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Mortillo M, Kennedy EG, Hermetz KM, Burt AA, Marsit CJ. Epigenetic landscape of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and associations with gene expression in placenta. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2326869. [PMID: 38507502 PMCID: PMC10956631 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2024.2326869] [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: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
5-hydroxymethylcystosine (5hmC), is an intermediate product in the DNA demethylation pathway, but may act as a functional epigenetic modification. We have conducted the largest study of site-specific 5hmC in placenta to date using parallel bisulphite and oxidative bisulphite modification with array-based assessment. Incorporating parallel RNA-sequencing data allowed us to assess associations between 5hmC and gene expression, using expression quantitative trait hydroxymethylation (eQTHM) analysis. We identified ~ 47,000 loci with consistently elevated (systematic) 5hmC proportions. Systematic 5hmC was significantly depleted (p < 0.0001) at CpG islands (CGI), and enriched (p < 0.0001) in 'open sea' regions (CpG >4 kb from CGI). 5hmC was most and least abundant at CpGs in enhancers and active transcription start sites (TSS), respectively (p < 0.05). We identified 499 significant (empirical-p <0.05) eQTHMs within 1 MB of the assayed gene. At most (75.4%) eQTHMs, the proportion of 5hmC was positively correlated with transcript abundance. eQTHMs were significantly enriched among enhancer CpGs and depleted among CpGs in active TSS (p < 0.05 for both). Finally, we identified 107 differentially hydroxymethylated regions (DHMRs, p < 0.05) across 100 genes. Our study provides insight into placental distribution of 5hmC, and sheds light on the functional capacity of this epigenetic modification in placenta.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Mortillo
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Elizabeth G. Kennedy
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Karen M. Hermetz
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Amber A. Burt
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Carmen J. Marsit
- Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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2
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Wang M, Yan X, Dong Y, Li X, Gao B. From driver genes to gene families: A computational analysis of oncogenic mutations and ubiquitination anomalies in hepatocellular carcinoma. Comput Biol Chem 2024; 112:108119. [PMID: 38852361 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2024.108119] [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: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a widespread primary liver cancer with a high fatality rate. Despite several genes with oncogenic effects in HCC have been identified, many remain undiscovered. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive computational analysis to explore the involvement of genes within the same families as known driver genes in HCC. Specifically, we expanded the concept beyond single-gene mutations to encompass gene families sharing homologous structures, integrating various omics data to comprehensively understand gene abnormalities in cancer. Our analysis identified 74 domains with an enriched mutation burden, 404 domain mutation hotspots, and 233 dysregulated driver genes. We observed that specific low-frequency somatic mutations may contribute to HCC occurrence, potentially overlooked by single-gene algorithms. Furthermore, we systematically analyzed how abnormalities in the ubiquitinated proteasome system (UPS) impact HCC, finding that abnormal genes in E3, E2, DUB families, and Degron genes often result in HCC by affecting the stability of oncogenic or tumor suppressor proteins. In conclusion, expanding the exploration of driver genes to include gene families with homologous structures emerges as a promising strategy for uncovering additional oncogenic alterations in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Wang
- Faculty of Environment and Life of Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Xinyue Yan
- Faculty of Environment and Life of Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Yanan Dong
- Faculty of Environment and Life of Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
| | - Xiaoqin Li
- Faculty of Environment and Life of Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China.
| | - Bin Gao
- Faculty of Environment and Life of Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, China
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Geiger C, Needhamsen M, Emanuelsson EB, Norrbom J, Steindorf K, Sundberg CJ, Reitzner SM, Lindholm ME. DNA methylation of exercise-responsive genes differs between trained and untrained men. BMC Biol 2024; 22:147. [PMID: 38965555 PMCID: PMC11225400 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-024-01938-6] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/06/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Physical activity is well known for its multiple health benefits and although the knowledge of the underlying molecular mechanisms is increasing, our understanding of the role of epigenetics in long-term training adaptation remains incomplete. In this intervention study, we included individuals with a history of > 15 years of regular endurance or resistance training compared to age-matched untrained controls performing endurance or resistance exercise. We examined skeletal muscle DNA methylation of genes involved in key adaptation processes, including myogenesis, gene regulation, angiogenesis and metabolism. RESULTS A greater number of differentially methylated regions and differentially expressed genes were identified when comparing the endurance group with the control group than in the comparison between the strength group and the control group at baseline. Although the cellular composition of skeletal muscle samples was generally consistent across groups, variations were observed in the distribution of muscle fiber types. Slow-twitch fiber type genes MYH7 and MYL3 exhibited lower promoter methylation and elevated expression in endurance-trained athletes, while the same group showed higher methylation in transcription factors such as FOXO3, CREB5, and PGC-1α. The baseline DNA methylation state of those genes was associated with the transcriptional response to an acute bout of exercise. Acute exercise altered very few of the investigated CpG sites. CONCLUSIONS Endurance- compared to resistance-trained athletes and untrained individuals demonstrated a different DNA methylation signature of selected skeletal muscle genes, which may influence transcriptional dynamics following a bout of acute exercise. Skeletal muscle fiber type distribution is associated with methylation of fiber type specific genes. Our results suggest that the baseline DNA methylation landscape in skeletal muscle influences the transcription of regulatory genes in response to an acute exercise bout.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Geiger
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- Medical School, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maria Needhamsen
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Molecular Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Eric B Emanuelsson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jessica Norrbom
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karen Steindorf
- Division of Physical Activity, Prevention and Cancer, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Carl Johan Sundberg
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Learning, Informatics, Management and Ethics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Stefan M Reitzner
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department for Women's and Children's Health, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Malene E Lindholm
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
- Center for Inherited Cardiovascular Disease, School of Medicine, Stanford University, 870 Quarry Rd, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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Tecik M, Adan A. Emerging DNA Methylome Targets in FLT3-ITD-Positive Acute Myeloid Leukemia: Combination Therapy with Clinically Approved FLT3 Inhibitors. Curr Treat Options Oncol 2024; 25:719-751. [PMID: 38696033 PMCID: PMC11222205 DOI: 10.1007/s11864-024-01202-7] [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] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
OPINION STATEMENT The internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutation of the FMS-like receptor tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3-ITD) is the most common mutation observed in approximately 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. It represents poor prognosis due to continuous activation of downstream growth-promoting signaling pathways such as STAT5 and PI3K/AKT. Hence, FLT3 is considered an attractive druggable target; selective small FLT3 inhibitors (FLT3Is), such as midostaurin and quizartinib, have been clinically approved. However, patients possess generally poor remission rates and acquired resistance when FLT3I used alone. Various factors in patients could cause these adverse effects including altered epigenetic regulation, causing mainly abnormal gene expression patterns. Epigenetic modifications are required for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) self-renewal and differentiation; however, critical driver mutations have been identified in genes controlling DNA methylation (such as DNMT3A, TET2, IDH1/2). These regulators cause leukemia pathogenesis and affect disease diagnosis and prognosis when they co-occur with FLT3-ITD mutation. Therefore, understanding the role of different epigenetic alterations in FLT3-ITD AML pathogenesis and how they modulate FLT3I's activity is important to rationalize combinational treatment approaches including FLT3Is and modulators of methylation regulators or pathways. Data from ongoing pre-clinical and clinical studies will further precisely define the potential use of epigenetic therapy together with FLT3Is especially after characterized patients' mutational status in terms of FLT3 and DNA methlome regulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melisa Tecik
- Bioengineering Program, Graduate School of Engineering and Science, Abdullah Gul University, Kayseri, Turkey
| | - Aysun Adan
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Life and Natural Sciences, Abdullah Gul University, Kayseri, Turkey.
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Zappe K, Cichna-Markl M. Temperature-Wise Calibration Increases the Accuracy of DNA Methylation Levels Determined by High-Resolution Melting (HRM). Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5082. [PMID: 38791122 PMCID: PMC11121480 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25105082] [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: 03/30/2024] [Revised: 04/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
High-resolution melting (HRM) is a cost-efficient tool for targeted DNA methylation analysis. HRM yields the average methylation status across all CpGs in PCR products. Moreover, it provides information on the methylation pattern, e.g., the occurrence of monoallelic methylation. HRM assays have to be calibrated by analyzing DNA methylation standards of known methylation status and mixtures thereof. In general, DNA methylation levels determined by the classical calibration approach, including the whole temperature range in between normalization intervals, are in good agreement with the mean of the DNA methylation status of individual CpGs determined by pyrosequencing (PSQ), the gold standard of targeted DNA methylation analysis. However, the classical calibration approach leads to highly inaccurate results for samples with heterogeneous DNA methylation since they result in more complex melt curves, differing in their shape compared to those of DNA standards and mixtures thereof. Here, we present a novel calibration approach, i.e., temperature-wise calibration. By temperature-wise calibration, methylation profiles over temperature are obtained, which help in finding the optimal calibration range and thus increase the accuracy of HRM data, particularly for heterogeneous DNA methylation. For explaining the principle and demonstrating the potential of the novel calibration approach, we selected the promoter and two enhancers of MGMT, a gene encoding the repair protein MGMT.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Margit Cichna-Markl
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria;
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Zhang J, Miao N, Lao L, Deng W, Wang J, Zhu X, Huang Y, Lin H, Zeng W, Zhang W, Tan L, Yuan X, Zeng X, Zhu J, Chen X, Song E, Yang L, Nie Y, Huang D. Activation of Bivalent Gene POU4F1 Promotes and Maintains Basal-like Breast Cancer. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2307660. [PMID: 38491910 PMCID: PMC11132042 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202307660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Basal-like breast cancer (BLBC) is the most aggressive molecular subtype of breast cancer with worse prognosis and fewer treatment options. The underlying mechanisms upon BLBC transcriptional dysregulation and its upstream transcription factors (TFs) remain unclear. Here, among the hyperactive candidate TFs of BLBC identified by bioinformatic analysis, POU4F1 is uniquely upregulated in BLBC and is associated with poor prognosis. POU4F1 is necessary for the tumor growth and malignant phenotypes of BLBC through regulating G1/S transition by direct binding at the promoter of CDK2 and CCND1. More importantly, POU4F1 maintains BLBC identity by repressing ERα expression through CDK2-mediated EZH2 phosphorylation and subsequent H3K27me3 modification in ESR1 promoter. Knocking out POU4F1 in BLBC cells reactivates functional ERα expression, rendering BLBC sensitive to tamoxifen treatment. In-depth epigenetic analysis reveals that the subtype-specific re-configuration and activation of the bivalent chromatin in the POU4F1 promoter contributes to its unique expression in BLBC, which is maintained by DNA demethylase TET1. Together, these results reveal a subtype-specific epigenetically activated TF with critical role in promoting and maintaining BLBC, suggesting that POU4F1 is a potential therapeutic target for BLBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Nanyan Miao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
- Department of Plastic SurgerySun Yat‐Sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Liyan Lao
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Wen Deng
- Center for BiotherapySun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Jiawen Wang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Yongsheng Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
- Cellular & Molecular Diagnostics CenterSun Yat‐Sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐Sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Huayue Lin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Wenfeng Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Luyuan Tan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Xiaoqing Yuan
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Xin Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Jingkun Zhu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Xueman Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Erwei Song
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Linbin Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Yan Nie
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
| | - Di Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Malignant Tumor Epigenetics and Gene RegulationGuangdong‐Hong Kong Joint Laboratory for RNA MedicineBreast Tumor CenterSun Yat‐sen Memorial HospitalSun Yat‐sen UniversityGuangzhou510120China
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7
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Zhang Z, Zhang Y, Ma L, Bao Q, Liang C, Chu M, Guo X, Bao P, Yan P. DNA methylation dynamics during yak adipocyte differentiation. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 261:129715. [PMID: 38281519 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.129715] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
In mammals, epigenetic modifications involving DNA methylation are necessary for the completion of the cell differentiation process. However, the global DNA methylation landscape and its dynamics during yak adipocyte differentiation remain unexplored. Here, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) to asses DNA methylation in yak preadipocytes and adipocytes, combining these results with those of our previous studies on changes in chromatin accessibility and gene expression during yak adipogenesis. The results showed that CG methylation levels were lower in promoter than in exon and intron, and gradually decreasing from the distal regions to transcription start site (TSS). There was a significant negative correlation between CG methylation levels located in promoter and gene expression levels. The 46 genes shared by CG differentially methylated regions (DMRs) and differential chromatin accessibility were significantly enriched in Hedgehog and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways. ATAC-seq peaks with high chromatin accessibility located in both promoter (≤ 2 kb from TSS) and distal (> 2 kb from TSS) regions corresponded to low methylation levels. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that DNA methylation and its interactions with chromatin accessibility regulate gene expression during yak adipocyte differentiation, contributing to the understanding of mechanisms of various epigenetic modifications and their interactions in adipogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Yongfeng Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China; School of Basic Medical Science, Xi'an Medical University, Xi'an 710021, China
| | - Lanhua Ma
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Qi Bao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Chunnian Liang
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Min Chu
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Xian Guo
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Pengjia Bao
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China
| | - Ping Yan
- Key Laboratory of Yak Breeding Engineering Gansu Province, Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Lanzhou 730050, China; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics and Breeding on Tibetan Plateau, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Lanzhou 730050, China; Institute of Western Agriculture, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changji 831100, China.
