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Zhang M, Hu T, Ma T, Huang W, Wang Y. Epigenetics and environmental health. Front Med 2024; 18:571-596. [PMID: 38806988 DOI: 10.1007/s11684-023-1038-2] [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: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and RNA modifications complicate gene regulation and heredity and profoundly impact various physiological and pathological processes. In recent years, accumulating evidence indicates that epigenetics is vulnerable to environmental changes and regulates the growth, development, and diseases of individuals by affecting chromatin activity and regulating gene expression. Environmental exposure or induced epigenetic changes can regulate the state of development and lead to developmental disorders, aging, cardiovascular disease, Alzheimer's disease, cancers, and so on. However, epigenetic modifications are reversible. The use of specific epigenetic inhibitors targeting epigenetic changes in response to environmental exposure is useful in disease therapy. Here, we provide an overview of the role of epigenetics in various diseases. Furthermore, we summarize the mechanism of epigenetic alterations induced by different environmental exposures, the influence of different environmental exposures, and the crosstalk between environmental variation epigenetics, and genes that are implicated in the body's health. However, the interaction of multiple factors and epigenetics in regulating the initiation and progression of various diseases complicates clinical treatments. We discuss some commonly used epigenetic drugs targeting epigenetic modifications and methods to prevent or relieve various diseases regulated by environmental exposure and epigenetics through diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Ting Hu
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
| | - Tianyu Ma
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China
| | - Wei Huang
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
| | - Yan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Cancer and Microbiome, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100021, China.
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Cancer Invasion and Metastasis Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100069, China.
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Vera-Chang MN, Danforth JM, Stuart M, Goodarzi AA, Brand M, Richardson RB. Profound DNA methylomic differences between single- and multi-fraction alpha irradiations of lung fibroblasts. Clin Epigenetics 2023; 15:174. [PMID: 37891670 PMCID: PMC10612361 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-023-01564-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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alpha (α)-radiation is a ubiquitous environmental agent with epigenotoxic effects. Human exposure to α-radiation at potentially harmful levels can occur repetitively over the long term via inhalation of naturally occurring radon gas that accumulates in enclosed spaces, or as a result of a single exposure from a nuclear accident. Alterations in epigenetic DNA methylation (DNAm) have been implicated in normal aging and cancer pathogenesis. Nevertheless, the effects of aberrations in the methylome of human lung cells following exposure to single or multiple α-irradiation events on these processes remain unexplored. RESULTS We performed genome-wide DNAm profiling of human embryonic lung fibroblasts from control and irradiated cells using americium-241 α-sources. Cells were α-irradiated in quadruplicates to seven doses using two exposure regimens, a single-fraction (SF) where the total dose was given at once, and a multi-fraction (MF) method, where the total dose was equally distributed over 14 consecutive days. Our results revealed that SF irradiations were prone to a decrease in DNAm levels, while MF irradiations mostly increased DNAm. The analysis also showed that the gene body (i.e., exons and introns) was the region most altered by both the SF hypomethylation and the MF hypermethylation. Additionally, the MF irradiations induced the highest number of differentially methylated regions in genes associated with DNAm biomarkers of aging, carcinogenesis, and cardiovascular disease. The DNAm profile of the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes suggests that the fibroblasts manifested a defensive response to the MF α-irradiation. Key DNAm events of ionizing radiation exposure, including changes in methylation levels in mitochondria dysfunction-related genes, were mainly identified in the MF groups. However, these alterations were under-represented, indicating that the mitochondria undergo adaptive mechanisms, aside from DNAm, in response to radiation-induced oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS We identified a contrasting methylomic profile in the lung fibroblasts α-irradiated to SF compared with MF exposures. These findings demonstrate that the methylome response of the lung cells to α-radiation is highly dependent on both the total dose and the exposure regimen. They also provide novel insights into potential biomarkers of α-radiation, which may contribute to the development of innovative approaches to detect, prevent, and treat α-particle-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilyn N Vera-Chang
- Radiobiology and Health Branch, Chalk River Laboratories, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0, Canada
| | - John M Danforth
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, Robson DNA Science Centre, Charbonneau Cancer Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Marilyne Stuart
- Environment and Waste Technologies Branch, Chalk River Laboratories, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0, Canada
| | - Aaron A Goodarzi
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Oncology, Cumming School of Medicine, Robson DNA Science Centre, Charbonneau Cancer Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Marjorie Brand
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Richard B Richardson
- Radiobiology and Health Branch, Chalk River Laboratories, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories, Chalk River, ON, K0J 1J0, Canada.
