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Raghav A, Jeong GB. Nanoquercetin and Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Anticancer Therapeutics in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Cells 2024; 13:638. [PMID: 38607076 PMCID: PMC11011524 DOI: 10.3390/cells13070638] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite world-class sophisticated technologies, robotics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning approaches, cancer-associated mortalities and morbidities have shown continuous increments posing a healthcare burden. Drug-based interventions were associated with systemic toxicities and several limitations. Natural bioactive compounds derived nanoformulations, especially nanoquercetin (nQ), are alternative options to overcome drug-associated limitations. Moreover, the EVs-based cargo targeted delivery of nQ can have enormous potential in treating hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). EVs-based nQ delivery synergistically regulates and dysregulates several pathways, including NF-κB, p53, JAK/STAT, MAPK, Wnt/β-catenin, and PI3K/AKT, along with PBX3/ERK1/2/CDK2, and miRNAs intonation. Furthermore, discoveries on possible checkpoints of anticancer signaling pathways were studied, which might lead to the development of modified EVs infused with nQ for the development of innovative treatments for HCC. In this work, we abridged the control of such signaling systems using a synergetic strategy with EVs and nQ. The governing roles of extracellular vesicles controlling the expression of miRNAs were investigated, particularly in relation to HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Goo Bo Jeong
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, 155 Getbeol-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea;
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2
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Sang Y, Hu G, Xue J, Chen M, Hong S, Liu R. Risk stratification by combining common genetic mutations and TERT promoter methylation in papillary thyroid cancer. Endocrine 2024:10.1007/s12020-024-03722-6. [PMID: 38356100 DOI: 10.1007/s12020-024-03722-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Risk stratification based on somatic mutations in TERT promoter and BRAF/RAS has been well established for papillary thyroid cancer (PTC), and there is emerging evidence showed that TERT promoter methylation was frequently observed in thyroid cancer patients with adverse features. This study was aimed to comprehensive explore the prognostic value of BRAF/RAS mutations, TERT promoter mutations, and TERT promoter methylation in PTC. METHODS The relationships of BRAF/RAS mutations, TERT promoter mutations, and TERT promoter methylation with clinical characteristics and outcomes of PTC were analyzed in 382 patients with PTC. RESULTS TERT promoter mutation and hypermethylation were collectively observed in 52 (13.6%) samples and associated with BRAF/RAS mutation, aggressive clinical characteristics, and poor clinical outcomes of PTC. Coexistence of BRAF/RAS and TERT alterations was found in 45 of 382 (11.8%) PTC patients and strongly associated with old patient age, extrathyroidal extension, advanced pathologic T stage and metastasis. Importantly, patients with both BRAF/RAS and TERT alterations had higher rates of tumor recurrence (13.6% vs 1.5%, P = 0.042) and disease progression (24.4% vs 3.3%, P < 0.001) than patients without any alterations, and cox regression analysis revealed that the coexistence of BRAF/RAS and TERT alterations, but not BRAF/RAS or TERT alterations alone, increased the risk of progression-free interval with an adjusted HR of 10.35 (95% CI: 1.79-59.81, P = 0.009). CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that comprehensively analysis of BRAF/RAS mutations, TERT promoter mutation and methylation is an effective strategy to identify high-risk patients with PTC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Sang
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guanghui Hu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Junyu Xue
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mengke Chen
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shubin Hong
- Department of Endocrinology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rengyun Liu
- Institute of Precision Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, Zhongshan Second Road, Guangzhou, China.
