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Koukourikis P, Papaioannou M, Pervana S, Apostolidis A. Exploring the DNA Methylation Profile of Genes Associated with Bladder Cancer in Bladder Tissue of Patients with Neurogenic Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5660. [PMID: 38891848 PMCID: PMC11171624 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115660] [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: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic process that commonly occurs in genes' promoters and results in the transcriptional silencing of genes. DNA methylation is a frequent event in bladder cancer, participating in tumor initiation and progression. Bladder cancer is a major health issue in patients suffering from neurogenic lower urinary tract dysfunction (NLUTD), although the pathogenetic mechanisms of the disease remain unclear. In this population, bladder cancer is characterized by aggressive histopathology, advanced stage during diagnosis, and high mortality rates. To assess the DNA methylation profiles of five genes' promoters previously known to be associated with bladder cancer in bladder tissue of NLUTD patients, we conducted a prospective study recruiting NLUTD patients from the neuro-urology unit of a public teaching hospital. Cystoscopy combined with biopsy for bladder cancer screening was performed in all patients following written informed consent being obtained. Quantitative methylation-specific PCR was used to determine the methylation status of RASSF1, RARβ, DAPK, hTERT, and APC genes' promoters in bladder tissue samples. Twenty-four patients suffering from mixed NLUTD etiology for a median duration of 10 (IQR: 12) years were recruited in this study. DNA hypermethylation was detected in at least one gene of the panel in all tissue samples. RAR-β was hypermethylated in 91.7% samples, RASSF and DAPK were hypermethylated in 83.3% samples, APC 37.5% samples, and TERT in none of the tissue samples. In 45.8% of the samples, three genes of the panel were hypermethylated, in 29.2% four genes were hypermethylated, and in 16.7% and in 8.3% of the samples, two and one gene were hypermethylated, respectively. The number of hypermethylated genes of the panel was significantly associated with recurrent UTIs (p = 0.0048). No other significant association was found between DNA hypermethylation or the number of hypermethylated genes and the clinical characteristics of the patients. Histopathological findings were normal in 8.3% of patients, while chronic inflammation was found in 83.3% of patients and squamous cell metaplasia in 16.7% of patients. In this study, we observed high rates of DNA hypermethylation of genes associated with bladder cancer in NLUTD patients, suggesting an epigenetic field effect and possible risk of bladder cancer development. Recurrent UTIs seem to be associated with increased DNA hypermethylation. Further research is needed to evaluate the impact of recurrent UTIs and chronic inflammation in DNA hypermethylation and bladder cancer etiopathogenesis in NLUTD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Periklis Koukourikis
- 2nd Department of Urology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital ‘Papageorgiou’, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Maria Papaioannou
- Department of Biological Chemistry, Medical School, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Stavroula Pervana
- Department of Pathology, General Hospital ‘Papageorgiou’, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
| | - Apostolos Apostolidis
- 2nd Department of Urology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, General Hospital ‘Papageorgiou’, 56403 Thessaloniki, Greece;
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Chatzidavid S, Kontandreopoulou CN, Giannakopoulou N, Diamantopoulos PT, Stafylidis C, Kyrtsonis MC, Dimou M, Panayiotidis P, Viniou NA. The Role of Methylation in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia and Its Prognostic and Therapeutic Impacts in the Disease: A Systematic Review. Adv Hematol 2024; 2024:1370364. [PMID: 38435839 PMCID: PMC10907108 DOI: 10.1155/2024/1370364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation has been thoroughly investigated in recent years and has emerged as an important aspect of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) biology. Characteristic aberrant features such as methylation patterns and global DNA hypomethylation were the early findings of the research during the last decades. The investigation in this field led to the identification of a large number of genes where methylation features correlated with important clinical and laboratory parameters. Gene-specific analyses investigated methylation in the gene body enhancer regions as well as promoter regions. The findings included genes and proteins involved in key pathways that play central roles in the pathophysiology of the disease. Τhe application of these findings beyond the theoretical understanding can not only lead to the creation of prognostic and predictive models and scores but also to the design of novel therapeutic agents. The following is a review focusing on the present knowledge about single gene/gene promoter methylation or mRNA expression in CLL cases as well as records of older data that have been published in past papers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sevastianos Chatzidavid
