1
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Kashima S, Braun DA. The Changing Landscape of Immunotherapy for Advanced Renal Cancer. Urol Clin North Am 2023; 50:335-349. [PMID: 36948676 DOI: 10.1016/j.ucl.2023.01.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
The management of advanced renal cell carcinoma has advanced tremendously over the past decade, but most patients still do not receive durable clinical benefit from current therapies. Renal cellcarcinoma is an immunogenic tumor, historically with conventional cytokine therapies, such as interleukin-2 and interferon-α, and contemporarily with the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors. Now the central therapeutic strategy in renal cell carcinoma is combination therapies including immunecheckpoint inhibitors. In this Review, we look back on the historical changes in systemic therapy for advanced renal cell carcinoma, and focus on the latest developments and prospects in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soki Kashima
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 6400, New Haven, CT, USA; Department of Urology, Akita University, Graduate School of Medicine, Akita, Japan
| | - David A Braun
- Center of Molecular and Cellular Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, 300 George Street, Suite 6400, New Haven, CT, USA.
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2
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Camila B, Carlos C, Maria-Jose P, Sergio R, Alejandra C, Adriana R. Genotoxicity and hypomethylation of LINE-1 induced by electronic cigarettes. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 256:114900. [PMID: 37054467 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.114900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2022] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Currently, the marketing of electronic cigarettes as a safe alternative to smoking has increased, which is associated with greater use of these devices, especially among young people and smokers interested in quitting tobacco cigarettes. Given the growing use of this type of product, there is a need to determine the consequences of electronic cigarettes on human health, especially since many of the compounds contained in the aerosol and liquid of these devices have a high potential to be carcinogenic and genotoxic. Additionally, many of these compounds' aerosol concentrations exceed the safe limits. We have evaluated the levels of genotoxicity and changes in DNA methylation patterns associated with vaping. We analyzed a total of 90 peripheral blood samples from a population of vapers (n = 32), smokers (n = 18), and controls (n = 32), in which the frequencies of genotoxicity were determined by the cytokinesis-blocking micronuclei (CBMN) assay and the patterns of methylation of the repetitive elements of LINE-1 through the Quantitative Methylation Specific PCR (qMSP) assay. Here we show an increase in genotoxicity levels associated with vaping habits. Additionally, the group of vapers showed changes at the epigenetic level specifically associated with the loss of methylation of the LINE-1 elements. These changes in LINE-1 methylation patterns were reflected in its representative RNA expression detected in vapers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernal Camila
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Camero Carlos
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Pinzón Maria-Jose
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rodríguez Sergio
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Cañas Alejandra
- Internal Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia; Internal Medicine Department, Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Rojas Adriana
- Institute of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, Colombia.
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3
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Stricker E, Peckham-Gregory EC, Scheurer ME. HERVs and Cancer-A Comprehensive Review of the Relationship of Human Endogenous Retroviruses and Human Cancers. Biomedicines 2023; 11:936. [PMID: 36979914 PMCID: PMC10046157 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11030936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2023] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Genomic instability and genetic mutations can lead to exhibition of several cancer hallmarks in affected cells such as sustained proliferative signaling, evasion of growth suppression, activated invasion, deregulation of cellular energetics, and avoidance of immune destruction. Similar biological changes have been observed to be a result of pathogenic viruses and, in some cases, have been linked to virus-induced cancers. Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), once external pathogens, now occupy more than 8% of the human genome, representing the merge of genomic and external factors. In this review, we outline all reported effects of HERVs on cancer development and discuss the HERV targets most suitable for cancer treatments as well as ongoing clinical trials for HERV-targeting drugs. We reviewed all currently available reports of the effects of HERVs on human cancers including solid tumors, lymphomas, and leukemias. Our review highlights the central roles of HERV genes, such as gag, env, pol, np9, and rec in immune regulation, checkpoint blockade, cell differentiation, cell fusion, proliferation, metastasis, and cell transformation. In addition, we summarize the involvement of HERV long terminal repeat (LTR) regions in transcriptional regulation, creation of fusion proteins, expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and promotion of genome instability through recombination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erik Stricker
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
| | | | - Michael E. Scheurer
- Department of Molecular Virology and Microbiology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77047, USA
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4
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Agoni L. Alternative and aberrant splicing of human endogenous retroviruses in cancer. What about head and neck? —A mini review. Front Oncol 2022; 12:1019085. [PMID: 36338752 PMCID: PMC9631305 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.1019085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are transcribed in many cancer types, including head and neck cancer. Because of accumulating mutations at proviral loci over evolutionary time, HERVs are functionally defective and cannot complete their viral life cycle. Despite that, HERV transcripts, including full-length viral RNAs and viral RNAs spliced as expected at the conventional viral splice sites, can be detected in particular conditions, such as cancer. Interestingly, non-viral–related transcription, including aberrant, non-conventionally spliced RNAs, has been reported as well. The role of HERV transcription in cancer and its contribution to oncogenesis or progression are still debated. Nonetheless, HERVs may constitute a suitable cancer biomarker or a target for therapy. Thus, ongoing research aims both to clarify the basic mechanisms underlying HERV transcription in cancer and to exploit its potential toward clinical application. In this mini-review, we summarize the current knowledge, the most recent findings, and the future perspectives of research on HERV transcription and splicing, with particular focus on head and neck cancer.
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5
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Erichsen L, Thimm C, Santourlidis S. Methyl Group Metabolism in Differentiation, Aging, and Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:8378. [PMID: 35955511 PMCID: PMC9369357 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Methyl group metabolism belongs to a relatively understudied field of research. Its importance lies in the fact that methyl group metabolic pathways are crucial for the successful conversion of dietary nutrients into the basic building blocks to carry out any cellular methylation reaction. Methyl groups play essential roles in numerous cellular functions such as DNA methylation, nucleotide- and protein biosynthesis. Especially, DNA methylation is responsible for organizing the genome into transcriptionally silent and active regions. Ultimately, it is this proper annotation that determines the quality of expression patterns required to ensure and shape the phenotypic integrity and function of a highly specialized cell type. Life is characterized by constantly changing environmental conditions, which are addressed by changes in DNA methylation. This relationship is increasingly coming into focus as it is of fundamental importance for differentiation, aging, and cancer. The stability and permanence of these metabolic processes, fueling the supplementation of methyl groups, seem to be important criteria to prevent deficiencies and erosion of the methylome. Alterations in the metabolic processes can lead to epigenetic and genetic perturbations, causative for diverse disorders, accelerated aging, and various age-related diseases. In recent decades, the intake of methyl group compounds has changed significantly due to, e.g., environmental pollution and food additives. Based on the current knowledge, this review provides a brief overview of the highly interconnected relationship between nutrition, metabolism, changes in epigenetic modifications, cancer, and aging. One goal is to provide an impetus to additionally investigate changes in DNA methylation as a possible consequence of an impaired methyl group metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lars Erichsen
- Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
| | - Chantelle Thimm
- Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
| | - Simeon Santourlidis
- Epigenetics Core Laboratory, Institute of Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany;
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6
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Shah AH, Govindarajan V, Doucet-O'Hare TT, Rivas S, Ampie L, DeMarino C, Banasavadi-Siddegowda YK, Zhang Y, Johnson KR, Almsned F, Gilbert MR, Heiss JD, Nath A. Differential expression of an endogenous retroviral element [HERV-K(HML-6)] is associated with reduced survival in glioblastoma patients. Sci Rep 2022; 12:6902. [PMID: 35477752 PMCID: PMC9046263 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-10914-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Comprising approximately 8% of our genome, Human Endogenous RetroViruses (HERVs) represent a class of germline retroviral infections that are regulated through epigenetic modifications. In cancer cells, which often have epigenetic dysregulation, HERVs have been implicated as potential oncogenic drivers. However, their role in gliomas is not known. Given the link between HERV expression in cancer cell lines and the distinct epigenetic dysregulation in gliomas, we utilized a tailored bioinformatic pipeline to characterize and validate the glioma retrotranscriptome and correlate HERV expression with locus-specific epigenetic modifications. We identified robust overexpression of multiple HERVs in our cell lines, including a retroviral transcript, HML-6, at 19q13.43b in glioblastoma cells. HERV expression inversely correlated with loci-specific DNA methylation. HML-6 contains an intact open reading frame encoding a small envelope protein, ERVK3-1. Increased expression of ERVK3-1 in GBM patients is associated with a poor prognosis independent of IDH-mutational status. Our results suggest that not only is HML-6 uniquely overexpressed in highly invasive cell lines and tissue samples, but also its gene product, ERVK3-1, may be associated with reduced survival in GBM patients. These results may have implications for both the tumor biology of GBM and the role of ERVK3-1 as a potential therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashish H Shah
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA.
| | - Vaidya Govindarajan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Tara T Doucet-O'Hare
- Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Sarah Rivas
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Leo Ampie
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Catherine DeMarino
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | | | - Yong Zhang
- Bioinformatics Section, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kory R Johnson
- Bioinformatics Section, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fahad Almsned
- Bioinformatics Section, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Mark R Gilbert
- Center for Cancer Research (CCR), National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute (NCI), Neuro-Oncology Branch (NOB), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - John D Heiss
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Avindra Nath
- Surgical Neurology Branch, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), Bethesda, MD, USA
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7
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Olive Oil Improves While Trans Fatty Acids Further Aggravate the Hypomethylation of LINE-1 Retrotransposon DNA in an Environmental Carcinogen Model. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14040908. [PMID: 35215560 PMCID: PMC8878525 DOI: 10.3390/nu14040908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 02/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is an epigenetic mechanism that is crucial for mammalian development and genomic stability. Aberrant DNA methylation changes have been detected not only in malignant tumor tissues; the decrease of global DNA methylation levels is also characteristic for aging. The consumption of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) as part of a balanced diet shows preventive effects against age-related diseases and cancer. On the other hand, consuming trans fatty acids (TFA) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases as well as cancer. The aim of the study was to investigate the LINE-1 retrotransposon (L1-RTP) DNA methylation pattern in liver, kidney, and spleen of mice as a marker of genetic instability. For that, mice were fed with EVOO or TFA and were pretreated with environmental carcinogen 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)-a harmful substance known to cause L1-RTP DNA hypomethylation. Our results show that DMBA and its combination with TFA caused significant L1-RTP DNA hypomethylation compared to the control group via inhibition of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) enzymes. EVOO had the opposite effect by significantly decreasing DMBA and DMBA + TFA-induced hypomethylation, thereby counteracting their effects.