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8
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Wani SA, Hussain S, Gray JS, Nayak D, Tang H, Perez LM, Long MD, Siddappa M, McCabe CJ, Sucheston-Campbell LE, Freeman MR, Campbell MJ. Epigenetic disruption of the RARγ complex impairs its function to bookmark AR enhancer interactions required for enzalutamide sensitivity in prostate cancer. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.15.571947. [PMID: 38168185 PMCID: PMC10760102 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.15.571947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The current study in prostate cancer (PCa) focused on the genomic mechanisms at the cross-roads of pro-differentiation signals and the emergence of lineage plasticity. We explored an understudied cistromic mechanism involving RARγ's ability to govern AR cistrome-transcriptome relationships, including those associated with more aggressive PCa features. The RARγ complex in PCa cell models was enriched for canonical cofactors, as well as proteins involved in RNA processing and bookmarking. Identifying the repertoire of miR-96 bound and regulated gene targets, including those recognition elements marked by m6A, revealed their significant enrichment in the RARγ complex. RARγ significantly enhanced the AR cistrome, particularly in active enhancers and super-enhancers, and overlapped with the binding of bookmarking factors. Furthermore, RARγ expression led to nucleosome-free chromatin enriched with H3K27ac, and significantly enhanced the AR cistrome in G2/M cells. RARγ functions also antagonized the transcriptional actions of the lineage master regulator ONECUT2. Similarly, gene programs regulated by either miR-96 or antagonized by RARγ were enriched in alternative lineages and more aggressive PCa phenotypes. Together these findings reveal an under-investigated role for RARγ, modulated by miR-96, to bookmark enhancer sites during mitosis. These sites are required by the AR to promote transcriptional competence, and emphasize luminal differentiation, while antagonizing ONECUT2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sajad A Wani
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Shahid Hussain
- Division of Cancer Biology, Cedars Sinai Cancer, and Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Board of Governors Innovation Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Jaimie S Gray
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Debasis Nayak
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Hancong Tang
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Lillian M Perez
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, Cedars Sinai Cancer, Departments of Urology and Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Mark D Long
- Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263
| | - Manjunath Siddappa
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210
| | - Christopher J McCabe
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research (IMSR), and Centre of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism (CEDAM), University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | | | - Michael R Freeman
- Division of Cancer Therapeutics, Cedars Sinai Cancer, Departments of Urology and Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
| | - Moray J Campbell
- Division of Cancer Biology, Cedars Sinai Cancer, and Los Angeles, CA 90048
- Board of Governors Innovation Center, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA 90048
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9
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Edrei Y, Levy R, Kaye D, Marom A, Radlwimmer B, Hellman A. Methylation-directed regulatory networks determine enhancing and silencing of mutation disease driver genes and explain inter-patient expression variation. Genome Biol 2023; 24:264. [PMID: 38012713 PMCID: PMC10683314 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03094-6] [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: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Common diseases manifest differentially between patients, but the genetic origin of this variation remains unclear. To explore possible involvement of gene transcriptional-variation, we produce a DNA methylation-oriented, driver-gene-wide dataset of regulatory elements in human glioblastomas and study their effect on inter-patient gene expression variation. RESULTS In 175 of 177 analyzed gene regulatory domains, transcriptional enhancers and silencers are intermixed. Under experimental conditions, DNA methylation induces enhancers to alter their enhancing effects or convert into silencers, while silencers are affected inversely. High-resolution mapping of the association between DNA methylation and gene expression in intact genomes reveals methylation-related regulatory units (average size = 915.1 base-pairs). Upon increased methylation of these units, their target-genes either increased or decreased in expression. Gene-enhancing and silencing units constitute cis-regulatory networks of genes. Mathematical modeling of the networks highlights indicative methylation sites, which signified the effect of key regulatory units, and add up to make the overall transcriptional effect of the network. Methylation variation in these sites effectively describe inter-patient expression variation and, compared with DNA sequence-alterations, appears as a major contributor of gene-expression variation among glioblastoma patients. CONCLUSIONS We describe complex cis-regulatory networks, which determine gene expression by summing the effects of positive and negative transcriptional inputs. In these networks, DNA methylation induces both enhancing and silencing effects, depending on the context. The revealed mechanism sheds light on the regulatory role of DNA methylation, explains inter-individual gene-expression variation, and opens the way for monitoring the driving forces behind deferential courses of cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yifat Edrei
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Revital Levy
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Daniel Kaye
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Anat Marom
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Bernhard Radlwimmer
- Division of Molecular Genetics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Asaf Hellman
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, The Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada (IMRIC), The Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, 9112102, Jerusalem, Israel.
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10
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Schmutz M, Zucknick M, Schlenk RF, Mertens D, Benner A, Weichenhan D, Mücke O, Döhner K, Plass C, Bullinger L, Claus R. Predictive value of DNA methylation patterns in AML patients treated with an azacytidine containing induction regimen. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:171. [PMID: 37885041 PMCID: PMC10601277 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01580-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: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous disease with a poor prognosis. Dysregulation of the epigenetic machinery is a significant contributor to disease development. Some AML patients benefit from treatment with hypomethylating agents (HMAs), but no predictive biomarkers for therapy response exist. Here, we investigated whether unbiased genome-wide assessment of pre-treatment DNA-methylation profiles in AML bone marrow blasts can help to identify patients who will achieve a remission after an azacytidine-containing induction regimen. RESULTS A total of n = 155 patients with newly diagnosed AML treated in the AMLSG 12-09 trial were randomly assigned to a screening and a refinement and validation cohort. The cohorts were divided according to azacytidine-containing induction regimens and response status. Methylation status was assessed for 664,227 500-bp-regions using methyl-CpG immunoprecipitation-seq, resulting in 1755 differentially methylated regions (DMRs). Top regions were distilled and included genes such as WNT10A and GATA3. 80% of regions identified as a hit were represented on HumanMethlyation 450k Bead Chips. Quantitative methylation analysis confirmed 90% of these regions (36 of 40 DMRs). A classifier was trained using penalized logistic regression and fivefold cross validation containing 17 CpGs. Validation based on mass spectra generated by MALDI-TOF failed (AUC 0.59). However, discriminative ability was maintained by adding neighboring CpGs. A recomposed classifier with 12 CpGs resulted in an AUC of 0.77. When evaluated in the non-azacytidine containing group, the AUC was 0.76. CONCLUSIONS Our analysis evaluated the value of a whole genome methyl-CpG screening assay for the identification of informative methylation changes. We also compared the informative content and discriminatory power of regions and single CpGs for predicting response to therapy. The relevance of the identified DMRs is supported by their association with key regulatory processes of oncogenic transformation and support the idea of relevant DMRs being enriched at distinct loci rather than evenly distribution across the genome. Predictive response to therapy could be established but lacked specificity for treatment with azacytidine. Our results suggest that a predictive epigenotype carries its methylation information at a complex, genome-wide level, that is confined to regions, rather than to single CpGs. With increasing application of combinatorial regimens, response prediction may become even more complicated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maximilian Schmutz
- Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstr. 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Manuela Zucknick
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Richard F Schlenk
- NCT-Trial Center, National Center of Tumor Diseases, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine V, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Mertens
- Cooperation Unit "Mechanisms of Leukemogenesis", German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, Department of Internal Medicine III, Ulm University Medical Center, Ulm, Germany
| | - Axel Benner
- Division of Biostatistics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dieter Weichenhan
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Oliver Mücke
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Konstanze Döhner
- Department of Internal Medicine III, University Hospital of Ulm, Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Plass
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Lars Bullinger
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Campus Virchow Klinikum, Berlin, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Rainer Claus
- Hematology and Oncology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Stenglinstr. 2, 86156, Augsburg, Germany.
- Division of Cancer Epigenomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
- Pathology, Medical Faculty, University of Augsburg, Augsburg, Germany.
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11
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Zeibich R, Kwan P, J. O’Brien T, Perucca P, Ge Z, Anderson A. Applications for Deep Learning in Epilepsy Genetic Research. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14645. [PMID: 37834093 PMCID: PMC10572791 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Epilepsy is a group of brain disorders characterised by an enduring predisposition to generate unprovoked seizures. Fuelled by advances in sequencing technologies and computational approaches, more than 900 genes have now been implicated in epilepsy. The development and optimisation of tools and methods for analysing the vast quantity of genomic data is a rapidly evolving area of research. Deep learning (DL) is a subset of machine learning (ML) that brings opportunity for novel investigative strategies that can be harnessed to gain new insights into the genomic risk of people with epilepsy. DL is being harnessed to address limitations in accuracy of long-read sequencing technologies, which improve on short-read methods. Tools that predict the functional consequence of genetic variation can represent breaking ground in addressing critical knowledge gaps, while methods that integrate independent but complimentary data enhance the predictive power of genetic data. We provide an overview of these DL tools and discuss how they may be applied to the analysis of genetic data for epilepsy research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Zeibich
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (R.Z.); (P.K.); (T.J.O.); (P.P.)
| | - Patrick Kwan
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (R.Z.); (P.K.); (T.J.O.); (P.P.)
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Terence J. O’Brien
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (R.Z.); (P.K.); (T.J.O.); (P.P.)
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Piero Perucca
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (R.Z.); (P.K.); (T.J.O.); (P.P.)
- Department of Neurology, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Neurology, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
- Epilepsy Research Centre, Department of Medicine, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia
- Bladin-Berkovic Comprehensive Epilepsy Program, Department of Neurology, Austin Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Zongyuan Ge
- Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia;
- Monash-Airdoc Research, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia
| | - Alison Anderson
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia; (R.Z.); (P.K.); (T.J.O.); (P.P.)
- Department of Medicine, The Royal Melbourne Hospital, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
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12
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Itai Y, Rappoport N, Shamir R. Integration of gene expression and DNA methylation data across different experiments. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:7762-7776. [PMID: 37395437 PMCID: PMC10450176 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Integrative analysis of multi-omic datasets has proven to be extremely valuable in cancer research and precision medicine. However, obtaining multimodal data from the same samples is often difficult. Integrating multiple datasets of different omics remains a challenge, with only a few available algorithms developed to solve it. Here, we present INTEND (IntegratioN of Transcriptomic and EpigeNomic Data), a novel algorithm for integrating gene expression and DNA methylation datasets covering disjoint sets of samples. To enable integration, INTEND learns a predictive model between the two omics by training on multi-omic data measured on the same set of samples. In comprehensive testing on 11 TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) cancer datasets spanning 4329 patients, INTEND achieves significantly superior results compared with four state-of-the-art integration algorithms. We also demonstrate INTEND's ability to uncover connections between DNA methylation and the regulation of gene expression in the joint analysis of two lung adenocarcinoma single-omic datasets from different sources. INTEND's data-driven approach makes it a valuable multi-omic data integration tool. The code for INTEND is available at https://github.com/Shamir-Lab/INTEND.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yonatan Itai
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Nimrod Rappoport
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
| | - Ron Shamir
- Blavatnik School of Computer Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv 69978, Israel
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13
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Zheng Y, Ziman B, Ho AS, Sinha UK, Xu LY, Li EM, Koeffler HP, Berman BP, Lin DC. Comprehensive analyses of partially methylated domains and differentially methylated regions in esophageal cancer reveal both cell-type- and cancer-specific epigenetic regulation. Genome Biol 2023; 24:193. [PMID: 37620896 PMCID: PMC10463844 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-023-03035-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND As one of the most common malignancies, esophageal cancer has two subtypes, squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma, arising from distinct cells-of-origin. Distinguishing cell-type-specific molecular features from cancer-specific characteristics is challenging. RESULTS We analyze whole-genome bisulfite sequencing data on 45 esophageal tumor and nonmalignant samples from both subtypes. We develop a novel sequence-aware method to identify large partially methylated domains (PMDs), revealing profound heterogeneity at both methylation level and genomic distribution of PMDs across tumor samples. We identify subtype-specific PMDs that are associated with repressive transcription, chromatin B compartments and high somatic mutation rate. While genomic locations of these PMDs are pre-established in normal cells, the degree of loss is significantly higher in tumors. We find that cell-type-specific deposition of H3K36me2 may underlie genomic distribution of PMDs. At a smaller genomic scale, both cell-type- and cancer-specific differentially methylated regions (DMRs) are identified for each subtype. Using binding motif analysis within these DMRs, we show that a cell-type-specific transcription factor HNF4A maintains the binding sites that it generates in normal cells, while establishing new binding sites cooperatively with novel partners such as FOSL1 in esophageal adenocarcinoma. Finally, leveraging pan-tissue single-cell and pan-cancer epigenomic datasets, we demonstrate that a substantial fraction of cell-type-specific PMDs and DMRs identified here in esophageal cancer are actually markers that co-occur in other cancers originating from related cell types. CONCLUSIONS These findings advance our understanding of DNA methylation dynamics at various genomic scales in normal and malignant states, providing novel mechanistic insights into cell-type- and cancer-specific epigenetic regulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyuan Zheng
- Clinical Big Data Research Center, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, People's Republic of China
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Benjamin Ziman
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, 2250 Alcazar Street - CSA 207D, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA
| | - Allen S Ho
- Division of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Department of Surgery, Samuel Oschin Cancer Center, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Uttam K Sinha
- Department of Otolaryngology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Li-Yan Xu
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Guangdong, China
| | - En-Min Li
- The Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for High Cancer Incidence Coastal Chaoshan Area, Shantou University Medical College, Guangdong, China
| | - H Phillip Koeffler
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Benjamin P Berman
- Department of Developmental Biology and Cancer Research, Institute for Medical Research Israel-Canada, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem, Israel.
| | - De-Chen Lin
- Department of Medicine, Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, USA.