- Hematology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Thalassemia and Sickle Cell Disease Center, Laikon General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Christina-Nefeli Kontandreopoulou
- Hematology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | | | - Panagiotis T. Diamantopoulos
- Hematology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Christos Stafylidis
- Hematology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Marie-Christine Kyrtsonis
- Hematology Section of the First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Dimou
- Hematology Section of the First Department of Propaedeutic Internal Medicine, Laikon University Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Panayiotis Panayiotidis
- Department of Hematology and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, School of Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, Athens, Greece
| | - Nora-Athina Viniou
- Hematology Unit, First Department of Internal Medicine, Laikon General Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
- Hematology Department, Iatriko Kentro Palaiou Falirou, Athens, Greece
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Vega-Benedetti AF, Loi E, Moi L, Zavattari P. DNA methylation alterations at RE1-silencing transcription factor binding sites and their flanking regions in cancer. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:98. [PMID: 37301955 PMCID: PMC10257853 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01514-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DNA methylation changes, frequent early events in cancer, can modulate the binding of transcription factors. RE1-silencing transcription factor (REST) plays a fundamental role in regulating the expression of neuronal genes, and in particular their silencing in non-neuronal tissues, by inducing chromatin modifications, including DNA methylation changes, not only in the proximity of its binding sites but also in the flanking regions. REST has been found aberrantly expressed in brain cancer and other cancer types. In this work, we investigated DNA methylation alterations at REST binding sites and their flanking regions in a brain cancer (pilocytic astrocytoma), two gastrointestinal tumours (colorectal cancer and biliary tract cancer) and a blood cancer (chronic lymphocytic leukemia). RESULTS Differential methylation analyses focused on REST binding sites and their flanking regions were conducted between tumour and normal samples from our experimental datasets analysed by Illumina microarrays and the identified alterations were validated using publicly available datasets. We discovered distinct DNA methylation patterns between pilocytic astrocytoma and the other cancer types in agreement with the opposite oncogenic and tumour suppressive role of REST in glioma and non-brain tumours. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that these DNA methylation alterations in cancer may be associated with REST dysfunction opening the enthusiastic possibility to develop novel therapeutic interventions based on the modulation of this master regulator in order to restore the aberrant methylation of its target regions into a normal status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Eleonora Loi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Loredana Moi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Patrizia Zavattari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, 09042, Cagliari, Italy.
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Targeting DNA Methylation in Leukemia, Myelodysplastic Syndrome, and Lymphoma: A Potential Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Tool. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 24:ijms24010633. [PMID: 36614080 PMCID: PMC9820560 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24010633] [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: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation represents a crucial mechanism of epigenetic regulation in hematologic malignancies. The methylation process is controlled by specific DNA methyl transferases and other regulators, which are often affected by genetic alterations. Global hypomethylation and hypermethylation of tumor suppressor genes are associated with hematologic cancer development and progression. Several epi-drugs have been successfully implicated in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, including the hypomethylating agents (HMAs) decitabine and azacytidine. However, combinations with other treatment modalities and the discovery of new molecules are still the subject of research to increase sensitivity to anti-cancer therapies and improve patient outcomes. In this review, we summarized the main functions of DNA methylation regulators and genetic events leading to changes in methylation landscapes. We provide current knowledge about target genes with aberrant methylation levels in leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, and malignant lymphomas. Moreover, we provide an overview of the clinical trials, focused mainly on the combined therapy of HMAs with other treatments and its impact on adverse events, treatment efficacy, and survival rates among hematologic cancer patients. In the era of precision medicine, a transition from genes to their regulation opens up the possibility of an epigenetic-based approach as a diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic tool.
