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Mishra HK, Wei H, LeRoux M, Ko I, Rohr KE, Nievergelt CM, Maihofer AX, Shilling P, Alda M, Berrettini WH, Calabrese JR, Coryell WH, Frye M, Gershon E, McInnis MG, Nurnberger J, Oedegaard KJ, Zandi PP, Kelsoe JR, McCarthy MJ. Differential contributions of circadian clock genes to cell survival in bipolar disorder patient derived neuronal progenitor cells distinguishes lithium responders and non-responders. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4331810. [PMID: 38746315 PMCID: PMC11092846 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4331810/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Bipolar disorder (BD) is characterized by disrupted circadian rhythms and neuronal loss. Lithium is neuroprotective and used to treat BD, but outcomes are variable. Past research identified that circadian rhythms in BD patient neurons are associated with lithium response (Li-R) or non-response (Li-NR). However, the underlying cellular mechanisms remain unknown. To study interactions among circadian clock genes and cell survival, and their role in BD and predicting lithium response, we tested selected genes (PER1, BMAL1 and REV-ERBα) and small molecule modulators of ROR/REV-ERB nuclear receptors in models of cell survival using mouse neurons and stem-cell derived neuronal progenitor cells (NPC) from BD patients and controls. In apoptosis assays using staurosporine (STS), lithium was neuroprotective. Knockdown of PER1, BMAL1 and REV-ERBα modified cell survival across models. In NPCs, reduced expression of PER1 and BMAL1 led to more extensive cell death in Li-NR vs. Li-R. Reduced REV-ERBα expression caused more extensive cell death in BD vs. control NPCs, without distinguishing Li-R and Li-NR. In IMHN, The REV-ERB agonist GSK4112 had strong effects on circadian rhythm amplitude, and was neuroprotective in mouse neurons and control NPCs, but not in BD NPCs. Expression of cell survival genes following STS and GSK4112 treatments revealed BD-associated, and Li-R associated differences in expression profiles. We conclude that the neuroprotective response to lithium is similar in NPCs from Li-R and Li-NR. However, knockdown of circadian clock genes or stimulation of REV-ERBs reveal distinct contributions to cell death in BD patient NPCs, some of which distinguish Li-R and Li-NR.
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Sun M, Zhao B, Chen T, Yao L, Li X, Hu S, Chen C, Gao X, Tang C. Novel molecular typing reveals the risk of recurrence in patients with early-stage papillary thyroid cancer. Thyroid Res 2024; 17:7. [PMID: 38556856 PMCID: PMC10983671 DOI: 10.1186/s13044-024-00193-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is an indolent disease with a favorable prognosis but characterized by a high recurrence rate. We aimed to improve precise stratification of recurrence risk in PTC patients with early stage using multi-gene signatures. PATIENTS AND METHODS The present study was performed using data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and multi-center datasets. Unsupervised consensus clustering was used to obtain the optimal molecular subtypes and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) analysis was performed to identify potential genes for the construction of recurrence signature. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and the log-rank test was used to detect survival differences. Harrells concordance index (C-index) was used to assess the performance of the DNA damage repair (DDR) recurrence signature. RESULTS Through screening 8 candidate gene sets, the entire cohort was successfully stratified into two recurrence-related molecular subtypes based on DDR genes: DDR-high subtype and DDR-low subtype. The recurrence rate of DDR-high subtype was significantly lower than DDR-low subtype [HR = 0.288 (95%CI, 0.084-0.986), P = 0.047]. Further, a two-gene DDR recurrence signature was constructed, including PER1 and EME2. The high-risk group showed a significantly worse recurrence-free survival (RFS) than the low-risk group [HR = 10.647 (95%CI, 1.363-83.197), P = 0.024]. The multi-center data demonstrated that proportion of patients with low expression of PER1 and EME2 was higher in the recurrence group than those in the non-recurrence group. CONCLUSIONS These findings could help accurately and reliably identify PTC patients with high risk of recurrence so that they could receive more radical and aggressive treatment strategies and more rigorous surveillance practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingyu Sun
- Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Medical College of Southeast University, Xuzhou, 221009, China
| | - Bingqing Zhao
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Tianjin Hospital of ITCWM Nankai Hospital, Tianjin, 300100, China
| | - Tao Chen
- The Xuzhou Clinical College of Xuzhou Medical University, Jiangsu, 221009, China
| | - Lijun Yao
- Department of Oncology, Suzhou Ninth People's Hospital, Suzhou, 215200, China
| | - Xiaoxin Li
- Department of Pathology, Xuzhou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Medical College of Southeast University, Xuzhou, 221009, China
| | - Shaojun Hu
- Department of Oncology, Suzhou Ninth People's Hospital, Suzhou, 215200, China
| | - Chengling Chen
- Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Medical College of Southeast University, Xuzhou, 221009, China.
