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Yang Y, Ahmad E, Premkumar V, Liu A, Ashikur Rahman SM, Nikolovska‐Coleska Z. Structural studies of intrinsically disordered MLL-fusion protein AF9 in complex with peptidomimetic inhibitors. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e5019. [PMID: 38747396 PMCID: PMC11094776 DOI: 10.1002/pro.5019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2023] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
AF9 (MLLT3) and its paralog ENL(MLLT1) are members of the YEATS family of proteins with important role in transcriptional and epigenetic regulatory complexes. These proteins are two common MLL fusion partners in MLL-rearranged leukemias. The oncofusion proteins MLL-AF9/ENL recruit multiple binding partners, including the histone methyltransferase DOT1L, leading to aberrant transcriptional activation and enhancing the expression of a characteristic set of genes that drive leukemogenesis. The interaction between AF9 and DOT1L is mediated by an intrinsically disordered C-terminal ANC1 homology domain (AHD) in AF9, which undergoes folding upon binding of DOT1L and other partner proteins. We have recently reported peptidomimetics that disrupt the recruitment of DOT1L by AF9 and ENL, providing a proof-of-concept for targeting AHD and assessing its druggability. Intrinsically disordered proteins, such as AF9 AHD, are difficult to study and characterize experimentally on a structural level. In this study, we present a successful protein engineering strategy to facilitate structural investigation of the intrinsically disordered AF9 AHD domain in complex with peptidomimetic inhibitors by using maltose binding protein (MBP) as a crystallization chaperone connected with linkers of varying flexibility and length. The strategic incorporation of disulfide bonds provided diffraction-quality crystals of the two disulfide-bridged MBP-AF9 AHD fusion proteins in complex with the peptidomimetics. These successfully determined first series of 2.1-2.6 Å crystal complex structures provide high-resolution insights into the interactions between AHD and its inhibitors, shedding light on the role of AHD in recruiting various binding partner proteins. We show that the overall complex structures closely resemble the reported NMR structure of AF9 AHD/DOT1L with notable difference in the conformation of the β-hairpin region, stabilized through conserved hydrogen bonds network. These first series of AF9 AHD/peptidomimetics complex structures are providing insights of the protein-inhibitor interactions and will facilitate further development of novel inhibitors targeting the AF9/ENL AHD domain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Yang
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Ejaz Ahmad
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Vidhya Premkumar
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Alicen Liu
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - S. M. Ashikur Rahman
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
| | - Zaneta Nikolovska‐Coleska
- Department of PathologyUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
- Rogel Cancer CenterUniversity of Michigan Medical SchoolAnn ArborMichiganUSA
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2
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de Groot AP, de Haan G. How CBX proteins regulate normal and leukemic blood cells. FEBS Lett 2024. [PMID: 38426219 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14839] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fate decisions are dictated by epigenetic landscapes. The Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) represses genes that induce differentiation, thereby maintaining HSC self-renewal. Depending on which chromobox (CBX) protein (CBX2, CBX4, CBX6, CBX7, or CBX8) is part of the PRC1 complex, HSC fate decisions differ. Here, we review how this occurs. We describe how CBX proteins dictate age-related changes in HSCs and stimulate oncogenic HSC fate decisions, either as canonical PRC1 members or by alternative interactions, including non-epigenetic regulation. CBX2, CBX7, and CBX8 enhance leukemia progression. To target, reprogram, and kill leukemic cells, we suggest and describe multiple therapeutic strategies to interfere with the epigenetic functions of oncogenic CBX proteins. Future studies should clarify to what extent the non-epigenetic function of cytoplasmic CBX proteins is important for normal, aged, and leukemic blood cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne P de Groot
- European Research Institute for Biology of Ageing (ERIBA), University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), The Netherlands
- Sanquin Research, Landsteiner Laboratory, Sanquin Blood Supply, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gerald de Haan
- European Research Institute for Biology of Ageing (ERIBA), University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), The Netherlands
- Sanquin Research, Landsteiner Laboratory, Sanquin Blood Supply, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Hematology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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3
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Singh PR, Dadireddy V, Udupa S, Kalladi SM, Shee S, Khosla S, Rajmani RS, Singh A, Ramakumar S, Nagaraja V. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis methyltransferase Rv2067c manipulates host epigenetic programming to promote its own survival. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8497. [PMID: 38129415 PMCID: PMC10739865 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43940-6] [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: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium tuberculosis has evolved several mechanisms to counter host defense arsenals for its proliferation. Here we report that M. tuberculosis employs a multi-pronged approach to modify host epigenetic machinery for its survival. It secretes methyltransferase (MTase) Rv2067c into macrophages, trimethylating histone H3K79 in a non-nucleosomal context. Rv2067c downregulates host MTase DOT1L, decreasing DOT1L-mediated nucleosomally added H3K79me3 mark on pro-inflammatory response genes. Consequent inhibition of caspase-8-dependent apoptosis and enhancement of RIPK3-mediated necrosis results in increased pathogenesis. In parallel, Rv2067c enhances the expression of SESTRIN3, NLRC3, and TMTC1, enabling the pathogen to overcome host inflammatory and oxidative responses. We provide the structural basis for differential methylation of H3K79 by Rv2067c and DOT1L. The structures of Rv2067c and DOT1L explain how their action on H3K79 is spatially and temporally separated, enabling Rv2067c to effectively intercept the host epigenetic circuit and downstream signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakruti R Singh
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Shubha Udupa
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Shashwath Malli Kalladi
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Somnath Shee
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Sanjeev Khosla
- Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute of Microbial Technology, Chandigarh (CSIR -IMTech), Chandigarh, India
| | - Raju S Rajmani
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | - Amit Singh
- Centre for Infectious Disease Research (CIDR), Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India
| | | | - Valakunja Nagaraja
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, India.
- Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR), Bengaluru, India.
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4
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Li X, Wu X, Nie S, Zhao J, Yao Y, Wu F, Mishra CB, Ashraf-Uz-Zaman M, Moku BK, Song Y. Discovery, Structure-Activity Relationship and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Protein-Protein Interactions between AF9/ENL and AF4 or DOT1L. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5283. [PMID: 37958457 PMCID: PMC10650850 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15215283] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal translocations involving the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene cause 5-10% acute leukemias with poor clinical outcomes. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) between the most frequent MLL fusion partner proteins AF9/ENL and AF4 or histone methyltransferase DOT1L are drug targets for MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemia. Several benzothiophene-carboxamide compounds were identified as novel inhibitors of these PPIs with IC50 values as low as 1.6 μM. Structure-activity relationship studies of 77 benzothiophene and related indole and benzofuran compounds show that a 4-piperidin-1-ylphenyl or 4-pyrrolidin-1-ylphenyl substituent is essential for the activity. The inhibitors suppressed expression of MLL target genes HoxA9, Meis1 and Myc, and selectively inhibited proliferation of MLL-r and other acute myeloid leukemia cells with EC50 values as low as 4.7 μM. These inhibitors are useful chemical probes for biological studies of AF9/ENL, as well as pharmacological leads for further drug development against MLL-r and other leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiaowei Wu
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Shenyou Nie
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Jidong Zhao
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Yuan Yao
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Fangrui Wu
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Chandra Bhushan Mishra
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Md Ashraf-Uz-Zaman
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Bala Krishna Moku
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (X.L.); (X.W.); (S.N.); (J.Z.); (Y.Y.); (F.W.); (C.B.M.); (M.A.-U.-Z.); (B.K.M.)
- Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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5
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Nil Z, Deshwar AR, Huang Y, Barish S, Zhang X, Choufani S, Le Quesne Stabej P, Hayes I, Yap P, Haldeman-Englert C, Wilson C, Prescott T, Tveten K, Vøllo A, Haynes D, Wheeler PG, Zon J, Cytrynbaum C, Jobling R, Blyth M, Banka S, Afenjar A, Mignot C, Robin-Renaldo F, Keren B, Kanca O, Mao X, Wegner DJ, Sisco K, Shinawi M, Wangler MF, Weksberg R, Yamamoto S, Costain G, Bellen HJ. Rare de novo gain-of-function missense variants in DOT1L are associated with developmental delay and congenital anomalies. Am J Hum Genet 2023; 110:1919-1937. [PMID: 37827158 PMCID: PMC10645550 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajhg.2023.09.009] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 09/18/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Misregulation of histone lysine methylation is associated with several human cancers and with human developmental disorders. DOT1L is an evolutionarily conserved gene encoding a lysine methyltransferase (KMT) that methylates histone 3 lysine-79 (H3K79) and was not previously associated with a Mendelian disease in OMIM. We have identified nine unrelated individuals with seven different de novo heterozygous missense variants in DOT1L through the Undiagnosed Disease Network (UDN), the SickKids Complex Care genomics project, and GeneMatcher. All probands had some degree of global developmental delay/intellectual disability, and most had one or more major congenital anomalies. To assess the pathogenicity of the DOT1L variants, functional studies were performed in Drosophila and human cells. The fruit fly DOT1L ortholog, grappa, is expressed in most cells including neurons in the central nervous system. The identified DOT1L variants behave as gain-of-function alleles in flies and lead to increased H3K79 methylation levels in flies and human cells. Our results show that human DOT1L and fly grappa are required for proper development and that de novo heterozygous variants in DOT1L are associated with a Mendelian disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zelha Nil
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Ashish R Deshwar
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Yan Huang
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Scott Barish
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xi Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Sanaa Choufani
- Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Polona Le Quesne Stabej
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Pathology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, the University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ian Hayes
- Genetic Health Service New Zealand- Northern Hub, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Patrick Yap
- Genetic Health Service New Zealand- Northern Hub, Auckland District Health Board, Auckland, New Zealand
| | | | - Carolyn Wilson
- Mission Fullerton Genetics Center, Asheville, NC 28803, USA
| | - Trine Prescott
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Kristian Tveten
- Department of Medical Genetics, Telemark Hospital Trust, 3710 Skien, Norway
| | - Arve Vøllo
- Department of Pediatrics, Hospital of Østfold, 1714 Grålum, Norway
| | - Devon Haynes
- Division of Genetics, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children - Orlando Health, Orlando, FL, USA; Clinical Genetics Service, Guy's Hospital, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Trust, London, England, UK
| | - Patricia G Wheeler
- Division of Genetics, Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children - Orlando Health, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - Jessica Zon
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Cheryl Cytrynbaum
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Rebekah Jobling
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Moira Blyth
- North of Scotland Regional Genetics Service, Clinical Genetics Centre, Ashgrove House, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Siddharth Banka
- Division of Evolution, Infection and Genomics, School of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, University of Manchester, M13 9WL Manchester, UK; Manchester Centre for Genomic Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Health Innovation Manchester, M13 9WL Manchester, UK
| | - Alexandra Afenjar
- Service de génétique, CRMR des malformations et maladies congénitales du cervelet et CRMR déficience intellectuelle, hôpital Trousseau, AP-HP, Paris, France
| | - Cyril Mignot
- Sorbonne Université, Département de Génétique, Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière and Hôpital Trousseau, Paris, France; Centre de Référence Déficiences Intellectuelles de Causes Rares, Paris, France
| | | | - Boris Keren
- AP-HP, Hôpital de la Pitié-Salpêtrière, Département de Génétique, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Oguz Kanca
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Xiao Mao
- National Health Commission Key Laboratory for Birth Defect Research and Prevention, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410005, China; Clinical Research Center for Placental Medicine in Hunan Province, Hunan Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changsha 410005, China
| | - Daniel J Wegner
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Kathleen Sisco
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Marwan Shinawi
- Department of Pediatrics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Michael F Wangler
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Rosanna Weksberg
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Neurology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410008, China; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Shinya Yamamoto
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Gregory Costain
- Division of Clinical and Metabolic Genetics, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Program in Genetics and Genome Biology, The Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Hugo J Bellen