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8
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Santourlidis S, Schulz WA, Araúzo-Bravo MJ, Gerovska D, Ott P, Bendhack ML, Hassan M, Erichsen L. Epigenetics in the Diagnosis and Therapy of Malignant Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031531. [PMID: 35163453 PMCID: PMC8835790 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031531] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 01/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms are fundamentally important for cancer initiation and development. However, a survey of the literature reveals that, to date, they appear less comprehensively investigated in melanoma than in many other cancers, e.g., prostate, breast, and colon carcinoma. The aim of this review is to provide a short summary of epigenetic aspects of functional relevance for melanoma pathogenesis. In addition, some new perspectives from epigenetic research in other cancers with potential for melanoma diagnosis and therapy are introduced. For example, the PrimeEpiHit hypothesis in urothelial carcinoma, which, similarly to malignant melanoma, can also be triggered by a single exogenous noxa, states that one of the first steps for cancer initiation could be epigenetic changes in key genes of one-carbon metabolism. The application of such insights may contribute to further progress in the diagnosis and therapy of melanoma, a deadly type of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simeon Santourlidis
- Epigenetics Core Laboratory, Institute of Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.S.); (P.O.)
| | - Wolfgang A. Schulz
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany;
| | - Marcos J. Araúzo-Bravo
- Group of Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain; (M.J.A.-B.); (D.G.)
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Daniela Gerovska
- Group of Computational Biology and Systems Biomedicine, Biodonostia Health Research Institute, 20014 San Sebastián, Spain; (M.J.A.-B.); (D.G.)
| | - Pauline Ott
- Epigenetics Core Laboratory, Institute of Transplantation Diagnostics and Cell Therapeutics, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Duesseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany; (S.S.); (P.O.)
| | - Marcelo L. Bendhack
- Department of Urology, University Hospital, Positivo University, Curitiba 80030-200, Brazil;
| | - Mohamed Hassan
- Department of Surgery, Tulane University School of Medicine, New Orleans, LA 70112, USA;
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherché Médicale, University of Strasbourg, 67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Lars Erichsen
- Institute for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-0211-81-16905
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9
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Bersanelli M, Casartelli C, Buti S, Porta C. Renal cell carcinoma and viral infections: A dangerous relationship? World J Nephrol 2022; 11:1-12. [PMID: 35117975 PMCID: PMC8790307 DOI: 10.5527/wjn.v11.i1.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Virus-related cancers in humans are widely recognized, but in the case of renal cancer, the link with the world of viruses is not clearly established in humans, despite being known in animal biology. In the present review, we aimed to explore the literature on renal cell carcinoma (RCC) for a possible role of viruses in human RCC tumorigenesis and immune homeostasis, hypothesizing the contribution of viruses to the immunogenicity of this tumor. A scientific literature search was conducted using the PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases with the keywords “virus” or “viruses” or “viral infection” matched with (“AND”) “renal cell carcinoma” or “kidney cancer” or “renal cancer” or “renal carcinoma” or “renal tumor” or “RCC”. The retrieved findings evidenced two main aspects testifying to the relationship between RCC and viruses: The presence of viruses within the tumor, especially in non-clear cell RCC cases, and RCC occurrence in cases with pre-existing chronic viral infections. Some retrieved translational and clinical data suggest the possible contribution of viruses, particularly Epstein-Barr virus, to the marked immunogenicity of sarcomatoid RCC. In addition, it was revealed the possible role of endogenous retrovirus reactivation in RCC oncogenesis, introducing new fascinating hypotheses about this tumor’s immunogenicity and likeliness of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Bersanelli
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
| | - Chiara Casartelli
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
| | - Sebastiano Buti
- Medical Oncology Unit, University Hospital of Parma, Parma 43126, Italy
| | - Camillo Porta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari ‘A. Moro’, Bari 70121, Italy
- Department of Medical Oncology, Policlinico Consorziale, Bari 70124, Italy
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10
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Zhou M, Leung JY, Gessner KH, Hepperla AJ, Simon JM, Davis IJ, Kim WY. PBRM1 inactivation promotes upregulation of human endogenous retroviruses in a HIF-dependent manner. Cancer Immunol Res 2022; 10:285-290. [PMID: 35013001 DOI: 10.1158/2326-6066.cir-21-0480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2021] [Revised: 11/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is considered an immunotherapy-responsive disease; however, the reasons for this remain unclear. Studies have variably implicated PBRM1 mutations as a predictive biomarker of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) response, and separate studies demonstrate that expression of human endogenous retroviruses (hERVs) might be an important class of tumor-associated antigens. We sought to understand if specific mutations were associated with hERV expression. Two large, annotated genomic datasets, TCGA KIRC and IMmotion150, were used to correlate mutations and hERV expression. PBRM1 mutations were consistently associated with increased hERV expression in primary tumors. In vitro silencing of PBRM1, HIF1A and HIF2A followed by RNA-seq was performed in UMRC2 cells, confirming that PBRM1 regulates hERVs in a HIF1α- and HIF2α- dependent manner and that hERVs of the HERVERI superfamily are enriched in PBRM1-regulated hERVs. Our results uncover a role of PBRM1 in the negative regulation of hERVs in ccRCC. Moreover, the HIF-dependent nature of hERV expression explains the previously reported ccRCC-specific clinical associations of PBRM1 mutant ccRCC with both a good prognosis as well as improved clinical outcomes to ICB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mi Zhou
- Medicine and Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Janet Y Leung
- Department of Medicine and Genetics, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | | | - Austin J Hepperla
- Curriculum in Genetics and Molecular Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Jeremy M Simon
- Department of Genetics and Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - Ian J Davis
- Carolina Center for Genome Sciences, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
| | - William Y Kim
- Medicine, Genetics, Pharmacology, and Urology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
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11
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Durnaoglu S, Lee SK, Ahnn J. Human Endogenous Retroviruses as Gene Expression Regulators: Insights from Animal Models into Human Diseases. Mol Cells 2021; 44:861-878. [PMID: 34963103 PMCID: PMC8718366 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2021.5016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The human genome contains many retroviral elements called human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs), resulting from the integration of retroviruses throughout evolution. HERVs once were considered inactive junk because they are not replication-competent, primarily localized in the heterochromatin, and silenced by methylation. But HERVs are now clearly shown to actively regulate gene expression in various physiological and pathological conditions such as developmental processes, immune regulation, cancers, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. Recent studies report that HERVs are activated in patients suffering from coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), the current pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) infection. In this review, we describe internal and external factors that influence HERV activities. We also present evidence showing the gene regulatory activity of HERV LTRs (long terminal repeats) in model organisms such as mice, rats, zebrafish, and invertebrate models of worms and flies. Finally, we discuss several molecular and cellular pathways involving various transcription factors and receptors, through which HERVs affect downstream cellular and physiological events such as epigenetic modifications, calcium influx, protein phosphorylation, and cytokine release. Understanding how HERVs participate in various physiological and pathological processes will help develop a strategy to generate effective therapeutic approaches targeting HERVs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serpen Durnaoglu
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Sun-Kyung Lee
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
| | - Joohong Ahnn
- Department of Life Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
- Research Institute for Natural Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, Korea
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12
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Mao J, Zhang Q, Cong YS. Human endogenous retroviruses in development and disease. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2021; 19:5978-5986. [PMID: 34849202 PMCID: PMC8604659 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2021.10.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) represent ∼8% of human genome, deriving from exogenous retroviral infections of germ line cells occurred millions of years ago and being inherited by the offspring in a Mendelian fashion. Most of HERVs are nonprotein-coding because of the accumulation of mutations, insertions, deletions, and/or truncations. It has been long thought that HERVs were "junk DNA". However, it is now known that HERVs are involved in various biological processes through encoding proteins, acting as promoters/enhancers, or lncRNAs to affect human health and disease. In this review, we summarized recent findings about HERVs, with implications in embryonic development, pluripotency, cancer, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Mao
- Key Laboratory of Aging and Cancer Biology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qian Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Aging and Cancer Biology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu-Sheng Cong
- Key Laboratory of Aging and Cancer Biology of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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13
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Maung MT, Carlson A, Olea-Flores M, Elkhadragy L, Schachtschneider KM, Navarro-Tito N, Padilla-Benavides T. The molecular and cellular basis of copper dysregulation and its relationship with human pathologies. FASEB J 2021; 35:e21810. [PMID: 34390520 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202100273rr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Copper (Cu) is an essential micronutrient required for the activity of redox-active enzymes involved in critical metabolic reactions, signaling pathways, and biological functions. Transporters and chaperones control Cu ion levels and bioavailability to ensure proper subcellular and systemic Cu distribution. Intensive research has focused on understanding how mammalian cells maintain Cu homeostasis, and how molecular signals coordinate Cu acquisition and storage within organs. In humans, mutations of genes that regulate Cu homeostasis or facilitate interactions with Cu ions lead to numerous pathologic conditions. Malfunctions of the Cu+ -transporting ATPases ATP7A and ATP7B cause Menkes disease and Wilson disease, respectively. Additionally, defects in the mitochondrial and cellular distributions and homeostasis of Cu lead to severe neurodegenerative conditions, mitochondrial myopathies, and metabolic diseases. Cu has a dual nature in carcinogenesis as a promotor of tumor growth and an inducer of redox stress in cancer cells. Cu also plays role in cancer treatment as a component of drugs and a regulator of drug sensitivity and uptake. In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge of Cu metabolism and transport and its relation to various human pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- May T Maung
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
| | - Alyssa Carlson
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT, USA
| | - Monserrat Olea-Flores
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Guerrero, Mexico
| | - Lobna Elkhadragy
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Kyle M Schachtschneider
- Department of Radiology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.,National Center for Supercomputing Applications, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Napoleon Navarro-Tito
- Facultad de Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Guerrero, Mexico
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14
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Ramos KS, Bojang P, Bowers E. Role of long interspersed nuclear element-1 in the regulation of chromatin landscapes and genome dynamics. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2021; 246:2082-2097. [PMID: 34304633 DOI: 10.1177/15353702211031247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
LINE-1 retrotransposon, the most active mobile element of the human genome, is subject to tight regulatory control. Stressful environments and disease modify the recruitment of regulatory proteins leading to unregulated activation of LINE-1. The activation of LINE-1 influences genome dynamics through altered chromatin landscapes, insertion mutations, deletions, and modulation of cellular plasticity. To date, LINE-1 retrotransposition has been linked to various cancer types and may in fact underwrite the genetic basis of various other forms of chronic human illness. The occurrence of LINE-1 polymorphisms in the human population may define inter-individual differences in susceptibility to disease. This review is written in honor of Dr Peter Stambrook, a friend and colleague who carried out highly impactful cancer research over many years of professional practice. Dr Stambrook devoted considerable energy to helping others live up to their full potential and to navigate the complexities of professional life. He was an inspirational leader, a strong advocate, a kind mentor, a vocal supporter and cheerleader, and yes, a hard critic and tough friend when needed. His passionate stand on issues, his witty sense of humor, and his love for humanity have left a huge mark in our lives. We hope that that the knowledge summarized here will advance our understanding of the role of LINE-1 in cancer biology and expedite the development of innovative cancer diagnostics and treatments in the ways that Dr Stambrook himself had so passionately envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth S Ramos
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Pasano Bojang
- University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40506, USA
| | - Emma Bowers
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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15
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Machhi J, Shahjin F, Das S, Patel M, Abdelmoaty MM, Cohen JD, Singh PA, Baldi A, Bajwa N, Kumar R, Vora LK, Patel TA, Oleynikov MD, Soni D, Yeapuri P, Mukadam I, Chakraborty R, Saksena CG, Herskovitz J, Hasan M, Oupicky D, Das S, Donnelly RF, Hettie KS, Chang L, Gendelman HE, Kevadiya BD. A Role for Extracellular Vesicles in SARS-CoV-2 Therapeutics and Prevention. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2021; 16:270-288. [PMID: 33544324 PMCID: PMC7862527 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-020-09981-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are the common designation for ectosomes, microparticles and microvesicles serving dominant roles in intercellular communication. Both viable and dying cells release EVs to the extracellular environment for transfer of cell, immune and infectious materials. Defined morphologically as lipid bi-layered structures EVs show molecular, biochemical, distribution, and entry mechanisms similar to viruses within cells and tissues. In recent years their functional capacities have been harnessed to deliver biomolecules and drugs and immunological agents to specific cells and organs of interest or disease. Interest in EVs as putative vaccines or drug delivery vehicles are substantial. The vesicles have properties of receptors nanoassembly on their surface. EVs can interact with specific immunocytes that include antigen presenting cells (dendritic cells and other mononuclear phagocytes) to elicit immune responses or affect tissue and cellular homeostasis or disease. Due to potential advantages like biocompatibility, biodegradation and efficient immune activation, EVs have gained attraction for the development of treatment or a vaccine system against the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2) infection. In this review efforts to use EVs to contain SARS CoV-2 and affect the current viral pandemic are discussed. An emphasis is made on mesenchymal stem cell derived EVs' as a vaccine candidate delivery system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jatin Machhi
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Farah Shahjin
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Srijanee Das
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Milankumar Patel
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Mai Mohamed Abdelmoaty
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
- Therapeutic Chemistry Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, Giza, Egypt
| | - Jacob D Cohen
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Preet Amol Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, PB, India
| | - Ashish Baldi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, PB, India
| | - Neha Bajwa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, PB, India
| | - Raj Kumar
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Lalit K Vora
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Tapan A Patel
- Department of Biological Sciences, P. D. Patel Institute of Applied Sciences (PDPIAS), Charotar University of Science and Technology (CHARUSAT), Changa, Anand, Gujarat, 388421, India
| | - Maxim D Oleynikov
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Dhruvkumar Soni
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Pravin Yeapuri
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Insiya Mukadam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Rajashree Chakraborty
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Caroline G Saksena
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
| | - Jonathan Herskovitz
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Mahmudul Hasan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - David Oupicky
- Center for Drug Delivery and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198, USA
| | - Suvarthi Das
- Department of Medicine, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, 94304, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Ryan F Donnelly
- School of Pharmacy, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7BL, UK
| | - Kenneth S Hettie
- Molecular Imaging Program at Stanford (MIPS), Department of Radiology, Department of Otolaryngology - Head & Neck Surgery, Stanford University, 94304, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Linda Chang
- Departments of Diagnostic Radiology & Nuclear Medicine, and Neurology, School of Medicine, University of Maryland, 21201, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Howard E Gendelman
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA.