| | - Xinbao Gao
- Department of Surgery for Vascular Thyroid and Hernia, Xuzhou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Medical College of Southeast University, Xuzhou, 221009, China.
| | - Chuangang Tang
- Department of Breast Surgery, Xuzhou Central Hospital, The Affiliated Xuzhou Hospital of Medical College of Southeast University, Xuzhou, 221009, China.
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Yang X, Zheng M, Ning Y, Sun J, Yu Y, Zhang S. Prognostic risk factors of serous ovarian carcinoma based on mesenchymal stem cell phenotype and guidance for therapeutic efficacy. J Transl Med 2023; 21:456. [PMID: 37434173 DOI: 10.1186/s12967-023-04284-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Epithelial ovarian cancer is the leading cause of death from gynecologic cancer, in which serous ovarian carcinoma (SOC) is the most common histological subtype. Although PARP inhibitors (PARPi) and antiangiogenics have been accepted as maintenance treatment in SOC, response to immunotherapy of SOC patients is limited. METHODS The source of transcriptomic data of SOC was from the Cancer Genome Atlas database and Gene Expression Omnibus. The abundance scores of mesenchymal stem cells (MSC scores) were estimated for each sample by xCell. Weighted correlation network analysis is correlated the significant genes with MSC scores. Based on prognostic risk model construction with Cox regression analysis, patients with SOC were divided into low- and high-risk groups. And distribution of immune cells, immunosuppressors and pro-angiogenic factors in different risk groups was achieved by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis. The risk model of MSC scores was further validated in datasets of immune checkpoint blockade and antiangiogenic therapy. In the experiment, the mRNA expression of prognostic genes related to MSC scores was detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction, while the protein level was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS Three prognostic genes (PER1, AKAP12 and MMP17) were the constituents of risk model. Patients classified as high-risk exhibited worse prognosis, presented with an immunosuppressive phenotype, and demonstrated high micro-vessel density. Additionally, these patients were insensitive to immunotherapy and would achieve a longer overall survival with antiangiogenesis treatment. The validation experiments showed that the mRNA of PER1, AKAP12, and MMP17 was highly expressed in normal ovarian epithelial cells compared to SOC cell lines and there was a positive correlation between protein levels of PER1, AKAP12 and MMP17 and metastasis in human ovarian serous tumors. CONCLUSION This prognostic model established on MSC scores can predict prognosis of patients and provide the guidance for patients receiving immunotherapy and molecular targeted therapy. Because the number of prognostic genes was fewer than other signatures of SOC, it will be easily accessible on clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohui Yang
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Minying Zheng
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, 300121, People's Republic of China
| | - Yidi Ning
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Sun
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongjun Yu
- Nankai University School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Shiwu Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, 300121, People's Republic of China.
