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Pfeifer GP. DNA Damage and Parkinson's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4187. [PMID: 38673772 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2024] [Revised: 03/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The etiology underlying most sporadic Parkinson's' disease (PD) cases is unknown. Environmental exposures have been suggested as putative causes of the disease. In cell models and in animal studies, certain chemicals can destroy dopaminergic neurons. However, the mechanisms of how these chemicals cause the death of neurons is not understood. Several of these agents are mitochondrial toxins that inhibit the mitochondrial complex I of the electron transport chain. Familial PD genes also encode proteins with important functions in mitochondria. Mitochondrial dysfunction of the respiratory chain, in combination with the presence of redox active dopamine molecules in these cells, will lead to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in dopaminergic neurons. Here, I propose a mechanism regarding how ROS may lead to cell killing with a specificity for neurons. One rarely considered hypothesis is that ROS produced by defective mitochondria will lead to the formation of oxidative DNA damage in nuclear DNA. Many genes that encode proteins with neuron-specific functions are extraordinary long, ranging in size from several hundred kilobases to well over a megabase. It is predictable that such long genes will contain large numbers of damaged DNA bases, for example in the form of 8-oxoguanine (8-oxoG), which is a major DNA damage type produced by ROS. These DNA lesions will slow down or stall the progression of RNA polymerase II, which is a term referred to as transcription stress. Furthermore, ROS-induced DNA damage may cause mutations, even in postmitotic cells such as neurons. I propose that the impaired transcription and mutagenesis of long, neuron-specific genes will lead to a loss of neuronal integrity, eventually leading to the death of these cells during a human lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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2
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Cui W, Huang Z, Jin SG, Johnson J, Lau KH, Hostetter G, Pfeifer GP. Deficiency of the Polycomb Protein RYBP and TET Methylcytosine Oxidases Promotes Extensive CpG Island Hypermethylation and Malignant Transformation. Cancer Res 2023; 83:2480-2495. [PMID: 37272752 PMCID: PMC10391329 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-23-0269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Hypermethylation of CpG islands (CGI) is a common feature of cancer cells and predominantly affects Polycomb-associated genomic regions. Elucidating the underlying mechanisms leading to DNA hypermethylation in human cancer could help identify chemoprevention strategies. Here, we evaluated the role of Polycomb complexes and 5-methylcytosine (5mC) oxidases in protecting CGIs from DNA methylation and observed that four genes coding for components of Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) are downregulated in tumors. Inactivation of RYBP, a key activator of variant PRC1 complexes, in combination with all three 5mC oxidases (TET proteins) in nontumorigenic bronchial epithelial cells led to widespread hypermethylation of Polycomb-marked CGIs affecting almost 4,000 target genes, which closely resembled the DNA hypermethylation landscape observed in human squamous cell lung tumors. The RYBP- and TET-deficient cells showed methylation-associated aberrant regulation of cancer-relevant pathways, including defects in the Hippo tumor suppressor network. Notably, the quadruple knockout cells acquired a transformed phenotype, including anchorage-independent growth and formation of squamous cell carcinomas in mice. This work provides a mechanism promoting hypermethylation of CGIs and shows that such hypermethylation can lead to cell transformation. The breakdown of a two-pronged protection mechanism can be a route towards genome-wide hypermethylation of CGIs in tumors. SIGNIFICANCE Dysfunction of the Polycomb component RYBP in combination with loss of 5-methylcytosine oxidases promotes widespread hypermethylation of CpG islands in bronchial cells and induces tumorigenesis, resembling changes seen in human lung tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Cui
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Zhijun Huang
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Kin H. Lau
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Galen Hostetter
- Pathology and Biorepository Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Gerd P. Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
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3
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Pfeifer GP, Szabó PE. The link between 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and DNA demethylation in early embryos. Epigenomics 2023; 15:335-339. [PMID: 37191057 PMCID: PMC10242432 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2023-0104] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/17/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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4
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Wang XQD, Fan D, Han Q, Liu Y, Miao H, Wang X, Li Q, Chen D, Gore H, Himadewi P, Pfeifer GP, Cierpicki T, Grembecka J, Su J, Chong S, Wan L, Zhang X. Mutant NPM1 Hijacks Transcriptional Hubs to Maintain Pathogenic Gene Programs in Acute Myeloid Leukemia. Cancer Discov 2023; 13:724-745. [PMID: 36455589 PMCID: PMC9975662 DOI: 10.1158/2159-8290.cd-22-0424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Nucleophosmin (NPM1) is a ubiquitously expressed nucleolar protein with a wide range of biological functions. In 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML), the terminal exon of NPM1 is often found mutated, resulting in the addition of a nuclear export signal and a shift of the protein to the cytoplasm (NPM1c). AMLs carrying this mutation have aberrant expression of the HOXA/B genes, whose overexpression leads to leukemogenic transformation. Here, for the first time, we comprehensively prove that NPM1c binds to a subset of active gene promoters in NPM1c AMLs, including well-known leukemia-driving genes-HOXA/B cluster genes and MEIS1. NPM1c sustains the active transcription of key target genes by orchestrating a transcription hub and maintains the active chromatin landscape by inhibiting the activity of histone deacetylases. Together, these findings reveal the neomorphic function of NPM1c as a transcriptional amplifier for leukemic gene expression and open up new paradigms for therapeutic intervention. SIGNIFICANCE NPM1 mutation is the most common mutation in AML, yet the mechanism of how the mutant protein results in AML remains unclear. Here, for the first time, we prove mutant NPM1 directly binds to active chromatin regions and hijacks the transcription of AML-driving genes. See related article by Uckelmann et al., p. 746. This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 517.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Qing David Wang
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Dandan Fan
- Institute of Biomedical Big Data, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qinyu Han
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Yiman Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Hongzhi Miao
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Xinyu Wang
- Institute of Biomedical Big Data, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qinglan Li
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
| | - Dong Chen
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Haley Gore
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Pamela Himadewi
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Gerd P. Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Tomasz Cierpicki
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jolanta Grembecka
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Jianzhong Su
- Institute of Biomedical Big Data, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shasha Chong
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, California
- Corresponding Authors: Xiaotian Zhang, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Room MSB 6.202, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: 713-500-5146; E-mail: ; Liling Wan, University of Pennsylvania, BRB II/III, RM751, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Phone: 215-898-3116; E-mail: ; and Shasha Chong, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 147-75, Pasadena, CA 91125. Phone: 626-395-5736; E-mail:
| | - Liling Wan
- Department of Cancer Biology and Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Corresponding Authors: Xiaotian Zhang, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Room MSB 6.202, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: 713-500-5146; E-mail: ; Liling Wan, University of Pennsylvania, BRB II/III, RM751, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Phone: 215-898-3116; E-mail: ; and Shasha Chong, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 147-75, Pasadena, CA 91125. Phone: 626-395-5736; E-mail:
| | - Xiaotian Zhang
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, McGovern Medical School, Houston, Texas
- Corresponding Authors: Xiaotian Zhang, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Room MSB 6.202, 6431 Fannin Street, Houston, TX 77030. Phone: 713-500-5146; E-mail: ; Liling Wan, University of Pennsylvania, BRB II/III, RM751, 421 Curie Boulevard, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Phone: 215-898-3116; E-mail: ; and Shasha Chong, California Institute of Technology, 1200 East California Boulevard, MC 147-75, Pasadena, CA 91125. Phone: 626-395-5736; E-mail:
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5
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Liu H, Liu Y, Jin SG, Johnson J, Xuan H, Lu D, Li J, Zhai L, Li X, Zhao Y, Liu M, Craig SEL, Floramo JS, Molchanov V, Li J, Li JD, Krawczyk C, Shi X, Pfeifer GP, Yang T. TRIM28 secures skeletal stem cell fate during skeletogenesis by silencing neural gene expression and repressing GREM1/AKT/mTOR signaling axis. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112012. [PMID: 36680774 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Long bones are generated by mesoderm-derived skeletal progenitor/stem cells (SSCs) through endochondral ossification, a process of sequential chondrogenic and osteogenic differentiation tightly controlled by the synergy between intrinsic and microenvironment cues. Here, we report that loss of TRIM28, a transcriptional corepressor, in mesoderm-derived cells expands the SSC pool, weakens SSC osteochondrogenic potential, and endows SSCs with properties of ectoderm-derived neural crest cells (NCCs), leading to severe defects of skeletogenesis. TRIM28 preferentially enhances H3K9 trimethylation and DNA methylation on chromatin regions more accessible in NCCs; loss of this silencing upregulates neural gene expression and enhances neurogenic potential. Moreover, TRIM28 loss causes hyperexpression of GREM1, which is an extracellular signaling factor promoting SSC self-renewal and SSC neurogenic potential by activating AKT/mTORC1 signaling. Our results suggest that TRIM28-mediated chromatin silencing establishes a barrier for maintaining the SSC lineage trajectory and preventing a transition to ectodermal fate by regulating both intrinsic and microenvironment cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huadie Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Ye Liu