- Center for Craniofacial Molecular Biology, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, and Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, 2250 Alcazar Street - CSA 207D, Los Angeles, CA, 90033, USA.
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14
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Lundberg A, Zhang M, Aggarwal R, Li H, Zhang L, Foye A, Sjöström M, Chou J, Chang K, Moreno-Rodriguez T, Shrestha R, Baskin A, Zhu X, Weinstein AS, Younger N, Alumkal JJ, Beer TM, Chi KN, Evans CP, Gleave M, Lara PN, Reiter RE, Rettig MB, Witte ON, Wyatt AW, Feng FY, Small EJ, Quigley DA. The Genomic and Epigenomic Landscape of Double-Negative Metastatic Prostate Cancer. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2763-2774. [PMID: 37289025 PMCID: PMC10425725 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-0593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Systemic targeted therapy in prostate cancer is primarily focused on ablating androgen signaling. Androgen deprivation therapy and second-generation androgen receptor (AR)-targeted therapy selectively favor the development of treatment-resistant subtypes of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), defined by AR and neuroendocrine (NE) markers. Molecular drivers of double-negative (AR-/NE-) mCRPC are poorly defined. In this study, we comprehensively characterized treatment-emergent mCRPC by integrating matched RNA sequencing, whole-genome sequencing, and whole-genome bisulfite sequencing from 210 tumors. AR-/NE- tumors were clinically and molecularly distinct from other mCRPC subtypes, with the shortest survival, amplification of the chromatin remodeler CHD7, and PTEN loss. Methylation changes in CHD7 candidate enhancers were linked to elevated CHD7 expression in AR-/NE+ tumors. Genome-wide methylation analysis nominated Krüppel-like factor 5 (KLF5) as a driver of the AR-/NE- phenotype, and KLF5 activity was linked to RB1 loss. These observations reveal the aggressiveness of AR-/NE- mCRPC and could facilitate the identification of therapeutic targets in this highly aggressive disease. SIGNIFICANCE Comprehensive characterization of the five subtypes of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer identified transcription factors that drive each subtype and showed that the double-negative subtype has the worst prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arian Lundberg
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Meng Zhang
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Rahul Aggarwal
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Haolong Li
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Li Zhang
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Adam Foye
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Martin Sjöström
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Jonathan Chou
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Kevin Chang
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Thaidy Moreno-Rodriguez
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Raunak Shrestha
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Avi Baskin
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Xiaolin Zhu
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Alana S. Weinstein
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Noah Younger
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Joshi J. Alumkal
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Center, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Tomasz M. Beer
- Knight Cancer Institute, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Kim N. Chi
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Christopher P. Evans
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
- Department of Urologic Surgery, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Martin Gleave
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Primo N. Lara
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
- Division of Hematology Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of California Davis, Sacramento, California
| | - Rob E. Reiter
- Departments of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology and Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Matthew B. Rettig
- Departments of Medicine, Hematology/Oncology and Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
- VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, Los Angeles, California
| | - Owen N. Witte
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Alexander W. Wyatt
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
- Michael Smith Genome Sciences Centre, BC Cancer, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Felix Y. Feng
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Eric J. Small
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - David A. Quigley
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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15
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Bhandari YR, Krishna V, Powers R, Parmar S, Thursby SJ, Gupta E, Kulak O, Gokare P, Reumers J, Van Wesenbeeck L, Bachman KE, Baylin SB, Easwaran H. Transcription factor expression repertoire basis for epigenetic and transcriptional subtypes of colorectal cancers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2301536120. [PMID: 37487069 PMCID: PMC10401032 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2301536120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancers (CRCs) form a heterogenous group classified into epigenetic and transcriptional subtypes. The basis for the epigenetic subtypes, exemplified by varying degrees of promoter DNA hypermethylation, and its relation to the transcriptional subtypes is not well understood. We link cancer-specific transcription factor (TF) expression alterations to methylation alterations near TF-binding sites at promoter and enhancer regions in CRCs and their premalignant precursor lesions to provide mechanistic insights into the origins and evolution of the CRC molecular subtypes. A gradient of TF expression changes forms a basis for the subtypes of abnormal DNA methylation, termed CpG-island promoter DNA methylation phenotypes (CIMPs), in CRCs and other cancers. CIMP is tightly correlated with cancer-specific hypermethylation at enhancers, which we term CpG-enhancer methylation phenotype (CEMP). Coordinated promoter and enhancer methylation appears to be driven by downregulation of TFs with common binding sites at the hypermethylated enhancers and promoters. The altered expression of TFs related to hypermethylator subtypes occurs early during CRC development, detectable in premalignant adenomas. TF-based profiling further identifies patients with worse overall survival. Importantly, altered expression of these TFs discriminates the transcriptome-based consensus molecular subtypes (CMS), thus providing a common basis for CIMP and CMS subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuba R. Bhandari
- CRB1, Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Vinod Krishna
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Therapeutic Area, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA19477
| | - Rachael Powers
- CRB1, Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Sehej Parmar
- CRB1, Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Sara-Jayne Thursby
- CRB1, Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Ekta Gupta
- Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Ozlem Kulak
- Division of Gastrointestinal and Liver Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Prashanth Gokare
- Oncology Therapeutic Area, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA19477
| | - Joke Reumers
- Discovery Technologies and Molecular Pharmacology, Therapeutics Discovery, Janssen Research and Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340Beerse, Belgiumg
| | - Liesbeth Van Wesenbeeck
- Infectious Diseases and Vaccines Therapeutic Area, Janssen Research and Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340Beerse, Belgium
| | - Kurtis E. Bachman
- Oncology Therapeutic Area, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA19477
| | - Stephen B. Baylin
- CRB1, Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
| | - Hariharan Easwaran
- CRB1, Department of Oncology and The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD21287
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16
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Zheng Y, Jun J, Brennan K, Gevaert O. EpiMix is an integrative tool for epigenomic subtyping using DNA methylation. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100515. [PMID: 37533639 PMCID: PMC10391348 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAme) is a major epigenetic factor influencing gene expression with alterations leading to cancer and immunological and cardiovascular diseases. Recent technological advances have enabled genome-wide profiling of DNAme in large human cohorts. There is a need for analytical methods that can more sensitively detect differential methylation profiles present in subsets of individuals from these heterogeneous, population-level datasets. We developed an end-to-end analytical framework named "EpiMix" for population-level analysis of DNAme and gene expression. Compared with existing methods, EpiMix showed higher sensitivity in detecting abnormal DNAme that was present in only small patient subsets. We extended the model-based analyses of EpiMix to cis-regulatory elements within protein-coding genes, distal enhancers, and genes encoding microRNAs and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Using cell-type-specific data from two separate studies, we discover epigenetic mechanisms underlying childhood food allergy and survival-associated, methylation-driven ncRNAs in non-small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanning Zheng
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - John Jun
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kevin Brennan
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Olivier Gevaert
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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17
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Kim JE, Jo MJ, Cho E, Ahn SY, Kwon YJ, Gim JA, Ko GJ. The Effect of DNA Methylation in the Development and Progression of Chronic Kidney Disease in the General Population: An Epigenome-Wide Association Study Using the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study Database. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1489. [PMID: 37510393 PMCID: PMC10379047 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although knowledge of the genetic factors influencing kidney disease is increasing, epigenetic profiles, which are associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD), have not been fully elucidated. We sought to identify the DNA methylation status of CpG sites associated with reduced kidney function and examine whether the identified CpG sites are associated with CKD development. METHOD We analyzed DNA methylation patterns of 440 participants in the Korean Genome and Epidemiology Study (KoGES) with estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFRs) ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 at baseline. CKD development was defined as a decrease in the eGFR of <60 at any time during an 8-year follow-up period ("CKD prediction" analysis). In addition, among the 440 participants, 49 participants who underwent a second methylation profiling were assessed for an association between a decline in kidney function and changes in the degree of methylation of CpG sites during the 8 years ("kidney function slope" analysis). RESULTS In the CKD prediction analysis, methylation profiles of a total of 403,129 CpG sites were evaluated at baseline in 440 participants, and increased and decreased methylation of 268 and 189 CpG sites, respectively, were significantly correlated with the development of CKD in multivariable logistic regression. During kidney function slope analysis using follow-up methylation profiles of 49 participants, the percent methylation changes in 913 CpG sites showed a linear relationship with the percent change in eGFR during 8 years. During functional enrichment analyses for significant CpG sites found in the CKD prediction and kidney function slope analyses, we found that those CpG sites represented MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and Rap1 pathways. In addition, three CpG sites from three genes, NPHS2, CHCHD4, and AHR, were found to be significant in the CKD prediction analysis and related to a decline in kidney function. CONCLUSION It is suggested that DNA methylation on specific genes is associated with the development of CKD and the deterioration of kidney function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji-Eun Kim
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Min-Jee Jo
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Eunjung Cho
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin-Young Ahn
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Young-Joo Kwon
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Jeong-An Gim
- Medical Science Research Center, Korea University College of Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
| | - Gang-Jee Ko
- Department of Internal Medicine, Korea University Guro Hospital, Seoul 08308, Republic of Korea
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18
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Okano LM, Fonseca LMMD, Erthal ID, Malta TM. Epigenomic integrative analysis pinpoint master regulator transcription factors associated with tumorigenesis in squamous cell carcinoma of oral tongue. Genet Mol Biol 2023; 46:e20220358. [PMID: 37338302 DOI: 10.1590/1678-4685-gmb-2022-0358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) is a heterogeneous group of cancers, which includes cancers arising in the oral cavity, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. Epidemiological studies have revealed that several factors such as tobacco and alcohol use, exposure to environmental pollutants, viral infection, and genetic factors are risk factors for developing HNC. The squamous cell carcinoma of oral tongue (SCCOT), which is significantly more aggressive than the other forms of oral squamous cell carcinoma, presents a propensity for rapid local invasion and spread, and a high recurrence rate. Dysregulation in the epigenetic machinery of cancer cells might help uncover the mechanisms of SCOOT tumorigenesis. Here, we used DNA methylation changes to identify cancer-specific enhancers that were enriched for specific transcription factor binding sites (TFBS), and potential master regulator transcription factors (MRTF) associated with SCCOT. We identified the activation of MRTFs associated with increased invasiveness, metastasis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, poor prognosis, and stemness. On the other hand, we found the downregulation of MRTFs associated with tumor suppression. The identified MRTFs should be further investigated to clarify their role in oral cancer tumorigenesis and for their potential use as biological markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Miyuki Okano
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Isabela Dias Erthal
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - Tathiane Maistro Malta
- Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
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19
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Zappe K, Pühringer K, Pflug S, Berger D, Böhm A, Spiegl-Kreinecker S, Cichna-Markl M. Association between MGMT Enhancer Methylation and MGMT Promoter Methylation, MGMT Protein Expression, and Overall Survival in Glioblastoma. Cells 2023; 12:1639. [PMID: 37371109 DOI: 10.3390/cells12121639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The repair protein O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) is regulated epigenetically, mainly by the methylation of the MGMT promoter. MGMT promoter methylation status has emerged as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM). However, a strong negative correlation between MGMT promoter methylation and MGMT protein expression cannot be applied as a rule for all GBM patients. In order to investigate if the DNA methylation status of MGMT enhancers is associated with MGMT promoter methylation, MGMT expression, and the overall survival (OS) of GBM patients, we established assays based on high-resolution melting analysis and pyrosequencing for one intragenic and three intergenic MGMT enhancers. For CpGs in an enhancer located 560 kb upstream of the MGMT promoter, we found a significant negative correlation between the methylation status and MGMT protein levels of GBM samples expressing MGMT. The methylation status of CpGs in the intragenic enhancer (hs696) was strongly negatively correlated with MGMT promoter methylation and was significantly higher in MGMT-expressing GBM samples than in MGMT-non-expressing GBM samples. Moreover, low methylation of CpGs 01-03 and CpGs 09-13 was associated with the longer OS of the GBM patients. Our findings indicate an association between MGMT enhancer methylation and MGMT promoter methylation, MGMT protein expression, and/or OS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Zappe
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katharina Pühringer
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Simon Pflug
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel Berger
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Böhm
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Sabine Spiegl-Kreinecker
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kepler University Hospital GmbH, Johannes Kepler University, 4040 Linz, Austria