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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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Vega-Benedetti AF, Loi E, Zavattari P. DNA methylation alterations caused by Leishmania infection may generate a microenvironment prone to tumour development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:984134. [PMID: 36105147 PMCID: PMC9465093 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.984134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic signature consisting of a methyl group at the 5’ cytosine of CpG dinucleotides. Modifications in DNA methylation pattern have been detected in cancer and infectious diseases and may be associated with gene expression changes. In cancer development DNA methylation aberrations are early events whereas in infectious diseases these epigenetic changes may be due to host/pathogen interaction. In particular, in leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania, DNA methylation alterations have been detected in macrophages upon infection with Leishmania donovani and in skin lesions from patients with cutaneous leishmaniasis. Interestingly, different types of cancers, such as cutaneous malignant lesions, lymphoma and hepatocellular carcinoma, have been diagnosed in patients with a history of leishmaniasis. In fact, it is known that there exists an association between cancer and infectious diseases. Leishmania infection may increase susceptibility to develop cancer, but the mechanisms involved are not entirely clear. Considering these aspects, in this review we discuss the hypothesis that DNA methylation alterations induced by Leishmania may trigger tumorigenesis in long term infection since these epigenetic modifications may enhance and accumulate during chronic leishmaniasis.
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Chen B, Zhao H, Li M, She Q, Liu W, Zhang J, Zhao W, Huang S, Wu J. SHANK1 facilitates non-small cell lung cancer processes through modulating the ubiquitination of Klotho by interacting with MDM2. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:403. [PMID: 35468874 PMCID: PMC9039064 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04860-3] [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: 08/18/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains 1 (SHANK1) is a scaffold protein, plays an important role in the normal function of neuron system. It has recently been shown to be a potential oncogene. In the present study, we report that the expression of SHANK1 is upregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and is correlated with clinic pathological characteristics of NSCLC. Moreover, SHANK1 overexpression enhances the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells. Mouse cell-derived xenograft model also confirmed the effects of SHANK1 on tumor growth in vivo. Furthermore, we found that SHANK1 increases the protein degradation of Klotho (KL), an important tumor suppressor, through ubiquitination-dependent pathway. In particular, we report discovery of KL as a SHANK1-interacting protein that acts as a new substate of the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. SHANK1 can form a complex with KL and MDM2 and enhance the interaction between KL and MDM2. Our findings reveal an important oncogenic role and mechanism of SHANK1, suggesting SHANK1 can be a potential therapeutic target in NSCLC.
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HOXD8 hypermethylation as a fully sensitive and specific biomarker for biliary tract cancer detectable in tissue and bile samples. Br J Cancer 2022; 126:1783-1794. [PMID: 35177798 PMCID: PMC9174245 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-022-01738-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are rare but highly aggressive tumours with poor prognosis, usually detected at advanced stages. Herein, we aimed at identifying BTC-specific DNA methylation alterations. Methods Study design included statistical power and sample size estimation. A genome-wide methylation study of an explorative cohort (50 BTC and ten matched non-tumoral tissue samples) has been performed. BTC-specific altered CpG islands were validated in over 180 samples (174 BTCs and 13 non-tumoral controls). The final biomarkers, selected by a machine-learning approach, were validated in independent tissue (18 BTCs, 14 matched non-tumoral samples) and bile (24 BTCs, five non-tumoral samples) replication series, using droplet digital PCR. Results We identified and successfully validated BTC-specific DNA methylation alterations in over 200 BTC samples. The two-biomarker panel, selected by an in-house algorithm, showed an AUC > 0.97. The best-performing biomarker (chr2:176993479-176995557), associated with HOXD8, a pivotal gene in cancer-related pathways, achieved 100% sensitivity and specificity in a new series of tissue and bile samples. Conclusions We identified a novel fully efficient BTC biomarker, associated with HOXD8 gene, detectable both in tissue and bile by a standardised assay ready-to-use in clinical trials also including samples from non-invasive matrices.