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Hongwen Xuan
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Di Lu
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jianshuang Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Lukai Zhai
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Xianfeng Li
- Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Animal Models for Human Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China
| | - Yaguang Zhao
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Animal Models for Human Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China
| | - Minmin Liu
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Sonya E L Craig
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Joseph S Floramo
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Vladimir Molchanov
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jie Li
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jia-Da Li
- Hunan International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Animal Models for Human Diseases, School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410078, China
| | - Connie Krawczyk
- Department of Metabolism and Nutritional Programming, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Xiaobing Shi
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Tao Yang
- Department of Cell Biology, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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6
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Jin SG, Johnson J, Pfeifer GP. Circle Damage Sequencing for Whole-Genome Analysis of DNA Damage. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2660:247-262. [PMID: 37191802 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3163-8_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
There are many sources of endogenous and exogenous DNA damage. Damaged bases represent a threat to genome integrity and may interfere with normal cellular processes such as replication and transcription. To understand the specificity and biological consequences of DNA damage, it is essential to employ methods that are sensitive enough to detect damaged DNA bases at the level of single nucleotide resolution and genome-wide. Here we describe in detail a method we developed for this purpose, circle damage sequencing (CD-seq). This method is based on the circularization of genomic DNA that contains damaged bases and conversion of the damaged sites into double-strand breaks using specific DNA repair enzymes. Library sequencing of the opened circles yields the precise positions of the DNA lesions that are present. CD-seq can be adopted to various types of DNA damage as long as a specific cleavage scheme can be designed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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Abstract
Melanoma is a lethal type of skin tumor that has been linked with sunlight exposure chiefly in fair-skinned human populations. Wavelengths from the sun that can reach the earth's surface include UVA radiation (320-400 nm) and UVB radiation (280-320 nm). UVB effectively induces the formation of dimeric DNA photoproducts, preferentially the cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs). The characteristic UVB signature mutations in the form of C to T mutations at dipyrimidine sequences are prevalent in melanoma tumor genomes and have been ascribed to deamination of cytosines within CPDs before DNA polymerase bypass. However, evidence from epidemiological, animal, and other experimental studies also suggest that UVA radiation may participate in melanoma formation. The DNA damage relevant for UVA includes specific types of CPDs at TT sequences and perhaps oxidative DNA damage to guanine, both induced by direct or indirect, photosensitization-mediated chemical and biophysical processes. We summarize the evidence for a potential role of UVA in melanoma and discuss some of the mechanistic pathways of how UVA may induce mutagenesis in melanocytes.
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8
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Meng Y, Wang G, He H, Lau KH, Hurt A, Bixler BJ, Parham A, Jin SG, Xu X, Vasquez KM, Pfeifer GP, Szabó PE. Z-DNA is remodelled by ZBTB43 in prospermatogonia to safeguard the germline genome and epigenome. Nat Cell Biol 2022; 24:1141-1153. [PMID: 35787683 PMCID: PMC9276527 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-022-00941-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Mutagenic purine–pyrimidine repeats can adopt the left-handed Z-DNA conformation. DNA breaks at potential Z-DNA sites can lead to somatic mutations in cancer or to germline mutations that are transmitted to the next generation. It is not known whether any mechanism exists in the germ line to control Z-DNA structure and DNA breaks at purine–pyrimidine repeats. Here we provide genetic, epigenomic and biochemical evidence for the existence of a biological process that erases Z-DNA specifically in germ cells of the mouse male foetus. We show that a previously uncharacterized zinc finger protein, ZBTB43, binds to and removes Z-DNA, preventing the formation of DNA double-strand breaks. By removing Z-DNA, ZBTB43 also promotes de novo DNA methylation at CG-containing purine–pyrimidine repeats in prospermatogonia. Therefore, the genomic and epigenomic integrity of the species is safeguarded by remodelling DNA structure in the mammalian germ line during a critical window of germline epigenome reprogramming. Meng et al. show that ZBTB43 alters Z-DNA structures to prevent deleterious double-strand breaks and promote DNA methylation at purine–pyrimidine repeats in the mouse germ line.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Meng
- Capital Normal University College of Life Science, Beijing, China.,Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Guliang Wang
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Hongjuan He
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.,School of Life Science and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, China
| | - Kin H Lau
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Allison Hurt
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Brianna J Bixler
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Andrea Parham
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.,Van Andel Institute Graduate School, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Xingzhi Xu
- Capital Normal University College of Life Science, Beijing, China.,Guangdong Key Laboratory for Genome Stability & Disease Prevention and Carson International Cancer Center, Marshall Laboratory of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University School of Medicine, Shenzhen, China
| | - Karen M Vasquez
- Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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9
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Jin SG, Meng Y, Johnson J, Szabó PE, Pfeifer GP. Concordance of hydrogen peroxide-induced 8-oxo-guanine patterns with two cancer mutation signatures of upper GI tract tumors. Sci Adv 2022; 8:eabn3815. [PMID: 35658030 PMCID: PMC9166614 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abn3815] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Oxidative DNA damage has been linked to inflammation, cancer, and aging. Here, we have mapped two types of oxidative DNA damage, oxidized guanines produced by hydrogen peroxide and oxidized thymines created by potassium permanganate, at a single-base resolution. 8-Oxo-guanine occurs strictly dependent on the G/C sequence context and shows a pronounced peak at transcription start sites (TSSs). We determined the trinucleotide sequence pattern of guanine oxidation. This pattern shows high similarity to the cancer-associated single-base substitution signatures SBS18 and SBS36. SBS36 is found in colorectal cancers that carry mutations in MUTYH, encoding a repair enzyme that operates on 8-oxo-guanine mispairs. SBS18 is common in inflammation-associated upper gastrointestinal tract tumors including esophageal and gastric adenocarcinomas. Oxidized thymines induced by permanganate occur with a distinct dinucleotide specificity, 5'T-A/C, and are depleted at the TSS. Our data suggest that two cancer mutational signatures, SBS18 and SBS36, are caused by reactive oxygen species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Yingying Meng
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Piroska E. Szabó
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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10
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Abstract
In this interview, Professor Gerd Pfeifer speaks with Storm Johnson, Commissioning Editor for Epigenomics, on his work to date in the field of DNA methylation. Dr Pfeifer received a PhD degree from the University of Frankfurt, Germany. After postdoctoral work, he became a faculty member at the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope (Duarte, CA) in 1991. He is currently a full professor at the Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, MI. Dr. Pfeifer has served on several NIH advisory committees and has published over 300 research papers. Dr Pfeifer's research interests are cancer etiology, molecular carcinogenesis and epigenetics. His expertise is in cellular and molecular biology. His lab currently works on epigenetic mechanisms of gene regulation in cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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11
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Himadewi P, Wang XQD, Feng F, Gore H, Liu Y, Yu L, Kurita R, Nakamura Y, Pfeifer GP, Liu J, Zhang X. 3'HS1 CTCF binding site in human β-globin locus regulates fetal hemoglobin expression. eLife 2021; 10:e70557. [PMID: 34585664 PMCID: PMC8500713 DOI: 10.7554/elife.70557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the adult β-globin gene can lead to a variety of hemoglobinopathies, including sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia. An increase in fetal hemoglobin expression throughout adulthood, a condition named hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH), has been found to ameliorate hemoglobinopathies. Deletional HPFH occurs through the excision of a significant portion of the 3' end of the β-globin locus, including a CTCF binding site termed 3'HS1. Here, we show that the deletion of this CTCF site alone induces fetal hemoglobin expression in both adult CD34+ hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and HUDEP-2 erythroid progenitor cells. This induction is driven by the ectopic access of a previously postulated distal enhancer located in the OR52A1 gene downstream of the locus, which can also be insulated by the inversion of the 3'HS1 CTCF site. This suggests that genetic editing of this binding site can have therapeutic implications to treat hemoglobinopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pamela Himadewi