| | - Margit Cichna-Markl
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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20
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He J, Xu T, Zhao F, Guo J, Hu Q. SETD2-H3K36ME3: an important bridge between the environment and tumors. Front Genet 2023; 14:1204463. [PMID: 37359376 PMCID: PMC10288198 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1204463] [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: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation plays an important role in the occurrence, development and treatment of tumors. The histone methyltransferase SET-domain-containing 2 (SETD2) plays a key role in mammalian epigenetic regulation by catalyzing histone methylation and interacting with RNA polymerase II to mediate transcription elongation and mismatch repair. As an important bridge between the environment and tumors, SETD2-H3K36me3 plays an important role in the occurrence and development of tumors. Many tumors, including renal cancer, gastric cancer, lung cancer, are closely related to SETD2 gene mutations. As a key component of common tumor suppressor mechanisms, SETD2-H3K36me3is an important target for clinical disease diagnosis and treatment. Here, we reviewed the structure and function of the SETD2 and how SETD2-H3K36me3 functions as a bridge between the environment and tumors to provide an in-depth understanding of its role in the occurrence and development of various tumors, which is of great significance for future disease diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahui He
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Tangpeng Xu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Fangrui Zhao
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jin Guo
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Qinyong Hu
- Department of Oncology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, China
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21
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Zappe K, Kopic A, Scheichel A, Schier AK, Schmidt LE, Borutzki Y, Miedl H, Schreiber M, Mendrina T, Pirker C, Pfeiler G, Hacker S, Haslik W, Pils D, Bileck A, Gerner C, Meier-Menches S, Heffeter P, Cichna-Markl M. Aberrant DNA Methylation, Expression, and Occurrence of Transcript Variants of the ABC Transporter ABCA7 in Breast Cancer. Cells 2023; 12:1462. [PMID: 37296582 PMCID: PMC10252461 DOI: 10.3390/cells12111462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
The ABC transporter ABCA7 has been found to be aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancer types, including breast cancer. We searched for specific epigenetic and genetic alterations and alternative splicing variants of ABCA7 in breast cancer and investigated whether these alterations are associated with ABCA7 expression. By analyzing tumor tissues from breast cancer patients, we found CpGs at the exon 5-intron 5 boundary aberrantly methylated in a molecular subtype-specific manner. The detection of altered DNA methylation in tumor-adjacent tissues suggests epigenetic field cancerization. In breast cancer cell lines, DNA methylation levels of CpGs in promoter-exon 1, intron 1, and at the exon 5-intron 5 boundary were not correlated with ABCA7 mRNA levels. By qPCR involving intron-specific and intron-flanking primers, we identified intron-containing ABCA7 mRNA transcripts. The occurrence of intron-containing transcripts was neither molecular subtype-specific nor directly correlated with DNA methylation at the respective exon-intron boundaries. Treatment of breast cancer cell lines MCF-7, BT-474, SK-BR3, and MDA-MB-231 with doxorubicin or paclitaxel for 72 h resulted in altered ABCA7 intron levels. Shotgun proteomics revealed that an increase in intron-containing transcripts was associated with significant dysregulation of splicing factors linked to alternative splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Zappe
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Antonio Kopic
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Alexandra Scheichel
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ann-Katrin Schier
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lukas Emanuel Schmidt
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Yasmin Borutzki
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Heidi Miedl
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Schreiber
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Theresa Mendrina
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christine Pirker
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Pfeiler
- Division of Gynecology and Gynecological Oncology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Hacker
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Werner Haslik
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dietmar Pils
- Division of Visceral Surgery, Department of General Surgery and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Bileck
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Joint Metabolome Facility, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christopher Gerner
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Joint Metabolome Facility, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Samuel Meier-Menches
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Department of Inorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
- Joint Metabolome Facility, University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Petra Heffeter
- Center for Cancer Research and Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Margit Cichna-Markl
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Vienna, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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22
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Xu S, Li X, Zhang S, Qi C, Zhang Z, Ma R, Xiang L, Chen L, Zhu Y, Tang C, Bourgonje AR, Li M, He Y, Zeng Z, Hu S, Feng R, Chen M. Oxidative stress gene expression, DNA methylation, and gut microbiota interaction trigger Crohn's disease: a multi-omics Mendelian randomization study. BMC Med 2023; 21:179. [PMID: 37170220 PMCID: PMC10173549 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-023-02878-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oxidative stress (OS) is a key pathophysiological mechanism in Crohn's disease (CD). OS-related genes can be affected by environmental factors, intestinal inflammation, gut microbiota, and epigenetic changes. However, the role of OS as a potential CD etiological factor or triggering factor is unknown, as differentially expressed OS genes in CD can be either a cause or a subsequent change of intestinal inflammation. Herein, we used a multi-omics summary data-based Mendelian randomization (SMR) approach to identify putative causal effects and underlying mechanisms of OS genes in CD. METHODS OS-related genes were extracted from the GeneCards database. Intestinal transcriptome datasets were collected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and meta-analyzed to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to OS in CD. Integration analyses of the largest CD genome-wide association study (GWAS) summaries with expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and DNA methylation QTLs (mQTLs) from the blood were performed using SMR methods to prioritize putative blood OS genes and their regulatory elements associated with CD risk. Up-to-date intestinal eQTLs and fecal microbial QTLs (mbQTLs) were integrated to uncover potential interactions between host OS gene expression and gut microbiota through SMR and colocalization analysis. Two additional Mendelian randomization (MR) methods were used as sensitivity analyses. Putative results were validated in an independent multi-omics cohort from the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University (FAH-SYS). RESULTS A meta-analysis from six datasets identified 438 OS-related DEGs enriched in intestinal enterocytes in CD from 817 OS-related genes. Five genes from blood tissue were prioritized as candidate CD-causal genes using three-step SMR methods: BAD, SHC1, STAT3, MUC1, and GPX3. Furthermore, SMR analysis also identified five putative intestinal genes, three of which were involved in gene-microbiota interactions through colocalization analysis: MUC1, CD40, and PRKAB1. Validation results showed that 88.79% of DEGs were replicated in the FAH-SYS cohort. Associations between pairs of MUC1-Bacillus aciditolerans and PRKAB1-Escherichia coli in the FAH-SYS cohort were consistent with eQTL-mbQTL colocalization. CONCLUSIONS This multi-omics integration study highlighted that OS genes causal to CD are regulated by DNA methylation and host-microbiota interactions. This provides evidence for future targeted functional research aimed at developing suitable therapeutic interventions and disease prevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu Xu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaozhi Li
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shenghong Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Cancan Qi
- Microbiome Medicine Center, Division of Laboratory Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhenhua Zhang
- Department of Computational Biology for Individualised Medicine, Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine & TWINCORE, Joint Ventures Between the Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research and the Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Ruiqi Ma
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Liyuan Xiang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Lianmin Chen
- Changzhou Medical Center, The Affiliated Changzhou No. 2 People's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, China
- Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Yijun Zhu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Ce Tang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Arno R Bourgonje
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Miaoxin Li
- Zhongshan School of Medicine, Center for Precision Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Yao He
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhirong Zeng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Shixian Hu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Rui Feng
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
- Department of Gastroenterology, Guangxi Hospital Division of The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| | - Minhu Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
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Kaimala S, Ansari SA, Emerald BS. DNA methylation in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2023; 122:147-169. [PMID: 36863792 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2022.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic disease characterized by the development of β-cell dysfunction with hepatic, muscular and adipose tissue insulin resistance. Although the molecular mechanisms leading to its development are not entirely known, investigations of its causes reveal a multifactorial contribution to its development and progression in most cases. In addition, regulatory interactions mediated by epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation, histone tail modifications and regulatory RNAs have been found to play a significant role in the etiology of T2D. In this chapter, we discuss the role of DNA methylation and its dynamics in the development of the pathological features of T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suneesh Kaimala
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Suraiya Anjum Ansari
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bright Starling Emerald
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Zayed Center for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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Hoellinger T, Mestre C, Aschard H, Le Goff W, Foissac S, Faraut T, Djebali S. Enhancer/gene relationships: Need for more reliable genome-wide reference sets. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2023; 3:1092853. [PMID: 36909938 PMCID: PMC9999192 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2023.1092853] [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: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 02/07/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Differences in cells' functions arise from differential activity of regulatory elements, including enhancers. Enhancers are cis-regulatory elements that cooperate with promoters through transcription factors to activate the expression of one or several genes by getting physically close to them in the 3D space of the nucleus. There is increasing evidence that genetic variants associated with common diseases are enriched in enhancers active in cell types relevant to these diseases. Identifying the enhancers associated with genes and conversely, the sets of genes activated by each enhancer (the so-called enhancer/gene or E/G relationships) across cell types, can help understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying human diseases. There are three broad approaches for the genome-wide identification of E/G relationships in a cell type: 1) genetic link methods or eQTL, 2) functional link methods based on 1D functional data such as open chromatin, histone mark or gene expression and 3) spatial link methods based on 3D data such as HiC. Since 1) and 3) are costly, the current strategy is to develop functional link methods and to use data from 1) and 3) as reference to evaluate them. However, there is still no consensus on the best functional link method to date, and method comparison remain seldom. Here, we compared the relative performances of three recent methods for the identification of enhancer-gene links, TargetFinder, Average-Rank, and the ABC model, using the three latest benchmarks from the field: a reference that combines 3D and eQTL data, called BENGI, and two genetic screening references, called CRiFF and CRiSPRi. Overall, none of the three methods performed best on the three references. CRiFF and CRISPRi reference sets are likely more reliable, but CRiFF is not genome-wide and CRiFF and CRISPRi are mostly available on the K562 cancer cell line. The BENGI reference set is genome-wide but likely contains many false positives. This study therefore calls for new reliable and genome-wide E/G reference data rather than new functional link E/G identification methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristan Hoellinger
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, Univ Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France
- INSA Toulouse, INP-ENSEEIHT, Toulouse, France
| | - Camille Mestre
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, INPT, ENVT, Toulouse, France
| | - Hugues Aschard
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Department of Computational Biology, Paris, France
- Program in Genetic Epidemiology and Statistical Genetics, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wilfried Le Goff
- Sorbonne Université, INSERM, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), UMR_S1166, Paris, France
| | - Sylvain Foissac
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, INPT, ENVT, Toulouse, France
| | - Thomas Faraut
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, INPT, ENVT, Toulouse, France
| | - Sarah Djebali
- IRSD, Université de Toulouse, INSERM, INRAE, ENVT, Univ Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (UPS), Toulouse, France
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, INPT, ENVT, Toulouse, France
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Zhao A, Zhou H, Yang J, Li M, Niu T. Epigenetic regulation in hematopoiesis and its implications in the targeted therapy of hematologic malignancies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:71. [PMID: 36797244 PMCID: PMC9935927 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01342-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematologic malignancies are one of the most common cancers, and the incidence has been rising in recent decades. The clinical and molecular features of hematologic malignancies are highly heterogenous, and some hematologic malignancies are incurable, challenging the treatment, and prognosis of the patients. However, hematopoiesis and oncogenesis of hematologic malignancies are profoundly affected by epigenetic regulation. Studies have found that methylation-related mutations, abnormal methylation profiles of DNA, and abnormal histone deacetylase expression are recurrent in leukemia and lymphoma. Furthermore, the hypomethylating agents and histone deacetylase inhibitors are effective to treat acute myeloid leukemia and T-cell lymphomas, indicating that epigenetic regulation is indispensable to hematologic oncogenesis. Epigenetic regulation mainly includes DNA modifications, histone modifications, and noncoding RNA-mediated targeting, and regulates various DNA-based processes. This review presents the role of writers, readers, and erasers of DNA methylation and histone methylation, and acetylation in hematologic malignancies. In addition, this review provides the influence of microRNAs and long noncoding RNAs on hematologic malignancies. Furthermore, the implication of epigenetic regulation in targeted treatment is discussed. This review comprehensively presents the change and function of each epigenetic regulator in normal and oncogenic hematopoiesis and provides innovative epigenetic-targeted treatment in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ailin Zhao
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Hui Zhou
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jinrong Yang