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, PB, India.
| | - Bhavesh D Kevadiya
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, College of Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5880, USA
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16
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CpG Methylation Profiles of HIV-1 Pro-Viral DNA in Individuals on ART. Viruses 2021; 13:v13050799. [PMID: 33946976 PMCID: PMC8146454 DOI: 10.3390/v13050799] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The latent HIV-1 reservoir is comprised of stably integrated and intact proviruses with limited to no viral transcription. It has been proposed that latent infection may be maintained by methylation of pro-viral DNA. Here, for the first time, we investigate the cytosine methylation of a replication competent provirus (AMBI-1) found in a T cell clone in a donor on antiretroviral therapy (ART). Methylation profiles of the AMBI-1 provirus were compared to other proviruses in the same donor and in samples from three other individuals on ART, including proviruses isolated from lymph node mononuclear cells (LNMCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We also evaluated the apparent methylation of cytosines outside of CpG (i.e., CpH) motifs. We found no evidence for methylation in AMBI-1 or any other provirus tested within the 5' LTR promoter. In contrast, CpG methylation was observed in the env-tat-rev overlapping reading frame. In addition, we found evidence for differential provirus methylation in cells isolated from LNMCs vs. PBMCs in some individuals, possibly from the expansion of infected cell clones. Finally, we determined that apparent low-level methylation of CpH cytosines is consistent with occasional bisulfite reaction failures. In conclusion, our data do not support the proposition that latent HIV infection is associated with methylation of the HIV 5' LTR promoter.
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17
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Xu Y, Miller CP, Warren EH, Tykodi SS. Current status of antigen-specific T-cell immunotherapy for advanced renal-cell carcinoma. Hum Vaccin Immunother 2021; 17:1882-1896. [PMID: 33667140 PMCID: PMC8189101 DOI: 10.1080/21645515.2020.1870846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In renal-cell carcinoma (RCC), tumor-reactive T-cell responses can occur spontaneously or in response to systemic immunotherapy with cytokines and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Cancer vaccines and engineered T-cell therapies are designed to selectively augment tumor antigen-specific CD8+ T-cell responses with the goal to elicit tumor regression and avoid toxicities associated with nonspecific immunotherapies. In this review, we provide an overview of the central role of T-cell immunity in the treatment of advanced RCC. Clinical outcomes for antigen-targeted vaccines or other T-cell-engaging therapies for RCC are summarized and evaluated, and emerging new strategies to enhance the effectiveness of antigen-specific therapy for RCC are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuexin Xu
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Chris P Miller
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Edus H Warren
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Pathology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Scott S Tykodi
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA.,Department of Medicine, Division of Medical Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
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18
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Grundy EE, Diab N, Chiappinelli KB. Transposable element regulation and expression in cancer. FEBS J 2021; 289:1160-1179. [PMID: 33471418 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Approximately 45% of the human genome is composed of transposable elements (TEs). Expression of these elements is tightly regulated during normal development. TEs may be expressed at high levels in embryonic stem cells but are epigenetically silenced in terminally differentiated cells. As part of the global 'epigenetic dysregulation' that cells undergo during transformation from normal to cancer, TEs can lose epigenetic silencing and become transcribed, and, in some cases, active. Here, we summarize recent advances detailing the consequences of TE activation in cancer and describe how these understudied residents of our genome can both aid tumorigenesis and potentially be harnessed for anticancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin E Grundy
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The Institute for Biomedical Sciences at The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Noor Diab
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Katherine B Chiappinelli
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, & Tropical Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,The GW Cancer Center, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA
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19
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Gao Y, Yu XF, Chen T. Human endogenous retroviruses in cancer: Expression, regulation and function. Oncol Lett 2020; 21:121. [PMID: 33552242 PMCID: PMC7798031 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2020.12382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are the remnants of ancient retroviruses that infected human germline cells and became integrated into the human genome millions of years ago. Although most of these sequences are incomplete and silent, several potential pathological roles of HERVs have been observed in numerous diseases, such as multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis, and especially cancer, including breast cancer and pancreatic carcinoma. The present review investigates the expression signatures and complex regulatory mechanisms of HERVs in cancer. The long terminal repeats-driven transcriptional initiation of HERVs are regulated by transcription factors (such as Sp3) and epigenetic modifications (such as DNA methylation), and are influenced by environmental factors (such as ultraviolet radiation). In addition, this review focuses on the dual opposing effects of HERVs in cancer. HERVs can suppress cancer via immune activation; however, they can also promote cancer. HERV env gene serves a prime role in promoting carcinogenesis in certain malignant tumors, including breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, germ cell tumors, leukemia and Kaposi's sarcoma. Also, HERV ENV proteins can promote cancer via immune suppression. Targeting ENV proteins is a potential future antitumor treatment modality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Gao
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zheijang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Fang Yu
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zheijang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Ting Chen
- Cancer Institute, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zheijang 310009, P.R. China
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20
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Minati R, Perreault C, Thibault P. A Roadmap Toward the Definition of Actionable Tumor-Specific Antigens. Front Immunol 2020; 11:583287. [PMID: 33424836 PMCID: PMC7793940 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.583287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for tumor-specific antigens (TSAs) has considerably accelerated during the past decade due to the improvement of proteogenomic detection methods. This provides new opportunities for the development of novel antitumoral immunotherapies to mount an efficient T cell response against one or multiple types of tumors. While the identification of mutated antigens originating from coding exons has provided relatively few TSA candidates, the possibility of enlarging the repertoire of targetable TSAs by looking at antigens arising from non-canonical open reading frames opens up interesting avenues for cancer immunotherapy. In this review, we outline the potential sources of TSAs and the mechanisms responsible for their expression strictly in cancer cells. In line with the heterogeneity of cancer, we propose that discrete families of TSAs may be enriched in specific cancer types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robin Minati
- École Normale Supérieure de Lyon, Université Claude Bernard Lyon I, Université de Lyon, Lyon, France
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Claude Perreault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Medicine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Pierre Thibault
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
- Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada
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21
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Vergara Bermejo A, Ragonnaud E, Daradoumis J, Holst P. Cancer Associated Endogenous Retroviruses: Ideal Immune Targets for Adenovirus-Based Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21144843. [PMID: 32650622 PMCID: PMC7402293 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21144843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 07/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a major challenge in our societies, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) about 1/6 deaths were cancer related in 2018 and it is considered the second leading cause of death globally. Immunotherapies have changed the paradigm of oncologic treatment for several cancers where the field had fallen short in providing competent therapies. Despite the improvement, broadly acting and highly effective therapies capable of eliminating or preventing human cancers with insufficient mutated antigens are still missing. Adenoviral vector-based vaccines are a successful tool in the treatment of various diseases including cancer; however, their success has been limited. In this review we discuss the potential of adenovirus as therapeutic tools and the current developments to use them against cancer. More specifically, we examine how to use them to target endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). ERVs, comprising 8% of the human genome, have been detected in several cancers, while they remain silent in healthy tissues. Their low immunogenicity together with their immunosuppressive capacity aid cancer to escape immunosurveillance. In that regard, virus-like-vaccine (VLV) technology, combining adenoviral vectors and virus-like-particles (VLPs), can be ideal to target ERVs and elicit B-cell responses, as well as CD8+ and CD4+ T-cells responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amaia Vergara Bermejo
- InProTher, Bioinnovation Institute, Copenhagen Bio Science Park, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.R.); (J.D.)
- Correspondence: (A.V.B.); (P.H.)
| | - Emeline Ragonnaud
- InProTher, Bioinnovation Institute, Copenhagen Bio Science Park, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.R.); (J.D.)
| | - Joana Daradoumis
- InProTher, Bioinnovation Institute, Copenhagen Bio Science Park, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.R.); (J.D.)