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research InstituteGrand RapidsUnited States
| | - Xue Qing David Wang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research InstituteGrand RapidsUnited States
| | - Fan Feng
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Haley Gore
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research InstituteGrand RapidsUnited States
| | - Yushuai Liu
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research InstituteGrand RapidsUnited States
| | - Lei Yu
- Cell and Development Biology, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Ryo Kurita
- Department of Research and Development, Central Blood Institute, Japanese Red Cross SocietyTokyoJapan
| | - Yukio Nakamura
- Cell Engineering Division, RIKEN BioResource Research CenterTsukubaJapan
- Faculty of Medicine, University of TsukubaTsukubaJapan
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research InstituteGrand RapidsUnited States
| | - Jie Liu
- Department of Computational Medicine and Bioinformatics, University of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Xiaotian Zhang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research InstituteGrand RapidsUnited States
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12
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Jin SG, Pettinga D, Johnson J, Li P, Pfeifer GP. The major mechanism of melanoma mutations is based on deamination of cytosine in pyrimidine dimers as determined by circle damage sequencing. Sci Adv 2021; 7:eabi6508. [PMID: 34330711 PMCID: PMC8324051 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abi6508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Sunlight-associated melanomas carry a unique C-to-T mutation signature. UVB radiation induces cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) as the major form of DNA damage, but the mechanism of how CPDs cause mutations is unclear. To map CPDs at single-base resolution genome wide, we developed the circle damage sequencing (circle-damage-seq) method. In human cells, CPDs form preferentially in a tetranucleotide sequence context (5'-Py-T<>Py-T/A), but this alone does not explain the tumor mutation patterns. To test whether mutations arise at CPDs by cytosine deamination, we specifically mapped UVB-induced cytosine-deaminated CPDs. Transcription start sites (TSSs) were protected from CPDs and deaminated CPDs, but both lesions were enriched immediately upstream of the TSS, suggesting a mutation-promoting role of bound transcription factors. Most importantly, the genomic dinucleotide and trinucleotide sequence specificity of deaminated CPDs matched the prominent mutation signature of melanomas. Our data identify the cytosine-deaminated CPD as the leading premutagenic lesion responsible for mutations in melanomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Dean Pettinga
- Bioinformatics and Biostatistics Core, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Peipei Li
- Department of Neurodegenerative Science, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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13
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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14
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Kim SI, Pfeifer GP. The epigenetic DNA modification 5-carboxylcytosine promotes high levels of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimer formation upon UVB irradiation. Genome Instab Dis 2021; 2:59-69. [PMID: 34485825 PMCID: PMC8415257 DOI: 10.1007/s42764-020-00030-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In mammals, DNA methyltransferases create 5-methylcytosines (5mC) predominantly at CpG dinucleotides. 5mC oxidases convert 5mC in three consecutive oxidation steps to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC) and then 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). Upon irradiation with UV light, dipyrimidines containing C, 5mC and 5hmC are known to form cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) as major DNA photolesions. However, the photobiology of 5fC and 5caC has remained largely unexplored. Here, we tested a series of oligonucleotides with single or multiple positions carrying cytosine (C), 5mC, 5hmC, 5fC or 5caC and irradiated them with different sources of UV irradiation. While UVC radiation produced CPDs near dipyrimidines containing all types of modified cytosine bases, UVB radiation produced by far the highest levels of CPDs near 5caC-containing sequences. Dipyrimidines one or two nucleotide positions adjacent to 5caC but not always those involving this modified base directly were the major sites for these prominent UVB photoproducts. This selectivity did not depend on whether 5caC was present on one or both DNA strands at CpG sequences. We also observed a tendency of the 5caC-containing DNA strands to undergo apparent covalent crosslinking. This reaction occurred with UVB or UVC but not with UVA irradiation. Our data show that 5-carboxylcytosine, although generally a rare base in the genome, can nonetheless make a strong contribution to sequence-specific DNA damage perhaps by acting as a DNA-intrinsic photosensitizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sang-In Kim
- Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Gerd P. Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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15
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Huang Z, Yu J, Cui W, Johnson BK, Kim K, Pfeifer GP. The chromosomal protein SMCHD1 regulates DNA methylation and the 2c-like state of embryonic stem cells by antagonizing TET proteins. Sci Adv 2021; 7:7/4/eabb9149. [PMID: 33523915 PMCID: PMC7817097 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abb9149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
5-Methylcytosine (5mC) oxidases, the ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins, initiate DNA demethylation, but it is unclear how 5mC oxidation is regulated. We show that the protein SMCHD1 (structural maintenance of chromosomes flexible hinge domain containing 1) is found in complexes with TET proteins and negatively regulates TET activities. Removal of SMCHD1 from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells induces DNA hypomethylation, preferentially at SMCHD1 target sites and accumulation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), along with promoter demethylation and activation of the Dux double-homeobox gene. In the absence of SMCHD1, ES cells acquire a two-cell (2c) embryo-like state characterized by activation of an early embryonic transcriptome that is substantially imposed by Dux Using Smchd1/Tet1/Tet2/Tet3 quadruple-knockout cells, we show that DNA demethylation, activation of Dux, and other genes upon SMCHD1 loss depend on TET proteins. These data identify SMCHD1 as an antagonist of the 2c-like state of ES cells and of TET-mediated DNA demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Huang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jiyoung Yu
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Songpa, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Wei Cui
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Benjamin K Johnson
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Kyunggon Kim
- Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Songpa, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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16
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Abstract
The 5-methylcytosine (5mC) oxidation pathway mediated by TET proteins involves step-wise oxidation of 5mC to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). 5fC and 5caC can be removed from DNA by base excision repair and the completion of this pathway results in "demethylation" of 5mC by converting the modified base back into cytosine. In vitro studies with TET proteins aimed at analyzing their DNA substrate specificities and their activity within defined chromatin templates are relatively limited. Here we describe purification methods for mammalian TET proteins based on expression in insect cells or in 293T cells. We also briefly summarize a method that can be used to monitor 5-methylcytosine oxidase activity of the purified TET proteins in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Huang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Jiyoung Yu
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
- Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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17
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18
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Hahn MA, Jin SG, Li AX, Liu J, Huang Z, Wu X, Kim BW, Johnson J, Bilbao ADV, Tao S, Yim JA, Fong Y, Goebbels S, Schwab MH, Lu Q, Pfeifer GP. Reprogramming of DNA methylation at NEUROD2-bound sequences during cortical neuron differentiation. Sci Adv 2019; 5:eaax0080. [PMID: 31681843 PMCID: PMC6810389 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aax0080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
The characteristics of DNA methylation changes that occur during neurogenesis in vivo remain unknown. We used whole-genome bisulfite sequencing to quantitate DNA cytosine modifications in differentiating neurons and their progenitors isolated from mouse brain at the peak of embryonic neurogenesis. Localized DNA hypomethylation was much more common than hypermethylation and often occurred at putative enhancers within genes that were upregulated in neurons and encoded proteins crucial for neuronal differentiation. The hypomethylated regions strongly overlapped with mapped binding sites of the key neuronal transcription factor NEUROD2. The 5-methylcytosine oxidase ten-eleven translocation 2 (TET2) interacted with NEUROD2, and its reaction product 5-hydroxymethylcytosine accumulated at the demethylated regions. NEUROD2-targeted differentially methylated regions retained higher methylation levels in Neurod2 knockout mice, and inducible expression of NEUROD2 caused TET2-associated demethylation at its in vivo binding sites. The data suggest that the reorganization of DNA methylation in developing neurons involves NEUROD2 and TET2-mediated DNA demethylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A. Hahn
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Arthur X. Li
- Department of Information Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010
| | - Jiancheng Liu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Zhijun Huang
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Byung-Wook Kim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | | | - Shu Tao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jacob A. Yim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Yuman Fong
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Sandra Goebbels
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Markus H. Schwab
- Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Department of Neurogenetics, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany
- Cellular Neurophysiology and Center for Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany
| | - Qiang Lu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
- Corresponding author. (G.P.P.); (Q.L.)
| | - Gerd P. Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Corresponding author. (G.P.P.); (Q.L.)