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Jan and Dan Duncan Neurological Research Institute, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX 77030, USA; Department of Neuroscience, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
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6
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Gilan O, Talarmain L, Bell CC, Neville D, Knezevic K, Ferguson DT, Boudes M, Chan YC, Davidovich C, Lam EYN, Dawson MA. CRISPR-ChIP reveals selective regulation of H3K79me2 by Menin in MLL leukemia. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2023; 30:1592-1606. [PMID: 37679565 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-023-01087-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
Chromatin regulation involves the selective recruitment of chromatin factors to facilitate DNA repair, replication and transcription. Here we demonstrate the utility of coupling unbiased functional genomics with chromatin immunoprecipitation (CRISPR-ChIP) to identify the factors associated with active chromatin modifications in mammalian cells. Specifically, an integrated reporter containing a cis-regulatory element of interest and a single guide RNA provide a chromatinized template for a direct readout for regulators of histone modifications associated with actively transcribed genes such as H3K4me3 and H3K79me2. With CRISPR-ChIP, we identify all the nonredundant COMPASS complex members required for H3K4me3 and demonstrate that RNA polymerase II is dispensable for the maintenance of H3K4me3. As H3K79me2 has a putative oncogenic function in leukemia cells driven by MLL translocations, using CRISPR-ChIP we reveal a functional partitioning of H3K79 methylation into two distinct regulatory units: an oncogenic DOT1L complex directed by the MLL fusion protein in a Menin-dependent manner and a separate endogenous DOT1L complex, where catalytic activity is directed by MLLT10. Overall, CRISPR-ChIP provides a powerful tool for the unbiased interrogation of the mechanisms underpinning chromatin regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omer Gilan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Laure Talarmain
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Charles C Bell
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel Neville
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Kathy Knezevic
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Daniel T Ferguson
- Australian Centre for Blood Diseases, Monash University, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Marion Boudes
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Yih-Chih Chan
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Chen Davidovich
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
- EMBL-Australia, Clayton, Victoria, Australia
| | - Enid Y N Lam
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Mark A Dawson
- Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Department of Clinical Haematology, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre & Royal Melbourne Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
- Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
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7
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Schneider P, Crump NT, Arentsen-Peters STCJM, Smith AL, Hagelaar R, Adriaanse FRS, Bos RS, de Jong A, Nierkens S, Koopmans B, Milne TA, Pieters R, Stam RW. Modelling acquired resistance to DOT1L inhibition exhibits the adaptive potential of KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Exp Hematol Oncol 2023; 12:81. [PMID: 37740239 PMCID: PMC10517487 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-023-00445-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023] Open
Abstract
In KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), an aggressive malignancy, oncogenic KMT2A-fusion proteins inappropriately recruit DOT1L to promote leukemogenesis, highlighting DOT1L as an attractive therapeutic target. Unfortunately, treatment with the first-in-class DOT1L inhibitor pinometostat eventually leads to non-responsiveness. To understand this we established acquired pinometostat resistance in pediatric KMT2A::AFF1+ B-ALL cells. Interestingly, these cells became mostly independent of DOT1L-mediated H3K79 methylation, but still relied on the physical presence of DOT1L, HOXA9 and the KMT2A::AFF1 fusion. Moreover, these cells selectively lost the epigenetic regulation and expression of various KMT2A-fusion target genes such as PROM1/CD133, while other KMT2A::AFF1 target genes, including HOXA9 and CDK6 remained unaffected. Concomitantly, these pinometostat-resistant cells showed upregulation of several myeloid-associated genes, including CD33 and LILRB4/CD85k. Taken together, this model comprehensively shows the adaptive potential of KMT2A-rearranged ALL cells upon losing dependency on one of its main oncogenic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Schneider
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Nicholas T Crump
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Hugh and Josseline Langmuir Centre for Myeloma Research, Centre for Haematology, Department of Immunology and Inflammation, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | | | - Alastair L Smith
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rico Hagelaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Oncode Institute, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Romy S Bos
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Anja de Jong
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Stefan Nierkens
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Bianca Koopmans
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas A Milne
- MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, MRC Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Rob Pieters
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Ronald W Stam
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
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8
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Zhao X, Li X, Sun H, Zhao X, Gao T, Shi P, Chen F, Liu L, Lu X. Dot1l cooperates with Npm1 to repress endogenous retrovirus MERVL in embryonic stem cells. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:8970-8986. [PMID: 37522386 PMCID: PMC10516645 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Dot1l is a histone methyltransferase without a SET domain and is responsible for H3K79 methylation, which marks active transcription. In contradiction, Dot1l also participates in silencing gene expression. The target regions and mechanism of Dot1l in repressing transcription remain enigmatic. Here, we show that Dot1l represses endogenous retroviruses in embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Specifically, the absence of Dot1l led to the activation of MERVL, which is a marker of 2-cell-like cells. In addition, Dot1l deletion activated the 2-cell-like state and predisposed ESCs to differentiate into trophectoderm lineage. Transcriptome analysis revealed activation of 2-cell genes and meiotic genes by Dot1l deletion. Mechanistically, Dot1l interacted with and co-localized with Npm1 on MERVL, and depletion of Npm1 similarly augmented MERVL expression. The catalytic activity and AT-hook domain of Dot1l are important to suppress MERVL. Notably, Dot1l-Npm1 restricts MERVL by regulating protein level and deposition of histone H1. Furthermore, Dot1l is critical for Npm1 to efficiently interact with histone H1 and inhibit ubiquitination of H1 whereas Npm1 is essential for Dot1l to interact with MERVL. Altogether, we discover that Dot1l represses MERVL through chaperoning H1 by collaborating with Npm1. Importantly, our findings shed light on the non-canonical transcriptional repressive role of Dot1l in ESCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Haiyang Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Xuan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Tingting Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Panpan Shi
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Fuquan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Lin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Life Science, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Xinyi Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, Tianjin 300350, China
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9
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Casado P, Rio-Machin A, Miettinen JJ, Bewicke-Copley F, Rouault-Pierre K, Krizsan S, Parsons A, Rajeeve V, Miraki-Moud F, Taussig DC, Bödör C, Gribben J, Heckman C, Fitzgibbon J, Cutillas PR. Integrative phosphoproteomics defines two biologically distinct groups of KMT2A rearranged acute myeloid leukaemia with different drug response phenotypes. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:80. [PMID: 36843114 PMCID: PMC9968719 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01288-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) patients harbouring certain chromosome abnormalities have particularly adverse prognosis. For these patients, targeted therapies have not yet made a significant clinical impact. To understand the molecular landscape of poor prognosis AML we profiled 74 patients from two different centres (in UK and Finland) at the proteomic, phosphoproteomic and drug response phenotypic levels. These data were complemented with transcriptomics analysis for 39 cases. Data integration highlighted a phosphoproteomics signature that define two biologically distinct groups of KMT2A rearranged leukaemia, which we term MLLGA and MLLGB. MLLGA presented increased DOT1L phosphorylation, HOXA gene expression, CDK1 activity and phosphorylation of proteins involved in RNA metabolism, replication and DNA damage when compared to MLLGB and no KMT2A rearranged samples. MLLGA was particularly sensitive to 15 compounds including genotoxic drugs and inhibitors of mitotic kinases and inosine-5-monosphosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) relative to other cases. Intermediate-risk KMT2A-MLLT3 cases were mainly represented in a third group closer to MLLGA than to MLLGB. The expression of IMPDH2 and multiple nucleolar proteins was higher in MLLGA and correlated with the response to IMPDH inhibition in KMT2A rearranged leukaemia, suggesting a role of the nucleolar activity in sensitivity to treatment. In summary, our multilayer molecular profiling of AML with poor prognosis and KMT2A-MLLT3 karyotypes identified a phosphoproteomics signature that defines two biologically and phenotypically distinct groups of KMT2A rearranged leukaemia. These data provide a rationale for the potential development of specific therapies for AML patients characterised by the MLLGA phosphoproteomics signature identified in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Casado
- Cell Signalling and Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Ana Rio-Machin
- Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Juho J Miettinen
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland - FIMM, HiLIFE - Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Findlay Bewicke-Copley
- Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Kevin Rouault-Pierre
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Szilvia Krizsan
- HCEMM-SU Molecular Oncohematology Research Group, 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Alun Parsons
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland - FIMM, HiLIFE - Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vinothini Rajeeve
- Cell Signalling and Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Farideh Miraki-Moud
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - David C Taussig
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, UK
| | - Csaba Bödör
- HCEMM-SU Molecular Oncohematology Research Group, 1st Department of Pathology and Experimental Cancer Research, Semmelweis University Budapest, Budapest, Hungary
| | - John Gribben
- Centre for Haemato-Oncology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Caroline Heckman
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland - FIMM, HiLIFE - Helsinki Institute of Life Science, iCAN Digital Precision Cancer Medicine Flagship, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jude Fitzgibbon
- Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK
| | - Pedro R Cutillas
- Cell Signalling and Proteomics Group, Centre for Genomics and Computational Biology, Barts Cancer Institute, Queen Mary University of London, London, EC1M6BQ, UK.
- The Alan Turing Institute, The British Library, 2QR, 96 Euston Rd, London, NW1 2DB, UK.
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10
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Shu F, Xiao H, Li QN, Ren XS, Liu ZG, Hu BW, Wang HS, Wang H, Jiang GM. Epigenetic and post-translational modifications in autophagy: biological functions and therapeutic targets. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:32. [PMID: 36646695 PMCID: PMC9842768 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-01300-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a conserved lysosomal degradation pathway where cellular components are dynamically degraded and re-processed to maintain physical homeostasis. However, the physiological effect of autophagy appears to be multifaced. On the one hand, autophagy functions as a cytoprotective mechanism, protecting against multiple diseases, especially tumor, cardiovascular disorders, and neurodegenerative and infectious disease. Conversely, autophagy may also play a detrimental role via pro-survival effects on cancer cells or cell-killing effects on normal body cells. During disorder onset and progression, the expression levels of autophagy-related regulators and proteins encoded by autophagy-related genes (ATGs) are abnormally regulated, giving rise to imbalanced autophagy flux. However, the detailed mechanisms and molecular events of this process are quite complex. Epigenetic, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and miRNAs, and post-translational modifications, including ubiquitination, phosphorylation and acetylation, precisely manipulate gene expression and protein function, and are strongly correlated with the occurrence and development of multiple diseases. There is substantial evidence that autophagy-relevant regulators and machineries are subjected to epigenetic and post-translational modulation, resulting in alterations in autophagy levels, which subsequently induces disease or affects the therapeutic effectiveness to agents. In this review, we focus on the regulatory mechanisms mediated by epigenetic and post-translational modifications in disease-related autophagy to unveil potential therapeutic targets. In addition, the effect of autophagy on the therapeutic effectiveness of epigenetic drugs or drugs targeting post-translational modification have also been discussed, providing insights into the combination with autophagy activators or inhibitors in the treatment of clinical diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Shu
- grid.452859.70000 0004 6006 3273Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong China
| | - Han Xiao
- grid.452859.70000 0004 6006 3273Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong China
| | - Qiu-Nuo Li
- grid.452859.70000 0004 6006 3273Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong China
| | - Xiao-Shuai Ren
- grid.452859.70000 0004 6006 3273Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong China
| | - Zhi-Gang Liu
- grid.284723.80000 0000 8877 7471Cancer Center, Affiliated Dongguan Hospital, Southern Medical University, Dongguan, Guangdong China
| | - Bo-Wen Hu
- grid.452859.70000 0004 6006 3273Department of Urology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong China
| | - Hong-Sheng Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
| | - Hao Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, China.
| | - Guan-Min Jiang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, Guangdong, China.