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Mhatre A, Koroth J, Manjunath M, Kumar S S, Gawari R, Choudhary B. Multi-omics analysis of the Indian ovarian cancer cohort revealed histotype-specific mutation and gene expression patterns. Front Genet 2023; 14:1102114. [PMID: 37091785 PMCID: PMC10117685 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1102114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction: In India, OVCa is women’s third most common and lethal cancer type, accounting for 6.7% of observed cancer incidences. The contribution of somatic mutations, aberrant expression of gene and splice forms in determining the cell fate, gene networks, tumour-specific variants, and the role of immune fraction infiltration have been proven essential in understanding tumorigenesis. However, their interplay in OVCa in a histotype-specific manner remains unclear in the Indian context. In the present study, we aimed to unravel the Indian population histotype-specific exome variants, differentially expressed gene modules, splice events and immune profiles of OVCa samples.Methods: We analysed 10 tumour samples across 4 ovarian cancer histotypes along with 2 normal patient samples. This included BCFtool utilities and CNVkit for exome, WGCNA and DESeq2 for obtaining differential module hub genes and dysregulated miRNA targets, CIBERSORTx for individual immune profiles and rMATS for tumour specific splice variants.Result: We identified population-specific novel mutations in Cancer Gene Census Tier1 and Tier2 genes. MUC16, MUC4, CIITA, and NCOR2 were among the most mutated genes, along with TP53. Transcriptome analysis showed significant overexpression of mutated genes MUC16, MUC4, and CIITA, whereas NCOR2 was downregulated. WGCNA revealed histotype-specific gene hubs and networks. Among the significant pathways, alteration in the immune system was one of the pathways, and immune profiling using CIBERSORTx revealed histotype-specific immune cell fraction. miRNA analysis revealed miR-200 family, miR-200a and miR-429 were upregulated in HGSOCs.Splice factor abrasion caused splicing perturbations, with the most abundant alternative splice event being exon skipping and the most spliced gene, SNHG17. Pathway analysis of spliced genes revealed translational elongation and Base excision repair as the pathways altered in OVCa.Conclusion: Integrated exome, transcriptome, and splicing patterns revealed different population-specific molecular signatures of ovarian cancer histotypes in the Indian Cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anisha Mhatre
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Jinsha Koroth
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Meghana Manjunath
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Graduate Student Registered Under Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Ramesh Gawari
- Kidwai Cancer Institute of Oncology, Bangalore, India
| | - Bibha Choudhary
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- *Correspondence: Bibha Choudhary,
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Santoni M, Molina-Cerrillo J, Santoni G, Lam ET, Massari F, Mollica V, Mazzaschi G, Rapoport BL, Grande E, Buti S. Role of Clock Genes and Circadian Rhythm in Renal Cell Carcinoma: Recent Evidence and Therapeutic Consequences. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15020408. [PMID: 36672355 PMCID: PMC9856936 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15020408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Circadian rhythm regulates cellular differentiation and physiology and shapes the immune response. Altered expression of clock genes might lead to the onset of common malignant cancers, including Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC). Data from Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) indicate that clock genes PER1-3, CRY2, CLOCK, NR1D2 and RORα are overexpressed in RCC tissues and correlate with patients' prognosis. The expression of clock genes could finely tune transcription factor activity in RCC and is associated with the extent of immune cell infiltration. The clock system interacts with hypoxia-induced factor-1α (HIF-1α) and regulates the circadian oscillation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) activity thereby conditioning the antitumor effect of mTOR inhibitors. The stimulation of natural killer (NK) cell activity exerted by the administration of interferon-α, a cornerstone of the first era of immunotherapy for RCC, relevantly varies according to circadian dosing time. Recent evidence demonstrated that time-of-day infusion directly affects the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors in cancer patients. Compounds targeting the circadian clock have been identified and their role in the era of immunotherapy deserves to be further investigated. In this review, we aimed at addressing the impact of clock genes on the natural history of kidney cancer and their potential therapeutic implications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Santoni
- Oncology Unit, Macerata Hospital, Via Santa Lucia 2, 62100 Macerata, Italy
| | | | - Giorgio Santoni
- Scuola di Scienze del Farmaco e dei Prodotti della Salute, Università di Camerino, 62032 Camerino, Italy
| | - Elaine T. Lam
- University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
| | - Francesco Massari
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni-15, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Veronica Mollica
- Medical Oncology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Via Albertoni-15, 40138 Bologna, Italy
| | - Giulia Mazzaschi
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
| | - Bernardo L. Rapoport
- The Medical Oncology Centre of Rosebank, 129 Oxford Road, Saxonwold, Johannesburg 2196, South Africa
- Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Corner Doctor Savage Road and Bophelo Road, Pretoria 0002, South Africa
| | - Enrique Grande
- Department of Medical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center Madrid, 28033 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sebastiano Buti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, 43121 Parma, Italy
- Correspondence: or ; Tel.: +39-0521-702314; Fax: +39-0521-995448
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Sanford ABA, da Cunha LS, Machado CB, de Pinho Pessoa FMC, Silva ANDS, Ribeiro RM, Moreira FC, de Moraes Filho MO, de Moraes MEA, de Souza LEB, Khayat AS, Moreira-Nunes CA. Circadian Rhythm Dysregulation and Leukemia Development: The Role of Clock Genes as Promising Biomarkers. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158212. [PMID: 35897788 PMCID: PMC9332415 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The circadian clock (CC) is a daily system that regulates the oscillations of physiological processes and can respond to the external environment in order to maintain internal homeostasis. For the functioning of the CC, the clock genes (CG) act in different metabolic pathways through the clock-controlled genes (CCG), providing cellular regulation. The CC’s interruption can result in the development of different diseases, such as neurodegenerative and metabolic disorders, as well as cancer. Leukemias correspond to a group of malignancies of the blood and bone marrow that occur when alterations in normal cellular regulatory processes cause the uncontrolled proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells. This review aimed to associate a deregulated CC with the manifestation of leukemia, looking for possible pathways involving CG and their possible role as leukemic biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Beatriz Aguiar Sanford
- Unichristus University Center, Faculty of Biomedicine, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (A.B.A.S.); (L.S.d.C.)