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Epigenetic aging of the demographically non-aging naked mole-rat. Nat Commun 2022; 13:355. [PMID: 35039495 PMCID: PMC8763950 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-27959-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The naked mole-rat (NMR) is an exceptionally long-lived rodent that shows no increase of mortality with age, defining it as a demographically non-aging mammal. Here, we perform bisulfite sequencing of the blood of > 100 NMRs, assessing > 3 million common CpG sites. Unsupervised clustering based on sites whose methylation correlates with age reveals an age-related methylome remodeling, and we also observe a methylome information loss, suggesting that NMRs age. We develop an epigenetic aging clock that accurately predicts the NMR age. We show that these animals age much slower than mice and much faster than humans, consistent with their known maximum lifespans. Interestingly, patterns of age-related changes of clock sites in Tert and Prpf19 differ between NMRs and mice, but there are also sites conserved between the two species. Together, the data indicate that NMRs, like other mammals, epigenetically age even in the absence of demographic aging of this species. The exceptionally long-lived naked mole-rat is characterized by the lack of increased mortality with aging. Here the authors perform epigenetic studies to show that naked mole-rats epigenetically age despite their non-increasing mortality rate.
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Rimini M, Puzzoni M, Pedica F, Silvestris N, Fornaro L, Aprile G, Loi E, Brunetti O, Vivaldi C, Simionato F, Zavattari P, Scartozzi M, Burgio V, Ratti F, Aldrighetti L, Cascinu S, Casadei-Gardini A. Cholangiocarcinoma: new perspectives for new horizons. Expert Rev Gastroenterol Hepatol 2021; 15:1367-1383. [PMID: 34669536 DOI: 10.1080/17474124.2021.1991313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Biliary tract cancer represents a heterogeneous group of malignancies characterized by dismal prognosis and scarce therapeutic options. AREA COVERED In the last years, a growing interest in BTC pathology has emerged, thus highlighting a significant heterogeneity of the pathways underlying the carcinogenesis process, from both a molecular and genomic point of view. A better understanding of these differences is mandatory to deepen the behavior of this complex disease, as well as to identify new targetable target mutations, with the aim to improve the survival outcomes. The authors decided to provide a comprehensive overview of the recent highlights on BTCs, with a special focus on the genetic, epigenetic and molecular alterations, which may have an interesting clinical application in the next future. EXPERT OPINION In the last years, the efforts resulted from international collaborations have led to the identification of new promising targets for precision medicine approaches in the BTC setting. Further investigations and prospective trials are needed, but the hope is that these new knowledge in cooperation with the new technologies and procedures, including bio-molecular and genomic analysis as well radiomic studies, will enrich the therapeutic armamentarium thus improving the survival outcomes in a such lethal and complex disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margherita Rimini
- Department of Oncology and Hematology, Division of Oncology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Marco Puzzoni
- Medical Oncology, University and University Hospital of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Federica Pedica
- Department of Pathology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan, Italy
| | - Nicola Silvestris
- Department of oncology, Instituto Di Ricovero E Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo Ii" of Bari, Bari, Italy.,Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, Aldo Moro University of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Fornaro
- Department of medical oncology, U.O. Oncologia Medica 2 Universitaria, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Aprile
- Department of Oncology, San Bortolo General Hospital, Azienda ULSS8 Berica, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Eleonora Loi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Oronzo Brunetti
- Department of oncology, Instituto Di Ricovero E Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Tumori "Giovanni Paolo Ii" of Bari, Bari, Italy
| | - Caterina Vivaldi
- Department of medical oncology, U.O. Oncologia Medica 2 Universitaria, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Pisana, Pisa, Italy
| | - Francesca Simionato
- Department of Oncology, San Bortolo General Hospital, Azienda ULSS8 Berica, Vicenza, Italy
| | - Patrizia Zavattari
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Biology and Genetics, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy
| | - Mario Scartozzi
- Medical Oncology, University and University Hospital of Cagliari, Italy
| | - Valentina Burgio
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Hospital, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Ratti
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Division, IRCCS San Raffaele and Vita-Salute University, Italy
| | - Luca Aldrighetti
- Hepatobiliary Surgery Division, IRCCS San Raffaele and Vita-Salute University, Italy
| | - Stefano Cascinu
- Department of Oncology, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute Hospital, Milan, Italy
