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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW The purpose of this review is to describe recent findings on the clinical presentation, pathogenesis, and management of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Alcohol causes a range of physical, developmental, and cognitive impairments on the developing fetus. Individuals exposed to alcohol prenatally have a wide variability in dysmorphic and neurologic features. Hence, a greater understanding of the mechanisms through which alcohol induces defects in the developing fetus is imperative in developing therapies that prevent alcohol-induced effects. RECENT FINDINGS Current research has focused on leveraging technology to developing tools that can aid in the diagnostic process, defining patterns of neurocognition and neuroimaging specific to FASD, developing neurobehavioral and pharmacologic interventions, and expanding access to care. SUMMARY FASDs are a common cause of neurodevelopmental impairment in school-age children, and their recognition is essential to provide early interventions in order to optimize the outcome for these individuals when they reach adulthood. Although previously thought to be the result of irreversible neurologic injury from prenatal alcohol exposure, recent evidence points to the benefits of applying principles regarding neuroplasticity in improving the lives for patients and their families.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A Gomez
- Mayo Clinic Alix School of Medicine, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Omar A Abdul-Rahman
- Department of Genetic Medicine, Munroe-Meyer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, USA
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2
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Colino-Sanguino Y, Clark SJ, Valdes-Mora F. The H2A.Z-nuclesome code in mammals: emerging functions. Trends Genet 2021; 38:273-289. [PMID: 34702577 DOI: 10.1016/j.tig.2021.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
H2A.Z is a histone variant that provides specific structural and docking-side properties to the nucleosome, resulting in diverse and specialised molecular and cellular functions. In this review, we discuss the latest studies uncovering new functional aspects of mammalian H2A.Z in gene transcription, including pausing and elongation of RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and enhancer activity; DNA repair; DNA replication; and 3D chromatin structure. We also review the recently described role of H2A.Z in embryonic development, cell differentiation, neurodevelopment, and brain function. In conclusion, our cumulative knowledge of H2A.Z over the past 40 years, in combination with the implementation of novel molecular technologies, is unravelling an unexpected and complex role of histone variants in gene regulation and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Colino-Sanguino
- Cancer Epigenetics Biology and Therapeutics, Precision Medicine Theme, Children's Cancer Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Children and Women Health, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
| | - Susan J Clark
- Epigenetics Research Laboratory, Genomics and Epigenetics Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW, Australia; St. Vincent's Clinical School, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Fatima Valdes-Mora
- Cancer Epigenetics Biology and Therapeutics, Precision Medicine Theme, Children's Cancer Institute, Sydney, NSW, Australia; School of Children and Women Health, University of NSW Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
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Tang S, Huang X, Wang X, Zhou X, Huang H, Qin L, Tao H, Wang Q, Tao Y. Vital and Distinct Roles of H2A.Z Isoforms in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:4319-4337. [PMID: 32547065 PMCID: PMC7244249 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s243823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose H2A.Z is an oncogenic histone variant that is overexpressed in cancers. Two isoforms of H2A.Z, H2AFZ and H2AFV, are identical except for a three-amino acid difference. However, their isoform-specific functions remain unclear in cancer development. Thereby, this study aimed to investigate whether the two isoforms play distinct functions in hepatocarcinogenesis. Materials and Methods Expressions of H2A.Z isoforms in 116 paired hepatocellular cancerous and para-cancerous tissues were detected by employing qPCR. GEO and TCGA databases were used to probe expressions and prognostic value of the two H2A.Z isoforms. A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted. Furthermore, co-expressed analysis of H2AFZ and H2AFV was performed by using cBioPortal database. H2A.Z binding genes from Chip-seq were intersected with H2A.Z isoforms co-expressed genes to perform functional annotations. Cell proliferation experiments from H2AFZ knockout HepG2 and BEL-7402 cells were implemented. Finally, RNA-seq was applied to analyse alternative splicing in H2AFZ knockout and wild-type cells. Results H2AFZ and H2AFV were both significantly upregulated (P < 0.01) in hepatocellular carcinoma and related to poor prognosis (P < 0.01). The two H2A.Z isoforms played vital roles in cell proliferation. It is also predicted that unique functions of H2AFV contain spindle midzone and microtubule, while H2AFZ is especially associated with RNA export and spliceosome. Further, devoid H2AFZ may restrain liver cancer cell proliferation and cause many alternative splicing events. Conclusion Both H2A.Z isoforms play vital and distinct roles in the occurrence and progression of liver cancer, which may pave a way for novel therapeutic applications for cancers in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaomei Tang
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoliang Huang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, People's Republic of China
| | - Xi Wang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Xianguo Zhou
- Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, People's Republic of China
| | - Huan Huang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Liwen Qin
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongyu Tao
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiuyan Wang
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.,Department of Research, Guangxi Medical University Cancer Hospital, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, People's Republic of China.,Guangxi Colleges and Universities Key Laboratory of Biological Molecular Medicine Research, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuting Tao
- Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China.,Guangxi Key Laboratory for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Guangxi, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genomic and Personalized Medicine, Nanning, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
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4
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Cheema MS, Good KV, Kim B, Soufari H, O’Sullivan C, Freeman ME, Stefanelli G, Casas CR, Zengeler KE, Kennedy AJ, Eirin Lopez JM, Howard PL, Zovkic IB, Shabanowitz J, Dryhurst DD, Hunt DF, Mackereth CD, Ausió J. Deciphering the Enigma of the Histone H2A.Z-1/H2A.Z-2 Isoforms: Novel Insights and Remaining Questions. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051167. [PMID: 32397240 PMCID: PMC7290884 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2020] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The replication independent (RI) histone H2A.Z is one of the more extensively studied variant members of the core histone H2A family, which consists of many replication dependent (RD) members. The protein has been shown to be indispensable for survival, and involved in multiple roles from DNA damage to chromosome segregation, replication, and transcription. However, its functional involvement in gene expression is controversial. Moreover, the variant in several groups of metazoan organisms consists of two main isoforms (H2A.Z-1 and H2A.Z-2) that differ in a few (3–6) amino acids. They comprise the main topic of this review, starting from the events that led to their identification, what is currently known about them, followed by further experimental, structural, and functional insight into their roles. Despite their structural differences, a direct correlation to their functional variability remains enigmatic. As all of this is being elucidated, it appears that a strong functional involvement of isoform variability may be connected to development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manjinder S. Cheema
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Katrina V. Good
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Bohyun Kim
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Heddy Soufari
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, 2 rue Robert Escarpit, F-33607 Pessac, France; (H.S.); (C.D.M.)
- Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, ARNA Laboratory, Univ. Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Connor O’Sullivan
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Melissa E. Freeman
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Gilda Stefanelli
- Department of Neurosciences & Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada; (G.S.); (I.B.Z.)
| | - Ciro Rivera Casas
- Environmental Epigenetics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityNorth Miami, FL 33181, USA; (C.R.C.); (J.M.E.L.)
| | - Kristine E. Zengeler
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME 04240, USA; (K.E.Z.); (A.J.K.)
| | - Andrew J. Kennedy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Bates College, 2 Andrews Road, Lewiston, ME 04240, USA; (K.E.Z.); (A.J.K.)
| | - Jose Maria Eirin Lopez
- Environmental Epigenetics Group, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International UniversityNorth Miami, FL 33181, USA; (C.R.C.); (J.M.E.L.)
| | - Perry L. Howard
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Iva B. Zovkic
- Department of Neurosciences & Mental Health, the Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON M5G 1X8, Canada; (G.S.); (I.B.Z.)
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jeffrey Shabanowitz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; (J.S.); (D.F.H.)
| | - Deanna D. Dryhurst
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
| | - Donald F. Hunt
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA; (J.S.); (D.F.H.)
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, USA
| | - Cameron D. Mackereth
- Institut Européen de Chimie et Biologie, Univ. Bordeaux, 2 rue Robert Escarpit, F-33607 Pessac, France; (H.S.); (C.D.M.)
- Inserm U1212, CNRS UMR 5320, ARNA Laboratory, Univ. Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, F-33076 Bordeaux, France
| | - Juan Ausió
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC V8W 3P6, Canada; (M.S.C.); (K.V.G.); (B.K.); (C.O.); (M.E.F.); (P.L.H.); (D.D.D.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-250-721-8863; Fax: +1-250-721-8855
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Schaffner SL, Lussier AA, Baker JA, Goldowitz D, Hamre KM, Kobor MS. Neonatal Alcohol Exposure in Mice Induces Select Differentiation- and Apoptosis-Related Chromatin Changes Both Independent of and Dependent on Sex. Front Genet 2020; 11:35. [PMID: 32117449 PMCID: PMC7026456 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2020.00035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) affects many aspects of physiology and behavior, including brain development. Specifically, ethanol can influence expression of genes important for brain growth, including chromatin modifiers. Ethanol can also increase apoptotic cell death in the brain and alter epigenetic profiles such as modifications to histones and DNA methylation. Although differential sex outcomes and disruptions to the function of multiple brain regions have been reported in fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), the majority of our knowledge on molecular epigenetic and apoptotic dysregulation in PAE is based on data from males and is sometimes limited to assessments of the whole brain or one brain region. Here, we examined histone modifications, DNA methylation, and expression of genes involved in differentiation and proliferation related-chromatin modifications and apoptosis in the cerebral cortex and cerebellum of C57BL/6J mice exposed to an acute alcohol challenge on postnatal day 7, with a focus on differential outcomes between sexes and brain regions. We found that neonatal alcohol exposure altered histone modifications, and impacted expression of a select few chromatin modifier and apoptotic genes in both the cortex and cerebellum. The results were observed primarily in a sex-independent manner, although some additional trends toward sexual dimorphisms were observed. Alcohol exposure induced trends toward increased bulk H3K4me3 levels, increased Kmt2e expression, and elevated levels of Casp6 mRNA and bulk γH2A.X. Additional trends indicated that ethanol may impact Kdm4a promoter DNA methylation levels and bulk levels of the histone variant H2A.Z, although further studies are needed. We comprehensively examined effects of ethanol exposure across different sexes and brain regions, and our results suggest that major impacts of ethanol on bulk chromatin modifications underlying differentiation and apoptosis may be broadly applicable across the rodent cortex and cerebellum in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha L. Schaffner
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Alexandre A. Lussier
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Jessica A. Baker
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Dan Goldowitz
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Kristin M. Hamre
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Michael S. Kobor
- Centre for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics, British Columbia Children’s Hospital Research Institute – Department of Medical Genetics, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Human Early Learning Partnership, School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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