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3
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Chua BH, Zaal Anuar N, Ferry L, Domrane C, Wittek A, Mukundan VT, Jha S, Butter F, Tenen DG, Defossez PA, Kappei D. E4F1 and ZNF148 are transcriptional activators of the -57A > C and wild-type TERT promoter. Genome Res 2023; 33:gr.277724.123. [PMID: 37918959 PMCID: PMC10760450 DOI: 10.1101/gr.277724.123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Point mutations within the TERT promoter are the most recurrent somatic noncoding mutations identified across different cancer types, including glioblastoma, melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and bladder cancer. They are most abundant at -146C > T and -124C > T, and rarer at -57A > C, with the latter originally described as a familial case, but subsequently shown also to occur somatically. All three mutations create de novo E26-specific (ETS) binding sites and result in activation of the TERT gene, allowing cancer cells to achieve replicative immortality. Here, we used a systematic proteomics screen to identify transcription factors preferentially binding to the -146C > T, -124C > T, and -57A > C mutations. Although we confirmed binding of multiple ETS factors to the mutant -146C > T and -124C > T sequences, we identified E4F1 as a -57A > C-specific binder and ZNF148 as a TERT wild-type (WT) promoter binder that showed reduced interaction with the -124C > T allele. Both proteins are activating transcription factors that bind specifically to the -57A > C and WT (at position 124) TERT promoter sequence in corresponding cell lines, and up-regulate TERT transcription and telomerase activity. Our work describes new regulators of TERT gene expression with possible roles in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boon Haow Chua
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117596 Singapore
| | - Nurkaiyisah Zaal Anuar
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Laure Ferry
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Cecilia Domrane
- Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Epigenetics and Cell Fate, F-75013 Paris, France
| | - Anna Wittek
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Vineeth T Mukundan
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
| | - Sudhakar Jha
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117596 Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
- Department of Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078, USA
| | - Falk Butter
- Institute of Molecular Biology (IMB), 55128 Mainz, Germany
- Institute of Molecular Virology and Cell Biology (IMVZ), Friedrich Loeffler Institute, 17493 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Daniel G Tenen
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA
| | | | - Dennis Kappei
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore;
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117596 Singapore
- NUS Center for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117599 Singapore
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4
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Gupta H, Inoue H, Nakai Y, Nakayama M, Jones T, Hicks JL, Kumar B, Gurel M, Nelson WG, Marzo AMD, Yegnasubramanian S. Progressive Spreading of DNA Methylation in the GSTP1 Promoter CpG Island across Transitions from Precursors to Invasive Prostate Cancer. Cancer Prev Res (Phila) 2023; 16:449-460. [PMID: 37347938 PMCID: PMC10529302 DOI: 10.1158/1940-6207.capr-22-0485] [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: 12/26/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Glutathione S-transferase pi 1 (GSTP1) is lowly expressed in normal prostate luminal cells and becomes induced in most proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) lesions. GSTP1 becomes silenced in prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and prostate adenocarcinoma (CaP) via cytosine-phospho-guanine (CpG) island promoter hypermethylation. However, GSTP1 methylation patterns in PIA and PIN, and their relationship to patterns in CaP are poorly understood. We used bisulfite genomic sequencing to examine patterns of GSTP1 promoter CpG island methylation in laser capture microdissected benign, PIA, PIN, and CaP regions from 32 subjects that underwent radical prostatectomy. We analyzed 908 sequence clones across 24 normal epithelium, 37 PIA, 18 PIN, and 23 CaP regions, allowing assessment of 34,863 CpG sites with allelic phasing. Normal and PIA lesions were mostly unmethylated with 0.52 and 1.3% of total CpG sites methylated, respectively. PIN and CaP lesions had greater methylation with 24% and 51% of total CpG sites methylated, respectively. The degree of GSTP1 methylation showed progression from PIA << PIN < CaP. PIN lesions showed more partial methylation compared with CaP lesions. Partially methylated lesions were enriched for methylation changes at AP1 and SP1 transcription factor binding sites. These results demonstrate that methylation density in the GSTP1 CpG island in PIN was intermediate relative to that in normal prostate epithelium/PIA and CaP lesions. These results are consistent with gradual spreading of DNA methylation centered at the SP1/AP1 transcription factor binding sites in precursor lesions, with subsequent spreading of methylation across the entire CpG island in transition to CaP. PREVENTION RELEVANCE DNA hypermethylation at the GSTP1 promoter progressively spreads from being unmethylated in normal prostate to intermediate levels in precursor lesions to extensive methylation in cancer. This molecular progression of GSTP1 promoter methylation patterns in early prostate carcinogenesis could be useful for identification and interception of prostate cancer precursors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hitoshi Inoue
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Urology, Ikeda Municipal Hospital, Japan
| | - Yasutomo Nakai
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Urology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Japan
| | - Masashi Nakayama
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Urology, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Japan
| | - Tracy Jones
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Jessica L. Hicks
