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Mi J, Wang Y, He S, Qin X, Li Z, Zhang T, Huang W, Wang R. LncRNA HOTAIRM1 promotes radioresistance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma by modulating FTO acetylation-dependent alternative splicing of CD44. Neoplasia 2024; 56:101034. [PMID: 39128424 PMCID: PMC11367117 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2024.101034] [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: 02/05/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Radiotherapy is the primary treatment for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC); however, almost 20% of patients experience treatment failure due to radioresistance. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms of radioresistance is imperative. HOTAIRM1 is deregulated in various human cancers, yet its role in NPC radioresistance are largely unclear. METHODS This study investigated the association between HOTAIRM1 and radioresistance using CCK8, flow cytometry, and comet assays. Additionally, xenograft mice and patient-derived xenografts (PDX) models were employed to elucidate the biological functions of HOTAIRM1, and transcriptomic RNA sequencing was utilized to identify its target genes. RESULTS Our study revealed an upregulation of HOTAIRM1 levels in radioresistant NPC cell lines and tissues. Furthermore, a positive correlation was noted between high HOTAIRM1 expression and increased NPC cell proliferation, reduced apoptosis, G2/M cell cycle arrest, and diminished cellular DNA damage following radiotherapy. HOTAIRM1 modulates the acetylation and stability of the FTO protein, and inhibiting FTO elevates the m6A methylation level of CD44 precursor transcripts in NPC cells. Additionally, silencing the m6A reading protein YTHDC1 was found to increase the expression of CD44V. HOTAIRM1 enhances NPC cell resistance to ferroptosis and irradiation through the HOTAIRM1-FTO-YTHDC1-CD44 axis. Mechanistically, HOTAIRM1 interacts with the FTO protein and induces m6A demethylation of the CD44 transcript. The absence of m6A modification in the CD44 transcript prevents its recognition by YTHDC1, resulting in the transition from CD44S to CD44V. An abundance of CD44V suppresses ferroptosis induced by irradiation and contributes to NPC radioresistance. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, the results in this study support the idea that HOTAIRM1 stimulates CD44 alternative splicing via FTO-mediated demethylation, thereby attenuating ferroptosis induced by irradiation and promoting NPC radioresistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinglin Mi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Yiru Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Siyi He
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Xinling Qin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Zhixun Li
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Tingting Zhang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China
| | - Weimei Huang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China.
| | - Rensheng Wang
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Guangxi Key Laboratory of Immunology and Metabolism for Liver Diseases, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China; Key Laboratory of Early Prevention and Treatment for Regional High-Frequency Tumors (Guangxi Medical University), Ministry of Education, Nanning, Guangxi 530021, China.
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Godschalk R, Faulk C, LaRocca J, van Benthem J, Marchetti F. Epigenotoxicity: Decoding the epigenetic imprints of genotoxic agents and their implications for regulatory genetic toxicology. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2024. [PMID: 39262275 DOI: 10.1002/em.22626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 08/16/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/13/2024]
Abstract
Regulatory genetic toxicology focuses on DNA damage and subsequent gene mutations. However, genotoxic agents can also affect epigenetic marks, and incorporation of epigenetic data into the regulatory framework may thus enhance the accuracy of risk assessment. Additionally, epigenetic alterations may identify non-genotoxic carcinogens that are not captured with the current battery of tests. Epigenetic alterations could also explain long-term consequences and potential transgenerational effects in the absence of DNA mutations. Therefore, at the 2022 International Workshops on Genotoxicity Testing (IWGT) in Ottawa (Ontario, Canada), an expert workgroup explored whether including epigenetic endpoints would improve regulatory genetic toxicology. Here we summarize the presentations and the discussions on technical advancements in assessing epigenetics, how the assessment of epigenetics can enhance strategies for detecting genotoxic and non-genotoxic carcinogens and the correlation between epigenetic alterations with other relevant apical endpoints.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Godschalk
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School for Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | | | | | - Jan van Benthem
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Francesco Marchetti
- Environmental Health Science and Research Bureau, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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Lau CH, Liang QL, Zhu H. Next-generation CRISPR technology for genome, epigenome and mitochondrial editing. Transgenic Res 2024:10.1007/s11248-024-00404-x. [PMID: 39158822 DOI: 10.1007/s11248-024-00404-x] [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: 06/04/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/20/2024]
Abstract
The application of rapidly growing CRISPR toolboxes and methods has great potential to transform biomedical research. Here, we provide a snapshot of up-to-date CRISPR toolboxes, then critically discuss the promises and hurdles associated with CRISPR-based nuclear genome editing, epigenome editing, and mitochondrial editing. The technical challenges and key solutions to realize epigenome editing in vivo, in vivo base editing and prime editing, mitochondrial editing in complex tissues and animals, and CRISPR-associated transposases and integrases in targeted genomic integration of very large DNA payloads are discussed. Lastly, we discuss the latest situation of the CRISPR/Cas9 clinical trials and provide perspectives on CRISPR-based gene therapy. Apart from technical shortcomings, ethical and societal considerations for CRISPR applications in human therapeutics and research are extensively highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cia-Hin Lau
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China
| | - Qing-Le Liang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Medicine, Chongqing University Jiangjin Hospital, Chongqing, China
| | - Haibao Zhu
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China.