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11
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Neuronal Dot1l Activity Acts as a Mitochondrial Gene-Repressor Associated with Human Brain Aging via H3K79 Hypermethylation. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021387. [PMID: 36674903 PMCID: PMC9862808 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 01/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylation of histone 3 at lysine 79 (H3K79) and its catalyst, a disrupter of telomeric silencing (DOT1l), have been coupled to multiple forms of stress, such as bioenergetic and ER challenges. However, studies on H3K79 methylation and Dot1l in the (aging) brain and neurons are limited. This, together with the increasing evidence of a dynamic neuroepigenome, made us wonder if H3K79 methylation and its activator Dot1l could play important roles in brain aging and associated disorders. In aged humans, we found strong and consistent global hypermethylation of H3K79 in neurons. Specific in dopaminergic neurons, we found a strong increase in H3K79 methylation in lipofucsin positive neurons, which are linked to pathology. In animals, where we conditionally removed Dot1l, we found a rapid loss of H3K79 methylation. As a consequence, we found some decrease in specific dopaminergic genes, and surprisingly, a clear up-regulation of almost all genes belonging to the family of the respiratory chain. These data, in relation to the observed increase in global H3K79 methylation, suggest that there is an inverse relationship between H3K79 methylation and the capacity of energy metabolism in neuronal systems.
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12
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Wu X, Xie Y, Zhao K, Lu J. Targeting the super elongation complex for oncogenic transcription driven tumor malignancies: Progress in structure, mechanisms and small molecular inhibitor discovery. Adv Cancer Res 2023; 158:387-421. [PMID: 36990537 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2022.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Oncogenic transcription activation is associated with tumor development and resistance derived from chemotherapy or target therapy. The super elongation complex (SEC) is an important complex regulating gene transcription and expression in metazoans closely related to physiological activities. In normal transcriptional regulation, SEC can trigger promoter escape, limit proteolytic degradation of transcription elongation factors and increase the synthesis of RNA polymerase II (POL II), and regulate many normal human genes to stimulate RNA elongation. Dysregulation of SEC accompanied by multiple transcription factors in cancer promotes rapid transcription of oncogenes and induce cancer development. In this review, we summarized recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of SEC in regulating normal transcription, and importantly its roles in cancer development. We also highlighted the discovery of SEC complex target related inhibitors and their potential applications in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinyu Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China; Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanqiu Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China; Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Kehao Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China.
| | - Jing Lu
- School of Pharmacy, Key Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug Evaluation (Yantai University), Ministry of Education, Collaborative Innovation Center of Advanced Drug Delivery System and Biotech Drugs in Universities of Shandong, Yantai University, Yantai, China.
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13
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The ENL YEATS epigenetic reader domain critically links MLL-ENL to leukemic stem cell frequency in t(11;19) Leukemia. Leukemia 2023; 37:190-201. [PMID: 36435883 DOI: 10.1038/s41375-022-01765-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
MLL (KMT2a) translocations are found in ~10% of acute leukemia patients, giving rise to oncogenic MLL-fusion proteins. A common MLL translocation partner is ENL and associated with a poor prognosis in t(11;19) patients. ENL contains a highly conserved N-terminal YEATS domain that binds acetylated histones and interacts with the PAF1c, an epigenetic regulator protein complex essential for MLL-fusion leukemogenesis. Recently, wild-type ENL, and specifically the YEATS domain, was shown to be essential for leukemic cell growth. However, the inclusion and importance of the YEATS domain in MLL-ENL-mediated leukemogenesis remains unexplored. We found the YEATS domain is retained in 84.1% of MLL-ENL patients and crucial for MLL-ENL-mediated leukemogenesis in mouse models. Mechanistically, deletion of the YEATS domain impaired MLL-ENL fusion protein binding and decreased expression of pro-leukemic genes like Eya1 and Meis1. Point mutations that disrupt YEATS domain binding to acetylated histones decreased stem cell frequency and increased MLL-ENL-mediated leukemia latency. Therapeutically, YEATS containing MLL-ENL leukemic cells display increased sensitivity to the YEATS inhibitor SGC-iMLLT compared to control AML cells. Our results demonstrate that the YEATS domain is important for MLL-ENL fusion protein-mediated leukemogenesis and exposes an "Achilles heel" that may be therapeutically targeted for treating t(11;19) patients.
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14
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Arnold O, Barbosa K, Deshpande AJ, Zhu N. The Role of DOT1L in Normal and Malignant Hematopoiesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:917125. [PMID: 35712672 PMCID: PMC9197164 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.917125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Disruptor of telomeric silencing 1 (DOT1) was first identified in yeast (DOT1p) and is the sole methyltransferase responsible for histone three lysine 79 (H3K79) mono-, di-, and tri-methylation. Mammalian DOT1 (DOT1-like protein or DOT1L) has been implicated in many cellular processes, such as cell cycle progression, DNA damage response, and development. A notable developmental process reliant on DOT1L function is normal hematopoiesis, as DOT1L knockout leads to impairment in blood lineage formation. Aberrant activity of DOT1L has been implicated in hematopoietic malignancies as well, especially those with high expression of the homeobox (HOX) genes, as genetic or pharmacological DOT1L inhibition causes defects in leukemic transformation and maintenance. Recent studies have uncovered methyltransferase-independent functions and a novel mechanism of DOT1L function. Here, we summarize the roles of DOT1L in normal and malignant hematopoiesis and the potential mechanism behind DOT1L function in hematopoiesis, in light of recent discoveries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Arnold
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Karina Barbosa
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Aniruddha J. Deshpande
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Nan Zhu
- Blood Research Institute, Versiti, Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States,*Correspondence: Nan Zhu,
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15
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Yuan Y, Du L, Tan R, Yu Y, Jiang J, Yao A, Luo J, Tang R, Xiao Y, Sun H. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluations of DOT1L Peptide Mimetics Targeting the Protein-Protein Interactions between DOT1L and MLL-AF9/MLL-ENL. J Med Chem 2022; 65:7770-7785. [PMID: 35612819 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
On the basis of a previously identified DOT1L peptide mimetic (compound 3), a series of novel peptide mimetics were designed and synthesized. These compounds can potently bind to AF9 and ENL either in cell-free binding assays or in leukemia cells, and selectively inhibit the growth of leukemia cells containing mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) fusion proteins. The most potent compound 12 exhibited comparable anticancer cellular activities to those of EPZ5676, a clinical stage enzymatic inhibitor of DOT1L in several leukemia cell lines containing MLL fusion proteins. Mechanism studies for compound 12 indicated that it did not affect the global methylation of H3K79 catalyzed by DOT1L but could effectively suppress the methylation of H3K79 at MLL fusion proteins targeted genes and inhibit the expressions of these genes. Our studies thus demonstrated that inhibiting the protein-protein interactions between DOT1L and MLL fusion proteins is a potentially effective strategy for the treatment of MLL rearranged leukemias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yinan Yuan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Lei Du
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rongliang Tan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yifan Yu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jinxin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Aihong Yao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Jiajun Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Rui Tang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yibei Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.,Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Haiying Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
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16
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Li X, Yao Y, Wu F, Song Y. A proteolysis-targeting chimera molecule selectively degrades ENL and inhibits malignant gene expression and tumor growth. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:41. [PMID: 35395864 PMCID: PMC8994274 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01258-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Chromosome translocations involving mixed lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1) cause acute leukemia in most infants and 5–10% children/adults with dismal clinical outcomes. Most frequent MLL1-fusion partners AF4/AFF4, AF9/ENL and ELL, together with CDK9/cyclin-T1, constitute super elongation complexes (SEC), which promote aberrant gene transcription, oncogenesis and maintenance of MLL1-rearranged (MLL1-r) leukemia. Notably, ENL, but not its paralog AF9, is essential for MLL1-r leukemia (and several other cancers) and therefore a drug target. Moreover, recurrent ENL mutations are found in Wilms tumor, the most common pediatric kidney cancer, and play critical roles in oncogenesis. Methods Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) molecules were designed and synthesized to degrade ENL. Biological activities of these compounds were characterized in cell and mouse models of MLL1-r leukemia and other cancers. Results Compound 1 efficiently degraded ENL with DC50 of 37 nM and almost depleted it at ~ 500 nM in blood and solid tumor cells. AF9 (as well as other proteins in SEC) was not significantly decreased. Compound 1-mediated ENL reduction significantly suppressed malignant gene signatures, selectively inhibited cell proliferation of MLL1-r leukemia and Myc-driven cancer cells with EC50s as low as 320 nM, and induced cell differentiation and apoptosis. It exhibited significant antitumor activity in a mouse model of MLL1-r leukemia. Compound 1 can also degrade a mutant ENL in Wilms tumor and suppress its mediated gene transcription. Conclusion Compound 1 is a novel chemical probe for cellular and in vivo studies of ENL (including its oncogenic mutants) and a lead compound for further anticancer drug development. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13045-022-01258-8.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Yao
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Fangrui Wu
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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17
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Olsen SN, Godfrey L, Healy JP, Choi YA, Kai Y, Hatton C, Perner F, Haarer EL, Nabet B, Yuan GC, Armstrong SA. MLL::AF9 degradation induces rapid changes in transcriptional elongation and subsequent loss of an active chromatin landscape. Mol Cell 2022; 82:1140-1155.e11. [PMID: 35245435 PMCID: PMC9044330 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2022.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
MLL rearrangements produce fusion oncoproteins that drive leukemia development, but the direct effects of MLL-fusion inactivation remain poorly defined. We designed models with degradable MLL::AF9 where treatment with small molecules induces rapid degradation. We leveraged the kinetics of this system to identify a core subset of MLL::AF9 target genes where MLL::AF9 degradation induces changes in transcriptional elongation within 15 minutes. MLL::AF9 degradation subsequently causes loss of a transcriptionally active chromatin landscape. We used this insight to assess the effectiveness of small molecules that target members of the MLL::AF9 multiprotein complex, specifically DOT1L and MENIN. Combined DOT1L/MENIN inhibition resembles MLL::AF9 degradation, whereas single-agent treatment has more modest effects on MLL::AF9 occupancy and gene expression. Our data show that MLL::AF9 degradation leads to decreases in transcriptional elongation prior to changes in chromatin landscape at select loci and that combined inhibition of chromatin complexes releases the MLL::AF9 oncoprotein from chromatin globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Naomi Olsen
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Laura Godfrey
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - James P Healy
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yoolim A Choi
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Yan Kai
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Charles Hatton
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Florian Perner
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Internal Medicine C, University Medical Center Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Elena L Haarer
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Behnam Nabet
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109, USA
| | - Guo-Cheng Yuan
- Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences and Charles Bronfman Institute for Personalized Medicine, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Scott A Armstrong
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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18
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Kabra A, Bushweller J. The Intrinsically Disordered Proteins MLLT3 (AF9) and MLLT1 (ENL) - Multimodal Transcriptional Switches With Roles in Normal Hematopoiesis, MLL Fusion Leukemia, and Kidney Cancer. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167117. [PMID: 34174329 PMCID: PMC8695629 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2021.167117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
AF9 (MLLT3) and ENL (MLLT1) are members of the YEATS family (named after the five proteins first shown to contain this domain: Yaf9, ENL, AF9, Taf14, Sas5) defined by the presence of a YEATS domain. The YEATS domain is an epigenetic reader that binds to acetylated and crotonylated lysines, unlike the bromodomain which can only bind to acetylated lysines. All members of this family have been shown to be components of various complexes with roles in chromatin remodeling, histone modification, histone variant deposition, and transcriptional regulation. MLLT3 is a critical regulator of hematopoiesis with a role in maintaining the hematopoietic stem or progenitor cell (HSPC) population. Approximately 10% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) patients harbor a translocation involving MLL (mixed lineage leukemia). In the context of MLL fusion patients with AML and ALL, MLL-AF9 and MLL-ENL fusions are observed in 34 and 31% of the patients, respectively. The intrinsically disordered C-terminal domain of MLLT3 (AHD, ANC1 homology domain) undergoes coupled binding and folding upon interaction with partner proteins AF4, DOT1L, BCOR, and CBX8. Backbone dynamics studies of the complexes suggest a role for dynamics in function. Inhibitors of the interaction of the intrinsically disordered AHD with partner proteins have been described, highlighting the feasibility of targeting intrinsically disordered regions. MLLT1 undergoes phase separation to enhance recruitment of the super elongation complex (SEC) and drive transcription. Mutations in MLLT1 observed in Wilms tumor patients enhance phase separation and transcription to drive an aberrant gene expression program.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish Kabra
- Dept. of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States
| | - John Bushweller
- Dept. of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903, United States; Dept. of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, United States.