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Peter Holst
- InProTher, Bioinnovation Institute, Copenhagen Bio Science Park, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; (E.R.); (J.D.)
- Center for Medical Parasitology, Department of Immunology and Microbiology, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Correspondence: (A.V.B.); (P.H.)
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22
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Basic Hallmarks of Urothelial Cancer Unleashed in Primary Uroepithelium by Interference with the Epigenetic Master Regulator ODC1. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3808. [PMID: 32123240 PMCID: PMC7052216 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60796-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Urothelial carcinoma (UC) is a common disease causing significant morbidity and mortality as well as considerable costs for health systems. Extensive aberrant methylation of DNA is broadly documented in early UC, contributing to genetic instability, altered gene expression and tumor progression. However the triggers initiating aberrant methylation are unknown. Recently we discovered that several genes encoding key enzymes of methyl group and polyamine metabolism, including Ornithine Decarboxylase 1 (ODC1), are affected by DNA methylation in early stage UC. In this study, we investigated the hypothesis that these epigenetic alterations act in a feed-forward fashion to promote aberrant DNA methylation in UC. We demonstrate that siRNA-mediated knockdown of ODC1 expression elicits genome-wide LINE-1 demethylation, induction of LINE-1 transcripts and double-strand DNA breaks and decreases viability in primary cultured uroepithelial cells. Similarly, following siRNA-mediated knockdown of ODC1, UC cells undergo double-strand DNA breaks and apoptosis. Collectively, our findings provide evidence that ODC1 gene hypermethylation could be a starting point for the onset of genome-wide epigenetic aberrations in urothelial carcinogenesis. Furthermore, LINE-1 induction enabled by ODC1 interference provides a new experimental model to study mechanisms and consequences of LINE-1 activation in the etiology and progression of UC as well as presumably other cancers.
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23
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Dolci M, Favero C, Tarantini L, Villani S, Bregni M, Signorini L, Della Valle A, Crivelli F, D'Alessandro S, Ferrante P, Bollati V, Delbue S. Human endogenous retroviruses env gene expression and long terminal repeat methylation in colorectal cancer patients. Med Microbiol Immunol 2020; 209:189-199. [PMID: 32040616 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-020-00662-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV) are remnants of exogenous retroviral infections, representing 8% of the human genome. Their regulation is based on the DNA methylation of promoters, the long terminal repeats (LTRs). Transcripts from HERV have been associated with cancers, but reports concerning HERV expression in colorectal cancer remain sporadic. Sixty-three patients with advanced stages of colorectal cancer were enrolled in this study. The expressions of HERV env gene, and HERV-H, -K, -R and -P LTRs and Alu, LINE-1 methylation levels, were investigated in the tumor, normal adjacent tissues, and, where possible, blood and plasmatic extracellular vesicles (EVs). Associations among HERV env expression, methylation status and clinical characteristics were evaluated. No differences were observed in HERV env gene expression levels among the clinical specimens, while Alu, LINE-1, HERV-H and -K LTRs were demethylated in the tumor compared to the normal adjacent tissues (p < 0.05).The HERV env gene was expressed in the EVs at of 54% (-H), 38% (-K), 31% (-R) patients. Association was not found between HERV env expression and LTR methylation, but significant higher expression of HERV-P and -R env was found in tumor tissues arising from the right colon. Our findings do not demonstrate significant overexpression of the studied HERV in colorectal cancer, but their association with tumor localization and specificity of the changes in DNA methylation of retroelements are shown. HERV sequences were packaged in the EVs and might be transferred from one cell to another.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dolci
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal, 36, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Chiara Favero
- EPIGET - Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via San Barnaba 8, Milan, Italy
| | - Letizia Tarantini
- Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCSS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via San Barnaba 8, Milan, Italy
| | - Sonia Villani
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal, 36, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Bregni
- Hematology Unit, ASST Valle Olona, Ospedale di Circolo di Busto Arsizio, Via Arnaldo da Brescia 3, Busto Arsizio, Italy
| | - Lucia Signorini
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal, 36, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Alberto Della Valle
- General Surgery Unit, Istituto Clinico Città Studi, Via Jommelli 19, Milan, Italy
| | - Filippo Crivelli
- Pathology Unit, ASST Valle Olona, Ospedale di Circolo di Busto Arsizio, Via Arnaldo da Brescia 3, Busto Arsizio, Italy
| | - Sarah D'Alessandro
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal, 36, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Pasquale Ferrante
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal, 36, 20133, Milan, Italy
| | - Valentina Bollati
- EPIGET - Epidemiology, Epigenetics and Toxicology Lab, Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, University of Milan, Via San Barnaba 8, Milan, Italy.,Department of Preventive Medicine, Fondazione IRCSS Ca' Granda, Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Via San Barnaba 8, Milan, Italy
| | - Serena Delbue
- Department of Biomedical, Surgical and Dental Sciences, University of Milan, Via Carlo Pascal, 36, 20133, Milan, Italy.
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24
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Onuzulu CD, Rotimi OA, Rotimi SO. Epigenetic modifications associated with in utero exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals BPA, DDT and Pb. REVIEWS ON ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH 2019; 34:309-325. [PMID: 31271561 DOI: 10.1515/reveh-2018-0059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are xenobiotics which adversely modify the hormone system. The endocrine system is most vulnerable to assaults by endocrine disruptors during the prenatal and early development window, and effects may persist into adulthood and across generations. The prenatal stage is a period of vulnerability to environmental chemicals because the epigenome is usually reprogrammed during this period. Bisphenol A (BPA), lead (Pb), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) were chosen for critical review because they have become serious public health concerns globally, especially in Africa where they are widely used without any regulation. In this review, we introduce EDCs and describe the various modes of action of EDCs and the importance of the prenatal and developmental windows to EDC exposure. We give a brief overview of epigenetics and describe the various epigenetic mechanisms: DNA methylation, histone modifications and non-coding RNAs, and how each of them affects gene expression. We then summarize findings from previous studies on the effects of prenatal exposure to the endocrine disruptors BPA, Pb and DDT on each of the previously described epigenetic mechanisms. We also discuss how the epigenetic alterations caused by these EDCs may be related to disease processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chinonye Doris Onuzulu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Oluwakemi Anuoluwapo Rotimi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
| | - Solomon Oladapo Rotimi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Research Laboratory, Covenant University, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria
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25
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Analysis of bovine leukemia virus integration sites in cattle under 3 years old with enzootic bovine leukosis. Arch Virol 2019; 165:179-183. [PMID: 31624916 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-019-04431-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we analyzed bovine leukemia virus (BLV) integration sites in under 3 years old with enzootic bovine leukosis (EBL) cattle and compared these to 30 cattle over 3 years old with EBL. BLV proviruses were integrated near CpG islands and into long interspersed nuclear elements more frequently in EBL cattle under 3 years old than in those over 3 years old. These results suggest that cattle under 3 years old with EBL have different BLV provirus integration sites from those of cattle over 3 years old with EBL, and the BLV provirus integration site may represent one factor contributing to early onset of EBL.
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26
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Smith CC, Selitsky SR, Chai S, Armistead PM, Vincent BG, Serody JS. Alternative tumour-specific antigens. Nat Rev Cancer 2019; 19:465-478. [PMID: 31278396 PMCID: PMC6874891 DOI: 10.1038/s41568-019-0162-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 196] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The study of tumour-specific antigens (TSAs) as targets for antitumour therapies has accelerated within the past decade. The most commonly studied class of TSAs are those derived from non-synonymous single-nucleotide variants (SNVs), or SNV neoantigens. However, to increase the repertoire of available therapeutic TSA targets, 'alternative TSAs', defined here as high-specificity tumour antigens arising from non-SNV genomic sources, have recently been evaluated. Among these alternative TSAs are antigens derived from mutational frameshifts, splice variants, gene fusions, endogenous retroelements and other processes. Unlike the patient-specific nature of SNV neoantigens, some alternative TSAs may have the advantage of being widely shared by multiple tumours, allowing for universal, off-the-shelf therapies. In this Opinion article, we will outline the biology, available computational tools, preclinical and/or clinical studies and relevant cancers for each alternative TSA class, as well as discuss both current challenges preventing the therapeutic application of alternative TSAs and potential solutions to aid in their clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof C Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sara R Selitsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Bioinformatics Core, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Shengjie Chai
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Paul M Armistead
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Benjamin G Vincent
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Program in Computational Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Jonathan S Serody
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Marsico Hall, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Program in Computational Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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27
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Freeman BT, Sokolowski M, Roy-Engel AM, Smither ME, Belancio VP. Identification of charged amino acids required for nuclear localization of human L1 ORF1 protein. Mob DNA 2019; 10:20. [PMID: 31080522 PMCID: PMC6501352 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-019-0159-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Long Interspersed Element 1 (LINE-1) is a retrotransposon that is present in 500,000 copies in the human genome. Along with Alu and SVA elements, these three retrotransposons account for more than a third of the human genome sequence. These mobile elements are able to copy themselves within the genome via an RNA intermediate, a process that can promote genome instability. LINE-1 encodes two proteins, ORF1p and ORF2p. Association of ORF1p, ORF2p and a full-length L1 mRNA in a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) particle, L1 RNP, is required for L1 retrotransposition. Previous studies have suggested that fusion of a tag to L1 proteins can interfere with L1 retrotransposition. Results Using antibodies detecting untagged human ORF1p, western blot analysis and manipulation of ORF1 sequence and length, we have identified a set of charged amino acids in the C-terminal region of ORF1p that are important in determining its subcellular localization. Mutation of 7 non-identical lysine residues is sufficient to make the resulting ORF1p to be predominantly cytoplasmic, demonstrating intrinsic redundancy of this requirement. These residues are also necessary for ORF1p to retain its association with KPNA2 nuclear pore protein. We demonstrate that this interaction is significantly reduced by RNase treatment. Using co-IP, we have also determined that human ORF1p associates with all members of the KPNA subfamily. Conclusions The prediction of NLS sequences suggested that specific sequences within ORF1p could be responsible for its subcellular localization by interacting with nuclear binding proteins. We have found that multiple charged amino acids in the C-terminus of ORF1p are involved in ORF1 subcellular localization and interaction with KPNA2 nuclear pore protein. Our data demonstrate that different amino acids can be mutated to have the same phenotypic effect on ORF1p subcellular localization, demonstrating that the net number of charged residues or protein structure, rather than their specific location, is important for the ORF1p nuclear localization. We also identified that human ORF1p interacts with all members of the KPNA family of proteins and that multiple KPNA family genes are expressed in human cell lines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13100-019-0159-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- B T Freeman
- 1Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane Center for Aging, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
| | - M Sokolowski
- 1Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane Center for Aging, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
| | - A M Roy-Engel
- 2Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana 70112 USA
| | - M E Smither
- 1Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane Center for Aging, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
| | - V P Belancio
- 1Department of Structural and Cellular Biology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, Tulane Center for Aging, New Orleans, LA 70112 USA
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28
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Close to the Bedside: A Systematic Review of Endogenous Retroviruses and Their Impact in Oncology. J Surg Res 2019; 240:145-155. [PMID: 30933828 DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2019.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2018] [Revised: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are genetic elements in the human genome, which resulted from ancient retroviral germline infections. HERVs have strong transcriptional promoters and enhancers that affect a cell's transcriptome. They also encode proteins that can exert effects in human cells. This review examines how our increased understanding of HERVs have led to their potential use as biomarkers and immunologic targets. MATERIAL AND METHODS PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases were used in a systematic search to identify all articles studying the potential impact of HERVs on surgical diseases. The search included studies that involved clinical patient samples in diseases including cancer, inflammatory conditions, and autoimmune disease. Articles focused on conditions not routinely managed by surgeons were excluded. RESULTS Eighty six articles met inclusion and quality criteria for this review and were included. Breast cancer and melanoma have robust evidence regarding the use of HERVs as potential tumor markers and immunologic targets. Reported evidence of the activity of HERVs in colorectal cancer, pancreatic cancer, hepatocellular cancer, prostate and ovarian cancer, germ cell tumors as well as idiopathic pulmonary hypertension, and the inflammatory response in burns was also reviewed. CONCLUSIONS Increasingly convincing evidence indicates that HERVs may play a role in solid organ malignancy and present important biomarkers or immunologic targets in multiple cancers. Innovative investigation of HERVs is a valuable focus of translational research and can deepen our understanding of cellular physiology and the effects of endogenous retroviruses on human biology. As strategies for treatment continue to focus on genome-based interventions, understanding the impact of endogenous retroviruses on human disease will be critical.