- McGill Medical Physics Unit, Cedars Cancer Centre-Glen Site, Montreal, QC, H4A 3J1, Canada.
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Riudavets M, Garcia de Herreros M, Besse B, Mezquita L. Radon and Lung Cancer: Current Trends and Future Perspectives. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14133142. [PMID: 35804914 PMCID: PMC9264880 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14133142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Radon represents the main risk factor of lung cancer in non-smokers and the second one in smoking patients. In Europe, there are several radon-prone areas, but regulatory policies may vary between countries. Radon causes DNA damage and high genomic tumor instability, but its exact carcinogenesis mechanism in lung cancer remains unknown. Molecular drivers in NSCLC are more often described in non-smoker patients and a potential association between radon exposure and oncogenic-driven NSCLC has been postulated. This is an updated review on indoor radon exposure and its role in lung cancer carcinogenesis, especially focusing on its potential relation with NSCLC with driver genomic alterations. We want to contribute to rising knowledge and awareness on this still silent but preventable lung cancer risk factor. Abstract Lung cancer is a public health problem and the first cause of cancer death worldwide. Radon is a radioactive gas that tends to accumulate inside homes, and it is the second lung cancer risk factor after smoking, and the first one in non-smokers. In Europe, there are several radon-prone areas, and although the 2013/59 EURATOM directive is aimed to regulate indoor radon exposition, regulating measures can vary between countries. Radon emits alpha-ionizing radiation that has been linked to a wide variety of cytotoxic and genotoxic effects; however, the link between lung cancer and radon from the genomic point of view remains poorly described. Driver molecular alterations have been recently identified in non-small lung cancer (NSCLC), such as somatic mutations (EGFR, BRAF, HER2, MET) or chromosomal rearrangements (ALK, ROS1, RET, NTRK), mainly in the non-smoking population, where no risk factor has been identified yet. An association between radon exposure and oncogenic NSCLC in non-smokers has been hypothesised. This paper provides a practical, concise and updated review on the implications of indoor radon in lung cancer carcinogenesis, and especially of its potential relation with NSCLC with driver genomic alterations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariona Riudavets
- Medical Oncology Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University Paris-Saclay, F-94800 Villejuif, France;
| | - Marta Garcia de Herreros
- Medical Oncology Department Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (M.G.d.H.); (L.M.)
| | - Benjamin Besse
- Medical Oncology Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, University Paris-Saclay, F-94800 Villejuif, France;
- Correspondence:
| | - Laura Mezquita
- Medical Oncology Department Hospital Clínic i Provincial de Barcelona, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain; (M.G.d.H.); (L.M.)
- Laboratory of Translational Genomics and Targeted Therapies in Solid Tumors, IDIBAPS, 08036 Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Medicine, University of Barcelona, 08007 Barcelona, Spain
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Bulgakova O, Kussainova A, Kakabayev A, Kausbekova А, Bersimbaev R. Association of polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro with radon-induced lung cancer in the Kazakh population. Vavilovskii Zhurnal Genet Selektsii 2019. [DOI: 10.18699/vj19.530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is a problem of great concern and one of the commonest cancer diseases worldwide and in the Republic of Kazakhstan in particular. Radon exposure is classified as the second most important cause of lung cancer. According to the experts, the contribution of natural sources to the average annual radiation dose of the Kazakh population currently stands at 80 %, including 50 % from radon. However, the effect of radon on human health in the Republic of Kazakhstan is almost unknown. The tumor suppressor gene TP53 is a key mediator of the DNA damage response cascade following cell exposure to ionizing radiation. The common polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) is a risk factor for lung cancer in the Asian population, but until now no genetic association studies have been done in the Kazakh population. No information on the synergistic carcinogenic effect of radon exposure and polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) is available either. This paper presents the results of the study of association between alteration in the TP53 gene and radon-induced lung cancer risk in the Kazakh population. Genetic association was assessed in a case-control study including 44 radon-exposed patients with lung cancer, 41 patients with lung cancer without radon exposure and 42 age/sex-matched healthy controls. We found that polymorphism TP53 Arg72Pro (rs1042522) was associated with lung cancer risk in the Kazakh population (OR = 6.95, 95 % CI = 2.41–20.05). Individuals with the Arg72Pro genotype also showed a significantly higher risk of radon-induced lung cancer (OR = 8.6, 95 % CI = 2.6–28.59).