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Colorectal cancer promoter methylation alteration affects the expression of glutamate ionotropic receptor AMPA type subunit 4 alternative isoforms potentially relevant in colon tissue. Hum Cell 2021; 35:310-319. [PMID: 34719006 PMCID: PMC8732896 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-021-00640-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
DNA methylation alterations are early events during tumourigenesis, affecting genes involved in the crosstalk between cells and surroundings in colorectal cancer (CRC). Among these genes, GRIA4, Glutamate Ionotropic Receptor AMPA Type Subunit 4, displays hypermethylation in the promoter region, and is an early diagnostic biomarker. It is well known that methylation can also affect alternative transcription. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the expression, at transcript and protein level, of GRIA4 main isoforms (the canonical one and a short variant) in 23 CRC and matched normal samples, of which we previously verified the methylation status. We further predicted miRNA/transcript target interactions as a possible post-transcriptional regulation using bioinformatics tools. As expected, downregulation of both variants has been observed in tumours. Interestingly, in contrast to what observed at transcriptional level, the GluR4 protein short isoform displayed higher expression than the canonical one either in normal or tumoural tissues. This may be explained by miRNA specifically targeting the canonical isoform. Our study is the first one that shows the expression of both isoforms in colon tissues. To note, the evident expression of the short isoform suggests a functional role in intestinal cell biology.
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Mavridou D, Psatha K, Aivaliotis M. Proteomics and Drug Repurposing in CLL towards Precision Medicine. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13143391. [PMID: 34298607 PMCID: PMC8303629 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13143391] [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: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Despite continued efforts, the current status of knowledge in CLL molecular pathobiology, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment remains elusive and imprecise. Proteomics approaches combined with advanced bioinformatics and drug repurposing promise to shed light on the complex proteome heterogeneity of CLL patients and mitigate, improve, or even eliminate the knowledge stagnation. In relation to this concept, this review presents a brief overview of all the available proteomics and drug repurposing studies in CLL and suggests the way such studies can be exploited to find effective therapeutic options combined with drug repurposing strategies to adopt and accost a more “precision medicine” spectrum. Abstract CLL is a hematological malignancy considered as the most frequent lymphoproliferative disease in the western world. It is characterized by high molecular heterogeneity and despite the available therapeutic options, there are many patient subgroups showing the insufficient effectiveness of disease treatment. The challenge is to investigate the individual molecular characteristics and heterogeneity of these patients. Proteomics analysis is a powerful approach that monitors the constant state of flux operators of genetic information and can unravel the proteome heterogeneity and rewiring into protein pathways in CLL patients. This review essences all the available proteomics studies in CLL and suggests the way these studies can be exploited to find effective therapeutic options combined with drug repurposing approaches. Drug repurposing utilizes all the existing knowledge of the safety and efficacy of FDA-approved or investigational drugs and anticipates drug alignment to crucial CLL therapeutic targets, leading to a better disease outcome. The drug repurposing studies in CLL are also discussed in this review. The next goal involves the integration of proteomics-based drug repurposing in precision medicine, as well as the application of this procedure into clinical practice to predict the most appropriate drugs combination that could ensure therapy and the long-term survival of each CLL patient.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra Mavridou
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Functional Proteomics and Systems Biology (FunPATh)—Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), GR-57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Konstantina Psatha
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Functional Proteomics and Systems Biology (FunPATh)—Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), GR-57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation of Research and Technology, GR-70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Correspondence: (K.P.); (M.A.)
| | - Michalis Aivaliotis
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece;
- Functional Proteomics and Systems Biology (FunPATh)—Center for Interdisciplinary Research and Innovation (CIRI-AUTH), GR-57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Basic and Translational Research Unit, Special Unit for Biomedical Research and Education, School of Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation of Research and Technology, GR-70013 Heraklion, Greece
- Correspondence: (K.P.); (M.A.)