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19
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Abstract
5-Methylcytosine (5mC), the major modified DNA base in mammalian cells, can be oxidized enzymatically to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), 5-formylcytosine (5fC), and 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC) by the Ten-Eleven-Translocation (TET) family of proteins. Whereas 5fC and 5caC are recognized and removed by base excision repair proteins, the 5hmC base accumulates to substantial levels in certain cell types such as brain-derived neurons and is viewed as a relatively stable DNA base. As such, the existence of "reader" proteins that recognize 5hmC would be a logical assumption, and various searches have been undertaken to identify proteins that specifically bind to 5hmC and the other oxidized 5mC bases. However, the existence of definitive 5hmC "readers" has remained unclear and proteins interacting specifically with 5fC or 5caC are also very few. On the other hand, 5hmC is incapable of interacting with a number of proteins that recognize 5mC at CpG sequences, suggesting that 5hmC is an anti-reader modification that may serve to displace 5mC readers from DNA. In this review article, we discuss candidate proteins that may interact with oxidized 5mC bases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
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20
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Li W, Yue F, Dai Y, Shi B, Xu G, Jiang X, Zhou X, Pfeifer GP, Liu L. Suppressor of hepatocellular carcinoma RASSF1A activates autophagy initiation and maturation. Cell Death Differ 2018; 26:1379-1395. [PMID: 30315205 PMCID: PMC6748129 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-018-0211-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 09/17/2018] [Accepted: 09/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
RASSF1A (Ras association domain family 1 isoform A) is a tumor suppressor and frequently inactivated by promoter hypermethylation in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Autophagy is to degrade misfolded or aggregated proteins and dysfunctional organelles. Autophagy defects enhance oxidative stress and genome instability to promote tumorigenesis. Activating autophagy flux by increasing levels of the RASSF1A-interacting microtubule-associated protein 1 S (MAP1S) leads to suppression of HCC in addition to extending lifespans. Here we tested whether RASSF1A itself functions as a HCC suppressor and activates autophagy similarly as MAP1S does. We show that RASSF1A deletion leads to an acceleration of diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC and a 31% reduction of median survival times in mice. RASSF1A enhances autophagy initiation by suppressing PI3K-AKT-mTOR through the Hippo pathway-regulatory component MST1 and promotes autophagy maturation by recruiting autophagosomes on RASSF1A-stabilized acetylated microtubules through MAP1S. RASSF1A deletion causes a blockade of autophagy flux. Therefore, RASSF1A may suppress HCC and improve survival by activating autophagy flux.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjiao Li
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Fei Yue
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Yuan Dai
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Boyun Shi
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 510700, Guangzhou, China
| | - Guibin Xu
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 510700, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xianhan Jiang
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA.,The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 510700, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xinke Zhou
- The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 510700, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Leyuan Liu
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M University, 2121 W. Holcombe Blvd., Houston, TX, 77030, USA. .,The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University, 510700, Guangzhou, China. .,Department of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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21
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Yim JH, Choi AH, Li AX, Qin H, Chang S, Tong SWT, Chu P, Kim BW, Schmolze D, Lew R, Ibrahim Y, Poroyko VA, Salvatierra S, Baker A, Wang J, Wu X, Pfeifer GP, Fong Y, Hahn MA. Identification of Tissue-Specific DNA Methylation Signatures for Thyroid Nodule Diagnostics. Clin Cancer Res 2018; 25:544-551. [PMID: 30093451 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-18-0841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 07/01/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Thyroid cancer is frequently difficult to diagnose due to an overlap of cytologic features between malignant and benign nodules. This overlap leads to unnecessary removal of the thyroid in patients without cancer. While providing some improvement over cytopathologic diagnostics, molecular methods frequently fail to provide a correct diagnosis for thyroid nodules. These approaches are based on the difference between cancer and adjacent thyroid tissue and assume that adjacent tissues are the same as benign nodules. However, in contrast to adjacent tissues, benign thyroid nodules can contain genetic alterations that can be found in cancer.Experimental Design: For the development of a new molecular diagnostic test for thyroid cancer, we evaluated DNA methylation in 109 thyroid tissues by using genome-wide single-base resolution DNA methylation analysis. The test was validated in a retrospective cohort containing 65 thyroid nodules. RESULTS By conducting reduced representation bisulfite sequencing in 109 thyroid specimens, we found significant differences between adjacent tissue, benign nodules, and cancer. These tissue-specific signatures are strongly linked to active enhancers and cancer-associated genes. Based on these signatures, we developed a new epigenetic approach for thyroid diagnostics. According to the validation cohort, our test has an estimated specificity of 97% [95% confidence interval (CI), 81-100], sensitivity of 100% (95% CI, 87-100), positive predictive value of 97% (95% CI, 83-100), and negative predictive value of 100% (95% CI, 86-100). CONCLUSIONS These data show that epigenetic testing can provide outstanding diagnostic accuracy for thyroid nodules.See related commentary by Mitmaker et al., p. 457.
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Affiliation(s)
- John H Yim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California.
| | - Audrey H Choi
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Arthur X Li
- Department of Information Sciences, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Hanjun Qin
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Sue Chang
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Sun-Wing T Tong
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Peiguo Chu
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Byung-Wook Kim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Daniel Schmolze
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Ryan Lew
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Yasmine Ibrahim
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Valeriy A Poroyko
- Department of Medical Oncology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Sylvana Salvatierra
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Alysha Baker
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Jinhui Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Yuman Fong
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California
| | - Maria A Hahn
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, California.