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Ting Niu
- Department of Hematology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, 610041, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
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Zheng Y, Jun J, Brennan K, Gevaert O. EpiMix: an integrative tool for epigenomic subtyping using DNA methylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.03.522660. [PMID: 36711917 PMCID: PMC9881910 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.03.522660] [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: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation (DNAme) is a major epigenetic factor influencing gene expression with alterations leading to cancer, immunological, and cardiovascular diseases. Recent technological advances enable genome-wide quantification of DNAme in large human cohorts. So far, existing methods have not been evaluated to identify differential DNAme present in large and heterogeneous patient cohorts. We developed an end-to-end analytical framework named "EpiMix" for population-level analysis of DNAme and gene expression. Compared to existing methods, EpiMix showed higher sensitivity in detecting abnormal DNAme that was present in only small patient subsets. We extended the model-based analyses of EpiMix to cis-regulatory elements within protein-coding genes, distal enhancers, and genes encoding microRNAs and lncRNAs. Using cell-type specific data from two separate studies, we discovered novel epigenetic mechanisms underlying childhood food allergy and survival-associated, methylation-driven non-coding RNAs in non-small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuanning Zheng
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - John Jun
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Kevin Brennan
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Olivier Gevaert
- Stanford Center for Biomedical Informatics Research (BMIR), Department of Medicine & Department of Biomedical Data Science, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
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27
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Wang Y, Huang P, Wang BG, Murdock T, Cope L, Hsu FC, Wang TL, Shih IM. Spatial Transcriptomic Analysis of Ovarian Cancer Precursors Reveals Reactivation of IGFBP2 during Pathogenesis. Cancer Res 2022; 82:4528-4541. [PMID: 36206311 PMCID: PMC9808976 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-1620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Elucidating the earliest pathogenic steps in cancer development is fundamental to improving its early detection and prevention. Ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma (HGSC), a highly aggressive cancer, mostly originates from the fallopian tube epithelium through a precursor stage, serous tubal intraepithelial carcinoma (STIC). In this study, we performed spatial transcriptomic analysis to compare STICs, carcinoma, and their matched normal fallopian tube epithelium. Several differentially expressed genes in STICs and carcinomas were involved in cancer metabolism and detected in a larger independent transcriptomic dataset of ovarian HGSCs. Among these, insulin-like growth factor binding protein-2 (IGFBP2) was found to undergo DNA hypomethylation and to be increased at the protein level in STICs. Pyrosequencing revealed an association of IGFBP2 expression with the methylation state of its proximal enhancer, and 5-azacytidine treatment increased IGFBP2 expression. In postmenopausal fallopian tubes, where most STICs are detected, IGFBP2 immunoreactivity was detected in all 38 proliferatively active STICs but was undetectable in morphologically normal tubal epithelia, including those with TP53 mutations. In premenopausal fallopian tubes, IGFBP2 expression was limited to the secretory epithelium at the proliferative phase, and estradiol treatment increased IGFBP2 expression levels. IGFBP2 knockdown suppressed the growth of IGFBP2-expressing tubal epithelial cells via inactivation of the AKT pathway. Taken together, demethylation of the proximal enhancer of IGFBP2 drives tumor development by maintaining the increased IGFBP2 required for proliferation in an otherwise estrogen-deprived, proliferation-quiescent, and postmenopausal tubal microenvironment. SIGNIFICANCE Molecular studies of the earliest precursor lesions of ovarian cancer reveal a role of IGFBP2 in propelling tumor initiation, providing new insights into ovarian cancer development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeh Wang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Peng Huang
- Biostatistics Division, Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Brant G. Wang
- Department of Pathology, Inova Fairfax Hospital, Falls Church, Virginia
| | - Tricia Murdock
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Leslie Cope
- Biostatistics Division, Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Fang-Chi Hsu
- Department of Oncology, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Tian-Li Wang
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - Ie-Ming Shih
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland,Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics and Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland
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28
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Bizet M, Defrance M, Calonne E, Bontempi G, Sotiriou C, Fuks F, Jeschke J. Improving Infinium MethylationEPIC data processing: re-annotation of enhancers and long noncoding RNA genes and benchmarking of normalization methods. Epigenetics 2022; 17:2434-2454. [DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2022.2135201] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Martin Bizet
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Matthieu Defrance
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels (IB2), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Emilie Calonne
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | - Gianluca Bontempi
- Interuniversity Institute of Bioinformatics in Brussels (IB2), Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
| | | | - François Fuks
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Institut Jules Bordet, ULB, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Jana Jeschke
- Laboratory of Cancer Epigenetics, Faculty of Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), Brussels, Belgium
- Institut Jules Bordet, ULB, Brussels, Belgium
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29
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Zhao J, Qian F, Li X, Yu Z, Zhu J, Yu R, Zhao Y, Ding K, Li Y, Yang Y, Pan Q, Chen J, Song C, Wang Q, Zhang J, Wang G, Li C. CanMethdb: a database for genome-wide DNA methylation annotation in cancers. Bioinformatics 2022; 39:6881077. [PMID: 36477791 PMCID: PMC9825769 DOI: 10.1093/bioinformatics/btac783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
MOTIVATION DNA methylation within gene body and promoters in cancer cells is well documented. An increasing number of studies showed that cytosine-phosphate-guanine (CpG) sites falling within other regulatory elements could also regulate target gene activation, mainly by affecting transcription factors (TFs) binding in human cancers. This led to the urgent need for comprehensively and effectively collecting distinct cis-regulatory elements and TF-binding sites (TFBS) to annotate DNA methylation regulation. RESULTS We developed a database (CanMethdb, http://meth.liclab.net/CanMethdb/) that focused on the upstream and downstream annotations for CpG-genes in cancers. This included upstream cis-regulatory elements, especially those involving distal regions to genes, and TFBS annotations for the CpGs and downstream functional annotations for the target genes, computed through integrating abundant DNA methylation and gene expression profiles in diverse cancers. Users could inquire CpG-target gene pairs for a cancer type through inputting a genomic region, a CpG, a gene name, or select hypo/hypermethylated CpG sets. The current version of CanMethdb documented a total of 38 986 060 CpG-target gene pairs (with 6 769 130 unique pairs), involving 385 217 CpGs and 18 044 target genes, abundant cis-regulatory elements and TFs for 33 TCGA cancer types. CanMethdb might help biologists perform in-depth studies of target gene regulations based on DNA methylations in cancer. AVAILABILITY AND IMPLEMENTATION The main program is available at https://github.com/chunquanlipathway/CanMethdb. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Zhengmin Yu
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China,School of Computer, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China,The First Affiliated Hospital, Cardiovascular Lab of Big Data and Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Jiang Zhu
- School of Medical Informatics, Daqing Campus, Harbin Medical University, Daqing 163711, China,College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150038, China
| | - Rui Yu
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150088, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- College of Bioinformatics Science and Technology, Harbin Medical University, Harbin 150088, China
| | - Ke Ding
- College of Information and Computer Engineering, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150038, China
| | - Yanyu Li
- School of Medical Informatics, Daqing Campus, Harbin Medical University, Daqing 163711, China
| | - Yongsan Yang
- School of Medical Informatics, Daqing Campus, Harbin Medical University, Daqing 163711, China
| | - Qi Pan
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Department of Rheumatology, Zhon gshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jiaxin Chen
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Chao Song
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China,School of Computer, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China,The First Affiliated Hospital, Cardiovascular Lab of Big Data and Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Qiuyu Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China,School of Computer, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China,The First Affiliated Hospital, Cardiovascular Lab of Big Data and Imaging Artificial Intelligence, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- School of Medical Informatics, Daqing Campus, Harbin Medical University, Daqing 163711, China
| | - Guohua Wang
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. or
| | - Chunquan Li
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. or
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30
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Sokolowska KE, Maciejewska-Markiewicz D, Bińkowski J, Palma J, Taryma-Leśniak O, Kozlowska-Petriczko K, Borowski K, Baśkiewicz-Hałasa M, Hawryłkowicz V, Załęcka P, Ufnal M, Strapagiel D, Jarczak J, Skonieczna-Żydecka K, Ryterska K, Machaliński B, Wojdacz TK, Stachowska E. Identified in blood diet-related methylation changes stratify liver biopsies of NAFLD patients according to fibrosis grade. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:157. [PMID: 36447285 PMCID: PMC9710135 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01377-6] [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: 04/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND High caloric diet and lack of physical activity are considered main causes of NAFLD, and a change in the diet is still the only effective treatment of this disease. However, molecular mechanism of the effectiveness of diet change in treatment of NAFLD is poorly understood. We aimed to assess the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms of gene expression regulation in treatment of NAFLD. Eighteen participants with medium- to high-grade steatosis were recruited and trained to follow the Mediterranean diet modified to include fibre supplements. At three timepoints (baseline, after 30 and 60 days), we evaluated adherence to the diet and measured a number of physiological parameters such as anthropometry, blood and stool biochemistry, liver steatosis and stiffness. We also collected whole blood samples for genome-wide methylation profiling and histone acetylation assessment. RESULTS The diet change resulted in a decrease in liver steatosis along with statistically significant, but a minor change in BMI and weight of our study participants. The epigenetic profiling of blood cells identified significant genome-wide changes of methylation and acetylation with the former not involving regions directly regulating gene expression. Most importantly, we were able to show that identified blood methylation changes occur also in liver cells of NAFLD patients and the machine learning-based classifier that we build on those methylation changes was able to predict the stage of liver fibrosis with ROC AUC = 0.9834. CONCLUSION Methylomes of blood cells from NAFLD patients display a number of changes that are most likely a consequence of unhealthy diet, and the diet change appears to reverse those epigenetic changes. Moreover, the methylation status at CpG sites undergoing diet-related methylation change in blood cells stratifies liver biopsies from NAFLD patients according to fibrosis grade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Ewa Sokolowska
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Independent Clinical Epigenetics Laboratory, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Dominika Maciejewska-Markiewicz
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Jan Bińkowski
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Independent Clinical Epigenetics Laboratory, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Joanna Palma
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Biochemical Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Olga Taryma-Leśniak
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Independent Clinical Epigenetics Laboratory, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Kozlowska-Petriczko
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Translational Medicine Group, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-204 Szczecin, Poland ,Department of Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, SPWSZ Hospital, 71-455 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Konrad Borowski
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Independent Clinical Epigenetics Laboratory, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Magdalena Baśkiewicz-Hałasa
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Viktoria Hawryłkowicz
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Patrycja Załęcka
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Marcin Ufnal
- grid.13339.3b0000000113287408Department of Experimental Physiology and Pathophysiology, Laboratory of Centre for Preclinical Research, Medical University of Warsaw, 02-097 Warsaw, Poland
| | - Dominik Strapagiel
- grid.10789.370000 0000 9730 2769Biobank Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Justyna Jarczak
- grid.10789.370000 0000 9730 2769Biobank Laboratory, Department of Molecular Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland ,grid.413454.30000 0001 1958 0162Laboratory of Molecular Basis of Behavior, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology, Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Karolina Skonieczna-Żydecka
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Biochemical Sciences, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Karina Ryterska
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Bogusław Machaliński
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of General Pathology, Pomeranian Medical University, 70-111 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Tomasz Kazimierz Wojdacz
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Independent Clinical Epigenetics Laboratory, Pomeranian Medical University, Unii Lubelskiej 1, 71-252 Szczecin, Poland
| | - Ewa Stachowska
- grid.107950.a0000 0001 1411 4349Department of Human Nutrition and Metabolomics, Pomeranian Medical University, 71-460 Szczecin, Poland
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31
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Neary B, Lin S, Qiu P. Methylation of CpG Sites as Biomarkers Predictive of Drug-Specific
Patient Survival in Cancer. Cancer Inform 2022; 21:11769351221131124. [PMID: 36340286 PMCID: PMC9634212 DOI: 10.1177/11769351221131124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Though the development of targeted cancer drugs continues to accelerate,
doctors still lack reliable methods for predicting patient response to
standard-of-care therapies for most cancers. DNA methylation has been
implicated in tumor drug response and is a promising source of predictive
biomarkers of drug efficacy, yet the relationship between drug efficacy and
DNA methylation remains largely unexplored. Method: In this analysis, we performed log-rank survival analyses on patients grouped
by cancer and drug exposure to find CpG sites where binary methylation
status is associated with differential survival in patients treated with a
specific drug but not in patients with the same cancer who were not exposed
to that drug. We also clustered these drug-specific CpG sites based on
co-methylation among patients to identify broader methylation patterns that
may be related to drug efficacy, which we investigated for transcription
factor binding site enrichment using gene set enrichment analysis. Results: We identified CpG sites that were drug-specific predictors of survival in 38
cancer-drug patient groups across 15 cancers and 20 drugs. These included 11
CpG sites with similar drug-specific survival effects in multiple cancers.