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May HJ, Jeong J, Revah-Politi A, Cohen JS, Chassevent A, Baptista J, Baugh EH, Bier L, Bottani A, Carminho A Rodrigues MT, Conlon C, Fluss J, Guipponi M, Kim CA, Matsumoto N, Person R, Primiano M, Rankin J, Shinawi M, Smith-Hicks C, Telegrafi A, Toy S, Uchiyama Y, Aggarwal V, Goldstein DB, Roche KW, Anyane-Yeboa K. Truncating variants in the SHANK1 gene are associated with a spectrum of neurodevelopmental disorders. Genet Med 2021; 23:1912-1921. [PMID: 34113010 DOI: 10.1038/s41436-021-01222-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE In this study, we aimed to characterize the clinical phenotype of a SHANK1-related disorder and define the functional consequences of SHANK1 truncating variants. METHODS Exome sequencing (ES) was performed for six individuals who presented with neurodevelopmental disorders. Individuals were ascertained with the use of GeneMatcher and Database of Chromosomal Imbalance and Phenotype in Humans Using Ensembl Resources (DECIPHER). We evaluated potential nonsense-mediated decay (NMD) of two variants by making knock-in cell lines of endogenous truncated SHANK1, and expressed the truncated SHANK1 complementary DNA (cDNA) in HEK293 cells and cultured hippocampal neurons to examine the proteins. RESULTS ES detected de novo truncating variants in SHANK1 in six individuals. Evaluation of NMD resulted in stable transcripts, and the truncated SHANK1 completely lost binding with Homer1, a linker protein that binds to the C-terminus of SHANK1. These variants may disrupt protein-protein networks in dendritic spines. Dispersed localization of the truncated SHANK1 variants within the spine and dendritic shaft was also observed when expressed in neurons, indicating impaired synaptic localization of truncated SHANK1. CONCLUSION This report expands the clinical spectrum of individuals with truncating SHANK1 variants and describes the impact these variants may have on the pathophysiology of neurodevelopmental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halie J May
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Jaehoon Jeong
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Anya Revah-Politi
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julie S Cohen
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Anna Chassevent
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julia Baptista
- Exeter Genomics Laboratory, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK.,Institute of Biomedical & Clinical Science, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK
| | - Evan H Baugh
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Louise Bier
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Armand Bottani
- Division of Genetic Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Charles Conlon
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel Fluss
- Pediatric Neurology Unit, Pediatrics Subspecialties Service, Geneva Children's Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Michel Guipponi
- Division of Genetic Medicine, University Hospitals of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Chong Ae Kim
- Genetics Unit, Instituto da Crianca, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Naomichi Matsumoto
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Richard Person
- Clinical Genomics Program, GeneDx, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Michelle Primiano
- Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Julia Rankin
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust, Exeter, UK
| | - Marwan Shinawi
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Constance Smith-Hicks
- Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, USA.,Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Aida Telegrafi
- Clinical Genomics Program, GeneDx, Gaithersburg, MD, USA
| | - Samantha Toy
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Yuri Uchiyama
- Department of Human Genetics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan.,Department of Rare Disease Genomics, Yokohama City University Graduate School of Medicine, Yokohama, Japan
| | - Vimla Aggarwal
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - David B Goldstein
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Katherine W Roche
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kwame Anyane-Yeboa
- Institute for Genomic Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA. .,Division of Clinical Genetics, Department of Pediatrics, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
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Chen H, Ma X, Yang M, Wang M, Li L, Huang T. A methylomics-associated nomogram predicts recurrence-free survival of thyroid papillary carcinoma. Cancer Med 2020; 9:7183-7193. [PMID: 32783399 PMCID: PMC7541134 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.3388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Thyroid papillary carcinoma (TPC) is the most common type of thyroid cancer (TC). The prognosis of TPC patients with tumor‐cell metastasis is poor. Therefore, this study aims to develop a model for predicting TPC patients' recurrence‐free survival (RFS). Methods We included 546 TPC patients who were clinically and pathologically diagnosed with TPC. The methylation biomarkers that associate with RFS were explored. These 546 samples were divided into training dataset (first 70%) and validation dataset (remaining 30%) randomly. The training dataset was used to identify prognostic biomarkers and construct risk prediction model, in addition, the validation dataset was used to verify the predictive performance of the model. We used Cox proportional hazard analysis and