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22
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
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23
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Liu J, Wu X, Zhang H, Pfeifer GP, Lu Q. Dynamics of RNA Polymerase II Pausing and Bivalent Histone H3 Methylation during Neuronal Differentiation in Brain Development. Cell Rep 2018; 20:1307-1318. [PMID: 28793256 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.07.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2017] [Revised: 06/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
During cellular differentiation, genes important for differentiation are expected to be silent in stem/progenitor cells yet can be readily activated. RNA polymerase II (Pol II) pausing and bivalent chromatin marks are two paradigms suited for establishing such a poised state of gene expression; however, their specific contributions in development are not well understood. Here we characterized Pol II pausing and H3K4me3/H3K27me3 marks in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and their daughter neurons purified from the developing mouse cortex. We show that genes paused in NPCs or neurons are characteristic of respective cellular functions important for each cell type, although pausing and pause release were not correlated with gene activation. Bivalent chromatin marks poised the marked genes in NPCs for activation in neurons. Interestingly, we observed a positive correlation between H3K27me3 and paused Pol II. This study thus reveals cell type-specific Pol II pausing and gene activation-associated bivalency during mammalian neuronal differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiancheng Liu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Heying Zhang
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Qiang Lu
- Department of Developmental and Stem Cell Biology, Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
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24
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Abstract
Human malignant tumors are characterized by pervasive changes in the patterns of DNA methylation. These changes include a globally hypomethylated tumor cell genome and the focal hypermethylation of numerous 5′-cytosine-phosphate-guanine-3′ (CpG) islands, many of them associated with gene promoters. It has been challenging to link specific DNA methylation changes with tumorigenesis in a cause-and-effect relationship. Some evidence suggests that cancer-associated DNA hypomethylation may increase genomic instability. Promoter hypermethylation events can lead to silencing of genes functioning in pathways reflecting hallmarks of cancer, including DNA repair, cell cycle regulation, promotion of apoptosis or control of key tumor-relevant signaling networks. A convincing argument for a tumor-driving role of DNA methylation can be made when the same genes are also frequently mutated in cancer. Many of the most commonly hypermethylated genes encode developmental transcription factors, the methylation of which may lead to permanent gene silencing. Inactivation of such genes will deprive the cells in which the tumor may initiate from the option of undergoing or maintaining lineage differentiation and will lock them into a perpetuated stem cell-like state thus providing an additional window for cell transformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, 333 Bostwick Avenue NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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25
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Hanley MP, Hahn MA, Li AX, Wu X, Lin J, Wang J, Choi AH, Ouyang Z, Fong Y, Pfeifer GP, Devers TJ, Rosenberg DW. Genome-wide DNA methylation profiling reveals cancer-associated changes within early colonic neoplasia. Oncogene 2017; 36:5035-5044. [PMID: 28459462 PMCID: PMC5578878 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2017.130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is characterized by genome-wide alterations to DNA methylation that influence gene expression and genomic stability. Less is known about the extent to which methylation is disrupted in the earliest stages of CRC development. In this study we have combined laser-capture microdissection (LCM) with reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) to identify cancer-associated DNA methylation changes in human aberrant crypt foci (ACF), the earliest putative precursor to CRC. Using this approach, methylation profiles have been generated for 10 KRAS-mutant ACF and 10 CRCs harboring a KRAS mutation, as well as matched samples of normal mucosa. Of 811 differentially methylated regions (DMRs) identified in ACF, 537 (66%) were hypermethylated and 274 (34%) were hypomethylated. DMRs located within intergenic regions were heavily enriched for AP-1 transcription factor binding sites and were frequently hypomethylated. Furthermore, gene ontology (GO) analysis demonstrated that DMRs associated with promoters were enriched for genes involved in intestinal development, including homeobox genes and targets of the Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2). Consistent with their role in the earliest stages of colonic neoplasia, 75% of the loci harboring methylation changes in ACF were also altered in CRC samples, though the magnitude of change at these sites was lesser in ACF. While aberrant promoter methylation was associated with altered gene expression in CRC, this was not the case in ACF, suggesting the insufficiency of methylation changes to modulate gene expression in early colonic neoplasia. Together, these data demonstrate that DNA methylation changes, including significant hypermethylation, occur more frequently in early colonic neoplasia than previously believed, and identify epigenomic features of ACF that may provide new targets for cancer chemoprevention or lead to the development of new biomarkers for CRC risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- M P Hanley
- Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - M A Hahn
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - A X Li
- Department of Information Sciences, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - X Wu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - J Lin
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - J Wang
- Integrative Genomics Core, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - A H Choi
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Z Ouyang
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA.,Institute for Systems Genomics, University of Connecticut, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Y Fong
- Department of Surgery, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - G P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
| | - T J Devers
- Division of Gastroenterology, School of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - D W Rosenberg
- Center for Molecular Medicine, School of Medicine, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.,Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.,Colon Cancer Prevention Program, Neag Comprehensive Cancer Center, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
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26
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Weng YL, An R, Cassin J, Joseph J, Mi R, Wang C, Zhong C, Jin SG, Pfeifer GP, Bellacosa A, Dong X, Hoke A, He Z, Song H, Ming GL. An Intrinsic Epigenetic Barrier for Functional Axon Regeneration. Neuron 2017; 94:337-346.e6. [PMID: 28426967 PMCID: PMC6007997 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2017.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2016] [Revised: 02/05/2017] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Mature neurons in the adult peripheral nervous system can effectively switch from a dormant state with little axonal growth to robust axon regeneration upon injury. The mechanisms by which injury unlocks mature neurons' intrinsic axonal growth competence are not well understood. Here, we show that peripheral sciatic nerve lesion in adult mice leads to elevated levels of Tet3 and 5-hydroxylmethylcytosine in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. Functionally, Tet3 is required for robust axon regeneration of DRG neurons and behavioral recovery. Mechanistically, peripheral nerve injury induces DNA demethylation and upregulation of multiple regeneration-associated genes in a Tet3- and thymine DNA glycosylase-dependent fashion in DRG neurons. In addition, Pten deletion-induced axon regeneration of retinal ganglion neurons in the adult CNS is attenuated upon Tet1 knockdown. Together, our study suggests an epigenetic barrier that can be removed by active DNA demethylation to permit axon regeneration in the adult mammalian nervous system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Lan Weng
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ran An
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China
| | - Jessica Cassin
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Pre-doctoral Human Genetics Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Jessica Joseph
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ruifa Mi
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chen Wang
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Neurology, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Chun Zhong
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gerd P. Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Alfonso Bellacosa
- Cancer Epigenetics and Cancer Biology Programs, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA
| | - Xinzhong Dong
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Ahmet Hoke
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Zhigang He
- F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center, Boston Children's Hospital, and Department of Neurology, 300 Longwood Avenue, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hongjun Song
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Pre-doctoral Human Genetics Training Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School for Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Guo-li Ming
- Institute for Cell Engineering, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Graduate Program in Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, Mahoney Institute for Neurosciences, Perelman School for Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
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Abstract
Distinct mutation types are found in diverse cancers associated with smoking
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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29
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Abstract
Amid the complexity of genetic alterations in human cancer, TP53 mutation appears as an almost invariant component, representing by far the most frequent genetic alteration overall. Compared with previous targeted sequencing studies, recent integrated genomics studies offer a less biased view of TP53 mutation patterns, revealing that >20% of mutations occur outside the DNA-binding domain. Among the 12 mutations representing each at least 1% of all mutations, five occur at residues directly involved in specific DNA binding, four affect the tertiary fold of the DNA-binding domain, and three are nonsense mutations, two of them in the carboxyl terminus. Significant mutations also occur in introns, affecting alternative splicing events or generating rearrangements (e.g., in intron 1 in sporadic osteosarcoma). In aggressive cancers, mutation is so common that it may not have prognostic value (all these cancers have impaired p53 function caused by mutation or by other mechanisms). In several other cancers, however, mutation makes a clear difference for prognostication, as, for example, in HER2-enriched breast cancers and in lung adenocarcinoma with EGFR mutations. Thus, the clinical significance of TP53 mutation is dependent on tumor subtype and context. Understanding the clinical impact of mutation will require integrating mutation-specific information (type, frequency, and predicted impact) with data on haplotypes and on loss of heterozygosity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Hainaut
- University Grenoble Alpes, Institut Albert Bonniot, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), 823 Grenoble, France
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503
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30
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Abstract
5-methylcytosine (5mC) was long thought to be the only enzymatically created modified DNA base in mammalian cells. The discovery of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, 5-formylcytosine, and 5-carboxylcytosine as reaction products of the TET family 5mC oxidases has prompted extensive searches for proteins that specifically bind to these oxidized bases. However, only a few of such "reader" proteins have been identified and verified so far. In this review, we discuss potential biological functions of oxidized 5mC as well as the role the presumed reader proteins may play in interpreting the genomic signals of 5mC oxidation products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA.
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
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31
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Iqbal K, Tran DA, Li AX, Warden C, Bai AY, Singh P, Madaj ZB, Winn ME, Wu X, Pfeifer GP, Szabó PE. High type I error and misrepresentations in search for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance: response to Guerrero-Bosagna. Genome Biol 2016; 17:154. [PMID: 27411809 PMCID: PMC4942929 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-0981-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
In a recent paper, we described our efforts in search for evidence supporting epigenetic transgenerational inheritance caused by endocrine disrupter chemicals. One aspect of our study was to compare genome-wide DNA methylation changes in the vinclozolin-exposed fetal male germ cells (n = 3) to control samples (n = 3), their counterparts in the next, unexposed, generation (n = 3 + 3) and also in adult spermatozoa (n = 2 + 2) in both generations. We reported finding zero common hits in the intersection of these four comparisons. In our interpretation, this result did not support the notion that DNA methylation provides a mechanism for a vinclozolin-induced transgenerational male infertility phenotype. In response to criticism by Guerrero-Bosagna regarding our statistical power in the above study, here we provide power calculations to clarify the statistical power of our study and to show the validity of our conclusions. We also explain here how our data is misinterpreted in the commentary by Guerrero-Bosagna by leaving out important data points from consideration. Please see related Correspondence article: xxx (13059_2016_982) and related Research article: http://genomebiology.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13059-015-0619-z
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Affiliation(s)
- Khursheed Iqbal
- Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Diana A Tran
- Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Arthur X Li
- Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Charles Warden
- Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Angela Y Bai
- Eugene and Ruth Roberts Summer Academy, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Purnima Singh
- Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Zach B Madaj
- Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Mary E Winn
- Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Beckman Research Institute Irell and Manella Graduate School of Biological Sciences, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Van Andel Research Institute, Center for Epigenetics, 333 Bostwick Ave, Grand Rapids, MI, 49503, USA.