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19
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Ai H, Peng S, Li JB. Chemical methods for studying the crosstalk between histone H2B ubiquitylation and H3 methylation. J Pept Sci 2021; 28:e3381. [PMID: 34811838 DOI: 10.1002/psc.3381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 10/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The reversible and dynamic post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histones in eukaryotic chromatin are intimately connected to cell development and gene function, and abnormal regulation of PTMs can result in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Specific combinations of these modifications are mediated by a series of chromatin proteins that write, erase, and read the "histone codes," but mechanistic studies of the precise biochemical and structural relationships between different sets of modifications and their effects on chromatin function constitute a unique challenge to canonical biochemical approaches. In the past decade, the development and application of chemical methods for investigating histone PTM crosstalks has received considerable attention in the field of chemical biology. In this review, taking the functional crosstalk between H2B ubiquitylation at Lys120 (H2BK120ub) and H3 methylation at Lys79 (H3K79me) as a typical example, we survey recent developments of different chemical methods, in particular, protein synthetic chemistry and protein-based chemical probes, for studying the mechanism of the functional crosstalks of histone PTMs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huasong Ai
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China.,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Shuai Peng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Jia-Bin Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
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20
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A DOT1B/Ribonuclease H2 Protein Complex Is Involved in R-Loop Processing, Genomic Integrity, and Antigenic Variation in Trypanosoma brucei. mBio 2021; 12:e0135221. [PMID: 34749530 PMCID: PMC8576533 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01352-21] [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] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The parasite Trypanosoma brucei periodically changes the expression of protective variant surface glycoproteins (VSGs) to evade its host’s immune system in a process known as antigenic variation. One route to change VSG expression is the transcriptional activation of a previously silent VSG expression site (ES), a subtelomeric region containing the VSG genes. Homologous recombination of a different VSG from a large reservoir into the active ES represents another route. The conserved histone methyltransferase DOT1B is involved in transcriptional silencing of inactive ES and influences ES switching kinetics. The molecular machinery that enables DOT1B to execute these regulatory functions remains elusive, however. To better understand DOT1B-mediated regulatory processes, we purified DOT1B-associated proteins using complementary biochemical approaches. We identified several novel DOT1B interactors. One of these was the RNase H2 complex, previously shown to resolve RNA-DNA hybrids, maintain genome integrity, and play a role in antigenic variation. Our study revealed that DOT1B depletion results in an increase in RNA-DNA hybrids, accumulation of DNA damage, and ES switching events. Surprisingly, a similar pattern of VSG deregulation was observed in RNase H2 mutants. We propose that both proteins act together in resolving R-loops to ensure genome integrity and contribute to the tightly regulated process of antigenic variation.
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21
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Song T, Zou Q, Yan Y, Lv S, Li N, Zhao X, Ma X, Liu H, Tang B, Sun L. DOT1L O-GlcNAcylation promotes its protein stability and MLL-fusion leukemia cell proliferation. Cell Rep 2021; 36:109739. [PMID: 34551297 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 07/08/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone lysine methylation functions at the interface of the extracellular environment and intracellular gene expression. DOT1L is a versatile histone H3K79 methyltransferase with a prominent role in MLL-fusion leukemia, yet little is known about how DOT1L responds to extracellular stimuli. Here, we report that DOT1L protein stability is regulated by the extracellular glucose level through the hexosamine biosynthetic pathway (HBP). Mechanistically, DOT1L is O-GlcNAcylated at evolutionarily conserved S1511 in its C terminus. We identify UBE3C as a DOT1L E3 ubiquitin ligase promoting DOT1L degradation whose interaction with DOT1L is susceptible to O-GlcNAcylation. Consequently, HBP enhances H3K79 methylation and expression of critical DOT1L target genes such as HOXA9/MEIS1, promoting cell proliferation in MLL-fusion leukemia. Inhibiting HBP or O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) increases cellular sensitivity to DOT1L inhibitor. Overall, our work uncovers O-GlcNAcylation and UBE3C as critical determinants of DOT1L protein abundance, revealing a mechanism by which glucose metabolism affects malignancy progression through histone methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanjing Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China.
| | - Qingli Zou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yingying Yan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Suli Lv
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Neng Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xuefeng Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xianyun Ma
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Haigang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Borui Tang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Lidong Sun
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, 13 Hangkong Road, Wuhan 430030, China.
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22
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Stodola TJ, Chi YI, De Assuncao TM, Leverence EN, Tripathi S, Dsouza NR, Mathison AJ, Volkman BF, Smith BC, Lomberk G, Zimmermann MT, Urrutia R. Computational modeling reveals key molecular properties and dynamic behavior of disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L) and partnering complexes involved in leukemogenesis. Proteins 2021; 90:282-298. [PMID: 34414607 PMCID: PMC8671179 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26219] [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: 04/13/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Disruptor of telomeric silencing 1‐like (DOT1L) is the only non‐SET domain histone lysine methyltransferase (KMT) and writer of H3K79 methylation on nucleosomes marked by H2B ubiquitination. DOT1L has elicited significant attention because of its interaction or fusion with members of the AF protein family in blood cell biology and leukemogenic transformation. Here, our goal was to extend previous structural information by performing a robust molecular dynamic study of DOT1L and its leukemogenic partners combined with mutational analysis. We show that statically and dynamically, D161, G163, E186, and F223 make frequent time‐dependent interactions with SAM, while additional residues T139, K187, and N241 interact with SAM only under dynamics. Dynamics models reveal DOT1L, SAM, and H4 moving as one and show that more than twice the number of DOT1L residues interacts with these partners, relative to the static structure. Mutational analyses indicate that six of these residues are intolerant to substitution. We describe the dynamic behavior of DOT1L interacting with AF10 and AF9. Studies on the dynamics of a heterotrimeric complex of DOT1L1‐AF10 illuminated describe coordinated motions that impact the relative position of the DOT1L HMT domain to the nucleosome. The molecular motions of the DOT1L–AF9 complex are less extensive and highly dynamic, resembling a swivel‐like mechanics. Through molecular dynamics and mutational analysis, we extend the knowledge previous provided by static measurements. These results are important to consider when describing the biochemical properties of DOT1L, under normal and in disease conditions, as well as for the development of novel therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J Stodola
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Young-In Chi
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Thiago M De Assuncao
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Division of Research, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Elise N Leverence
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Swarnendu Tripathi
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Nikita R Dsouza
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Angela J Mathison
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Division of Research, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Brian F Volkman
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Brian C Smith
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Gwen Lomberk
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Division of Research, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Michael T Zimmermann
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Raul Urrutia
- Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center (GSPMC), Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Bioinformatics Research and Development Laboratory, and Precision Medicine Simulation Unit, GSPMC, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Division of Research, Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
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23
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Wu F, Nie S, Yao Y, Huo T, Li X, Wu X, Zhao J, Lin YL, Zhang Y, Mo Q, Song Y. Small-molecule inhibitor of AF9/ENL-DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 interactions suppresses malignant gene expression and tumor growth. Theranostics 2021; 11:8172-8184. [PMID: 34373735 PMCID: PMC8344022 DOI: 10.7150/thno.56737] [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: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosome translocations involving mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene cause acute leukemia with a poor prognosis. MLL is frequently fused with transcription cofactors AF4 (~35%), AF9 (25%) or its paralog ENL (10%). The AHD domain of AF9/ENL binds to AF4, its paralog AFF4, or histone-H3 lysine-79 (H3K79) methyltransferase DOT1L. Formation of AF9/ENL/AF4/AFF4-containing super elongation complexes (SEC) and the catalytic activity of DOT1L are essential for MLL-rearranged leukemia. Protein-protein interactions (PPI) between AF9/ENL and DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 are therefore a potential drug target. Methods: Compound screening followed by medicinal chemistry was used to find inhibitors of such PPIs, which were examined for their biological activities against MLL-rearranged leukemia and other cancer cells. Results: Compound-1 was identified to be a novel small-molecule inhibitor of the AF9/ENL-DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 interaction with IC50s of 0.9-3.5 µM. Pharmacological inhibition of the PPIs significantly reduced SEC and DOT1L-mediated H3K79 methylation in the leukemia cells. Gene profiling shows compound-1 significantly suppressed the gene signatures related to onco-MLL, DOT1L, HoxA9 and Myc. It selectively inhibited proliferation of onco-MLL- or Myc-driven cancer cells and induced cell differentiation and apoptosis. Compound-1 exhibited strong antitumor activity in a mouse model of MLL-rearranged leukemia. Conclusions: The AF9/ENL-DOT1L/AF4/AFF4 interactions are validated to be an anticancer target and compound-1 is a useful in vivo probe for biological studies as well as a pharmacological lead for further drug development.