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29
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Zhang M, Liang JQ, Zheng S. Expressional activation and functional roles of human endogenous retroviruses in cancers. Rev Med Virol 2019; 29:e2025. [PMID: 30614117 PMCID: PMC6590502 DOI: 10.1002/rmv.2025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are widely believed to be remnants of ancestral germ line infections by exogenous retroviruses. Although HERVs are deemed as “nonfunctional DNAs” due to loss of most of their viral protein coding capacity during evolution as part of the human genome, cumulative evidences are showing the expressional activation and potential roles of HERVs in diseases especially cancers. Work by other researchers and us has observed the dysregulation of HERVs in cancers, identified new HERV‐related genes, and revealed their potential importance in cancer development. Here, we summarized the current knowledge on the mechanisms of the expressional activation and functional roles of HERVs, with a focus on the H family HERV (HERV‐H), in carcinogenesis. HERV expression is regulated by external chemical or physical substances and exogenous virus infection, as well as host factors such as epigenetic DNA methylation, transcription factors, cytokines, and small RNAs. Diverse roles of HERVs have been proposed by acting in the forms of noncoding RNAs, proteins, and transcriptional regulators during carcinogenesis. However, much remains to be learnt about the contributions of HERVs to human cancers. More investigation is warranted to elucidate the functions of these “fossil remnants” yet important viral DNAs in the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengwen Zhang
- The Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jessie Qiaoyi Liang
- Institute of Digestive Disease and Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, State Key Laboratory of Digestive Disease, Li Ka Shing Institute of Health Sciences, CUHK Shenzhen Research Institute, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China
| | - Shu Zheng
- Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, and Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.,The Department of surgical oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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30
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Smith CC, Beckermann KE, Bortone DS, De Cubas AA, Bixby LM, Lee SJ, Panda A, Ganesan S, Bhanot G, Wallen EM, Milowsky MI, Kim WY, Rathmell WK, Swanstrom R, Parker JS, Serody JS, Selitsky SR, Vincent BG. Endogenous retroviral signatures predict immunotherapy response in clear cell renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Invest 2018; 128:4804-4820. [PMID: 30137025 PMCID: PMC6205406 DOI: 10.1172/jci121476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/10/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Human endogenous retroviruses (hERVs) are remnants of exogenous retroviruses that have integrated into the genome throughout evolution. We developed a computational workflow, hervQuant, which identified more than 3,000 transcriptionally active hERVs within The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) pan-cancer RNA-Seq database. hERV expression was associated with clinical prognosis in several tumor types, most significantly clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). We explored two mechanisms by which hERV expression may influence the tumor immune microenvironment in ccRCC: (i) RIG-I-like signaling and (ii) retroviral antigen activation of adaptive immunity. We demonstrated the ability of hERV signatures associated with these immune mechanisms to predict patient survival in ccRCC, independent of clinical staging and molecular subtyping. We identified potential tumor-specific hERV epitopes with evidence of translational activity through the use of a ccRCC ribosome profiling (Ribo-Seq) dataset, validated their ability to bind HLA in vitro, and identified the presence of MHC tetramer-positive T cells against predicted epitopes. hERV sequences identified through this screening approach were significantly more highly expressed in ccRCC tumors responsive to treatment with programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) inhibition. hervQuant provides insights into the role of hERVs within the tumor immune microenvironment, as well as evidence that hERV expression could serve as a biomarker for patient prognosis and response to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christof C. Smith
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kathryn E. Beckermann
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Dante S. Bortone
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Bioinformatics Group, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Aguirre A. De Cubas
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Lisa M. Bixby
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Samuel J. Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Anshuman Panda
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Shridar Ganesan
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Gyan Bhanot
- Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA; and Department of Physics, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, USA
| | - Eric M. Wallen
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Urology
| | - Matthew I. Milowsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine
| | - William Y. Kim
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Urology,,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine,,Department of Genetics
| | - W. Kimryn Rathmell
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
| | - Ronald Swanstrom
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, and
| | - Joel S. Parker
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Bioinformatics Group, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Department of Genetics
| | - Jonathan S. Serody
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine
| | - Sara R. Selitsky
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Bioinformatics Group, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Benjamin G. Vincent
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.,Division of Hematology/Oncology, Department of Medicine,,Curriculum in Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, UNC School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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31
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Epigenetics refers to processes that alter gene expression without altering primary DNA. Over that past decade, there is a growing focus on epigenetic mechanisms in cancer research and its importance in cancer biology. This review summarizes epigenetic dysregulation in bladder cancer. RECENT FINDINGS Epigenetic alterations are overall shared across various grades and stages of bladder cancer. High grade invasive tumors demonstrate a greater degree and intensity of methylation and may have a unique methylation pattern. Environmental exposures may influence epigenetic alterations directly independent of genomic change. Non-coding RNAs play an important role in cancer phenotype, especially in the context of integrative genomic analyses. DNA hypermethylation and non-coding RNAs have potential as robust bladder cancer biomarkers; however, they require further study and validation. Changes in chromatin and histone modification are attractive targets for therapy and are currently in clinical trials. Epigenetic dysregulation may be an important key in improving the understanding of bladder cancer pathogenesis, especially through integrative genomic analyses. Deeper understanding of these pathways can help identify clinically relevant biomarkers and therapeutic targets to validate for diagnosis, monitoring, prognosis, and treatment for bladder cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sima P Porten
- Department of Urology, University of California San Francisco (UCSF), Mailbox Code 1695, 550 16th Street, 6th Floor, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
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32
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Matteucci C, Balestrieri E, Argaw-Denboba A, Sinibaldi-Vallebona P. Human endogenous retroviruses role in cancer cell stemness. Semin Cancer Biol 2018; 53:17-30. [PMID: 30317035 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2018.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2018] [Revised: 09/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer incidence and mortality, metastasis, drug resistance and recurrence are still the critical issues of oncological diseases. In this scenario, increasing scientific evidences demonstrate that the activation of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) is involved in the aggressiveness of tumors such as melanoma, breast, germ cell, renal, ovarian, liver and haematological cancers. In their dynamic regulation, HERVs have also proved to be important determinants of pluripotency in human embryonic stem cells (ESC) and of the reprogramming process of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). In many types of tumors, essential characteristics of aggressiveness have been associated with the achievement of stemness features, often accompanied with the identification of defined subpopulations, termed cancer stem cells (CSCs), which possess stem cell-like properties and sustain tumorigenesis. Indeed, CSCs show high self-renewal capacity with a peculiar potential in tumor initiation, progression, metastasis, heterogeneity, recurrence, radiotherapy and drug resistance. However, HERVs role in CSCs biology is still not fully elucidated. In this regard, CD133 is a widely recognized marker of CSCs, and our group demonstrated, for the first time, the requirement of HERV-K activation to expand and maintain a CD133+ melanoma cell subpopulation with stemness features in response to microenvironmental modifications. The review will discuss HERVs expression as cancer hallmark, with particular focus on their role in the regulation of cancer stemness features and the potential involvement as targets for therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Matteucci
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
| | - Emanuela Balestrieri
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy
| | - Ayele Argaw-Denboba
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy; European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Paola Sinibaldi-Vallebona
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier, 1, 00133, Rome, Italy; Institute of Translational Pharmacology, National Research Council, Via Fosso del Cavaliere, 100, 00133, Rome, Italy
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33
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Whongsiri P, Pimratana C, Wijitsettakul U, Jindatip D, Sanpavat A, Schulz WA, Hoffmann MJ, Goering W, Boonla C. LINE-1 ORF1 Protein Is Up-regulated by Reactive Oxygen Species and Associated with Bladder Urothelial Carcinoma Progression. Cancer Genomics Proteomics 2018; 15:143-151. [PMID: 29496693 DOI: 10.21873/cgp.20072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Reactivation of long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) and oxidative stress are suggested to have oncogenic potential to drive tumorigenesis and cancer progression. We previously demonstrated that reactive oxygen species (ROS) caused hypomethylation of LINE-1 elements in bladder cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the expression of LINE-1-encoded protein (ORF1p) and oxidative stress marker 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in human bladder cancer tissues, as well as induction of ORF1p expression by ROS in bladder cancer cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty-six cancerous and 15 non-cancerous adjacent tissues were immunohistochemically stained for ORF1p and 4-HNE. ORF1p expression and cell migration were determined in bladder cancer cells exposed to H2O2 Results: ORF1p and 4-HNE expression was higher in cancerous than non-cancerous tissues. Elevated ORF1p expression was associated with increased 4-HNE expression and with advanced tumors. H2O2 provoked oxidative stress and up-regulated ORF1p expression in VM-CUB-1 compared to the untreated control, and to a lesser degree in TCCSUP. H2O2 exposure enhanced cell migration in UM-UC-3, TCCSUP and VM-CUB-1. CONCLUSION Elevated ORF1p expression is associated with tumor progression. ROS experimentally induce ORF1p expression and promote migration in bladder cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patcharawalai Whongsiri
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | | | - Depicha Jindatip
- Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Anapat Sanpavat
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Wolfgang A Schulz
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Michèle J Hoffmann
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Goering
- Department of Pathology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Chanchai Boonla
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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34
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Montesion M, Williams ZH, Subramanian RP, Kuperwasser C, Coffin JM. Promoter expression of HERV-K (HML-2) provirus-derived sequences is related to LTR sequence variation and polymorphic transcription factor binding sites. Retrovirology 2018; 15:57. [PMID: 30126415 PMCID: PMC6102855 DOI: 10.1186/s12977-018-0441-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2018] [Accepted: 08/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increased transcription of the human endogenous retrovirus group HERV-K (HML-2) is often seen during disease. Although the mechanism of its tissue-specific activation is unclear, research shows that LTR CpG hypomethylation alone is not sufficient to induce its promoter activity and that the transcriptional milieu of a malignant cell contributes, at least partly, to differential HML-2 expression. Results We analyzed the relationship between LTR sequence variation and promoter expression patterns in human breast cancer cell lines, finding them to be positively correlated. In particular, two proviruses (3q12.3 and 11p15.4) displayed increased activity in almost all tumorigenic cell lines sampled. Using a transcription factor binding site prediction algorithm, we identified two unique binding sites in each 5′ LTR that appeared to be associated with inducing promoter activity during neoplasia. Genomic analysis of the homologous proviruses in several non-human primates indicated post-integration genetic drift in two transcription factor binding sites, away from the ancestral sequence and towards the active form. Based on the sequences of 2504 individuals from the 1000 Genomes Project, the active form of the 11p15.4 site was found to be polymorphic within the human population, with an allele frequency of 51%, whereas the activating mutation in the 3q12.3 provirus was fixed in humans but not present in the orthologous provirus in chimpanzees or gorillas. Conclusions These data suggest that stage-specific transcription factors at least partly contribute to LTR promoter activity during transformation and that, in some cases, transcription factor binding site polymorphisms may be responsible for the differential HML-2 expression often seen between individuals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12977-018-0441-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan Montesion