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32
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Pfeifer GP. Switching enhancer methylation in metastatic melanoma. Pigment Cell Melanoma Res 2016; 29:491-3. [PMID: 27374259 DOI: 10.1111/pcmr.12505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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33
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Zhang X, Guo C, Wu X, Li AX, Liu L, Tsark W, Dammann R, Shen H, Vonderfecht SL, Pfeifer GP. Analysis of Liver Tumor-Prone Mouse Models of the Hippo Kinase Scaffold Proteins RASSF1A and SAV1. Cancer Res 2016; 76:2824-35. [PMID: 26980762 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-15-3010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2015] [Accepted: 02/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
The tumor suppressor gene RASSF1A is epigenetically silenced in most human cancers. As a binding partner of the kinases MST1 and MST2, the mammalian orthologs of the Drosophila Hippo kinase, RASSF1A is a potential regulator of the Hippo tumor suppressor pathway. RASSF1A shares these properties with the scaffold protein SAV1. The role of this pathway in human cancer has remained enigmatic inasmuch as Hippo pathway components are rarely mutated in tumors. Here we show that Rassf1a homozygous knockout mice develop liver tumors. However, heterozygous deletion of Sav1 or codeletion of Rassf1a and Sav1 produced liver tumors with much higher efficiency than single deletion of Rassf1a. Analysis of RASSF1A-binding partners by mass spectrometry identified the Hippo kinases MST1, MST2, and the oncogenic IκB kinase TBK1 as the most enriched RASSF1A-interacting proteins. The transcriptome of Rassf1a(-/-) livers was more deregulated than that of Sav1(+/-) livers, and the transcriptome of Rassf1a(-/-), Sav1(+/-) livers was similar to that of Rassf1a(-/-) mice. We found that the levels of TBK1 protein were substantially upregulated in livers lacking Rassf1a. Furthermore, transcripts of several β-tubulin isoforms were increased in the Rassf1a-deficient livers presumably reflecting a role of RASSF1A as a microtubule-stabilizing protein. In human liver cancer, RASSF1A frequently undergoes methylation at the promoter but this was not observed for MST1, MST2, or SAV1. Our results suggest a multifactorial role of RASSF1A in suppression of liver carcinogenesis. Cancer Res; 76(9); 2824-35. ©2016 AACR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoying Zhang
- Department of Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Cai Guo
- Department of Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Arthur X Li
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Limin Liu
- Department of Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Walter Tsark
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Reinhard Dammann
- Institute for Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hui Shen
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
| | - Steven L Vonderfecht
- Division of Comparative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, California. Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan.
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34
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Abstract
The Hippo pathway prevents organ overgrowth and maintains tissue architecture by inhibiting the transcriptional coactivator YAP. In this issue of Science Signaling, Bui et al. find a role for YAP during cytokinesis that is independent of its transcriptional activity. This function of YAP may be important for maintaining genomic stability in dividing cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA.
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35
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Jin SG, Zhang ZM, Dunwell TL, Harter MR, Wu X, Johnson J, Li Z, Liu J, Szabó PE, Lu Q, Xu GL, Song J, Pfeifer GP. Tet3 Reads 5-Carboxylcytosine through Its CXXC Domain and Is a Potential Guardian against Neurodegeneration. Cell Rep 2016; 14:493-505. [PMID: 26774490 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2015] [Revised: 11/06/2015] [Accepted: 12/04/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We report that the mammalian 5-methylcytosine (5mC) oxidase Tet3 exists as three major isoforms and characterized the full-length isoform containing an N-terminal CXXC domain (Tet3FL). This CXXC domain binds to unmethylated CpGs, but, unexpectedly, its highest affinity is toward 5-carboxylcytosine (5caC). We determined the crystal structure of the CXXC domain-5caC-DNA complex, revealing the structural basis of the binding specificity of this domain as a reader of CcaCG sequences. Mapping of Tet3FL in neuronal cells shows that Tet3FL is localized precisely at the transcription start sites (TSSs) of genes involved in lysosome function, mRNA processing, and key genes of the base excision repair pathway. Therefore, Tet3FL may function as a regulator of 5caC removal by base excision repair. Active removal of accumulating 5mC from the TSSs of genes coding for lysosomal proteins by Tet3FL in postmitotic neurons of the brain may be important for preventing neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Gi Jin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Zhi-Min Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Thomas L Dunwell
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Matthew R Harter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jennifer Johnson
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Zheng Li
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jiancheng Liu
- Department of Neurosciences, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Qiang Lu
- Department of Neurosciences, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Guo-Liang Xu
- The State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jikui Song
- Department of Biochemistry, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
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36
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Wang XL, Song SH, Wu YS, Li YL, Chen TT, Huang ZY, Liu S, Dunwell TL, Pfeifer GP, Dunwell JM, Wamaedeesa R, Ullah I, Wang Y, Hu SN. Genome-wide mapping of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in three rice cultivars reveals its preferential localization in transcriptionally silent transposable element genes. J Exp Bot 2015; 66:6651-63. [PMID: 26272901 PMCID: PMC4715260 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erv372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
5-Hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC), a modified form of cytosine that is considered the sixth nucleobase in DNA, has been detected in mammals and is believed to play an important role in gene regulation. In this study, 5hmC modification was detected in rice by employing a dot-blot assay, and its levels was further quantified in DNA from different rice tissues using liquid chromatography-multistage mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS/MS). The results showed large intertissue variation in 5hmC levels. The genome-wide profiles of 5hmC modification in three different rice cultivars were also obtained using a sensitive chemical labelling followed by a next-generation sequencing method. Thousands of 5hmC peaks were identified, and a comparison of the distributions of 5hmC among different rice cultivars revealed the specificity and conservation of 5hmC modification. The identified 5hmC peaks were significantly enriched in heterochromatin regions, and mainly located in transposable elements (TEs), especially around retrotransposons. The correlation analysis of 5hmC and gene expression data revealed a close association between 5hmC and silent TEs. These findings provide a resource for plant DNA 5hmC epigenetic studies and expand our knowledge of 5hmC modification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xi-liang Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Shu-hui Song
- Core Genomic Facility, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Yong-Sheng Wu
- Mudanjiang Youbo Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, Heilongjiang 157011, China
| | - Yu-Li Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genome Sciences and Information, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China Core Genomic Facility, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yuquan Road, Beijing 100039, China
| | - Ting-ting Chen
- Core Genomic Facility, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Zhi-yuan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Hybrid Rice, Hunan Hybrid Rice Research Center, Changsha 410125, China
| | - Shuo Liu
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | | | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Centre, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Jim M Dunwell
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Raheema Wamaedeesa
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK
| | - Ihsan Ullah
- School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Earley Gate, Reading RG6 6AR, UK Agricultural Biotechnology Research Institute, Faisalabad 38000, Pakistan
| | - Yinsheng Wang
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA
| | - Song-nian Hu
- Core Genomic Facility, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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37
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Abstract
Chromatin structure analysis at single-nucleotide resolution can be done by genomic sequencing, and, recently, several techniques have been developed (1) that give improved specificity and sensitivity over the original method of Church and Gilbert (2). The most sensitive method uses ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (LM-PCR) to amplify all fragments of the genomic sequence ladder (3,4). The unique aspect of LM-PCR is the ligation of an oligonucleotide linker onto the 5' end of each DNA molecule. This provides a common sequence on the 5' end, and in conjunction with a gene-specific primer, allows conventional, exponential PCR to be used for signal amplification. Thus by taking advantage of the specificity and sensitivity of PCR, one needs only 1 μg of mammalian DNA per lane to obtain good quality DNA sequence ladders, with retention of methylation, DNA structure, and protein footprint information. The LM-PCR procedure is outlined in Fig. 1. Briefly, the first step is cleavage of DNA, generating 5' phospho-rylated molecules. This is achieved, for example, by chemical DNA sequencing (β-elimination) or by cutting with the enzyme DNase I. Next, primer extension of a gene-specific oligonucleotide (primer 1) generates molecules that have a blunt end on one side. Linkers are ligated to the blunt ends, and then an exponential PCR amplification of the linker-ligated fragments is done using the longer oligonucleotide of the linker (linker-primer) and a second gene-specific primer (primer 2). After 15-20 amplification cycles, the DNA fragments are separated on a sequencing gel, electroblotted onto nylon membranes, and hybridized with a gene-specific probe to visualize the sequence ladder. By rehybridization, several gene-specific ladders can be sequentially visualized from one sequencing gel (4).