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24
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Du M, Gong P, Zhang Y, Liu Y, Liu X, Zhang F, Wang X. Histone methyltransferase SETD1A participates in lung cancer progression. Thorac Cancer 2021; 12:2247-2257. [PMID: 34219384 PMCID: PMC8365002 DOI: 10.1111/1759-7714.14065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 06/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide, with an estimated 1.2 million deaths each year. Despite advances in lung cancer treatment, 5‐year survival rates are lower than ~15%, which is attributes to diagnosis limitations and current clinical drug resistance. Recently, more evidence has suggested that epigenome dysregulation is associated with the initiation and progress of cancer, and targeting epigenome‐related molecules improves cancer symptoms. Interestingly, some groups reported that the level of methylation of histone 3 lysine 4 (H3K4me3) was increased in lung tumors and participated in abnormal transcriptional regulation. However, a mechanistic analysis is not available. In this report, we found that the SET domain containing 1A (SETD1A), the enzyme for H3K4me3, was elevated in lung cancer tissue compared to normal lung tissue. Knockdown of SETD1A in A549 and H1299 cells led to defects in cell proliferation and epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT), as evidenced by inhibited WNT and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) pathways, compared with the control group. Xenograft assays also revealed a decreased tumor growth and EMT in the SETD1A silenced group compared with the control group. Mechanistic analysis suggested that SETD1A might regulate tumor progression via several critical oncogenes, which exhibited enhanced H3K4me3 levels around transcriptional start sites in lung cancer. This study illustrates the important role of SETD1A in lung cancer and provides a potential drug target for treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Du
- Department of Medical Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China.,Department of Oncology, Linyi People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Linyi, China
| | - Piping Gong
- Department of Oncology, Linyi People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Linyi, China
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Linyi People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Linyi, China
| | - Yanguo Liu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xiaozhen Liu
- Department of Oncology, Linyi People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Linyi, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Linyi People's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Linyi, China
| | - Xiuwen Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Qilu Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, China
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25
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High-resolution characterization of gene function using single-cell CRISPR tiling screen. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4063. [PMID: 34210975 PMCID: PMC8249386 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24324-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Identification of novel functional domains and characterization of detailed regulatory mechanisms in cancer-driving genes is critical for advanced cancer therapy. To date, CRISPR gene editing has primarily been applied to defining the role of individual genes. Recently, high-density mutagenesis via CRISPR tiling of gene-coding exons has been demonstrated to identify functional regions in genes. Furthermore, breakthroughs in combining CRISPR library screens with single-cell droplet RNA sequencing (sc-RNAseq) platforms have revealed the capacity to monitor gene expression changes upon genetic perturbations at single-cell resolution. Here, we present “sc-Tiling,” which integrates a CRISPR gene-tiling screen with single-cell transcriptomic and protein structural analyses. Distinct from other reported single-cell CRISPR screens focused on observing gene function and gene-to-gene/enhancer-to-gene regulation, sc-Tiling enables the capacity to identify regulatory mechanisms within a gene-coding region that dictate gene activity and therapeutic response. Identifying functional domains and genetic regulatory mechanisms is essential for developing new therapies. Here the authors present sc-Tiling, single-cell high-density CRISPR tiling screening for functional domain characterization.
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26
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Gene Expression at a Single Molecule Level: Implications for MDS and AML. Blood 2021; 138:625-636. [PMID: 34157070 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2019004261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-genetic heterogeneity, or gene expression stochasticity, is an important source of variability in biological systems. With the advent and improvement of single molecule resolution technologies, it has been shown that transcription dynamics and resultant transcript number fluctuations generate significant cell-to-cell variability that has important biological effects and may contribute substantially to both tissue homeostasis and disease. In this respect, the pathophysiology of stem cell-derived malignancies such as AML and MDS, which has historically been studied at the ensemble level, may require re-evaluation. To that end, it is our aim in this review to highlight the results of recent single-molecule, biophysical, and systems studies of gene expression dynamics, with the explicit purpose of demonstrating how the insights from these basic science studies may help inform and progress the field of leukemia biology and, ultimately, research into novel therapies.
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27
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Ozyerli‐Goknar E, Nizamuddin S, Timmers HTM. A Box of Chemistry to Inhibit the MEN1 Tumor Suppressor Gene Promoting Leukemia. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:1391-1402. [PMID: 33534953 PMCID: PMC8252030 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Targeting protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with small-molecule inhibitors has become a hotbed of modern drug development. In this review, we describe a new class of PPI inhibitors that block menin from binding to MLL proteins. Menin is encoded by the MEN1 tumor suppressor, but acts as an essential cofactor for MLL/KMT2A-rearranged leukemias. The most promising menin-MLL inhibitors belong to the thienopyrimidine class and have recently entered phase I/II clinical trials for treating acute leukemias characterized by MLL/KMT2A translocations or NPM1 mutations. As single agents, thienopyrimidine compounds eradicate leukemia in a xenograft models of primary leukemic cells belonging to the MLL-rearranged or NPM1-mutant subtypes. These compounds are well tolerated with few or no side effects, which is remarkable given the tumor-suppressor function of menin. The menin-MLL inhibitors highlight how leukemia patients could benefit from a targeted epigenetic therapy with novel PPI inhibitors obtained by directed chemical evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ezgi Ozyerli‐Goknar
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Freiburg German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Department of UrologyBreisacherstrasse 6679016FreiburgGermany
| | - Sheikh Nizamuddin
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Freiburg German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Department of UrologyBreisacherstrasse 6679016FreiburgGermany
| | - H. T. Marc Timmers
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) partner site Freiburg German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) Medical Center-University of Freiburg, Department of UrologyBreisacherstrasse 6679016FreiburgGermany
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28
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Li X, Song Y. Structure, function and inhibition of critical protein-protein interactions involving mixed lineage leukemia 1 and its fusion oncoproteins. J Hematol Oncol 2021; 14:56. [PMID: 33823889 PMCID: PMC8022399 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-021-01057-7] [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: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mixed lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1, also known as MLL or KMT2A) is an important transcription factor and histone-H3 lysine-4 (H3K4) methyltransferase. It is a master regulator for transcription of important genes (e.g., Hox genes) for embryonic development and hematopoiesis. However, it is largely dispensable in matured cells. Dysregulation of MLL1 leads to overexpression of certain Hox genes and eventually leukemia initiation. Chromosome translocations involving MLL1 cause ~ 75% of acute leukemia in infants and 5–10% in children and adults with a poor prognosis. Targeted therapeutics against oncogenic fusion MLL1 (onco-MLL1) are therefore needed. Onco-MLL1 consists of the N-terminal DNA-interacting domains of MLL1 fused with one of > 70 fusion partners, among which transcription cofactors AF4, AF9 and its paralog ENL, and ELL are the most frequent. Wild-type (WT)- and onco-MLL1 involve numerous protein–protein interactions (PPI), which play critical roles in regulating gene expression in normal physiology and leukemia. Moreover, WT-MLL1 has been found to be essential for MLL1-rearranged (MLL1-r) leukemia. Rigorous studies of such PPIs have been performed and much progress has been achieved in understanding their structures, structure–function relationships and the mechanisms for activating gene transcription as well as leukemic transformation. Inhibition of several critical PPIs by peptides, peptidomimetic or small-molecule compounds has been explored as a therapeutic approach for MLL1-r leukemia. This review summarizes the biological functions, biochemistry, structure and inhibition of the critical PPIs involving MLL1 and its fusion partner proteins. In addition, challenges and perspectives of drug discovery targeting these PPIs for the treatment of MLL1-r leukemia are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yongcheng Song
- Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,Dan L. Duncan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX, 77030, USA.
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29
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Grigsby SM, Friedman A, Chase J, Waas B, Ropa J, Serio J, Shen C, Muntean AG, Maillard I, Nikolovska-Coleska Z. Elucidating the Importance of DOT1L Recruitment in MLL-AF9 Leukemia and Hematopoiesis. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13040642. [PMID: 33562706 PMCID: PMC7914713 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040642] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2020] [Revised: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 01/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
MLL1 (KMT2a) gene rearrangements underlie the pathogenesis of aggressive MLL-driven acute leukemia. AF9, one of the most common MLL-fusion partners, recruits the histone H3K79 methyltransferase DOT1L to MLL target genes, constitutively activating transcription of pro-leukemic targets. DOT1L has emerged as a therapeutic target in patients with MLL-driven leukemia. However, global DOT1L enzymatic inhibition may lead to off-target toxicities in non-leukemic cells that could decrease the therapeutic index of DOT1L inhibitors. To bypass this problem, we developed a novel approach targeting specific protein-protein interactions (PPIs) that mediate DOT1L recruitment to MLL target genes, and compared the effects of enzymatic and PPIs inhibition on leukemic and non-leukemic hematopoiesis. MLL-AF9 cell lines were engineered to carry mutant DOT1L constructs with a defective AF9 interaction site or lacking enzymatic activity. In cell lines expressing a DOT1L mutant with defective AF9 binding, we observed complete disruption of DOT1L recruitment to critical target genes and inhibition of leukemic cell growth. To evaluate the overall impact of DOT1L loss in non-leukemic hematopoiesis, we first assessed the impact of acute Dot1l inactivation in adult mouse bone marrow. We observed a rapid reduction in myeloid progenitor cell numbers within 7 days, followed by a loss of long-term hematopoietic stem cells. Furthermore, WT and PPI-deficient DOT1L mutants but not an enzymatically inactive DOT1L mutant were able to rescue sustained hematopoiesis. These data show that the AF9-DOT1L interaction is dispensable in non-leukemic hematopoiesis. Our findings support targeting of the MLL-AF9-DOT1L interaction as a promising therapeutic strategy that is selectively toxic to MLL-driven leukemic cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sierrah M. Grigsby
- Molecular and Celular Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (S.M.G.); (J.R.); (J.S.); (C.S.); (A.G.M.)
| | - Ann Friedman
- Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (A.F.); (J.C.); (B.W.); (I.M.)
| | - Jennifer Chase
- Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (A.F.); (J.C.); (B.W.); (I.M.)
| | - Bridget Waas
- Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (A.F.); (J.C.); (B.W.); (I.M.)
| | - James Ropa
- Molecular and Celular Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (S.M.G.); (J.R.); (J.S.); (C.S.); (A.G.M.)
| | - Justin Serio
- Molecular and Celular Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (S.M.G.); (J.R.); (J.S.); (C.S.); (A.G.M.)
| | - Chenxi Shen
- Molecular and Celular Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (S.M.G.); (J.R.); (J.S.); (C.S.); (A.G.M.)
| | - Andrew G. Muntean
- Molecular and Celular Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (S.M.G.); (J.R.); (J.S.); (C.S.); (A.G.M.)
- Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA
| | - Ivan Maillard
- Department of Internal Medicine, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (A.F.); (J.C.); (B.W.); (I.M.)
| | - Zaneta Nikolovska-Coleska
- Molecular and Celular Graduate Program, Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA; (S.M.G.); (J.R.); (J.S.); (C.S.); (A.G.M.)
- Rogel Cancer Center, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-(734)-615-9202; Fax: +1-(734)-763-8764
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Wang Z, Wang P, Li Y, Peng H, Zhu Y, Mohandas N, Liu J. Interplay between cofactors and transcription factors in hematopoiesis and hematological malignancies. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2021; 6:24. [PMID: 33468999 PMCID: PMC7815747 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-020-00422-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematopoiesis requires finely tuned regulation of gene expression at each stage of development. The regulation of gene transcription involves not only individual transcription factors (TFs) but also transcription complexes (TCs) composed of transcription factor(s) and multisubunit cofactors. In their normal compositions, TCs orchestrate lineage-specific patterns of gene expression and ensure the production of the correct proportions of individual cell lineages during hematopoiesis. The integration of posttranslational and conformational modifications in the chromatin landscape, nucleosomes, histones and interacting components via the cofactor–TF interplay is critical to optimal TF activity. Mutations or translocations of cofactor genes are expected to alter cofactor–TF interactions, which may be causative for the pathogenesis of various hematologic disorders. Blocking TF oncogenic activity in hematologic disorders through targeting cofactors in aberrant complexes has been an exciting therapeutic strategy. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the models and functions of cofactor–TF interplay in physiological hematopoiesis and highlight their implications in the etiology of hematological malignancies. This review presents a deep insight into the physiological and pathological implications of transcription machinery in the blood system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zi Wang
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410011, ChangSha, Hunan, China. .,Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China.
| | - Pan Wang
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yanan Li
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hongling Peng
- Department of Hematology, Institute of Molecular Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 410011, ChangSha, Hunan, China
| | - Yu Zhu
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Narla Mohandas
- Red Cell Physiology Laboratory, New York Blood Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jing Liu
- Molecular Biology Research Center and Hunan Province Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Hematology, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, 410078, Changsha, Hunan, China.