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Foundation Medicine, Inc., Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Zachary H Williams
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ravi P Subramanian
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Excerpta Medica, New York, NY, USA
| | - Charlotte Kuperwasser
- Department of Developmental, Chemical, and Molecular Biology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.,Raymond and Beverly Sackler Convergence Laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
| | - John M Coffin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Microbiology, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
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35
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Giebler M, Staege MS, Blauschmidt S, Ohm LI, Kraus M, Würl P, Taubert H, Greither T. Elevated HERV-K Expression in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Is Associated with Worsened Relapse-Free Survival. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:211. [PMID: 29487589 PMCID: PMC5816752 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2017] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
A wide variety of endogenous retroviral sequences has been demonstrated in the human genome so far, divided into several different families according to the sequence homology to viral strains. While increased expression of human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) elements has already been linked to unfavorable prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma, breast cancer, and ovarian carcinoma yet less is known about the impact of the expression of different HERV elements on sarcomagenesis in general as well as the outcome of soft tissue sarcoma (STS) patients. Therefore, in this study the association between expression of HERV-K and HERV-F and the clinicopathological characteristics in a cohort of STSs as well as the patients’ prognosis was evaluated. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was assessed by quantitative real-time PCR in 120 patient specimens. HERV-K and HERV-F expression was significantly correlated (rS = 0.5; p = 6.4 × 10-9; Spearman’s rank bivariate correlation). Also, tumor diameter exhibited a significant negative association to HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Levels of several hypoxia-related RNAs like HIF-1α and miR-210 showed a significant positive correlation with both HERV-K and HERV-F expression. Although in survival analyses no impact of HERV expression on disease-specific survival could be detected, patients with elevated HERV-K expression had a significantly shorter relapse-free survival (p = 0.014, log-rank analysis). In conclusion, we provide evidence for the first time that the increased expression of HERV-K in tumors is associated with STS patients’ prognosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Giebler
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Martin S Staege
- Department of Pediatrics I, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Sindy Blauschmidt
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Lea I Ohm
- Department of Pediatrics I, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Matthias Kraus
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
| | - Peter Würl
- Department of General, Visceral and Thoracic Surgery, Städtische Klinikum Dessau, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Helge Taubert
- Division Molecular Urology, Department of Urology and Pediatric Urology, University Hospital Erlangen, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Thomas Greither
- Center for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany
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Guo Q, Wu D, Fan C, Peng S, Guan H, Shan Z, Teng W. Iodine excess did not affect the global DNA methylation status and DNA methyltransferase expression in T and B lymphocytes from NOD.H-2 h4 and Kunming mice. Int Immunopharmacol 2017; 55:151-157. [PMID: 29253821 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2017.12.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 12/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Dysregulated DNA methylation in lymphocytes has been linked to various autoimmune disorders. Excessive iodine intake leads to lymphocyte dysfunction and contributes to autoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) flares in humans and animals. However, whether excessive iodine modifies the DNA methylation status in lymphocytes is unknown. Twenty NOD.H-2h4 mice and 20 Kunming mice were randomly divided into high iodine and control groups. We scored lymphatic infiltration in the thyroid by hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and assayed serum thyroglobulin antibody (TgAb) levels by an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. CD3+ T cells and CD19+ B cells were separated by flow cytometry. Global DNA methylation levels were examined by absorptiometry. Methylation of long interspersed nucleotide element-1 (LINE-1) repeats was detected with bisulfite sequencing PCR. Expression of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) 1, DNMT3a and DNMT3b mRNA and protein were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. We observed evident thyroiditis in the high‑iodine-treated NOD.H-2h4 mice, while mice in the other three groups did not develop thyroiditis. No differences were found in the global methylation levels and methylation status of LINE-1 repeats in T and B lymphocytes from high‑iodine-treated NOD.H-2h4 mice and Kunming mice compared with those from normal‑iodine-supplemented controls. We did not find obvious changes in DNMT mRNA and protein expression levels in T and B lymphocytes among the studied groups. In conclusion, we showed for the first time that excess iodine did not affect the global methylation status or DNMT expression in T and B lymphocytes in NOD.H-2h4 and Kunming mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingling Guo
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Dan Wu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China; Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Shenyang Medical College (Shenyang 242 Hospital), Shenyang, China
| | - Chenling Fan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Shiqiao Peng
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Haixia Guan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China.
| | - Zhongyan Shan
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Weiping Teng
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, The Institute of Endocrinology, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Endocrine Diseases, The First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, China
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Vafadar-Isfahani N, Parr C, McMillan LE, Sanner J, Yeo Z, Saddington S, Peacock O, Cruickshanks HA, Meehan RR, Lund JN, Tufarelli C. Decoupling of DNA methylation and activity of intergenic LINE-1 promoters in colorectal cancer. Epigenetics 2017; 12:465-475. [PMID: 28300471 PMCID: PMC5501206 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2017.1300729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 02/17/2017] [Accepted: 02/23/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypomethylation of LINE-1 repeats in cancer has been proposed as the main mechanism behind their activation; this assumption, however, was based on findings from early studies that were biased toward young and transpositionally active elements. Here, we investigate the relationship between methylation of 2 intergenic, transpositionally inactive LINE-1 elements and expression of the LINE-1 chimeric transcript (LCT) 13 and LCT14 driven by their antisense promoters (L1-ASP). Our data from DNA modification, expression, and 5'RACE analyses suggest that colorectal cancer methylation in the regions analyzed is not always associated with LCT repression. Consistent with this, in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells lacking DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 or DNMT3B, LCT13 expression decreases, while cells lacking both DNMTs or treated with the DNMT inhibitor 5-azacytidine (5-aza) show no change in LCT13 expression. Interestingly, levels of the H4K20me3 histone modification are inversely associated with LCT13 and LCT14 expression. Moreover, at these LINE-1s, H4K20me3 levels rather than DNA methylation seem to be good predictor of their sensitivity to 5-aza treatment. Therefore, by studying individual LINE-1 promoters we have shown that in some cases these promoters can be active without losing methylation; in addition, we provide evidence that other factors (e.g., H4K20me3 levels) play prominent roles in their regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Christina Parr
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Lara E. McMillan
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Juliane Sanner
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Zhao Yeo
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Stephen Saddington
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Oliver Peacock
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | | | - Richard R. Meehan
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Jonathan N. Lund
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
| | - Cristina Tufarelli
- School of Medicine, Royal Derby Hospital, University of Nottingham, Derby, UK
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Kannan M, Li J, Fritz SE, Husarek KE, Sanford JC, Sullivan TL, Tiwary PK, An W, Boeke JD, Symer DE. Dynamic silencing of somatic L1 retrotransposon insertions reflects the developmental and cellular contexts of their genomic integration. Mob DNA 2017; 8:8. [PMID: 28491150 PMCID: PMC5424313 DOI: 10.1186/s13100-017-0091-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2017] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The ongoing mobilization of mammalian transposable elements (TEs) contributes to natural genetic variation. To survey the epigenetic control and expression of reporter genes inserted by L1 retrotransposition in diverse cellular and genomic contexts, we engineered highly sensitive, real-time L1 retrotransposon reporter constructs. Results Here we describe different patterns of expression and epigenetic controls of newly inserted sequences retrotransposed by L1 in various somatic cells and tissues including cultured human cancer cells, mouse embryonic stem cells, and tissues of pseudofounder transgenic mice and their progeny. In cancer cell lines, the newly inserted sequences typically underwent rapid transcriptional gene silencing, but they lacked cytosine methylation even after many cell divisions. L1 reporter expression was reversible and oscillated frequently. Silenced or variegated reporter expression was strongly and uniformly reactivated by treatment with inhibitors of histone deacetylation, revealing the mechanism for their silencing. By contrast, de novo integrants retrotransposed by L1 in pluripotent mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells underwent rapid silencing by dense cytosine methylation. Similarly, de novo cytosine methylation also was identified at new integrants when studied in several distinct somatic tissues of adult founder mice. Pre-existing L1 elements in cultured human cancer cells were stably silenced by dense cytosine methylation, whereas their transcription modestly increased when cytosine methylation was experimentally reduced in cells lacking DNA methyltransferases DNMT1 and DNMT3b. As a control, reporter genes mobilized by piggyBac (PB), a DNA transposon, revealed relatively stable and robust expression without apparent silencing in both cultured cancer cells and ES cells. Conclusions We hypothesize that the de novo methylation marks at newly inserted sequences retrotransposed by L1 in early pre-implantation development are maintained or re-established in adult somatic tissues. By contrast, histone deacetylation reversibly silences L1 reporter insertions that had mobilized at later timepoints in somatic development and differentiation, e.g., in cancer cell lines. We conclude that the cellular contexts of L1 retrotransposition can determine expression or silencing of newly integrated sequences. We propose a model whereby reporter expression from somatic TE insertions reflects the timing, molecular mechanism, epigenetic controls and the genomic, cellular and developmental contexts of their integration. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13100-017-0091-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manoj Kannan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Pilani, 333031 Rajasthan India.,Laboratory of Immunobiology, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program and Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702 USA.,Present Address: Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Dubai campus, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
| | - Jingfeng Li
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program and Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702 USA.,Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA.,Department of Internal Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA
| | - Sarah E Fritz
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA.,Present Address: National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD USA
| | - Kathryn E Husarek
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA.,Present Address: Aventiv Research, Inc., Columbus, OH USA
| | - Jonathan C Sanford
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA.,Present Address: Drug Safety Research and Development, Pfizer, Inc., Groton, CT USA
| | - Teresa L Sullivan
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program and Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702 USA
| | - Pawan Kumar Tiwary
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program and Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702 USA.,Present Address: Biocon, Bangalore, India
| | - Wenfeng An
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.,Present Address: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, South Dakota State University, Brookings, SD USA
| | - Jef D Boeke
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD USA.,Present Address: Institute for Systems Genetics, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY USA
| | - David E Symer