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Affiliation(s)
- G P Pfeifer
- Department of Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA
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38
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Abstract
Using MIRA-seq, we have characterized the DNA methylome of metastatic melanoma and normal melanocytes. Individual tumors contained several thousand hypermethylated regions. We discovered 179 tumor-specific methylation peaks present in all (27/27) melanomas that may be effective disease biomarkers, and 3113 methylation peaks were seen in >40% of the tumors. We found that 150 of the approximately 1200 tumor-associated methylation peaks near transcription start sites (TSSs) were marked by H3K27me3 in melanocytes. DNA methylation in melanoma was specific for distinct H3K27me3 peaks rather than for broadly covered regions. However, numerous H3K27me3 peak-associated TSS regions remained devoid of DNA methylation in tumors. There was no relationship between BRAF mutations and the number of methylation peaks. Gene expression analysis showed upregulated immune response genes in melanomas presumably as a result of lymphocyte infiltration. Down-regulated genes were enriched for melanocyte differentiation factors; e.g., KIT, PAX3 and SOX10 became methylated and downregulated in melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Gi Jin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Wenying Xiong
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.
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39
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Mezzanotte JJ, Hill V, Schmidt ML, Shinawi T, Tommasi S, Krex D, Schackert G, Pfeifer GP, Latif F, Clark GJ. RASSF6 exhibits promoter hypermethylation in metastatic melanoma and inhibits invasion in melanoma cells. Epigenetics 2015; 9:1496-503. [PMID: 25482183 DOI: 10.4161/15592294.2014.983361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain metastasis is a major contributor to cancer mortality, yet, the genetic changes underlying the development of this capacity remain poorly understood. RASSF proteins are a family of tumor suppressors that often suffer epigenetic inactivation during tumorigenesis. However, their epigenetic status in brain metastases has not been well characterized. We have examined the promoter methylation of the classical RASSF members (RASSF1A-RASSF6) in a panel of metastatic brain tumor samples. RASSF1A and RASSF2 have been shown to undergo promoter methylation at high frequency in primary lung and breast tumors and in brain metastases. Other members exhibited little or no methylation in these tumors. In examining melanoma metastases, however, we found that RASSF6 exhibits the highest frequency of inactivation in melanoma and in melanoma brain metastases. Most melanomas are driven by an activating mutation in B-Raf. Introduction of RASSF6 into a B-Raf(V600E)-containing metastatic melanoma cell line inhibited its ability to invade through collagen and suppressed MAPK pathway activation and AKT. RASSF6 also appears to increase the association of mutant B-Raf and MST1, providing a potential mechanism by which RASSF6 is able to suppress MAPK activation. Thus, we have identified a novel potential role for RASSF6 in melanoma development. Promoter methylation leading to reduced expression of RASSF6 may play an important role in melanoma development and may contribute to brain metastases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica J Mezzanotte
- a Departments of Biochemistry/Pharmacology Toxicology ; University of Louisville ; Louisville, KY USA
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40
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas L Dunwell
- Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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41
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Jung M, Jin SG, Zhang X, Xiong W, Gogoshin G, Rodin AS, Pfeifer GP. Longitudinal epigenetic and gene expression profiles analyzed by three-component analysis reveal down-regulation of genes involved in protein translation in human aging. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:e100. [PMID: 25977295 PMCID: PMC4551908 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2014] [Accepted: 04/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Data on biological mechanisms of aging are mostly obtained from cross-sectional study designs. An inherent disadvantage of this design is that inter-individual differences can mask small but biologically significant age-dependent changes. A serially sampled design (same individual at different time points) would overcome this problem but is often limited by the relatively small numbers of available paired samples and the statistics being used. To overcome these limitations, we have developed a new vector-based approach, termed three-component analysis, which incorporates temporal distance, signal intensity and variance into one single score for gene ranking and is combined with gene set enrichment analysis. We tested our method on a unique age-based sample set of human skin fibroblasts and combined genome-wide transcription, DNA methylation and histone methylation (H3K4me3 and H3K27me3) data. Importantly, our method can now for the first time demonstrate a clear age-dependent decrease in expression of genes coding for proteins involved in translation and ribosome function. Using analogies with data from lower organisms, we propose a model where age-dependent down-regulation of protein translation-related components contributes to extend human lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Jung
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Xiaoying Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Wenying Xiong
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Grigoriy Gogoshin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Andrei S Rodin
- Center for Epigenetics, Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA Department of Diabetes and Metabolic Diseases Research, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
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42
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Abstract
Aim: To develop a reliable method for whole genome analysis of DNA methylation. Materials & methods: Genome-scale analysis of DNA methylation includes affinity-based approaches such as enrichment using methyl-CpG-binding proteins. One of these methods, the methylated-CpG island recovery assay (MIRA), is based on the high affinity of the MBD2b-MBD3L1 complex for CpG-methylated DNA. Here we provide a detailed description of MIRA and combine it with next generation sequencing platforms (MIRA-seq). Results: We assessed the performance of MIRA-seq and compared the data with whole genome bisulfite sequencing. Conclusion: MIRA-seq is a reliable, genome-scale DNA methylation analysis platform for scoring DNA methylation differences at CpG-rich genomic regions. The method is not limited by primer or probe design and is cost effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc Jung
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Swati Kadam
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Wenying Xiong
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA
| | - Tibor A Rauch
- Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612, USA
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.,Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA 91010, USA.,Van Andel Research Institute, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
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Iqbal K, Tran DA, Li AX, Warden C, Bai AY, Singh P, Wu X, Pfeifer GP, Szabó PE. Deleterious effects of endocrine disruptors are corrected in the mammalian germline by epigenome reprogramming. Genome Biol 2015; 16:59. [PMID: 25853433 PMCID: PMC4376074 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-015-0619-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 02/23/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Exposure to environmental endocrine-disrupting chemicals during pregnancy reportedly causes transgenerationally inherited reproductive defects. We hypothesized that to affect the grandchild, endocrine-disrupting chemicals must alter the epigenome of the germ cells of the in utero-exposed G1 male fetus. Additionally, to affect the great-grandchild, the aberration must persist in the germ cells of the unexposed G2 grandchild. Results Here, we treat gestating female mice with vinclozolin, bisphenol A, or di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate during the time when global de novo DNA methylation and imprint establishment occurs in the germ cells of the G1 male fetus. We map genome-wide features in purified G1 and G2 prospermatogonia, in order to detect immediate and persistent epigenetic aberrations, respectively. We detect changes in transcription and methylation in the G1 germline immediately after endocrine-disrupting chemicals exposure, but changes do not persist into the G2 germline. Additional analysis of genomic imprints shows no persistent aberrations in DNA methylation at the differentially methylated regions of imprinted genes between the G1 and G2 prospermatogonia, or in the allele-specific transcription of imprinted genes between the G2 and G3 soma. Conclusions Our results suggest that endocrine-disrupting chemicals exert direct epigenetic effects in exposed fetal germ cells, which are corrected by reprogramming events in the next generation. Avoiding transgenerational inheritance of environmentally-caused epigenetic aberrations may have played an evolutionary role in the development of dual waves of global epigenome reprogramming in mammals. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13059-015-0619-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Abstract
Sodium bisulfite-assisted deamination of cytosine forms the basis for conducting single base resolution analysis of 5-methylcytosine in DNA. The TET family of proteins represents a group of enzymes that can oxidize 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. A modification of the bisulfite-based DNA methylation mapping technique employs TET1-mediated oxidation of 5-methylcytosine (TET-assisted bisulfite sequencing) for single base analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. Whole genome analysis of cytosine modifications with bisulfite sequencing techniques still is challenging and expensive. Reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS) has been used to limit the complexity of the analysis to mostly CpG-rich genomic fragments flanked by restriction enzyme cleavage sites, for example MspI (5'CCGG). In this chapter, we describe detailed methods used in our laboratory for analysis of 5-methylcytosine and 5-hydroxymethylcytosine combined (RRBS) and for specific analysis of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (TAB-RRBS).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Hahn
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA,
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45
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Liu L, Baier K, Dammann R, Pfeifer GP. The Tumor Suppressor RASSF1A Does not Interact with Cdc20, an Activator of the Anaphase-Promoting Complex. Cell Cycle 2014; 6:1663-5. [PMID: 17598981 DOI: 10.4161/cc.6.13.4435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
It has been reported that the RASSF1A tumor suppressor protein controls mitotic progression by binding to and inhibiting Cdc20, an activator of the anaphase-promoting complex. Here, we have used different methods to investigate the association of RASSF1A and Cdc20. We show that there is no interaction between RASSF1A and Cdc20 and conclude that further investigation of the mitotic role of RASSF1A is required.