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Reda A, Hategan LA, McLean TAB, Creighton SD, Luo JQ, Chen SES, Hua S, Winston S, Reeves I, Padmanabhan A, Dahi TA, Ramzan F, Brimble MA, Murphy PJ, Walters BJ, Stefanelli G, Zovkic IB. Role of the histone variant H2A.Z.1 in memory, transcription, and alternative splicing is mediated by lysine modification. Neuropsychopharmacology 2024; 49:1285-1295. [PMID: 38366138 PMCID: PMC11224360 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-024-01817-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Creating long-lasting memories requires learning-induced changes in gene expression, which are impacted by epigenetic modifications of DNA and associated histone proteins. Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones are key regulators of transcription, with different PTMs producing unique effects on gene activity and behavior. Although recent studies implicate histone variants as novel regulators of memory, effects of PTMs on the function of histone variants are rarely considered. We previously showed that the histone variant H2A.Z suppresses memory, but it is unclear if this role is impacted by H2A.Z acetylation, a PTM that is typically associated with positive effects on transcription and memory. To answer this question, we used a mutation approach to manipulate acetylation on H2A.Z without impacting acetylation of other histone types. Specifically, we used adeno-associated virus (AAV) constructs to overexpress mutated H2A.Z.1 isoforms that either mimic acetylation (acetyl-mimic) by replacing lysines 4, 7 and 11 with glutamine (KQ), or H2A.Z.1 with impaired acetylation (acetyl-defective) by replacing the same lysines with alanine (KA). Expressing the H2A.Z.1 acetyl-mimic (H2A.Z.1KQ) improved memory under weak learning conditions, whereas expressing the acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1KA generally impaired memory, indicating that the effect of H2A.Z.1 on memory depends on its acetylation status. RNA sequencing showed that H2A.Z.1KQ and H2A.Z.1KA uniquely impact the expression of different classes of genes in both females and males. Specifically, H2A.Z.1KA preferentially impacts genes involved in synaptic function, suggesting that acetyl-defective H2A.Z.1 impairs memory by altering synaptic regulation. Finally, we describe, for the first time, that H2A.Z is also involved in alternative splicing of neuronal genes, whereby H2A.Z depletion, as well as expression of H2A.Z.1 lysine mutants influence transcription and splicing of different gene targets, suggesting that H2A.Z.1 can impact behavior through effects on both splicing and gene expression. This is the first study to demonstrate that direct manipulation of H2A.Z post-translational modifications regulates memory, whereby acetylation adds another regulatory layer by which histone variants can fine tune higher brain functions through effects on gene expression and splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anas Reda
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Luca A Hategan
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Timothy A B McLean
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Samantha D Creighton
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Jian Qi Luo
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Sean En Si Chen
- Department of Cell & Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3G3, Canada
| | - Shan Hua
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Stephen Winston
- Department of Surgery and Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Isaiah Reeves
- Department of Surgery and Graduate school of Biomedical Sciences, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Aditya Padmanabhan
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Tarkan A Dahi
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Firyal Ramzan
- Department of Biology, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Mark A Brimble
- Department of Host-Microbe Interactions, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Patrick J Murphy
- Departments of Biology and Biomedical Genetics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA
| | - Brandon J Walters
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Gilda Stefanelli
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1N 6N5, Canada.
| | - Iva B Zovkic
- Department of Psychology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, L5L 1C6, Canada.
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Azhar M, Xu C, Jiang X, Li W, Cao Y, Zhu X, Xing X, Wu L, Zou J, Meng L, Cheng Y, Han W, Bao J. The arginine methyltransferase Prmt1 coordinates the germline arginine methylome essential for spermatogonial homeostasis and male fertility. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:10428-10450. [PMID: 37739418 PMCID: PMC10602896 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Arginine methylation, catalyzed by the protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs), is a common post-translational protein modification (PTM) that is engaged in a plethora of biological events. However, little is known about how the methylarginine-directed signaling functions in germline development. In this study, we discover that Prmt1 is predominantly distributed in the nuclei of spermatogonia but weakly in the spermatocytes throughout mouse spermatogenesis. By exploiting a combination of three Cre-mediated Prmt1 knockout mouse lines, we unravel that Prmt1 is essential for spermatogonial establishment and maintenance, and that Prmt1-catalyzed asymmetric methylarginine coordinates inherent transcriptional homeostasis within spermatogonial cells. In conjunction with high-throughput CUT&Tag profiling and modified mini-bulk Smart-seq2 analyses, we unveil that the Prmt1-deposited H4R3me2a mark is permissively enriched at promoter and exon/intron regions, and sculpts a distinctive transcriptomic landscape as well as the alternative splicing pattern, in the mouse spermatogonia. Collectively, our study provides the genetic and mechanistic evidence that connects the Prmt1-deposited methylarginine signaling to the establishment and maintenance of a high-fidelity transcriptomic identity in orchestrating spermatogonial development in the mammalian germline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Azhar
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Caoling Xu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Xue Jiang
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Wenqing Li
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Yuzhu Cao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Xiaoli Zhu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Xuemei Xing
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Limin Wu
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
| | - Jiaqi Zou
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Lan Meng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Yu Cheng
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Wenjie Han
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
| | - Jianqiang Bao
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Reproductive and Genetic Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230001, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), Anhui, China
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