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Meltem Gurel
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Urology, Ikeda Municipal Hospital, Japan
- BenevolentAI, London, UK
| | - William G. Nelson
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Oncology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Angelo M. De Marzo
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Oncology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Srinivasan Yegnasubramanian
- Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center
- Department of Pathology Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
- Department of Oncology; Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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5
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Targeted Long-Read Bisulfite Sequencing Identifies Differences in the TERT Promoter Methylation Profiles between TERT Wild-Type and TERT Mutant Cancer Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14164018. [PMID: 36011010 PMCID: PMC9406525 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14164018] [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: 07/02/2022] [Revised: 08/06/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: TERT promoter methylation, located several hundred base pairs upstream of the transcriptional start site, is cancer specific and correlates with increased TERT mRNA expression and poorer patient outcome. Promoter methylation, however, is not mutually exclusive to TERT activating genetic alterations, as predicted for functionally redundant mechanisms. To annotate the altered patterns of TERT promoter methylation and their relationship with gene expression, we applied a Pacific Biosciences-based, long-read, bisulfite-sequencing technology and compared the differences in the methylation marks between wild-type and mutant cancers in an allele-specific manner. Results: We cataloged TERT genetic alterations (i.e., promoter point mutations or structural variations), allele-specific promoter methylation patterns, and allele-specific expression levels in a cohort of 54 cancer cell lines. In heterozygous mutant cell lines, the mutant alleles were significantly less methylated than their silent, mutation-free alleles (p < 0.05). In wild-type cell lines, by contrast, both epialleles were equally methylated to high levels at the TERT distal promoter, but differentially methylated in the proximal regions. ChIP analysis showed that epialleles with the hypomethylated proximal and core promoter were enriched in the active histone mark H3K4me2/3, whereas epialleles that were methylated in those regions were enriched in the repressive histone mark H3K27me3. Decitabine therapy induced biallelic expression in the wild-type cancer cells, whereas the mutant cell lines were unaffected. Conclusions: Long-read bisulfite sequencing analysis revealed differences in the methylation profiles and responses to demethylating agents between TERT wild-type and genetically altered cancer cell lines. The causal relation between TERT promoter methylation and gene expression remains to be established.
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6
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Maloberti T, De Leo A, Sanza V, Gruppioni E, Altimari A, Riefolo M, Visani M, Malvi D, D’Errico A, Tallini G, Vasuri F, de Biase D. Correlation of molecular alterations with pathological features in hepatocellular carcinoma: Literature review and experience of an Italian center. World J Gastroenterol 2022; 28:2854-2866. [PMID: 35978866 PMCID: PMC9280731 DOI: 10.3748/wjg.v28.i25.2854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the primary carcinoma of the liver and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths. The World Health Organization estimates an increase in cases in the coming years. The risk factors of HCC are multiple, and the incidence in different countries is closely related to the different risk factors to which the population is exposed. The molecular mechanisms that drive HCC tumorigenesis are extremely complex, but understanding this multistep process is essential for the identification of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic markers. The development of multigenic next-generation sequencing panels through the parallel analysis of multiple markers can provide a landscape of the genomic status of the tumor. Considering the literature and our preliminary data based on 36 HCCs, the most frequently altered genes in HCCs are TERT, CTNNB1, and TP53. Over the years, many groups have attempted to classify HCCs on a molecular basis, but a univocal classification has never been achieved. Nevertheless, statistically significant correlations have been found in HCCs between the molecular signature and morphologic features, and this leads us to think that it would be desirable to integrate the approach between anatomic pathology and molecular laboratories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thais Maloberti
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Antonio De Leo
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Viviana Sanza
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Elisa Gruppioni
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Annalisa Altimari
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Mattia Riefolo
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Michela Visani
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Deborah Malvi
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Antonia D’Errico
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Giovanni Tallini
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
- Solid Tumor Molecular Pathology Laboratory, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Francesco Vasuri
- Department of Pathology, IRCCS Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
| | - Dario de Biase
- Department of Pharmacy and biotechnology (FaBiT), University of Bologna, Bologna 40138, Italy
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7