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31
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Targeting Chromatin Complexes in Myeloid Malignancies and Beyond: From Basic Mechanisms to Clinical Innovation. Cells 2020; 9:cells9122721. [PMID: 33371192 PMCID: PMC7767226 DOI: 10.3390/cells9122721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 12/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The aberrant function of chromatin regulatory networks (epigenetics) is a hallmark of cancer promoting oncogenic gene expression. A growing body of evidence suggests that the disruption of specific chromatin-associated protein complexes has therapeutic potential in malignant conditions, particularly those that are driven by aberrant chromatin modifiers. Of note, a number of enzymatic inhibitors that block the catalytic function of histone modifying enzymes have been established and entered clinical trials. Unfortunately, many of these molecules do not have potent single-agent activity. One potential explanation for this phenomenon is the fact that those drugs do not profoundly disrupt the integrity of the aberrant network of multiprotein complexes on chromatin. Recent advances in drug development have led to the establishment of novel inhibitors of protein–protein interactions as well as targeted protein degraders that may provide inroads to longstanding effort to physically disrupt oncogenic multiprotein complexes on chromatin. In this review, we summarize some of the current concepts on the role epigenetic modifiers in malignant chromatin states with a specific focus on myeloid malignancies and recent advances in early-phase clinical trials.
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Wong NHM, So CWE. Novel therapeutic strategies for MLL-rearranged leukemias. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1863:194584. [PMID: 32534041 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
MLL rearrangement is one of the key drivers and generally regarded as an independent poor prognostic marker in acute leukemias. The standard of care for MLL-rearranged (MLL-r) leukemias has remained largely unchanged for the past 50 years despite unsatisfying clinical outcomes, so there is an urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies. An increasing body of evidence demonstrates that a vast number of epigenetic regulators are directly or indirectly involved in MLL-r leukemia, and they are responsible for supporting the aberrant gene expression program mediated by MLL-fusions. Unlike genetic mutations, epigenetic modifications can be reversed by pharmacologic targeting of the responsible epigenetic regulators. This leads to significant interest in developing epigenetic therapies for MLL-r leukemia. Intriguingly, many of the epigenetic enzymes also involve in DNA damage response (DDR), which can be potential targets for synthetic lethality-induced therapies. In this review, we will summarize some of the recent advances in the development of epigenetic and DDR therapeutics by targeting epigenetic regulators or protein complexes that mediate MLL-r leukemia gene expression program and key players in DDR that safeguard essential genome integrity. The rationale and molecular mechanisms underpinning the therapeutic effects will also be discussed with a focus on how these treatments can disrupt MLL-fusion mediated transcriptional programs and impair DDR, which may help overcome treatment resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nok-Hei Mickey Wong
- Department of Haematological Medicine, Division of Cancer Studies, Leukemia and Stem Cell Biology Team, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Chi Wai Eric So
- Department of Haematological Medicine, Division of Cancer Studies, Leukemia and Stem Cell Biology Team, King's College London, London, UK.
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33
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Janna A, Davarinejad H, Joshi M, Couture JF. Structural Paradigms in the Recognition of the Nucleosome Core Particle by Histone Lysine Methyltransferases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:600. [PMID: 32850785 PMCID: PMC7412744 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 06/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of histone proteins play essential functions in shaping chromatin environment. Alone or in combination, these PTMs create templates recognized by dedicated proteins or change the chemistry of chromatin, enabling a myriad of nuclear processes to occur. Referred to as cross-talk, the positive or negative impact of a PTM on another PTM has rapidly emerged as a mechanism controlling nuclear transactions. One of those includes the stimulatory functions of histone H2B ubiquitylation on the methylation of histone H3 on K79 and K4 by Dot1L and COMPASS, respectively. While these findings were established early on, the structural determinants underlying the positive impact of H2B ubiquitylation on H3K79 and H3K4 methylation were resolved only recently. We will also review the molecular features controlling these cross-talks and the impact of H3K27 tri-methylation on EZH2 activity when embedded in the PRC2 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley Janna
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica-University of Ottawa Research Center in Systems and Personalized Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Hossein Davarinejad
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica-University of Ottawa Research Center in Systems and Personalized Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Monika Joshi
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica-University of Ottawa Research Center in Systems and Personalized Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
| | - Jean-Francois Couture
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica-University of Ottawa Research Center in Systems and Personalized Pharmacology, Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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34
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Schmidt CR, Achille NJ, Kuntimaddi A, Boulton AM, Leach BI, Zhang S, Zeleznik-Le NJ, Bushweller JH. BCOR Binding to MLL-AF9 Is Essential for Leukemia via Altered EYA1, SIX, and MYC Activity. Blood Cancer Discov 2020; 1:162-177. [PMID: 32954361 DOI: 10.1158/2643-3230.bcd-20-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
MLL is a target of chromosomal translocations in acute leukemias with poor prognosis. The common MLL fusion partner AF9 (MLLT3) can directly bind to AF4, DOT1L, BCOR, and CBX8. To delineate the relevance of BCOR and CBX8 binding to MLL-AF9 for leukemogenesis, here we determine protein structures of AF9 complexes with CBX8 and BCOR, and show that binding of all four partners to AF9 is mutually exclusive. Using the structural analyses, we identify point mutations that selectively disrupt AF9 interactions with BCOR and CBX8. In bone marrow stem/progenitor cells expressing point mutant CBX8 or point mutant MLL-AF9, we show that disruption of direct CBX8/MLL-AF9 binding does not impact in vitro cell proliferation, whereas loss of direct BCOR/MLL-AF9 binding causes partial differentiation and increased proliferation. Strikingly, loss of MLL-AF9/BCOR binding abrogated its leukemogenic potential in a mouse model. The MLL-AF9 mutant deficient for BCOR binding reduces the expression of the EYA1 phosphatase and the protein level of c-Myc. Reduction in BCOR binding to MLL-AF9 alters a MYC-driven gene expression program, as well as altering expression of SIX-regulated genes, likely contributing to the observed reduction in the leukemia-initiating cell population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles R Schmidt
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Nicholas J Achille
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Aravinda Kuntimaddi
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Adam M Boulton
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Benjamin I Leach
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Shubin Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - Nancy J Zeleznik-Le
- Department of Cancer Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois.
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, Illinois
| | - John H Bushweller
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia.
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Sarrou E, Richmond L, Carmody RJ, Gibson B, Keeshan K. CRISPR Gene Editing of Murine Blood Stem and Progenitor Cells Induces MLL-AF9 Chromosomal Translocation and MLL-AF9 Leukaemogenesis. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124266. [PMID: 32549410 PMCID: PMC7352880 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal rearrangements of the mixed lineage leukaemia (MLL, also known as KMT2A) gene on chromosome 11q23 are amongst the most common genetic abnormalities observed in human acute leukaemias. MLL rearrangements (MLLr) are the most common cytogenetic abnormalities in infant and childhood acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) and acute lymphocytic leukaemia (ALL) and do not normally acquire secondary mutations compared to other leukaemias. To model these leukaemias, we have used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 gene editing to induce MLL-AF9 (MA9) chromosomal rearrangements in murine hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell lines and primary cells. By utilizing a dual-single guide RNA (sgRNA) approach targeting the breakpoint cluster region of murine Mll and Af9 equivalent to that in human MA9 rearrangements, we show efficient de novo generation of MA9 fusion product at the DNA and RNA levels in the bulk population. The leukaemic features of MA9-induced disease were observed including increased clonogenicity, enrichment of c-Kit-positive leukaemic stem cells and increased MA9 target gene expression. This approach provided a rapid and reliable means of de novo generation of Mll-Af9 genetic rearrangements in murine haematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to produce a cellular model of MA9 leukaemias which faithfully reproduces many features of the human disease in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evgenia Sarrou
- Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK; (E.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Laura Richmond
- Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK; (E.S.); (L.R.)
| | - Ruaidhrí J. Carmody
- Centre for Immunobiology, Institute of Infection, Immunity & Inflammation, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, UK;
| | | | - Karen Keeshan
- Paul O’Gorman Leukaemia Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 0YN, UK; (E.S.); (L.R.)
- Correspondence:
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36
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Takahashi S, Yokoyama A. The molecular functions of common and atypical MLL fusion protein complexes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1863:194548. [PMID: 32320750 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 02/19/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL) fuses with a variety of partners to produce a functionally altered MLL complex that is not expressed in normal cells, which transforms normal hematopoietic progenitors into leukemia cells. Because more than 80 fusion partners have been identified to date, the molecular functions of MLL fusion protein complexes appear diverse. However, over the past decade, the common functions utilized for leukemic transformation have begun to be elucidated. It appears that most (if not all) MLL fusion protein complexes utilize the AF4/ENL/P-TEFb and DOT1L complexes to some extent. Based on an understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms, several molecular targeting drugs are being developed, opening paths to novel therapies. Here, we review the recent progress made in identifying the molecular functions of various MLL fusions and categorize the numerous fusion partners into several functionally-distinct groups to help discern commonalities and differences among various MLL fusion protein complexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Takahashi
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer Center, Tsuruoka, Japan; Department of Hematology and Oncology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Akihiko Yokoyama
- Tsuruoka Metabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer Center, Tsuruoka, Japan; National Cancer Center Research Institute, Tokyo, Japan.
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37
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Schwaller J. Learning from mouse models of MLL fusion gene-driven acute leukemia. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2020; 1863:194550. [PMID: 32320749 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2020.194550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2019] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
5-10% of human acute leukemias carry chromosomal translocations involving the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) gene that result in the expression of chimeric protein fusing MLL to >80 different partners of which AF4, ENL and AF9 are the most prevalent. In contrast to many other leukemia-associated mutations, several MLL-fusions are powerful oncogenes that transform hematopoietic stem cells but also more committed progenitor cells. Here, I review different approaches that were used to express MLL fusions in the murine hematopoietic system which often, but not always, resulted in highly penetrant and transplantable leukemias that closely phenocopied the human disease. Due to its simple and reliable nature, reconstitution of irradiated mice with bone marrow cells retrovirally expressing the MLL-AF9 fusion became the most frequently in vivo model to study the biology of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). I review some of the most influential studies that used this model to dissect critical protein interactions, the impact of epigenetic regulators, microRNAs and microenvironment-dependent signals for MLL fusion-driven leukemia. In addition, I highlight studies that used this model for shRNA- or genome editing-based screens for cellular vulnerabilities that allowed to identify novel therapeutic targets of which some entered clinical trials. Finally, I discuss some inherent characteristics of the widely used mouse model based on retroviral expression of the MLL-AF9 fusion that can limit general conclusions for the biology of AML. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: The MLL family of proteins in normal development and disease edited by Thomas A Milne.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juerg Schwaller
- University Children's Hospital Beider Basel (UKBB), Basel, Switzerland; Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Switzerland.