| | - Leidivan Sousa da Cunha
- Unichristus University Center, Faculty of Biomedicine, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (A.B.A.S.); (L.S.d.C.)
| | - Caio Bezerra Machado
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (C.B.M.); (F.M.C.d.P.P.); (M.O.d.M.F.); (M.E.A.d.M.)
| | - Flávia Melo Cunha de Pinho Pessoa
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (C.B.M.); (F.M.C.d.P.P.); (M.O.d.M.F.); (M.E.A.d.M.)
| | - Abigail Nayara dos Santos Silva
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oncology Research Center, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (A.N.d.S.S.); (F.C.M.); (A.S.K.)
| | | | - Fabiano Cordeiro Moreira
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oncology Research Center, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (A.N.d.S.S.); (F.C.M.); (A.S.K.)
| | - Manoel Odorico de Moraes Filho
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (C.B.M.); (F.M.C.d.P.P.); (M.O.d.M.F.); (M.E.A.d.M.)
| | - Maria Elisabete Amaral de Moraes
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (C.B.M.); (F.M.C.d.P.P.); (M.O.d.M.F.); (M.E.A.d.M.)
| | - Lucas Eduardo Botelho de Souza
- Center for Cell-Based Therapy, Regional Blood Center of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 14051-140, SP, Brazil;
| | - André Salim Khayat
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oncology Research Center, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (A.N.d.S.S.); (F.C.M.); (A.S.K.)
| | - Caroline Aquino Moreira-Nunes
- Unichristus University Center, Faculty of Biomedicine, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (A.B.A.S.); (L.S.d.C.)
- Pharmacogenetics Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Drug Research and Development Center (NPDM), Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza 60430-275, CE, Brazil; (C.B.M.); (F.M.C.d.P.P.); (M.O.d.M.F.); (M.E.A.d.M.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, Oncology Research Center, Federal University of Pará, Belém 66073-005, PA, Brazil; (A.N.d.S.S.); (F.C.M.); (A.S.K.)
- Northeast Biotechnology Network (RENORBIO), Itaperi Campus, Ceará State University, Fortaleza 60740-903, CE, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Recent Advances in Chronotherapy Targeting Respiratory Diseases. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13122008. [PMID: 34959290 PMCID: PMC8704788 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13122008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Respiratory diseases contribute to a significant percentage of mortality and morbidity worldwide. The circadian rhythm is a natural biological process where our bodily functions align with the 24 h oscillation (sleep-wake cycle) process and are controlled by the circadian clock protein/gene. Disruption of the circadian rhythm could alter normal lung function. Chronotherapy is a type of therapy provided at specific time intervals based on an individual's circadian rhythm. This would allow the drug to show optimum action, and thereby modulate its pharmacokinetics to lessen unwanted or unintended effects. In this review, we deliberated on the recent advances employed in chrono-targeted therapeutics for chronic respiratory diseases.