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Xiang Y, Chen Q, Li Q, Liang C, Cao W. The expression level of chicken telomerase reverse transcriptase in tumors induced by ALV-J is positively correlated with methylation and mutation of its promoter region. Vet Res 2022; 53:49. [PMID: 35739589 PMCID: PMC9229480 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-022-01069-2] [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: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) can cause neoplastic diseases in poultry and is still widely prevalent in China. Chicken telomerase reverse transcriptase (chTERT) is the core component of telomerase, which is closely related to the occurrence and development of tumors. Our previous studies showed that chTERT is overexpressed in ALV-J tumors, but the mechanism is still not completely clear. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the possible molecular mechanism of chTERT overexpression in ALV-J tumors from the perspective of DNA methylation and promoter mutation. Methylation sequencing of the chTERT amplicon showed that ALV-J replication promoted the methylation level of the chTERT promoter. And the methylation level of the chTERT promoter in ALV-J tumors was significantly higher than that in tumor-adjacent and normal tissues. Compared with the tumor-adjacent and normal tissues, the chTERT promoter in each ALV-J tumors tested had a mutation of -183 bp C > T, and 36.0% (9/25) of the tumors also had mutations of -184 bp T > C, -73 bp::GGCCC and -56 bp A > T in the chTERT promoter, which formed the binding sites for the transcription factors NFAT5, TFAP2A and ZEB1, respectively. The results of RT-qPCR and Western blotting showed that the occurrence of these mutations significantly increased the expression level of chTERT. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that the high expression of chTERT in ALV-J tumors is positively correlated with the level of hypermethylation and mutation in its promoter, which provides a new perspective for further research on the molecular mechanism of chTERT in ALV-J tumorigenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Xiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qinxi Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Qingbo Li
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Canxin Liang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China
| | - Weisheng Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. .,Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control of Guangdong Province, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. .,National and Regional Joint Engineering Laboratory for Medicament of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, China. .,Key Laboratory of Zoonosis of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, 510642, China. .,Key Laboratory of Veterinary Vaccine Innovation of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, 510642, China.
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8
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Lee DD, Komosa M, Sudhaman S, Leão R, Zhang CH, Apolonio JD, Hermanns T, Wild PJ, Klocker H, Nassiri F, Zadeh G, Diplas BH, Yan H, Gallinger S, Pugh TJ, Ramaswamy V, Taylor MD, Castelo-Branco P, Nunes NM, Tabori U. Dual role of allele-specific DNA hypermethylation within the TERT promoter in cancer. J Clin Invest 2021; 131:146915. [PMID: 34720085 DOI: 10.1172/jci146915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activation of telomerase in human cancer is achieved by various alterations within the TERT promoter, including cancer-specific DNA hypermethylation of the TERT hypermethylated oncological region (THOR). However, the impact of allele-specific DNA methylation within the TERT promoter on gene transcription remains incompletely understood. Using allele-specific next-generation sequencing, we screened a large cohort of normal and tumor tissues (n = 652) from 10 cancer types and identified that differential allelic methylation (DAM) of THOR is restricted to cancerous tissue and commonly observed in major cancer types. THOR-DAM was more common in adult cancers, which develop through multiple stages over time, than in childhood brain tumors. Furthermore, THOR-DAM was especially enriched in tumors harboring the activating TERT promoter mutations (TPMs). Functional studies revealed that allele-specific gene expression of TERT requires hypomethylation of the core promoter, both in TPM and TERT WT cancers. However, the expressing allele with hypomethylated core TERT promoter universally exhibits hypermethylation of THOR, while the nonexpressing alleles are either hypermethylated or hypomethylated throughout the promoter. Together, our findings suggest a dual role for allele-specific DNA methylation within the TERT promoter in the regulation of TERT expression in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghyun D Lee
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Institute of Medical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Martin Komosa
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Sumedha Sudhaman
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Ricardo Leão
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Cindy H Zhang
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Joana D Apolonio
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Thomas Hermanns
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Zürich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Peter J Wild
- Dr. Senckenberg Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Frankfurt, Germany.,Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS), Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Helmut Klocker
- Department of Urology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Farshad Nassiri
- Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Gelareh Zadeh
- Division of Neurosurgery, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Bill H Diplas
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Hai Yan
- Department of Pathology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Steven Gallinger
- Lunenfeld Tanenbaum Research Institute, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Trevor J Pugh
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Vijay Ramaswamy
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michael D Taylor
- The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Pedro Castelo-Branco