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38
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Liu C, Yang Q, Zhu Q, Lu X, Li M, Hou T, Li Z, Tang M, Li Y, Wang H, Yang Y, Wang H, Zhao Y, Wen H, Liu X, Mao Z, Zhu WG. CBP mediated DOT1L acetylation confers DOT1L stability and promotes cancer metastasis. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:1758-1776. [PMID: 32042335 PMCID: PMC6993218 DOI: 10.7150/thno.39013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and Aim: DOT1L regulates various genes involved in cancer onset and progression by catalyzing H3K79 methylation, but how DOT1L activity itself is regulated is unclear. Here, we aimed to identify specific DOT1L post-translational modifications that might regulate DOT1L activity and thus impact on colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. Methods: We conducted affinity purification and mass spectrometry to explore DOT1L post-translational modifications. We then established transwell migration and invasion assays to specifically investigate the role of DOT1L(K358) acetylation on CRC cellular behavior in vitro and a bioluminescence imaging approach to determine the role of DOT1L(K358) acetylation in CRC metastasis in vivo. We performed chromatin immunoprecipitation to identify DOT1L acetylation-controlled target genes. Finally, we used immunohistochemical staining of human tissue arrays to examine the relevance of DOT1L(K358) acetylation in CRC progression and metastasis and the correlation between DOT1L acetylation and CBP. Results: We found that CBP mediates DOT1L K358 acetylation in human colon cancer cells and positively correlates with CRC stages. Mechanistically, DOT1L acetylation confers DOT1L stability by preventing the binding of RNF8 to DOT1L and subsequent proteasomal degradation, but does not affect its enzyme activity. Once stabilized, DOT1L can catalyze the H3K79 methylation of genes involved in epithelial-mesenchymal transition, including SNAIL and ZEB1. An acetylation mimic DOT1L mutant (Q358) could induce a cancer-like phenotype in vitro, characterized by metastasis and invasion. Finally, DOT1L(K358) acetylation correlated with CRC progression and a poor survival rate as well as with high CBP expression. Conclusions: DOT1L acetylation by CBP drives CRC progression and metastasis. Targeting DOT1L deacetylation signaling is a potential therapeutic strategy for DOT1L-driven cancers.
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39
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Cao L, Mitra P, Gonda TJ. The mechanism of MYB transcriptional regulation by MLL-AF9 oncoprotein. Sci Rep 2019; 9:20084. [PMID: 31882723 PMCID: PMC6934848 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-56426-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute leukaemias express high levels of MYB which are required for the initiation and maintenance of the disease. Inhibition of MYB expression or activity has been shown to suppress MLL-fusion oncoprotein-induced acute myeloid leukaemias (AML), which are among the most aggressive forms of AML, and indeed MYB transcription has been reported to be regulated by the MLL-AF9 oncoprotein. This highlights the importance of understanding the mechanism of MYB transcriptional regulation in these leukaemias. Here we have demonstrated that the MLL-AF9 fusion protein regulates MYB transcription directly at the promoter region, in part by recruiting the transcriptional regulator kinase CDK9, and CDK9 inhibition effectively suppresses MYB expression as well as cell proliferation. However, MYB regulation by MLL-AF9 does not require H3K79 methylation mediated by the methyltransferase DOT1L, which has also been shown to be a key mediator of MLL-AF9 leukemogenicity. The identification of specific, essential and druggable transcriptional regulators may enable effective targeting of MYB expression, which in turn could potentially lead to new therapeutic approaches for acute myeloid leukaemia with MLL-AF9.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Cao
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Gallipoli Medical Research Institute, Greenslopes Private Hospital, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
| | - Partha Mitra
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.,Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Queensland University of Technology, TRI, Woolloongabba, QLD, Australia
| | - Thomas J Gonda
- School of Pharmacy, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia. .,University of South Australia Cancer Research Institute, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
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40
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Abstract
Mutated or dysregulated transcription factors represent a unique class of drug targets that mediate aberrant gene expression, including blockade of differentiation and cell death gene expression programmes, hallmark properties of cancers. Transcription factor activity is altered in numerous cancer types via various direct mechanisms including chromosomal translocations, gene amplification or deletion, point mutations and alteration of expression, as well as indirectly through non-coding DNA mutations that affect transcription factor binding. Multiple approaches to target transcription factor activity have been demonstrated, preclinically and, in some cases, clinically, including inhibition of transcription factor-cofactor protein-protein interactions, inhibition of transcription factor-DNA binding and modulation of levels of transcription factor activity by altering levels of ubiquitylation and subsequent proteasome degradation or by inhibition of regulators of transcription factor expression. In addition, several new approaches to targeting transcription factors have recently emerged including modulation of auto-inhibition, proteolysis targeting chimaeras (PROTACs), use of cysteine reactive inhibitors, targeting intrinsically disordered regions of transcription factors and combinations of transcription factor inhibitors with kinase inhibitors to block the development of resistance. These innovations in drug development hold great promise to yield agents with unique properties that are likely to impact future cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Bushweller
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA.
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41
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Yang H, Cui W, Wang L. Epigenetic synthetic lethality approaches in cancer therapy. Clin Epigenetics 2019; 11:136. [PMID: 31590683 PMCID: PMC6781350 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-019-0734-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The onset and development of malignant tumors are closely related to epigenetic modifications, and this has become a research hotspot. In recent years, a variety of epigenetic regulators have been discovered, and corresponding small molecule inhibitors have been developed, but their efficacy in solid tumors is generally poor. With the introduction of the first synthetic lethal drug (the PARP inhibitor olaparib in ovarian cancer with BRCA1 mutation), research into synthetic lethality has also become a hotspot. High-throughput screening with CRISPR-Cas9 and shRNA technology has revealed a large number of synthetic lethal pairs involving epigenetic-related synthetic lethal genes, such as those encoding SWI/SNF complex subunits, PRC2 complex subunits, SETD2, KMT2C, and MLL fusion proteins. In this review, we focus on epigenetic-related synthetic lethal mechanisms, including synthetic lethality between epigenetic mutations and epigenetic inhibitors, epigenetic mutations and non-epigenetic inhibitors, and oncogene mutations and epigenetic inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoshen Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Cui
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, People's Republic of China.
| | - Lihui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, 110016, People's Republic of China.
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Song X, Yang L, Wang M, Gu Y, Ye B, Fan Z, Xu RM, Yang N. A higher-order configuration of the heterodimeric DOT1L–AF10 coiled-coil domains potentiates their leukemogenenic activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19917-19923. [DOI: www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1904672116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal translocations of
MLL1
(Mixed Lineage Leukemia 1) yield oncogenic chimeric proteins containing the N-terminal portion of MLL1 fused with distinct partners. The MLL1–AF10 fusion causes leukemia through recruiting the H3K79 histone methyltransferase DOT1L via AF10’s octapeptide and leucine zipper (OM-LZ) motifs. Yet, the precise interaction sites in DOT1L, detailed interaction modes between AF10 and DOT1L, and the functional configuration of MLL1–AF10 in leukeomogenesis remain unknown. Through a combined approach of structural and functional analyses, we found that the LZ domain of AF10 interacts with the coiled-coil domains of DOT1L through a conserved binding mode and discovered that the C-terminal end of the LZ domain and the OM domain of AF10 mediate the formation of a DOT1L–AF10 octamer via tetramerization of the binary complex. We reveal that the oligomerization ability of the DOT1L–AF10 complex is essential for MLL1–AF10’s leukemogenic function. These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of pathogenesis by MLL1 rearrangements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaosheng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, 300353 Tianjin, China
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Liuliu Yang
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Mingzhu Wang
- Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Anhui University, 230601 Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yue Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, 300353 Tianjin, China
| | - Buqing Ye
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
| | - Zusen Fan
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Rui-Ming Xu
- National Laboratory of Biomacromolecules, Chinese Academy of Sciences Center for Excellence in Biomacromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100101 Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 100049 Beijing, China
| | - Na Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, 300353 Tianjin, China
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Esse R, Gushchanskaia ES, Lord A, Grishok A. DOT1L complex suppresses transcription from enhancer elements and ectopic RNAi in Caenorhabditis elegans. RNA (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2019; 25:1259-1273. [PMID: 31300558 PMCID: PMC6800474 DOI: 10.1261/rna.070292.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Methylation of histone H3 on lysine 79 (H3K79) by DOT1L is associated with actively transcribed genes. Earlier, we described that DOT-1.1, the Caenorhabditis elegans homolog of mammalian DOT1L, cooperates with the chromatin-binding protein ZFP-1 (AF10 homolog) to negatively modulate transcription of highly and widely expressed target genes. Also, the reduction of ZFP-1 levels has consistently been associated with lower efficiency of RNA interference (RNAi) triggered by exogenous double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), but the reason for this is not clear. Here, we demonstrate that the DOT1L complex suppresses transcription originating from enhancer elements and antisense transcription, thus potentiating the expression of enhancer-regulated genes. We also show that worms lacking H3K79 methylation do not survive, and this lethality is suppressed by a loss of caspase-3 or Dicer complex components that initiate gene silencing response to exogenous dsRNA. Our results suggest that ectopic elevation of endogenous dsRNA directly or indirectly resulting from global misregulation of transcription in DOT1L complex mutants may engage the Dicer complex and, therefore, limit the efficiency of exogenous RNAi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruben Esse
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | | | - Avery Lord
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
| | - Alla Grishok
- Department of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
- Genome Science Institute, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, USA
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44
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A higher-order configuration of the heterodimeric DOT1L-AF10 coiled-coil domains potentiates their leukemogenenic activity. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2019; 116:19917-19923. [PMID: 31527241 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1904672116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Chromosomal translocations of MLL1 (Mixed Lineage Leukemia 1) yield oncogenic chimeric proteins containing the N-terminal portion of MLL1 fused with distinct partners. The MLL1-AF10 fusion causes leukemia through recruiting the H3K79 histone methyltransferase DOT1L via AF10's octapeptide and leucine zipper (OM-LZ) motifs. Yet, the precise interaction sites in DOT1L, detailed interaction modes between AF10 and DOT1L, and the functional configuration of MLL1-AF10 in leukeomogenesis remain unknown. Through a combined approach of structural and functional analyses, we found that the LZ domain of AF10 interacts with the coiled-coil domains of DOT1L through a conserved binding mode and discovered that the C-terminal end of the LZ domain and the OM domain of AF10 mediate the formation of a DOT1L-AF10 octamer via tetramerization of the binary complex. We reveal that the oligomerization ability of the DOT1L-AF10 complex is essential for MLL1-AF10's leukemogenic function. These findings provide insights into the molecular basis of pathogenesis by MLL1 rearrangements.