We also identified 76 clusters of CpG sites with stronger associations with
patient drug response, many of which contained CpG sites in gene promoters
containing transcription factor binding sites. Conclusion: These findings are promising biomarkers of drug response for a variety of
drugs and contribute to our understanding of drug-methylation interactions
in cancer. Investigation and validation of these results could lead to the
development of targeted co-therapies aimed at manipulating methylation in
order to improve efficacy of commonly used therapies and could improve
patient survival and quality of life by furthering the effort toward drug
response prediction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bridget Neary
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Shuting Lin
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia
Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Peng Qiu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering,
Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA,Peng Qiu, Department of Biomedical
Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology and Emory University, 950 Atlantic
Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA 30332 USA.
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32
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Loi E, Moi L, Cabras P, Arduino G, Costanzo G, Del Giacco S, Erlich HA, Firinu D, Caddori A, Zavattari P. HLA-C dysregulation as a possible mechanism of immune evasion in SARS-CoV-2 and other RNA-virus infections. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1011829. [PMID: 36325330 PMCID: PMC9618630 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1011829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
One of the mechanisms by which viruses can evade the host’s immune system is to modify the host’s DNA methylation pattern. This work aims to investigate the DNA methylation and gene expression profile of COVID-19 patients, divided into symptomatic and asymptomatic, and healthy controls, focusing on genes involved in the immune response. In this study, changes in the methylome of COVID-19 patients’ upper airways cells, the first barrier against respiratory infections and the first cells presenting viral antigens, are shown for the first time. Our results showed alterations in the methylation pattern of genes encoding proteins implicated in the response against pathogens, in particular the HLA-C gene, also important for the T-cell mediated memory response. HLA-C expression significantly decreases in COVID-19 patients, especially in those with a more severe prognosis and without other possibly confounding co-morbidities. Moreover, our bionformatic analysis revealed that the identified methylation alteration overlaps with enhancers regulating HLA-C expression, suggesting an additional mechanism exploited by SARS-CoV-2 to inhibit this fundamental player in the host’s immune response. HLA-C could therefore represent both a prognostic marker and an excellent therapeutic target, also suggesting a preventive intervention that conjugate a virus-specific antigenic stimulation with an adjuvant increasing the T-cell mediated memory response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eleonora Loi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Loredana Moi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Paola Cabras
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital SS. Trinità, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulia Arduino
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital SS. Trinità, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Giulia Costanzo
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Stefano Del Giacco
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Henry A. Erlich
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, Children’s Hospital Oakland Research Institute, Oakland, CA, United States
| | - Davide Firinu
- Department of Medical Sciences and Public Health, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Aldo Caddori
- Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital SS. Trinità, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Zavattari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
- *Correspondence: Patrizia Zavattari,
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33
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Pidsley R, Lam D, Qu W, Peters TJ, Luu P, Korbie D, Stirzaker C, Daly RJ, Stricker P, Kench JG, Horvath LG, Clark SJ. Comprehensive methylome sequencing reveals prognostic epigenetic biomarkers for prostate cancer mortality. Clin Transl Med 2022; 12:e1030. [PMID: 36178085 PMCID: PMC9523674 DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.1030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prostate cancer is a clinically heterogeneous disease with a subset of patients rapidly progressing to lethal-metastatic prostate cancer. Current clinicopathological measures are imperfect predictors of disease progression. Epigenetic changes are amongst the earliest molecular changes in tumourigenesis. To find new prognostic biomarkers to enable earlier intervention and improved outcomes, we performed methylome sequencing of DNA from patients with localised prostate cancer and long-term clinical follow-up. METHODS We used whole-genome bisulphite sequencing (WGBS) to comprehensively map and compare DNA methylation of radical prostatectomy tissue between patients with lethal disease (n = 7) and non-lethal (n = 8) disease (median follow-up 19.5 years). Validation of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) was performed in an independent cohort (n = 185, median follow-up 15 years) using targeted multiplex bisulphite sequencing of candidate regions. Survival was assessed via univariable and multivariable analyses including clinicopathological measures (log-rank and Cox regression models). RESULTS WGBS data analysis identified cancer-specific methylation patterns including CpG island hypermethylation, and hypomethylation of repetitive elements, with increasing disease risk. We identified 1420 DMRs associated with prostate cancer-specific mortality (PCSM), which showed enrichment for gene sets downregulated in prostate cancer and de novo methylated in cancer. Through comparison with public prostate cancer datasets, we refined the DMRs to develop an 18-gene prognostic panel. Applying this panel to an independent cohort, we found significant associations between PCSM and hypermethylation at EPHB3, PARP6, TBX1, MARCH6 and a regulatory element within CACNA2D4. Strikingly in a multivariable model, inclusion of CACNA2D4 methylation was a better predictor of PCSM versus grade alone (Harrell's C-index: 0.779 vs. 0.684). CONCLUSIONS Our study provides detailed methylome maps of non-lethal and lethal prostate cancer and identifies novel genic regions that distinguish these patient groups. Inclusion of our DNA methylation biomarkers with existing clinicopathological measures improves prognostic models of prostate cancer mortality, and holds promise for clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Pidsley
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Dilys Lam
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,Present address:
School of Molecular Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia,Present address:
Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research, Nedlands, Western Australia 6009, Australia
| | - Wenjia Qu
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Timothy J. Peters
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Phuc‐Loi Luu
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Darren Korbie
- Centre for Personalised NanomedicineAustralian Institute for Bioengineering and NanotechnologyThe University of QueenslandSt. LuciaQueenslandAustralia
| | - Clare Stirzaker
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Roger J. Daly
- Cancer Research Program and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyBiomedicine Discovery InstituteMonash UniversityClaytonVictoriaAustralia
| | - Phillip Stricker
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia,Department of UrologySt. Vincent's Prostate Cancer CentreSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - James G. Kench
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,Department of Tissue PathologyNSW Health PathologyRoyal Prince Alfred HospitalCamperdownSydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Lisa G. Horvath
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia,Chris O'Brien Lifehouse, CamperdownSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,University of SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Susan J. Clark
- Garvan Institute of Medical ResearchSydneyNew South WalesAustralia,School of Clinical MedicineSt Vincent's Healthcare Clinical Campus, Faculty of Medicine and Health, UNSW SydneySydneyNew South WalesAustralia
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34
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Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic modification that has consistently been shown to be linked with a variety of human traits and diseases. Because DNA methylation is dynamic and potentially reversible in nature and can reflect environmental exposures and predict the onset of diseases, it has piqued interest as a potential disease biomarker. DNA methylation patterns are more stable than transcriptomic or proteomic patterns, and they are relatively easy to measure to track exposure to different environments and risk factors. Importantly, technologies for DNA methylation quantification have become increasingly cost effective-accelerating new research in the field-and have enabled the development of novel DNA methylation biomarkers. Quite a few DNA methylation-based predictors for a number of traits and diseases already exist. Such predictors show potential for being more accurate than self-reported or measured phenotypes (such as smoking behavior and body mass index) and may even hold potential for applications in clinics. In this review, we will first discuss the advantages and challenges of DNA methylation biomarkers in general. We will then review the current state and future potential of DNA methylation biomarkers in two human traits that show rather consistent alterations in methylome-obesity and smoking. Lastly, we will briefly speculate about the future prospects of DNA methylation biomarkers, and possible ways to achieve them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aino Heikkinen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sailalitha Bollepalli
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Miina Ollikainen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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Zhang H, Liu Y, Xie Y, Zhu Y, Liu J, Lu F. H3K27me3 shapes DNA methylome by inhibiting UHRF1-mediated H3 ubiquitination. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2022; 65:1685-1700. [PMID: 35831553 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-022-2155-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
DNA methylation and histone lysine tri-methylation at H3K27 (H3K27me3) are two chromatin modifications for transcriptional gene silencing, which play important roles in diverse biological processes, including cell fate determination and cell lineage commitment. These two marks are largely mutually exclusive and target distinct sets of genes in the mammalian genome. However, how H3K27me3 shapes the DNA methylome remains elusive. Here, we report that the loss of H3K27me3 modification leads to increased DNA methylation at previously marked H3K27me3 sites, indicating that H3K27me3 negatively regulates DNA methylation. Genome-wide analysis of H3 ubiquitination, essential for recruitment and activation of DNA methyltransferase DNMT1, reveals the absence of H3 ubiquitination at H3K27me3 marked nucleosomes. Moreover, loss of H3K27me3 modification induces an increase in H3K18 ubiquitination at the corresponding hyper-methylated loci. Importantly, we show that H3K27me3 directly inhibits UHRF1-mediated H3 ubiquitination toward nucleosomes in a defined biochemical assay. Taken together, our findings reveal a general mechanism for H3K27me3-mediated shaping of the mammalian DNA methylome via modulation of H3 ubiquitination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ying Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yali Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yunji Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jingwen Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Falong Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Innovative Academy of Seed Design, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China.
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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36
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Characteristic DNA methylation profiles of chorionic villi in recurrent miscarriage. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11673. [PMID: 35896560 PMCID: PMC9329430 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15656-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of transcriptional programs that are tightly regulated by DNA methylation during placental and fetal development at different gestational stages, may cause recurrent miscarriage. Here, we examined genome-wide DNA methylation in chorionic villi and decidual tissues from patients suffering RM and from healthy women who had undergone artificial abortion (n = 5 each). We found that 13,426 and 5816 CpG sites were differentially methylated in chorionic villi and decidua, respectively. DNA methylation profiles of chorionic villi, but not decidua, in RM patients was clearly distinct from AA controls. Among the differentially methylated genes, the enhancer region of SPATS2L was significantly more highly methylated in RM patients (n = 19) than AA controls (n = 19; mean methylation level, 52.0%-vs.-28.9%, P < 0.001), resulting in reduced expression of SPATS2L protein in the former. Functionally, depletion of SPATS2L in extravillous trophoblast cells decreased their invasion and migration abilities. Our data indicate that particularly the chorionic villi in RM patients exhibit distinct DNA methylation profiles compared with normal pregnancies and that this changed DNA methylation status may impede the progression of embryo development via the altered expression of genes such as SPATS2L in the villi.