- Laboratory of Immunobiology, Mouse Cancer Genetics Program and Basic Research Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702 USA.,Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA.,Human Cancer Genetics Program, and Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH USA.,Human Cancer Genetics Program, Department of Cancer Biology and Genetics, and Department of Biomedical Informatics, The Ohio State University, Tzagournis Research Facility, Room 440, 420 West 12th Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
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Lazaros L, Kitsou C, Kostoulas C, Bellou S, Hatzi E, Ladias P, Stefos T, Markoula S, Galani V, Vartholomatos G, Tzavaras T, Georgiou I. Retrotransposon expression and incorporation of cloned human and mouse retroelements in human spermatozoa. Fertil Steril 2017; 107:821-830. [PMID: 28139237 DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2016.12.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Revised: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 12/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate the expression of long interspersed element (LINE) 1, human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) K10, and short interspersed element-VNTR-Alu element (SVA) retrotransposons in ejaculated human spermatozoa by means of reverse-transcription (RT) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis as well as the potential incorporation of cloned human and mouse active retroelements in human sperm cell genome. DESIGN Laboratory study. SETTING University research laboratories and academic hospital. PATIENT(S) Normozoospermic and oligozoospermic white men. INTERVENTION(S) RT-PCR analysis was performed to confirm the retrotransposon expression in human spermatozoa. Exogenous retroelements were tagged with a plasmid containing a green fluorescence (EGFP) retrotransposition cassette, and the de novo retrotransposition events were tested with the use of PCR, fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis, and confocal microscopy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) Retroelement expression in human spermatozoa, incorporation of cloned human and mouse active retroelements in human sperm genome, and de novo retrotransposition events in human spermatozoa. RESULT(S) RT-PCR products of expressed human LINE-1, HERV-K10, and SVA retrotransposons were observed in ejaculated human sperm samples. The incubation of human spermatozoa with either retrotransposition-active human LINE-1 and HERV-K10 or mouse reverse transcriptase-deficient VL30 retrotransposons tagged with an EGFP-based retrotransposition cassette led to EGFP-positive spermatozo; 16.67% of the samples were positive for retrotransposition. The respective retrotransposition frequencies for the LINE-1, HERV-K10, and VL30 retrotransposons in the positive samples were 0.34 ± 0.13%, 0.37 ± 0.17%, and 0.30 ± 0.14% per sample of 10,000 spermatozoa. CONCLUSION(S) Our results show that: 1) LINE-1, HERV-K10, and SVA retrotransposons are transcriptionally expressed in human spermatozoa; 2) cloned active retroelements of human and mammalian origin can be incorporated in human sperm genome; 3) active reverse transcriptases exist in human spermatozoa; and 4) de novo retrotransposition events occur in human spermatozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandros Lazaros
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics of Human Reproduction, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece; Medical Genetics and Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece; Genesis-Genoma Lab, Chalandri-Athens, Greece
| | - Chrysoula Kitsou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics of Human Reproduction, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Charilaos Kostoulas
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics of Human Reproduction, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Sofia Bellou
- Foundation for Research & Technology-Hellas Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Department of Biomedical Research, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Elissavet Hatzi
- Medical Genetics and Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Paris Ladias
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics of Human Reproduction, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Theodoros Stefos
- Medical Genetics and Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Sofia Markoula
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics of Human Reproduction, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Galani
- Department of Anatomy-Histology-Embryology, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Georgios Vartholomatos
- Hematology Laboratory, Molecular Biology Unit, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Theodore Tzavaras
- Department of General Biology, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece
| | - Ioannis Georgiou
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics of Human Reproduction, Medical School, Ioannina University, Ioannina, Greece; Medical Genetics and Assisted Reproduction Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ioannina University Hospital, Ioannina, Greece.
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40
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Grégoire L, Haudry A, Lerat E. The transposable element environment of human genes is associated with histone and expression changes in cancer. BMC Genomics 2016; 17:588. [PMID: 27506777 PMCID: PMC4979156 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-016-2970-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2016] [Accepted: 07/27/2016] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Only 2 % of the human genome code for proteins. Among the remaining 98 %, transposable elements (TEs) represent millions of sequences. TEs have an impact on genome evolution by promoting mutations. Especially, TEs possess their own regulatory sequences and can alter the expression pattern of neighboring genes. Since they can potentially be harmful, TE activity is regulated by epigenetic mechanisms. These mechanisms participate in the modulation of gene expression and can be associated with some human diseases resulting from gene expression deregulation. The fact that the TE silencing can be removed in cancer could explain a part of the changes in gene expression. Indeed, epigenetic modifications associated locally with TE sequences could impact neighboring genes since these modifications can spread to adjacent sequences. RESULTS We compared the histone enrichment, TE neighborhood, and expression divergence of human genes between a normal and a cancer conditions. We show that the presence of TEs near genes is associated with greater changes in histone enrichment and that differentially expressed genes harbor larger histone enrichment variation related to the presence of particular TEs. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, these results suggest that the presence of TEs near genes could favor important variation in gene expression when the cell environment is modified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Grégoire
- Université de Lyon; F-69000, France; Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Annabelle Haudry
- Université de Lyon; F-69000, France; Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Emmanuelle Lerat
- Université de Lyon; F-69000, France; Université Lyon 1, CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France.
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Kozlov AP. Expression of evolutionarily novel genes in tumors. Infect Agent Cancer 2016; 11:34. [PMID: 27437030 PMCID: PMC4949931 DOI: 10.1186/s13027-016-0077-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 05/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The evolutionarily novel genes originated through different molecular mechanisms are expressed in tumors. Sometimes the expression of evolutionarily novel genes in tumors is highly specific. Moreover positive selection of many human tumor-related genes in primate lineage suggests their involvement in the origin of new functions beneficial to organisms. It is suggested to consider the expression of evolutionarily young or novel genes in tumors as a new biological phenomenon, a phenomenon of TSEEN (tumor specifically expressed, evolutionarily novel) genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- A. P. Kozlov
- The Biomedical Center and Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, St. Petersburg, Russia
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Hanke K, Hohn O, Bannert N. HERV-K(HML-2), a seemingly silent subtenant - but still waters run deep. APMIS 2016; 124:67-87. [PMID: 26818263 DOI: 10.1111/apm.12475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
A large proportion of the human genome consists of endogenous retroviruses, some of which are well preserved, showing transcriptional activity, and expressing retroviral proteins. The HERV-K(HML-2) family represents the most intact members of these elements, with some having open and intact reading frames for viral proteins and the ability to form virus-like particles. Although generally suppressed in most healthy tissues by a variety of epigenetic processes and antiviral mechanisms, there is evidence that some members of this family are (at least partly) still active - particularly in certain stem cells and various tumors. This raises the possibility of their involvement in tumor induction or in developmental processes. In recent years, many new insights into this fascinating field have been attained, and this review focuses on new discoveries about coevolutionary events and intracellular defense mechanisms against HERV-K(HML-2) activity. We also describe what might occur when these mechanisms fail or become modulated by viral proteins or other viruses and discuss the new vistas opened up by the reconstitution of ancestral viral proteins and even complete HML-2 viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten Hanke
- Department HIV and Other Retroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Oliver Hohn
- Department HIV and Other Retroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
| | - Norbert Bannert
- Department HIV and Other Retroviruses, Robert Koch Institute, Berlin, Germany
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44
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Marsit CJ. Influence of environmental exposure on human epigenetic regulation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015; 218:71-9. [PMID: 25568453 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.106971] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Environmental toxicants can alter epigenetic regulatory features such as DNA methylation and microRNA expression. As the sensitivity of epigenomic regulatory features may be greatest during the in utero period, when critical windows are narrow, and when epigenomic profiles are being set, this review will highlight research focused on that period. I will focus on work in human populations, where the impact of environmental toxicants in utero, including cigarette smoke and toxic trace metals such as arsenic, mercury and manganese, on genome-wide, gene-specific DNA methylation has been assessed. In particular, arsenic is highlighted, as this metalloid has been the focus of a number of studies and its detoxification mechanisms are well understood. Importantly, the tissues and cells being examined must be considered in context in order to interpret the findings of these studies. For example, by studying the placenta, it is possible to identify potential epigenetic adaptations of key genes and pathways that may alter the developmental course in line with the developmental origins of health and disease paradigm. Alternatively, studies of newborn cord blood can be used to examine how environmental exposure in utero can impact the composition of cells within the peripheral blood, leading to immunological effects of exposure. The results suggest that in humans, like other vertebrates, there is a susceptibility for epigenomic alteration by the environment during intrauterine development, and this may represent a mechanism of plasticity of the organism in response to its environment as well as a mechanism through which long-term health consequences can be shaped.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmen J Marsit
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Section of Epidemiology and Biostatistics in the Department of Community and Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Hanover, NH 03755, USA
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Keelawat S, Thorner PS, Shuangshoti S, Bychkov A, Kitkumthorn N, Rattanatanyong P, Boonyayothin W, Poumsuk U, Ruangvejvorachai P, Mutirangura A. Detection of global hypermethylation in well-differentiated thyroid neoplasms by immunohistochemical (5-methylcytidine) analysis. J Endocrinol Invest 2015; 38:725-32. [PMID: 25740063 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-015-0246-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2014] [Accepted: 01/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE While global hypomethylation of DNA has been found in several malignancies, studies on thyroid tumours have shown controversial results using different techniques. To help resolve this issue, we assessed methylation status using two different techniques in papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) and follicular adenomas (FA) and carcinomas (FTC), comparing adjacent non-neoplastic thyroid tissue. METHODS A series of 15 FA, 18 FTC and 17 PTC were assessed by: (1) measurement of methylation levels of long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE-1) using a combined bisulfite restriction analysis polymerase chain reaction protocol and (2) immunostaining with an anti-5-methylcytidine antibody that detects methylated DNA regardless of the DNA sequence. Immunostaining was scored by image analysis. RESULTS Methylation levels of LINE-1 in FA, FTC and PTC were not significantly different from adjacent normal tissue. There was no significant difference in methylation levels of LINE-1 between FA, FTC and PTC (p = 0.44). By immunohistochemical staining for methylation, the 5-methylcytidine score was significantly higher in tumours than in normal tissue counterparts, for FA (p < 0.001), FTC (p = 0.04) and PTC (p = 0.02). PTC showed the highest 5-methylcytidine expression amongst all tumours which was significantly different from FTC (p = 0.015), but not FA (p = 0.09). There was no correlation in methylation level between LINE-1 and 5-methylcytidine scores for each group and overall. CONCLUSIONS Well-differentiated thyroid neoplasms (FA, FTC and PTC) were not found by two independent methods to undergo global hypomethylation as part of an oncogenic sequence from normal tissue to carcinoma. Instead, hypermethylation was detected in all types of tumours, implying that this epigenetic event may contribute to oncogenic development of thyroid neoplasms (both benign and malignant).