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Koyanagi S. Chrono-Pharmaceutical Approaches to Optimize Dosing Regimens Based on the Circadian Clock Machinery. Biol Pharm Bull 2021; 44:1577-1584. [PMID: 34719634 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b21-00476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Daily rhythmic variations in biological functions affect the efficacy and/or toxicity of drugs: a large number of drugs cannot be expected to exhibit the same potency at different administration times. The "circadian clock" is an endogenous timing system that broadly regulates metabolism, physiology and behavior. In mammals, this clock governs the oscillatory expression of the majority of genes with a period length of approximately 24 h. Genetic studies have revealed that molecular components of the circadian clock regulate the expression of genes responsible for the sensitivity to drugs and their disposition. The circadian control of pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics enables 'chrono-pharmaceutical' applications, namely drug administration at appropriate times of day to optimize the therapeutic index (efficacy vs. toxicity). On the other hand, a variety of pathological conditions also exhibit marked day-night changes in symptom intensity. Currently, novel therapeutic approaches are facilitated by the development of chemical compound targeted to key proteins that cause circadian exacerbation of disease events. This review presents an overview of the current understanding of the role of the circadian biological clock in regulating drug efficacy and disease conditions, and also describes the importance of identifying the difference in the circadian machinery between diurnal and nocturnal animals to select the most appropriate times of day to administer drugs in humans.
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Carbone A, De Santis E, Cela O, Giambra V, Miele L, Marrone G, Grieco A, Buschbeck M, Capitanio N, Mazza T, Mazzoccoli G. The Histone Variant MacroH2A1 Impacts Circadian Gene Expression and Cell Phenotype in an In Vitro Model of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9081057. [PMID: 34440260 PMCID: PMC8391426 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9081057] [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: 08/04/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. A foremost risk factor for HCC is obesity/metabolic syndrome-related non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is prompted by remarkable changes in transcription patterns of genes enriching metabolic, immune/inflammatory, and circadian pathways. Epigenetic mechanisms play a role in NAFLD-associated HCC, and macroH2A1, a variant of histone H2A, is involved in the pathogenesis modulating the expression of oncogenes and/or tumor suppressor genes and interacting with SIRT1, which crucially impacts the circadian clock circuitry. Hence, we aimed to appraise if and how macroH2A1 regulated the expression patterns of circadian genes in the setting of NAFLD-associated HCC. We took advantage of an in vitro model of liver cancer represented by HepG2 (human hepatocarcinoma) cells stably knocked down for macroH2A1 and conducted whole transcriptome profiling and deep phenotyping analysis. We found up-regulation of PER1 along with several deregulated circadian genes, enriching several important pathways and functions related to cancer onset and progression, such as epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, cell cycle deregulation, and DNA damage. PER1 silencing partially mitigated the malignant phenotype induced by the loss of macroH2A1 in HCC cells. In conclusion, our findings suggest a modulatory role for the core circadian protein PER1 in liver carcinogenesis in the context of a lack of the macroH2A1 epigenetic and transcriptional landscape.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalucia Carbone
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Elisabetta De Santis
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine and Innovative Therapies (ISBReMIT), Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (E.D.S.); (V.G.)
| | - Olga Cela
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71100 Foggia, Italy; (O.C.); (N.C.)
| | - Vincenzo Giambra
- Institute for Stem Cell Biology, Regenerative Medicine and Innovative Therapies (ISBReMIT), Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy; (E.D.S.); (V.G.)
| | - Luca Miele
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli-IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.M.); (G.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Giuseppe Marrone
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli-IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.M.); (G.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Antonio Grieco
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli-IRCCS, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, 00168 Rome, Italy; (L.M.); (G.M.); (A.G.)
| | - Marcus Buschbeck
- Josep Carreras Leukaemia Research Institute, IJC Building, Can Ruti Campus Ctra de Can Ruti, Camí de les Escoles s/n, 08916 Badalona, Spain;
| | - Nazzareno Capitanio
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Foggia, 71100 Foggia, Italy; (O.C.); (N.C.)
| | - Tommaso Mazza
- Bioinformatics Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
| | - Gianluigi Mazzoccoli
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Internal Medicine and Chronobiology Laboratory, Fondazione IRCCS Casa Sollievo della Sofferenza, 71013 San Giovanni Rotondo, Italy;
- Correspondence: ; Tel./Fax: +39-(0882)-410-255
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