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Anier K, Somelar K, Jaako K, Alttoa M, Sikk K, Kokassaar R, Kisand K, Kalda A. Psychostimulant-induced aberrant DNA methylation in an in vitro model of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Clin Epigenetics 2022; 14:89. [PMID: 35842682 PMCID: PMC9288712 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-022-01303-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Several reports have provided crucial evidence in animal models that epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, may be involved in psychostimulant-induced stable changes at the cellular level in the brain. Epigenetic editors DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and ten-eleven translocation enzymes (TETs) coordinate expression of gene networks, which then manifest as long-term behavioural changes. However, the extent to which aberrant DNA methylation is involved in the mechanisms of substance use disorder in humans is unclear. We previously demonstrated that cocaine modifies gene transcription, via DNA methylation, throughout the brain and in peripheral blood cells in mice. Results We treated human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from healthy male donors (n = 18) in vitro with psychostimulants (amphetamine, cocaine). After treatment, we assessed mRNA levels and enzymatic activities of TETs and DNMTs, conducted genome-wide DNA methylation assays and next-generation sequencing. We found that repeated exposure to psychostimulants decreased mRNA levels and enzymatic activity of TETs and 5-hydroxymethylation levels in PBMCs. These data were in line with observed hyper- and hypomethylation and mRNA expression of marker genes (IL-10, ATP2B4). Additionally, we evaluated whether the effects of cocaine on epigenetic editors (DNMTs and TETs) and cytokines interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-10 could be reversed by the DNMT inhibitor decitabine. Indeed, decitabine eliminated cocaine’s effect on the activity of TETs and DNMTs and decreased cytokine levels, whereas cocaine increased IL-6 and decreased IL-10. Conclusions Our data suggest that repeated psychostimulant exposure decreases TETs’ enzymatic activity in PBMCs. Co-treatment with decitabine reversed TETs’ levels and modulated immune response after repeated cocaine exposure. Further investigation is needed to clarify if TET could represent a putative biomarker of psychostimulant use and if DNMT inhibition could have therapeutic potential. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13148-022-01303-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaili Anier
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kelli Somelar
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Külli Jaako
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Margret Alttoa
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kerli Sikk
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Raul Kokassaar
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Kai Kisand
- Department of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
| | - Anti Kalda
- Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Biomedicine and Translational Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411, Tartu, Estonia
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Silva TC, Young JI, Martin ER, Chen XS, Wang L. MethReg: estimating the regulatory potential of DNA methylation in gene transcription. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:e51. [PMID: 35100398 PMCID: PMC9122535 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenome-wide association studies often detect many differentially methylated sites, and many are located in distal regulatory regions. To further prioritize these significant sites, there is a critical need to better understand the functional impact of CpG methylation. Recent studies demonstrated that CpG methylation-dependent transcriptional regulation is a widespread phenomenon. Here, we present MethReg, an R/Bioconductor package that analyzes matched DNA methylation and gene expression data, along with external transcription factor (TF) binding information, to evaluate, prioritize and annotate CpG sites with high regulatory potential. At these CpG sites, TF-target gene associations are often only present in a subset of samples with high (or low) methylation levels, so they can be missed by analyses that use all samples. Using colorectal cancer and Alzheimer's disease datasets, we show MethReg significantly enhances our understanding of the regulatory roles of DNA methylation in complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiago C Silva
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Juan I Young
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Eden R Martin
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - X Steven Chen
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
| | - Lily Wang
- Department of Public Health Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Dr. John T. Macdonald Foundation Department of Human Genetics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- John P. Hussman Institute for Human Genomics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
- Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL 33136, USA
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Munquad S, Si T, Mallik S, Das AB, Zhao Z. A Deep Learning-Based Framework for Supporting Clinical Diagnosis of Glioblastoma Subtypes. Front Genet 2022; 13:855420. [PMID: 35419027 PMCID: PMC9000988 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.855420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding molecular features that facilitate aggressive phenotypes in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) remains a major clinical challenge. Accurate diagnosis of GBM subtypes, namely classical, proneural, and mesenchymal, and identification of specific molecular features are crucial for clinicians for systematic treatment. We develop a biologically interpretable and highly efficient deep learning framework based on a convolutional neural network for subtype identification. The classifiers were generated from high-throughput data of different molecular levels, i.e., transcriptome and methylome. Furthermore, an integrated subsystem of transcriptome and methylome data was also used to build the biologically relevant model. Our results show that deep learning model outperforms the traditional machine learning algorithms. Furthermore, to evaluate the biological and clinical applicability of the classification, we performed weighted gene correlation network analysis, gene set enrichment, and survival analysis of the feature genes. We identified the genotype-phenotype relationship of GBM subtypes and the subtype-specific predictive biomarkers for potential diagnosis and treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana Munquad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, India
| | - Tapas Si
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Bankura Unnayani Institute of Engineering, Bankura, India
| | - Saurav Mallik
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
| | - Asim Bikas Das
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Warangal, Warangal, India
| | - Zhongming Zhao
- Center for Precision Health, School of Biomedical Informatics, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States.,Human Genetics Center, School of Public Health, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States
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40
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Gray JS, Wani SA, Campbell MJ. Epigenomic alterations in cancer: mechanisms and therapeutic potential. Clin Sci (Lond) 2022; 136:473-492. [PMID: 35383835 DOI: 10.1042/cs20210449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The human cell requires ways to specify its transcriptome without altering the essential sequence of DNA; this is achieved through mechanisms which govern the epigenetic state of DNA and epitranscriptomic state of RNA. These alterations can be found as modified histone proteins, cytosine DNA methylation, non-coding RNAs, and mRNA modifications, such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A). The different aspects of epigenomic and epitranscriptomic modifications require protein complexes to write, read, and erase these chemical alterations. Reflecting these important roles, many of these reader/writer/eraser proteins are either frequently mutated or differentially expressed in cancer. The disruption of epigenetic regulation in the cell can both contribute to cancer initiation and progression, and increase the likelihood of developing resistance to chemotherapies. Development of therapeutics to target proteins involved in epigenomic/epitranscriptomic modifications has been intensive, but further refinement is necessary to achieve ideal treatment outcomes without too many off-target effects for cancer patients. Therefore, further integration of clinical outcomes combined with large-scale genomic analyses is imperative for furthering understanding of epigenomic mechanisms in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimie S Gray
- Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, U.S.A
| | - Sajad A Wani
- Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, U.S.A
| | - Moray J Campbell
- Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, U.S.A
- Biomedical Informatics Shared Resource, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, U.S.A
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41
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Yang WY, Izzi B, Bress AP, Thijs L, Citterio L, Wei FF, Salvi E, Delli Carpini S, Manunta P, Cusi D, Hoylaerts MF, Luttun A, Verhamme P, Hardikar S, Nawrot TS, Staessen JA, Zhang ZY. Association of colorectal cancer with genetic and epigenetic variation in PEAR1—A population-based cohort study. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266481. [PMID: 35390065 PMCID: PMC8989234 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Platelet Endothelial Aggregation Receptor 1 (PEAR1) modulates angiogenesis and platelet contact-induced activation, which play a role in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer. We therefore tested the association of incident colorectal cancer and genetic and epigenetic variability in PEAR1 among 2532 randomly recruited participants enrolled in the family-based Flemish Study on Environment, Genes and Health Outcomes (51.2% women; mean age 44.8 years). All underwent genotyping of rs12566888 located in intron 1 of the PEAR1 gene; in 926 participants, methylation at 16 CpG sites in the PEAR1 promoter was also assessed. Over 18.1 years (median), 49 colorectal cancers occurred, all in different pedigrees. While accounting for clustering of risk factors within families and adjusting for sex, age, body mass index, the total-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, serum creatinine, plasma glucose, smoking and drinking, use of antiplatelet and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, the hazard ratio of colorectal cancer contrasting minor-allele (T) carriers vs. major-allele (GG) homozygotes was 2.17 (95% confidence interval, 1.18–3.99; P = 0.013). Bootstrapped analyses, from which we randomly excluded from two to nine cancer cases, provided confirmatory results. In participants with methylation data, we applied partial least square discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and identified two methylation sites associated with higher colorectal cancer risk and two with lower risk. In-silico analysis suggested that methylation of the PEAR1 promoter at these four sites might affect binding of transcription factors p53, PAX5, and E2F-1, thereby modulating gene expression. In conclusion, our findings suggest that genetic and epigenetic variation in PEAR1 modulates the risk of colorectal cancer in white Flemish. To what extent, environmental factors as exemplified by our methylation data, interact with genetic predisposition and modulate penetrance of colorectal cancer risk is unknown.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Yi Yang
- Department of Cardiology, Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Benedetta Izzi
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, IRCCS NEUROMED, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Adam P Bress
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Lutgarde Thijs
- Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Lorena Citterio
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Fang-Fei Wei
- Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Department of Cardiology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Erika Salvi
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Simona Delli Carpini
- Division of Nephrology and Dialysis, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Paolo Manunta
- School of Nephrology, University Vita-Salute San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
| | | | | | - Aernout Luttun
- Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Peter Verhamme
- Center for Molecular and Vascular Biology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sheetal Hardikar
- Department of Population Health Sciences, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
- Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America
| | - Tim S Nawrot
- Centre for Environmental Sciences, Hasselt University, Hasselt, Belgium
| | - Jan A Staessen
- Biomedical Science Group, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Research Institute Association for the Promotion of Preventive Medicine, Mechelen, Belgium
| | - Zhen-Yu Zhang
- Research Unit Hypertension and Cardiovascular Epidemiology, KU Leuven Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Ankill J, Aure MR, Bjørklund S, Langberg S, Kristensen VN, Vitelli V, Tekpli X, Fleischer T. Epigenetic alterations at distal enhancers are linked to proliferation in human breast cancer. NAR Cancer 2022; 4:zcac008. [PMID: 35350772 PMCID: PMC8947789 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcac008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant DNA methylation is an early event in breast carcinogenesis and plays a critical role in regulating gene expression. Here, we perform genome-wide expression-methylation Quantitative Trait Loci (emQTL) analysis through the integration of DNA methylation and gene expression to identify disease-driving pathways under epigenetic control. By grouping the emQTLs using biclustering we identify associations representing important biological processes associated with breast cancer pathogenesis including regulation of proliferation and tumor-infiltrating fibroblasts. We report genome-wide loss of enhancer methylation at binding sites of proliferation-driving transcription factors including CEBP-β, FOSL1, and FOSL2 with concomitant high expression of proliferation-related genes in aggressive breast tumors as we confirm with scRNA-seq. The identified emQTL-CpGs and genes were found connected through chromatin loops, indicating that proliferation in breast tumors is under epigenetic regulation by DNA methylation. Interestingly, the associations between enhancer methylation and proliferation-related gene expression were also observed within known subtypes of breast cancer, suggesting a common role of epigenetic regulation of proliferation. Taken together, we show that proliferation in breast cancer is linked to loss of methylation at specific enhancers and transcription factor binding and gene activation through chromatin looping.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jørgen Ankill
- Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Miriam Ragle Aure
- Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Sunniva Bjørklund
- Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | | | | | - Vessela N Kristensen
- Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Valeria Vitelli
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Xavier Tekpli
- Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Thomas Fleischer
- Department of Cancer Genetics, Institute for Cancer Research, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
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Detilleux D, Spill YG, Balaramane D, Weber M, Bardet AF. Pan-cancer predictions of transcription factors mediating aberrant DNA methylation. Epigenetics Chromatin 2022; 15:10. [PMID: 35331302 PMCID: PMC8944071 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00443-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aberrant DNA methylation is a hallmark of cancer cells. However, the mechanisms underlying changes in DNA methylation remain elusive. Transcription factors initially thought to be repressed from binding by DNA methylation, have recently emerged as being able to shape DNA methylation patterns. RESULTS Here, we integrated the massive amount of data available from The Cancer Genome Atlas to predict transcription factors driving aberrant DNA methylation in 13 cancer types. We identified differentially methylated regions between cancer and matching healthy samples, searched for transcription factor motifs enriched in those regions and selected transcription factors with corresponding changes in gene expression. We predict transcription factors known to be involved in cancer as well as novel candidates to drive hypo-methylated regions such as FOXA1 and GATA3 in breast cancer, FOXA1 and TWIST1 in prostate cancer and NFE2L2 in lung cancer. We also predict transcription factors that lead to hyper-methylated regions upon transcription factor loss such as EGR1 in several cancer types. Finally, we validate that FOXA1 and GATA3 mediate hypo-methylated regions in breast cancer cells. CONCLUSION Our work highlights the importance of some transcription factors as upstream regulators shaping DNA methylation patterns in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylane Detilleux
- UMR7242 Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Yannick G Spill
- UMR7242 Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Delphine Balaramane
- UMR7242 Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, 67412, Illkirch, France
| | - Michaël Weber
- UMR7242 Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, 67412, Illkirch, France.
| | - Anaïs Flore Bardet
- UMR7242 Biotechnology and Cell Signaling, CNRS, University of Strasbourg, 67412, Illkirch, France.
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DNA Methylation Malleability and Dysregulation in Cancer Progression: Understanding the Role of PARP1. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030417. [PMID: 35327610 PMCID: PMC8946700 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian genomic DNA methylation represents a key epigenetic modification and its dynamic regulation that fine-tunes the gene expression of multiple pathways during development. It maintains the gene expression of one generation of cells; particularly, the mitotic inheritance of gene-expression patterns makes it the key governing mechanism of epigenetic change to the next generation of cells. Convincing evidence from recent discoveries suggests that the dynamic regulation of DNA methylation is accomplished by the enzymatic action of TET dioxygenase, which oxidizes the methyl group of cytosine and activates transcription. As a result of aberrant DNA modifications, genes are improperly activated or inhibited in the inappropriate cellular context, contributing to a plethora of inheritable diseases, including cancer. We outline recent advancements in understanding how DNA modifications contribute to tumor suppressor gene silencing or oncogenic-gene stimulation, as well as dysregulation of DNA methylation in cancer progression. In addition, we emphasize the function of PARP1 enzymatic activity or inhibition in the maintenance of DNA methylation dysregulation. In the context of cancer remediation, the impact of DNA methylation and PARP1 pharmacological inhibitors, and their relevance as a combination therapy are highlighted.