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45
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Vlaming H, McLean CM, Korthout T, Alemdehy MF, Hendriks S, Lancini C, Palit S, Klarenbeek S, Kwesi‐Maliepaard EM, Molenaar TM, Hoekman L, Schmidlin TT, Altelaar AFM, van Welsem T, Dannenberg J, Jacobs H, van Leeuwen F. Conserved crosstalk between histone deacetylation and H3K79 methylation generates DOT1L-dose dependency in HDAC1-deficient thymic lymphoma. EMBO J 2019; 38:e101564. [PMID: 31304633 PMCID: PMC6627229 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2019101564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
DOT1L methylates histone H3K79 and is aberrantly regulated in MLL-rearranged leukemia. Inhibitors have been developed to target DOT1L activity in leukemia, but cellular mechanisms that regulate DOT1L are still poorly understood. We have identified the histone deacetylase Rpd3 as a negative regulator of budding yeast Dot1. At its target genes, the transcriptional repressor Rpd3 restricts H3K79 methylation, explaining the absence of H3K79me3 at a subset of genes in the yeast genome. Similar to the crosstalk in yeast, inactivation of the murine Rpd3 homolog HDAC1 in thymocytes led to an increase in H3K79 methylation. Thymic lymphomas that arise upon genetic deletion of Hdac1 retained the increased H3K79 methylation and were sensitive to reduced DOT1L dosage. Furthermore, cell lines derived from Hdac1Δ/Δ thymic lymphomas were sensitive to a DOT1L inhibitor, which induced apoptosis. In summary, we identified an evolutionarily conserved crosstalk between HDAC1 and DOT1L with impact in murine thymic lymphoma development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanneke Vlaming
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Present address:
Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular PharmacologyHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMAUSA
| | - Chelsea M McLean
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Tessy Korthout
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Mir Farshid Alemdehy
- Division of Tumor Biology & ImmunologyNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd Hendriks
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Cesare Lancini
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Sander Palit
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Sjoerd Klarenbeek
- Experimental Animal PathologyNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | | | - Thom M Molenaar
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Liesbeth Hoekman
- Experimental Animal PathologyNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Thierry T Schmidlin
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and ProteomicsBijvoet Center for Biomolecular ResearchUtrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrecht University and Netherlands Proteomics CentreUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - AF Maarten Altelaar
- Biomolecular Mass Spectrometry and ProteomicsBijvoet Center for Biomolecular ResearchUtrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical SciencesUtrecht University and Netherlands Proteomics CentreUtrechtThe Netherlands
- Proteomics FacilityNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Tibor van Welsem
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Jan‐Hermen Dannenberg
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
- Present address:
Genmab B.V.Antibody SciencesUtrechtThe Netherlands
| | - Heinz Jacobs
- Division of Tumor Biology & ImmunologyNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Fred van Leeuwen
- Division of Gene RegulationNetherlands Cancer InstituteAmsterdamThe Netherlands
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46
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Brzezinka K, Nevedomskaya E, Lesche R, Steckel M, Eheim AL, Haegebarth A, Stresemann C. Functional diversity of inhibitors tackling the differentiation blockage of MLL-rearranged leukemia. J Hematol Oncol 2019; 12:66. [PMID: 31253180 PMCID: PMC6599250 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-019-0749-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction The chromosomal rearrangements of the mixed-lineage leukemia gene MLL (KMT2A) have been extensively characterized as a potent oncogenic driver in leukemia. For its oncogenic function, most MLL-fusion proteins exploit the multienzyme super elongation complex leading to elevated expression of MLL target genes. High expression of MLL target genes overwrites the normal hematopoietic differentiation program, resulting in undifferentiated blasts characterized by the capacity to self-renew. Although extensive resources devoted to increased understanding of therapeutic targets to overcome de-differentiation in ALL/AML, the inter-dependencies of targets are still not well described. The majority of inhibitors potentially interfering with MLL-fusion protein driven transformation have been characterized in individual studies, which so far hindered their direct cross-comparison. Methods In our study, we characterized head-to-head clinical stage inhibitors for BET, DHODH, DOT1L as well as two novel inhibitors for CDK9 and the Menin-MLL interaction with a focus on differentiation induction. We profiled those inhibitors for global gene expression effects in a large cell line panel and examined cellular responses such as inhibition of proliferation, apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, surface marker expression, morphological phenotype changes, and phagocytosis as functional differentiation readout. We also verified the combination potential of those inhibitors on proliferation and differentiation level. Results Our analysis revealed significant differences in differentiation induction and in modulating MLL-fusion target gene expression. We observed Menin-MLL and DOT1L inhibitors act very specifically on MLL-fused leukemia cell lines, whereas inhibitors of BET, DHODH and P-TEFb have strong effects beyond MLL-fusions. Significant differentiation effects were detected for Menin-MLL, DOT1L, and DHODH inhibitors, whereas BET and CDK9 inhibitors primarily induced apoptosis in AML/ALL cancer models. For the first time, we explored combination potential of the abovementioned inhibitors with regards to overcoming the differentiation blockage. Conclusion Our findings show substantial diversity in the molecular activities of those inhibitors and provide valuable insights into the further developmental potential as single agents or in combinations in MLL-fused leukemia. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13045-019-0749-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krzysztof Brzezinka
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Nevedomskaya
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Lesche
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Steckel
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ashley L Eheim
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andrea Haegebarth
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlo Stresemann
- Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Bayer AG, Muellerstrasse 178, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
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47
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Worden EJ, Wolberger C. Activation and regulation of H2B-Ubiquitin-dependent histone methyltransferases. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2019; 59:98-106. [PMID: 31229920 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2019.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 05/06/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Covalent modifications of histone proteins regulate a wide variety of cellular processes. Methylation of histone H3K79 and H3K4 is associated with active transcription and is catalyzed by Dot1L and Set1, respectively. Both Dot1L and Set1 are activated by prior ubiquitination of histone H2B on K120 in a process termed 'histone crosstalk'. Recent structures of Dot1L bound to a ubiquitinated nucleosome revealed how Dot1L is activated by ubiquitin and how Dot1L distorts the nucleosome to access its substrate. Structures of Dot1L-interacting proteins have provided insight into how Dot1L is recruited to sites of active transcription. Cryo-EM and crystallographic studies of the complex of proteins associated with Set1 (COMPASS), uncovered the architecture of COMPASS and how Set1 is activated upon complex assembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan J Worden
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Cynthia Wolberger
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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48
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Wang WT, Han C, Sun YM, Chen ZH, Fang K, Huang W, Sun LY, Zeng ZC, Luo XQ, Chen YQ. Activation of the Lysosome-Associated Membrane Protein LAMP5 by DOT1L Serves as a Bodyguard for MLL Fusion Oncoproteins to Evade Degradation in Leukemia. Clin Cancer Res 2019; 25:2795-2808. [PMID: 30651276 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-1474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 01/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Despite many attempts to understand mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL leukemia), effective therapies for this disease remain limited. We identified a lysosome-associated membrane protein (LAMP) family member, LAMP5, that is specifically and highly expressed in patients with MLL leukemia. The purpose of the study was to demonstrate the functional relevance and clinical value of LAMP5 in the disease. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We first recruited a large cohort of leukemia patients to validate LAMP5 expression and evaluate its clinical value. We then performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the functional relevance of LAMP5 in MLL leukemia progression or maintenance. RESULTS LAMP5 was validated as being specifically and highly expressed in patients with MLL leukemia and was associated with a poor outcome. Functional studies showed that LAMP5 is a novel autophagic suppressor and protects MLL fusion proteins from autophagic degradation. Specifically targeting LAMP5 significantly promoted degradation of MLL fusion proteins and inhibited MLL leukemia progression in both an animal model and primary cells. We further revealed that LAMP5 is a direct target of the H3K79 histone methyltransferase DOT1L. Downregulating LAMP5 with a DOT1L inhibitor enhanced the selective autophagic degradation of MLL oncoproteins and extended survival in vivo; this observation was especially significant when combining DOT1L inhibitors with LAMP5 knockdown. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that LAMP5 serves as a "bodyguard" for MLL fusions to evade degradation and is the first to link H3K79 methylation to autophagy regulation, highlighting the potential of LAMP5 as a therapeutic target for MLL leukemia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Tao Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cai Han
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Meng Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhen-Hua Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ke Fang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei Huang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lin-Yu Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhan-Cheng Zeng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xue-Qun Luo
- The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yue-Qin Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory for Biocontrol, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
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49
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Worden EJ, Hoffmann NA, Hicks CW, Wolberger C. Mechanism of Cross-talk between H2B Ubiquitination and H3 Methylation by Dot1L. Cell 2019; 176:1490-1501.e12. [PMID: 30765112 PMCID: PMC6498860 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Methylation of histone H3 K79 by Dot1L is a hallmark of actively transcribed genes that depends on monoubiquitination of H2B K120 (H2B-Ub) and is an example of histone modification cross-talk that is conserved from yeast to humans. We report here cryo-EM structures of Dot1L bound to ubiquitinated nucleosome that show how H2B-Ub stimulates Dot1L activity and reveal a role for the histone H4 tail in positioning Dot1L. We find that contacts mediated by Dot1L and the H4 tail induce a conformational change in the globular core of histone H3 that reorients K79 from an inaccessible position, thus enabling this side chain to insert into the active site in a position primed for catalysis. Our study provides a comprehensive mechanism of cross-talk between histone ubiquitination and methylation and reveals structural plasticity in histones that makes it possible for histone-modifying enzymes to access residues within the nucleosome core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan J Worden
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Niklas A Hoffmann
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chad W Hicks
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Cynthia Wolberger
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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Yokoyama A. RNA Polymerase II-Dependent Transcription Initiated by Selectivity Factor 1: A Central Mechanism Used by MLL Fusion Proteins in Leukemic Transformation. Front Genet 2019; 9:722. [PMID: 30693017 PMCID: PMC6339877 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells transcribe RNAs in a characteristic manner in order to maintain their oncogenic potentials. In eukaryotes, RNA is polymerized by three distinct RNA polymerases, RNA polymerase I, II, and III (RNAP1, RNAP2, and RNAP3, respectively). The transcriptional machinery that initiates each transcription reaction has been purified and characterized. Selectivity factor 1 (SL1) is the complex responsible for RNAP1 pre-initiation complex formation. However, whether it plays any role in RNAP2-dependent transcription remains unclear. Our group previously found that SL1 specifically associates with AF4 family proteins. AF4 family proteins form the AEP complex with ENL family proteins and the P-TEFb elongation factor. Similar complexes have been independently characterized by several different laboratories and are often referred to as super elongation complex. The involvement of AEP in RNAP2-dependent transcription indicates that SL1 must play an important role in RNAP2-dependent transcription. To date, this role of SL1 has not been appreciated. In leukemia, AF4 and ENL family genes are frequently rearranged to form chimeric fusion genes with MLL. The resultant MLL fusion genes produce chimeric MLL fusion proteins comprising MLL and AEP components. The MLL portion functions as a targeting module, which specifically binds chromatin containing di-/tri-methylated histone H3 lysine 36 and non-methylated CpGs. This type of chromatin is enriched at the promoters of transcriptionally active genes which allows MLL fusion proteins to selectively bind to transcriptionally-active/CpG-rich gene promoters. The fusion partner portion, which recruits other AEP components and SL1, is responsible for activation of RNAP2-dependent transcription. Consequently, MLL fusion proteins constitutively activate the transcription of previously-transcribed MLL target genes. Structure/function analysis has shown that the ability of MLL fusion proteins to transform hematopoietic progenitors depends on the recruitment of AEP and SL1. Thus, the AEP/SL1-mediated gene activation pathway appears to be the central mechanism of MLL fusion-mediated transcriptional activation. However, the molecular mechanism by which SL1 activates RNAP2-dependent transcription remains largely unclear. This review aims to cover recent discoveries of the mechanism of transcriptional activation by MLL fusion proteins and to introduce novel roles of SL1 in RNAP2-dependent transcription by discussing how the RNAP1 machinery may be involved in RNAP2-dependent gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akihiko Yokoyama
- Tsuruoka Meatabolomics Laboratory, National Cancer Center, Yamagata, Japan
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