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Affiliation(s)
- O. Bulgakova
- L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Institute of Cell Biology and Biotechnology
| | - A. Kussainova
- L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Institute of Cell Biology and Biotechnology
| | | | - А. Kausbekova
- L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Institute of Cell Biology and Biotechnology
| | - R. Bersimbaev
- L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University, Institute of Cell Biology and Biotechnology
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Liu Q, Li H, You L, Li T, Li L, Zhou P, Bo X, Chen H, Chen X, Hu Y. Genome-wide identification and analysis of A-to-I RNA editing events in the malignantly transformed cell lines from bronchial epithelial cell line induced by α-particles radiation. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0213047. [PMID: 31158229 PMCID: PMC6546236 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Adenosine (A) to inosine (I) RNA editing is the most prevalent RNA editing mechanism in humans and plays critical roles in tumorigenesis. However, the effects of radiation on RNA editing were poorly understood, and a deeper understanding of the radiation-induced cancer is imperative. Here, we analyzed BEP2D (a human bronchial epithelial cell line) and radiation-induced malignantly transformed cell lines with next generation sequencing. By performing an integrated analysis of A-to-I RNA editing, we found that single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) might induce the downregulation of ADAR2 enzymes, and further caused the abnormal occurrence of RNA editing in malignantly transformed cell lines. These editing events were significantly enriched in differentially expressed genes between normal cell line and malignantly transformed cell lines. In addition, oncogenes CTNNB1 and FN1 were highly edited and significantly overexpressed in malignantly transformed cell lines, thus may be responsible for the lung cancer progression. Our work provides a systematic analysis of RNA editing from cell lines derived from human bronchial epithelial cells with high-throughput RNA sequencing and DNA sequencing. Moreover, these results provide further evidence for RNA editing as an important tumorigenesis mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaowei Liu
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Hao Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Lukuan You
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Tao Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Lingling Li
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Pingkun Zhou
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Xiaochen Bo
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
| | - Hebing Chen
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (YH); (XC); (HC)
| | - Xiaohua Chen
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (YH); (XC); (HC)
| | - Yi Hu
- Medical School of Chinese PLA, Beijing, P.R. China
- Department of Medical Oncology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, P.R. China
- * E-mail: (YH); (XC); (HC)
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Khatri A, Gu JJ, McKernan CM, Xu X, Pendergast AM. ABL kinase inhibition sensitizes primary lung adenocarcinomas to chemotherapy by promoting tumor cell differentiation. Oncotarget 2019; 10:1874-1886. [PMID: 30956771 PMCID: PMC6443011 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.26740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2019] [Accepted: 02/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States, with an overall five-year survival rate of ~16%. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for ~80% of all lung cancer cases, and the majority (40%) of these are adenocarcinomas. Loss of function point mutations in TP53 (46%) and activating mutations in KRAS (33%) are the most common mutations in human lung adenocarcinomas. Because neither of these genetic alterations are clinically actionable, chemotherapy remains the mainstay of treatment in patients with oncogenic KRAS driver mutations. However, chemoresistance to genotoxic agents such as docetaxel remains a major clinical challenge facing lung cancer patients. Here we show that ABL kinase allosteric inhibitors can be effectively used for the treatment of KrasG12D/+; p53-/- lung adenocarcinomas in an autochthonous mouse model. Unexpectedly, we found that treatment of tumor-bearing mice with an ABL allosteric inhibitor promoted differentiation of lung adenocarcinomas from poorly differentiated tumors expressing basal cell markers to tumors expressing terminal differentiation markers in vivo, which rendered lung adenocarcinomas susceptible to chemotherapy. These findings uncover a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of lung adenocarcinomas with poor response to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaditya Khatri
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Jing Jin Gu
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Courtney M. McKernan
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Xia Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
| | - Ann Marie Pendergast
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA
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Jin YW, Seo S. Radon and Lung Cancer: Disease Burden and High-risk Populations in Korea. J Korean Med Sci 2018; 33:e210. [PMID: 30008632 PMCID: PMC6041479 DOI: 10.3346/jkms.2018.33.e210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Young Woo Jin
- National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea
| | - Songwon Seo
- National Radiation Emergency Medical Center, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul, Korea
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