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Minteer C, Morselli M, Meer M, Cao J, Higgins‐Chen A, Lang SM, Pellegrini M, Yan Q, Levine M. Tick tock, tick tock: Mouse culture and tissue aging captured by an epigenetic clock. Aging Cell 2022; 21:e13553. [PMID: 35104377 PMCID: PMC8844113 DOI: 10.1111/acel.13553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2021] [Revised: 12/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Aging is associated with dramatic changes to DNA methylation (DNAm), although the causes and consequences of such alterations are unknown. Our ability to experimentally uncover mechanisms of epigenetic aging will be greatly enhanced by our ability to study and manipulate these changes using in vitro models. However, it remains unclear whether the changes elicited by cells in culture can serve as a model of what is observed in aging tissues in vivo. To test this, we serially passaged mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) and assessed changes in DNAm at each time point via reduced representation bisulfite sequencing. By developing a measure that tracked cellular aging in vitro, we tested whether it tracked physiological aging in various mouse tissues and whether anti-aging interventions modulate this measure. Our measure, termed CultureAGE, was shown to strongly increase with age when examined in multiple tissues (liver, lung, kidney, blood, and adipose). As a control, we confirmed that the measure was not a marker of cellular senescence, suggesting that it reflects a distinct yet progressive cellular aging phenomena that can be induced in vitro. Furthermore, we demonstrated slower epigenetic aging in animals undergoing caloric restriction and a resetting of our measure in lung and kidney fibroblasts when re-programmed to iPSCs. Enrichment and clustering analysis implicated EED and Polycomb group (PcG) factors as potentially important chromatin regulators in translational culture aging phenotypes. Overall, this study supports the concept that physiologically relevant aging changes can be induced in vitro and used to uncover mechanistic insights into epigenetic aging.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marco Morselli
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental BiologyUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Margarita Meer
- Department of PathologyYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Jian Cao
- Department of PathologyYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New JerseyNew BrunswickNew JerseyUSA
| | | | - Sabine M. Lang
- Department of PathologyYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Matteo Pellegrini
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Developmental BiologyUniversity of California Los AngelesLos AngelesCaliforniaUSA
| | - Qin Yan
- Department of PathologyYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
| | - Morgan E. Levine
- Department of PathologyYale School of MedicineNew HavenConnecticutUSA
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Brown LJ, Achinger-Kawecka J, Portman N, Clark S, Stirzaker C, Lim E. Epigenetic Therapies and Biomarkers in Breast Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:474. [PMID: 35158742 PMCID: PMC8833457 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic therapies remain a promising, but still not widely used, approach in the management of patients with cancer. To date, the efficacy and use of epigenetic therapies has been demonstrated primarily in the management of haematological malignancies, with limited supportive data in solid malignancies. The most studied epigenetic therapies in breast cancer are those that target DNA methylation and histone modification; however, none have been approved for routine clinical use. The majority of pre-clinical and clinical studies have focused on triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) and hormone-receptor positive breast cancer. Even though the use of epigenetic therapies alone in the treatment of breast cancer has not shown significant clinical benefit, these therapies show most promise in use in combinations with other treatments. With improving technologies available to study the epigenetic landscape in cancer, novel epigenetic alterations are increasingly being identified as potential biomarkers of response to conventional and epigenetic therapies. In this review, we describe epigenetic targets and potential epigenetic biomarkers in breast cancer, with a focus on clinical trials of epigenetic therapies. We describe alterations to the epigenetic landscape in breast cancer and in treatment resistance, highlighting mechanisms and potential targets for epigenetic therapies. We provide an updated review on epigenetic therapies in the pre-clinical and clinical setting in breast cancer, with a focus on potential real-world applications. Finally, we report on the potential value of epigenetic biomarkers in diagnosis, prognosis and prediction of response to therapy, to guide and inform the clinical management of breast cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren Julia Brown
- School of Clinical Medicine, St. Vincent’s Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; (L.J.B.); (J.A.-K.); (N.P.); (S.C.); (C.S.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Joanna Achinger-Kawecka
- School of Clinical Medicine, St. Vincent’s Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; (L.J.B.); (J.A.-K.); (N.P.); (S.C.); (C.S.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Neil Portman
- School of Clinical Medicine, St. Vincent’s Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; (L.J.B.); (J.A.-K.); (N.P.); (S.C.); (C.S.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Susan Clark
- School of Clinical Medicine, St. Vincent’s Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; (L.J.B.); (J.A.-K.); (N.P.); (S.C.); (C.S.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Clare Stirzaker
- School of Clinical Medicine, St. Vincent’s Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; (L.J.B.); (J.A.-K.); (N.P.); (S.C.); (C.S.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Elgene Lim
- School of Clinical Medicine, St. Vincent’s Campus, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia; (L.J.B.); (J.A.-K.); (N.P.); (S.C.); (C.S.)
- Garvan Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
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Cho JW, Shim HS, Lee CY, Park SY, Hong MH, Lee I, Kim HR. The importance of enhancer methylation for epigenetic regulation of tumorigenesis in squamous lung cancer. Exp Mol Med 2022; 54:12-22. [PMID: 34987166 PMCID: PMC8813945 DOI: 10.1038/s12276-021-00718-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC) is a subtype of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). LUSC occurs at the bronchi, shows a squamous appearance, and often occurs in smokers. To determine the epigenetic regulatory mechanisms of tumorigenesis, we performed a genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation in tumor and adjacent normal tissues from LUSC patients. With the Infinium Methylation EPIC Array, > 850,000 CpG sites, including ~350,000 CpG sites for enhancer regions, were profiled, and the differentially methylated regions (DMRs) overlapping promoters (pDMRs) and enhancers (eDMRs) between tumor and normal tissues were identified. Dimension reduction based on DMR profiles revealed that eDMRs alone and not pDMRs alone can differentiate tumors from normal tissues with the equivalent performance of total DMRs. We observed a stronger negative correlation of LUSC-specific gene expression with methylation for enhancers than promoters. Target genes of eDMRs rather than pDMRs were found to be enriched for tumor-associated genes and pathways. Furthermore, DMR methylation associated with immune infiltration was more frequently observed among enhancers than promoters. Our results suggest that methylation of enhancer regions rather than promoters play more important roles in epigenetic regulation of tumorigenesis and immune infiltration in LUSC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Won Cho
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Sup Shim
- Department of Pathology, Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Chang Young Lee
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Yong Park
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hee Hong
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea
| | - Insuk Lee
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
| | - Hye Ryun Kim
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Yonsei Cancer Center, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, 03722, Republic of Korea.
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Nasrullah, Hussain A, Ahmed S, Rasool M, Shah AJ. DNA methylation across the tree of life, from micro to macro-organism. Bioengineered 2022; 13:1666-1685. [PMID: 34986742 PMCID: PMC8805842 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.2014387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is a process in which methyl (CH3) groups are added to the DNA molecule. The DNA segment does not change in the sequence, but DNA methylation could alter the action of DNA. Different enzymes like DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) take part in methylation of cytosine/adenine nucleosides in DNA. In prokaryotes, DNA methylation is performed to prevent the attack of phage and also plays a role in the chromosome replication and repair. In fungi, DNA methylation is studied to see the transcriptional changes, as in insects, the DNA methylation is not that well-known, it plays a different role like other organisms. In mammals, the DNA methylation is related to different types of cancers and plays the most important role in the placental development and abnormal DNA methylation connected with diseases like cancer, autoimmune diseases, and rheumatoid arthritis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nasrullah
- Center for Advanced Studies in Vaccinology & Biotechnology (Casvab), University of Baluchistan, Quetta- Pakistan. E-mails:
| | - Abrar Hussain
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Buitems, Quetta-Pakistan. E-mails:
| | - Sagheer Ahmed
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Shifa College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shifa Tameer-e-Millat University, Islamabad, Pakistan. E-mails:
| | - Mahmood Rasool
- Center of Excellence in Genomic Medicine Research, Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. E-mails:
| | - Abdul Jabbar Shah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Comsats University, Abbottabad. E-mails:
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Mensah IK, Norvil AB, AlAbdi L, McGovern S, Petell CJ, He M, Gowher H. Misregulation of the expression and activity of DNA methyltransferases in cancer. NAR Cancer 2021; 3:zcab045. [PMID: 34870206 PMCID: PMC8634572 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcab045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In mammals, DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3's (A, B and L) deposit and maintain DNA methylation in dividing and nondividing cells. Although these enzymes have an unremarkable DNA sequence specificity (CpG), their regional specificity is regulated by interactions with various protein factors, chromatin modifiers, and post-translational modifications of histones. Changes in the DNMT expression or interacting partners affect DNA methylation patterns. Consequently, the acquired gene expression may increase the proliferative potential of cells, often concomitant with loss of cell identity as found in cancer. Aberrant DNA methylation, including hypermethylation and hypomethylation at various genomic regions, therefore, is a hallmark of most cancers. Additionally, somatic mutations in DNMTs that affect catalytic activity were mapped in Acute Myeloid Leukemia cancer cells. Despite being very effective in some cancers, the clinically approved DNMT inhibitors lack specificity, which could result in a wide range of deleterious effects. Elucidating distinct molecular mechanisms of DNMTs will facilitate the discovery of alternative cancer therapeutic targets. This review is focused on: (i) the structure and characteristics of DNMTs, (ii) the prevalence of mutations and abnormal expression of DNMTs in cancer, (iii) factors that mediate their abnormal expression and (iv) the effect of anomalous DNMT-complexes in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isaiah K Mensah
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Lama AlAbdi
- Department of Zoology, Collage of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sarah McGovern
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | | | - Ming He
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Humaira Gowher
- Department of Biochemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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Szczyrek M, Grenda A, Kuźnar-Kamińska B, Krawczyk P, Sawicki M, Batura-Gabryel H, Mlak R, Szudy-Szczyrek A, Krajka T, Krajka A, Milanowski J. Methylation of DROSHA and DICER as a Biomarker for the Detection of Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13236139. [PMID: 34885248 PMCID: PMC8657200 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13236139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary To identify possible biomarkers for early detection of lung cancer we assessed the methylation status of genes related to carcinogenesis, DICER and DROSHA, in lung cancer patients and healthy volunteers. The relative level of methylation of DROSHA was significantly lower and DICER significantly higher in cancer patients. The relative level of methylation of DROSHA was significantly higher in patients with early-stage NSCLC (IA-IIIA) and could discriminate them from healthy people with a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 76% for the first region and with a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 85% for the second region. Analysis of the first region of the DICER enabled the distinction of NSCLC patients from healthy individuals with a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 60%. The results indicate that the assessment of DICER and DROSHA methylation status can potentially be used as a biomarker for the early detection of lung cancer. Abstract Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Early diagnosis may improve the prognosis. Methods: Using quantitative methylation-specific real-time PCR (qMSP-PCR), we assessed the methylation status of two genes (in two subsequent regions according to locations in their promoter sequences) related to carcinogenesis, DICER and DROSHA, in 101 plasma samples (obtained prior to the treatment) of lung cancer patients and 45 healthy volunteers. Results: The relative level of methylation of DROSHA was significantly lower (p = 0.012 for first and p < 0.00001 for the second region) and DICER significantly higher (p = 0.029 for the first region) in cancer patients. The relative level of methylation of DROSHA was significantly (p = 0.037) higher in patients with early-stage NSCLC (IA-IIIA) and could discriminate them from healthy people with a sensitivity of 71% and specificity of 76% (AUC = 0.696, 95% CI: 0.545–0.847, p = 0.011) for the first region and with a sensitivity of 60% and specificity of 85% (AUC = 0.795, 95% CI: 0.689–0.901, p < 0.0001) for the second region. Methylation analysis of the first region of the DICER enabled the distinction of NSCLC patients from healthy individuals with a sensitivity of 96% and specificity of 60% (AUC = 0.651, 95% CI: 0.517–0.785, p = 0.027). The limitations of the study include its small sample size, preliminary nature, being an observational type of study, and the lack of functional experiments allowing for the explanation of the biologic backgrounds of the observed associations. Conclusion: The obtained results indicate that the assessment of DICER and DROSHA methylation status can potentially be used as a biomarker for the early detection of lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Szczyrek
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (A.G.); (P.K.); (J.M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Grenda
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (A.G.); (P.K.); (J.M.)
| | - Barbara Kuźnar-Kamińska
- Department of Pulmonology, Allergology and Respiratory Oncology, University of Medical Sciences in Poznan, 60-569 Poznan, Poland; (B.K.-K.); (H.B.-G.)
| | - Paweł Krawczyk
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (A.G.); (P.K.); (J.M.)
| | - Marek Sawicki
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Medical University of Lublin, 20-954 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Halina Batura-Gabryel
- Department of Pulmonology, Allergology and Respiratory Oncology, University of Medical Sciences in Poznan, 60-569 Poznan, Poland; (B.K.-K.); (H.B.-G.)
| | - Radosław Mlak
- Department of Human Physiology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-080 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Aneta Szudy-Szczyrek
- Department of Haematooncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation, Medical University of Lublin, 20-081 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Tomasz Krajka
- Division of Mathematics, Department of Production Computerisation and Robotisation, Lublin University of Technology, 20-618 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Andrzej Krajka
- Institute of Computer Science, Maria Curie-Sklodowska University, 20-033 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Janusz Milanowski
- Department of Pneumonology, Oncology and Allergology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-950 Lublin, Poland; (A.G.); (P.K.); (J.M.)
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