the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis to identify the significant predictive biomarkers, and establish the relapse risk prediction model from the identified biomarkers. Results A 6‐DNA methylation signature yielded a high evaluative performance for RFS. The Kaplan‐Meier analysis indicated that the 6‐DNA methylation signature could significantly distinguish the high‐ and low‐risk patients in training, validation and entire sets. In addition, a nomogram was constructed based on risk score, metastasis status and residual tumor status, and C‐index, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and the calibration plots analysis which demonstrated the good performance and clinical utility of the nomogram. Conclusions The results suggested that the 6‐DNA methylation signature is the independent prognostic marker for RFS and functioned as a significant tool for guiding the clinical treatment of TPC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hengyu Chen
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.,NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital, Tianjin, China
| | - Xianxiong Ma
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Pancreatic Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Mengyi Wang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
| | - Tao Huang
- Department of Breast and Thyroid Surgery, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
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Colorectal Cancer Early Detection in Stool Samples Tracing CpG Islands Methylation Alterations Affecting Gene Expression. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124494. [PMID: 32599859 PMCID: PMC7349989 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 06/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major cause of cancer mortality. Early diagnosis is relevant for its prevention and treatment. Since DNA methylation alterations are early events in tumourigenesis and can be detected in cell-free DNA, they represent promising biomarkers for early CRC diagnosis through non-invasive methods. In our previous work, we identified 74 early altered CpG islands (CGIs) associated with genes involved in cell cross-talking and cell signalling pathways. The aim of this work was to test whether methylation-based biomarkers could be detected in non-invasive matrices. Our results confirmed methylation alterations of GRIA4 and VIPR2 in CRC tissues, using MethyLight, as well as in stool samples, using a much more sensitive technique as droplet digital PCR. Furthermore, we analysed expression levels of selected genes whose promoter CGIs were hypermethylated in CRC, detecting downregulation at mRNA and protein levels in CRC tissue for GRIA4, VIPR2, SPOCK1 and SLC6A3. Most of these genes were already lowly expressed in colon normal tissues supporting the idea that cancer DNA methylation targets genes already barely expressed in the matched normal tissues. Our study suggests GRIA4 and VIPR2 as biomarkers for early CRC diagnosis using stool samples and confirms downregulation of genes hypermethylated in CRC.
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Wang L, Lv Y, Liu G. The roles of SHANK1 in the development of colon cancer. Cell Biochem Funct 2020; 38:669-675. [PMID: 32356303 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.3529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
SH3 and multiple ankyrin repeat domains protein 1 (SHANK1) belongs to a family of postsynaptic scaffolding proteins. In this study, we found that SHANK1 was abnormally high expressed in colon cancer tissues compared to normal tissues. Colon cancer patients with low SHANK1 expression had better prognosis. Furthermore, the expression of SHANK1 was knocked down in human colon cancer cell lines HCT116 and HT29 and the role of SHANK1 was investigated in colon cancer tumorigenesis. Our results showed that the knockdown of SHANK1 inhibited the survival and proliferation of both cells. The migration of these two cell lines was significantly reduced and the apoptosis was induced compared with control cells. The Bax/Bcl-2 ratio in both cell lines that SHANK1 was knocked down was increased, which is a signal that the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway was triggered. In addition, we observed that knockdown of SHANK1 reduced the expression of phosphorylated forms of AKT and mTOR. These data suggested that loss of SHANK1 inhibited viability and induced apoptosis of HCT116 and HT29 cells through the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Our data revealed that SHANK1 played important roles in the growth of colon cancer cells and may be used as a novel strategy for colon cancer therapy. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: Herein, we reported that SHANK1 was abnormally high expressed in colon cancer tissues and associated with worse prognosis of patients. In addition, knockdown of SHANK1 inhibited viability and induced apoptosis in colon cancer cell lines through AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. These data suggest that SHANK1 may be a new oncogene in colon cancer. This study reveals the role of SHANK1 in addition to neuronal development and cognitive development. And it provides a new potential target for the prediction and treatment of colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wang
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Ying Lv
- Department of Gastroenterology, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Guoqin Liu
- Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Jinan Central Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
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