republic of China
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Larkin A, Kunze C, Seman M, Levashkevich A, Curran J, Morris-Evans D, Lemieux S, Khalil AS, Ragunathan K. Mapping the dynamics of epigenetic adaptation during heterochromatin misregulation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.07.10.548368. [PMID: 37503217 PMCID: PMC10369875 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.10.548368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
A classical and well-established mechanism that enables cells to adapt to new and adverse conditions is the acquisition of beneficial genetic mutations. Much less is known about epigenetic mechanisms that allow cells to develop novel and adaptive phenotypes without altering their genetic blueprint. It has been recently proposed that histone modifications, such as heterochromatin-defining H3K9 methylation (H3K9me), normally reserved to maintain genome integrity, can be redistributed across the genome to establish new and potentially adaptive phenotypes. To uncover the dynamics of this process, we developed a precision engineered genetic approach to trigger H3K9me redistribution on-demand in fission yeast. This enabled us to trace genome-scale RNA and chromatin changes over time prior to and during adaptation in long-term continuous cultures. Establishing adaptive H3K9me occurs over remarkably slow time-scales relative to the initiating stress. During this time, we captured dynamic H3K9me redistribution events ultimately leading to cells converging on an optimal adaptive solution. Upon removal of stress, cells relax to new transcriptional and chromatin states rather than revert to their initial (ground) state, establishing a tunable memory for a future adaptive epigenetic response. Collectively, our tools uncover the slow kinetics of epigenetic adaptation that allow cells to search for and heritably encode adaptive solutions, with implications for drug resistance and response to infection.
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