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46
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Hahn MA, Szabó PE, Pfeifer GP. 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine: a stable or transient DNA modification? Genomics 2014; 104:314-23. [PMID: 25181633 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2014.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2014] [Revised: 08/13/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The DNA base 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) is produced by enzymatic oxidation of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) by 5mC oxidases (the Tet proteins). Since 5hmC is recognized poorly by DNA methyltransferases, DNA methylation may be lost at 5hmC sites during DNA replication. In addition, 5hmC can be oxidized further by Tet proteins and converted to 5-formylcytosine and 5-carboxylcytosine, two bases that can be removed from DNA by base excision repair. The completed pathway represents a replication-independent DNA demethylation cycle. However, the DNA base 5hmC is also known to be rather stable and occurs at substantial levels, for example in the brain, suggesting that it represents an epigenetic mark by itself that may regulate chromatin structure and transcription. Focusing on a few well-studied tissues and developmental stages, we discuss the opposing views of 5hmC as a transient intermediate in DNA demethylation and as a modified DNA base with an instructive role.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Hahn
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte CA 91010, USA
| | - Piroska E Szabó
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte CA 91010, USA
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte CA 91010, USA.
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47
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Fu L, Guerrero CR, Zhong N, Amato NJ, Liu Y, Liu S, Cai Q, Ji D, Jin SG, Niedernhofer LJ, Pfeifer GP, Xu GL, Wang Y. Tet-mediated formation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in RNA. J Am Chem Soc 2014; 136:11582-5. [PMID: 25073028 PMCID: PMC4140497 DOI: 10.1021/ja505305z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 245] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
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Oxidation of 5-methylcytosine
in DNA by ten-eleven translocation
(Tet) family of enzymes has been demonstrated to play a significant
role in epigenetic regulation in mammals. We found that Tet enzymes
also possess the activity of catalyzing the formation of 5-hydroxymethylcytidine
(5-hmrC) in RNA in vitro. In addition, the catalytic
domains of all three Tet enzymes as well as full-length Tet3 could
induce the formation of 5-hmrC in human cells. Moreover, 5-hmrC was
present at appreciable levels (∼1 per 5000 5-methylcytidine)
in RNA of mammalian cells and tissues. Our results suggest the involvement
of this oxidation in RNA biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lijuan Fu
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program and ‡Department of Chemistry, University of California , Riverside, California 92521, United States
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48
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Pfeifer GP, Xiong W, Hahn MA, Jin SG. The role of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in human cancer. Cell Tissue Res 2014; 356:631-41. [PMID: 24816989 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-014-1896-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The patterns of DNA methylation in human cancer cells are highly abnormal and often involve the acquisition of DNA hypermethylation at hundreds or thousands of CpG islands that are usually unmethylated in normal tissues. The recent discovery of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) as an enzymatic oxidation product of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) has led to models and experimental data in which the hypermethylation and 5mC oxidation pathways seem to be connected. Key discoveries in this setting include the findings that several genes coding for proteins involved in the 5mC oxidation reaction are mutated in human tumors, and that a broad loss of 5hmC occurs across many types of cancer. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge and discuss models of the potential roles of 5hmC in human cancer biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Medical Center, 1500 East Duarte Road, Duarte, CA 91010, USA,
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49
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Hahn MA, Li AX, Wu X, Yang R, Drew DA, Rosenberg DW, Pfeifer GP. Loss of the polycomb mark from bivalent promoters leads to activation of cancer-promoting genes in colorectal tumors. Cancer Res 2014; 74:3617-3629. [PMID: 24786786 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-13-3147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In colon tumors, the transcription of many genes becomes deregulated by poorly defined epigenetic mechanisms that have been studied mainly in established cell lines. In this study, we used frozen human colon tissues to analyze patterns of histone modification and DNA cytosine methylation in cancer and matched normal mucosa specimens. DNA methylation is strongly targeted to bivalent H3K4me3- and H3K27me3-associated promoters, which lose both histone marks and acquire DNA methylation. However, we found that loss of the Polycomb mark H3K27me3 from bivalent promoters was accompanied often by activation of genes associated with cancer progression, including numerous stem cell regulators, oncogenes, and proliferation-associated genes. Indeed, we found many of these same genes were also activated in patients with ulcerative colitis where chronic inflammation predisposes them to colon cancer. Based on our findings, we propose that a loss of Polycomb repression at bivalent genes combined with an ensuing selection for tumor-driving events plays a major role in cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Hahn
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | - Arthur X Li
- Department of Information Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | - Xiwei Wu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | - Richard Yang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
| | - David A Drew
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Univ. of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
| | - Daniel W Rosenberg
- Center for Molecular Medicine, Univ. of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA
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50
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Mohamed TMA, Zi M, Prehar S, Maqsood A, Abou-Leisa R, Nguyen L, Pfeifer GP, Cartwright EJ, Neyses L, Oceandy D. The tumour suppressor Ras-association domain family protein 1A (RASSF1A) regulates TNF-α signalling in cardiomyocytes. Cardiovasc Res 2014; 103:47-59. [PMID: 24776599 PMCID: PMC4207857 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvu111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Aims Tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) plays a key role in the regulation of cardiac contractility. Although cardiomyocytes are known to express the TNF-α receptors (TNFRs), the mechanism of TNF-α signal transmission is incompletely understood. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the tumour suppressor Ras-association domain family protein 1 isoform A (RASSF1A) modulates TNF-α signalling in cardiomyocytes. Methods and results We used RASSF1A knockout (RASSF1A−/−) mice and wild-type (WT) littermates in this study. Acute stimulation with a low dose of TNF-α (10 µg/kg iv) increased cardiac contractility and intracellular calcium transients' amplitude in WT mice. In contrast, RASSF1A−/− mice showed a blunted contractile response. Mechanistically, RASSF1A was essential in the formation of the TNFR complex (TNFRC), where it functions as an adaptor molecule to facilitate the recruitment of TNFR type 1-associated death domain protein and TNFR-associated factor 2 to form the TNF-α receptor complex. In the absence of RASSF1A, signal transmission from the TNF-α receptor complex to the downstream effectors, such as cytoplasmic phospholipase A2 and protein kinase A, was attenuated leading to the reduction in the activation of calcium handling molecules, such as L-type Ca2+ channel and ryanodine receptors. Conclusion Our data indicate an essential role of RASSF1A in regulating TNF-α signalling in cardiomyocytes, with RASSF1A being key in the formation of the TNFRC and in signal transmission to the downstream targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamer M A Mohamed
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, EL-Sharkiah, Egypt J David Gladstone Research Institutes, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Min Zi
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Sukhpal Prehar
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Arfa Maqsood
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Riham Abou-Leisa
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Loan Nguyen
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Gerd P Pfeifer
- Division of Biology, Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Cartwright
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Ludwig Neyses
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Delvac Oceandy
- Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences, University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
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