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Affiliation(s)
- S Keelawat
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
| | - P S Thorner
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
- Division of Pathology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathobiology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | - S Shuangshoti
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - A Bychkov
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - N Kitkumthorn
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - P Rattanatanyong
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - W Boonyayothin
- Department of Pathology, Chonburi Hospital, 69 Moo 2, Tambon Baan Seaun, Ampur Mueung, Chonburi, Thailand
| | - U Poumsuk
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - P Ruangvejvorachai
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - A Mutirangura
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Genetics of Cancer and Human Diseases, Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Zhao Y, Shi HJ, Xie CM, Chen J, Laue H, Zhang YH. Prenatal phthalate exposure, infant growth, and global DNA methylation of human placenta. ENVIRONMENTAL AND MOLECULAR MUTAGENESIS 2015; 56:286-92. [PMID: 25327576 DOI: 10.1002/em.21916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2014] [Revised: 09/02/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Prenatal phthalate exposure has been shown to be associated with reduced fetal growth. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation might be a molecular mechanism through which phthalate exposure affects fetal growth. In this study, we examined associations between prenatal phthalate exposure, infant growth, and global DNA methylation in human placenta samples. We measured global DNA methylation of 119 subjects [55 fetal growth restriction (FGR) cases and 64 normal controls], as assessed by long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1) methylation, via quantitative polymerase chain reaction-pyrosequencing. Prenatal phthalate exposure was assessed by measuring maternal urinary phthalate metabolites concentrations using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Concentrations of mono (2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono (2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), and SumDEHP (molar sum of MEHP, MEHHP, and MEOHP) were significantly higher in FGR cases than those in normal controls (P = 0.002, 0.003, and 0.002, respectively). Placental LINE-1 methylation were found to be positively associated with fetal birth weight standard deviation scores, and negatively associated with urinary phthalate metabolites concentrations (MEHHP and SumDEHP). Every natural-log unit increase in urinary concentrations of MEHHP and SumDEHP was associated with 0.015 (β = -0.015, P = 0.150) and 0.012 kg (β = -0.012, P = 0.167) decrease in birth weight mediated through LINE-1 methylation. These findings suggest that changes in placental LINE-1 methylation might be part of the underlying biological pathway between prenatal phthalate exposure and adverse fetal growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Zhao
- Department of Environmental Health, School of Public Health, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Nüsgen N, Goering W, Dauksa A, Biswas A, Jamil MA, Dimitriou I, Sharma A, Singer H, Fimmers R, Fröhlich H, Oldenburg J, Gulbinas A, Schulz WA, El-Maarri O. Inter-locus as well as intra-locus heterogeneity in LINE-1 promoter methylation in common human cancers suggests selective demethylation pressure at specific CpGs. Clin Epigenetics 2015; 7:17. [PMID: 25798207 PMCID: PMC4367886 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-015-0051-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2014] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Hypomethylation of long interspersed element (LINE)-1 has been observed in tumorigenesis when using degenerate assays, which provide an average across all repeats. However, it is unknown whether individual LINE-1 loci or different CpGs within one specific LINE-1 promoter are equally affected by methylation changes. Conceivably, studying methylation changes at specific LINE-1 may be more informative than global assays for cancer diagnostics. Therefore, with the aim of mapping methylation at individual LINE-1 loci at single-CpG resolution and exploring the diagnostic potential of individual LINE-1 locus methylation, we analyzed methylation at 11 loci by pyrosequencing, next-generation bisulfite sequencing as well as global LINE-1 methylation in bladder, colon, pancreas, prostate, and stomach cancers compared to paired normal tissues and in blood samples from some of the patients compared to healthy donors. Results Most (72/80) tumor samples harbored significant methylation changes at at least one locus. Notably, our data revealed not only the expected hypomethylation but also hypermethylation at some loci. Specific CpGs within the LINE-1 consensus sequence appeared preferentially hypomethylated suggesting that these could act as seeds for hypomethylation. In silico analysis revealed that these CpG sites more likely faced the histones in the nucleosome. Multivariate logistic regression analysis did not reveal a significant clinical advantage of locus-specific methylation markers over global methylation markers in distinguishing tumors from normal tissues. Conclusions Methylation changes at individual LINE-1 loci are heterogeneous, whereas specific CpGs within the consensus sequence appear to be more prone to hypomethylation. With a broader selection of loci, locus-specific LINE-1 methylation could become a tool for tumor detection. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13148-015-0051-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Nüsgen
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Goering
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Albertas Dauksa
- Institute for Digestive Research, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu g. 2, Kaunas, 50009 Lithuania
| | - Arijit Biswas
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Muhammad Ahmer Jamil
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany ; Bonn-Aachen International Center for IT (B-IT) Algorithmic Bioinformatics, University of Bonn, Dahlmannstr. 2, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Ioanna Dimitriou
- Institute of Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology (IMBIE), University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Amit Sharma
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Heike Singer
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Rolf Fimmers
- Institute of Medical Biometry, Informatics and Epidemiology (IMBIE), University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Straße 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Holger Fröhlich
- Bonn-Aachen International Center for IT (B-IT) Algorithmic Bioinformatics, University of Bonn, Dahlmannstr. 2, 53113 Bonn, Germany
| | - Johannes Oldenburg
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
| | - Antanas Gulbinas
- Institute for Digestive Research, Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Eiveniu g. 2, Kaunas, 50009 Lithuania
| | - Wolfgang A Schulz
- Department of Urology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich-Heine-University, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Osman El-Maarri
- Institute of Experimental Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud Str. 25, 53127 Bonn, Germany
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Xia L, Ma S, Zhang Y, Wang T, Zhou M, Wang Z, Zhang J. Daily variation in global and local DNA methylation in mouse livers. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0118101. [PMID: 25689298 PMCID: PMC4331433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0118101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2014] [Accepted: 01/05/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation is one of the best-characterized epigenetic modifications and has an important biological relevance. Here we showed that global DNA methylation level in mouse livers displayed a daily variation where the peak phases occurred during the end of the day and the lowest level at the beginning of the day in the light-dark or dark-dark cycles. Typical repeat sequence long interspersed nucleotide element-1 (LINE-1) had a similar methylation rhythm to global DNA. DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) and ratio of S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to S-adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) brought a relative forward daily variation to global DNA methylation, and the temporary change in ratio of SAM to SAH had no influence on the DNA methylation level. The rhythm of global DNA methylation was lost and DNA methylation level was increased in Per1-/-Per2-/- double knockout mice, which were in accordance with changes of Dnmt3a mRNA levels and its rhythm. Our results suggest that the daily variation in global DNA methylation was associated with the change of Dnmt3a expression rather than ratio of SAM to SAH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Xia
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Shihong Ma
- Nanjing Institute for the Comprehensive Utilization of Wild Plant, Nanjing, 210042, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jiangsu University School of Medicine, Zhenjiang, 212013, China
| | - Tao Wang
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Mengyi Zhou
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
| | - Zhongqiu Wang
- Department of Radiology, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210000, China
- * E-mail: (JZ); (ZW)
| | - Jianfa Zhang
- Center for Molecular Metabolism, Nanjing University of Science & Technology, Nanjing, 210094, China
- * E-mail: (JZ); (ZW)
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Lee J, Kim YJ, Mun S, Kim HS, Han K. Identification of human-specific AluS elements through comparative genomics. Gene 2014; 555:208-16. [PMID: 25447892 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2014.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Mobile elements are responsible for ~45% of the human genome. Among them is the Alu element, accounting for 10% of the human genome (>1.1million copies). Several studies of Alu elements have reported that they are frequently involved in human genetic diseases and genomic rearrangements. In this study, we investigated the AluS subfamily, which is a relatively old Alu subfamily and has the highest copy number in primate genomes. Previously, a set of 263 human-specific AluS insertions was identified in the human genome. To validate these, we compared each of the human-specific AluS loci with its pre-insertion site in other primate genomes, including chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutan. We obtained 24 putative human-specific AluS candidates via the in silico analysis and manual inspection, and then tried to verify them using PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. Through the PCR product sequencing, we were able to detect two instances of near-parallel Alu insertions in nearby sites that led to computational false negatives. Finally, we computationally and experimentally verified 23 human-specific AluS elements. We reported three alternative Alu insertion events, which are accompanied by filler DNA and/or Alu retrotransposition mediated-deletion. Bisulfite sequencing was carried out to examine DNA methylation levels of human-specific AluS elements. The results showed that fixed AluS elements are hypermethylated compared with polymorphic elements, indicating a possible relation between DNA methylation and Alu fixation in the human genome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Lee
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea
| | - Yun-Ji Kim
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea; DKU-Theragen Institute for NGS Analysis (DTiNa), Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea
| | - Seyoung Mun
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea; DKU-Theragen Institute for NGS Analysis (DTiNa), Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea
| | - Heui-Soo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyudong Han
- Department of Nanobiomedical Science & BK21 PLUS NBM Global Research Center for Regenerative Medicine, Dankook University, Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea; DKU-Theragen Institute for NGS Analysis (DTiNa), Cheonan 330-714, Republic of Korea.
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Ayarpadikannan S, Kim HS. The impact of transposable elements in genome evolution and genetic instability and their implications in various diseases. Genomics Inform 2014; 12:98-104. [PMID: 25317108 PMCID: PMC4196381 DOI: 10.5808/gi.2014.12.3.98] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2014] [Revised: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 08/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 45% of the human genome is comprised of transposable elements (TEs). Results from the Human Genome Project have emphasized the biological importance of TEs. Many studies have revealed that TEs are not simply "junk" DNA, but rather, they play various roles in processes, including genome evolution, gene expression regulation, genetic instability, and cancer disposition. The effects of TE insertion in the genome varies from negligible to disease conditions. For the past two decades, many studies have shown that TEs are the causative factors of various genetic disorders and cancer. TEs are a subject of interest worldwide, not only in terms of their clinical aspects but also in basic research, such as evolutionary tracking. Although active TEs contribute to genetic instability and disease states, non-long terminal repeat transposons are well studied, and their roles in these processes have been confirmed. In this review, we will give an overview of the importance of TEs in studying genome evolution and genetic instability, and we suggest that further in-depth studies on the mechanisms related to these phenomena will be useful for both evolutionary tracking and clinical diagnostics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selvam Ayarpadikannan
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea
| | - Heui-Soo Kim
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 609-735, Korea
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