- Faculdade de Medicina e Ciências Biomédicas (FMCB), Universidade do Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Algarve Biomedical Center Research Institute, Faro, Portugal.,Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal.,Champalimaud Research Program, Champalimaud Centre for the Unknown, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Nuno Miguel Nunes
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Uri Tabori
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology and.,The Arthur and Sonia Labatt Brain Tumour Research Centre, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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9
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Liu X, Liu X, Shi Q, Fan X, Qi K. Association of telomere length and telomerase methylation with n-3 fatty acids in preschool children with obesity. BMC Pediatr 2021; 21:24. [PMID: 33413203 PMCID: PMC7788823 DOI: 10.1186/s12887-020-02487-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Telomeres play a crucial role in cellular survival and its length is a predictor for onset of chronic non-communicable diseases. Studies on association between telomeres and obesity in children have brought discrepant results and the underlying mechanisms and influential factors are to be elucidated. This study aimed to investigate changes in telomere length and telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) DNA methylation, and further to determine their correlation with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in preschool children with obesity. METHODS Forty-six preschool children with obesity aged 3 to 4 years were included in the study, with equal numbers of age- and gender-matched children with normal weight as control. Leukocyte telomere length was determined by the ratio of telomeric product and single copy gene obtained using real-time qPCR. DNA methylation of TERT promoter was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing. Fatty acids in erythrocytes were measured by gas chromatography with a total of 15 fatty acids analyzed. The total saturated fatty acids (SFAs), total n-6 PUFAs, total n-3 PUFAs, and the ratio of arachidonic acid (AA) to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were calculated. Then the correlation between leukocyte telomere length, TERT promoter methylation and fatty acids was determined. RESULTS In preschool children with obesity, leukocyte telomeres were shortened and had a negative association with the body mass index. The methylated fractions in 13 of 25 CpG sites in the TERT promoter were increased by approximately 3 to 35% in the children with obesity compared to the normal weight children. Erythrocyte lauric acid and total SFAs, lenoleic acid and total n-6 PUFAs were higher, and DHA was lower in the children with obesity than those in the children with normal weight. Correlative analysis showed that leukocyte telomere length had a positive association with total SFAs and DHA, and a negative association with the AA/DHA ratio. However, no association between erythrocyte DHA and the TERT promoter methylation was found. CONCLUSION These data indicate that the reduced body DHA content and increased AA/DHA ratio may be associated with shortened leukocyte telomeres in child obesity, which is probably not involved in the TERT promoter methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuanyi Liu
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, No.56 Nan-li-shi Road, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Xiaozhou Liu
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, No.56 Nan-li-shi Road, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Qiaoyu Shi
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, No.56 Nan-li-shi Road, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Xiuqin Fan
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, No.56 Nan-li-shi Road, Beijing, 100045, China
| | - Kemin Qi
- Laboratory of Nutrition and Development, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University, National Center for Children's Health, No.56 Nan-li-shi Road, Beijing, 100045, China.
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in der Stroth L, Tharehalli U, Günes C, Lechel A. Telomeres and Telomerase in the Development of Liver Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:E2048. [PMID: 32722302 PMCID: PMC7464754 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12082048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 07/16/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is one of the most common cancer types worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death. Liver carcinoma is distinguished by a high heterogeneity in pathogenesis, histopathology and biological behavior. Dysregulated signaling pathways and various gene mutations are frequent in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), which represent the two most common types of liver tumors. Both tumor types are characterized by telomere shortening and reactivation of telomerase during carcinogenesis. Continuous cell proliferation, e.g., by oncogenic mutations, can cause extensive telomere shortening in the absence of sufficient telomerase activity, leading to dysfunctional telomeres and genome instability by breakage-fusion-bridge cycles, which induce senescence or apoptosis as a tumor suppressor mechanism. Telomerase reactivation is required to stabilize telomere functionality and for tumor cell survival, representing a genetic risk factor for the development of liver cirrhosis and liver carcinoma. Therefore, telomeres and telomerase could be useful targets in hepatocarcinogenesis. Here, we review similarities and differences between HCC and iCCA in telomere biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lena in der Stroth
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (L.i.d.S.); (U.T.)
| | - Umesh Tharehalli
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (L.i.d.S.); (U.T.)
| | - Cagatay Günes
- Department of Urology, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany;
| | - André Lechel
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Ulm, 89081 Ulm, Germany; (L.i.d.S.); (U.T.)
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