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Ren Y, Huang P, Huang X, Zhang L, Liu L, Xiang W, Liu L, He X. Alterations of DNA methylation profile in peripheral blood of children with simple obesity. Health Inf Sci Syst 2024; 12:26. [PMID: 38505098 PMCID: PMC10948706 DOI: 10.1007/s13755-024-00275-w] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose To investigate the association between DNA methylation and childhood simple obesity. Methods Genome-wide analysis of DNA methylation was conducted on peripheral blood samples from 41 children with simple obesity and 31 normal controls to identify differentially methylated sites (DMS). Subsequently, gene functional analysis of differentially methylated genes (DMGs) was carried out. After screening the characteristic DMGs based on specific conditions, the methylated levels of these DMS were evaluated and verified by pyrosequencing. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis assessed the predictive efficacy of corresponding DMGs. Finally, Pearson correlation analysis revealed the correlation between specific DMS and clinical data. Results The overall DNA methylation level in the obesity group was significantly lower than in normal. A total of 241 DMS were identified. Functional pathway analysis revealed that DMGs were primarily involved in lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, human diseases, among other pathways. The characteristic DMS within the genes Transcription factor A mitochondrial (TFAM) and Piezo type mechanosensitive ion channel component 1(PIEZO1) were recognized as CpG-cg05831083 and CpG-cg14926485, respectively. Furthermore, the methylation level of CpG-cg05831083 significantly correlated with body mass index (BMI) and vitamin D. Conclusions Abnormal DNA methylation is closely related to childhood simple obesity. The altered methylation of CpG-cg05831083 and CpG-cg14926485 could potentially serve as biomarkers for childhood simple obesity. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13755-024-00275-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Ren
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Children’s Brain Development and Brain Injury Research Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Department of Pediatrics, Haikou Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Haikou, 570100 China
| | - Peng Huang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Children’s Brain Development and Brain Injury Research Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
| | - Xiaoyan Huang
- Department of Genetics, Metabolism, and Endocrinology, Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, 570100 China
| | - Lu Zhang
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Children’s Brain Development and Brain Injury Research Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
| | - Lingjuan Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Children’s Brain Development and Brain Injury Research Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
| | - Wei Xiang
- Hainan Women and Children’s Medical Center, Haikou, 570100 China
- Children’s Hospital of Fudan University at Hainan, Haikou, 570100 China
- Children’s Hospital of Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 570100 China
| | - Liqun Liu
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Children’s Brain Development and Brain Injury Research Office, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
| | - Xiaojie He
- Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
- Laboratory of Pediatric Nephrology, Department of Pediatrics, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, 410011 China
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Sapozhnikov DM, Szyf M. Genetic confounds of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mice. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2318519. [PMID: 38369744 PMCID: PMC10878023 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2024.2318519] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Transgenerational epigenetic inheritance in mammals remains a controversial phenomenon. A recent study by Takahashi et al. provides evidence for this mode of inheritance in mice by using a CRISPR/Cas9-based epigenetic editing technique to modify DNA methylation levels at specific promoters and then demonstrating the inheritance of the gain in methylation in offspring. In this technical commentary, we argue that the method used in the original study inherently amplifies the likelihood of genetic changes that thereafter lead to the heritability of epigenetic changes. We provide evidence that genetic changes from multiple sources do indeed occur in these experiments and explore several avenues by which these changes could be causal to the apparent inheritance of epigenetic changes. We conclude a genetic basis of inheritance cannot be ruled out and thus transgenerational epigenetic inheritance has not been adequately established by the original study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel M. Sapozhnikov
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Moshe Szyf
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Karami Y, Bignon E. Cysteine hyperoxidation rewires communication pathways in the nucleosome and destabilizes the dyad. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:1387-1396. [PMID: 38596314 PMCID: PMC11001638 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2024.03.025] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene activity is tightly controlled by reversible chemical modifications called epigenetic marks, which are of various types and modulate gene accessibility without affecting the DNA sequence. Despite an increasing body of evidence demonstrating the role of oxidative-type modifications of histones in gene expression regulation, there remains a complete absence of structural data at the atomistic level to understand the molecular mechanisms behind their regulatory action. Owing to μs time-scale MD simulations and protein communication networks analysis, we describe the impact of histone H3 hyperoxidation (i.e., S-sulfonylation) on the nucleosome core particle dynamics. Our results reveal the atomic-scale details of the intrinsic structural networks within the canonical histone core and their perturbation by hyperoxidation of the histone H3 C110. We show that this modification involves local rearrangements of the communication networks and destabilizes the dyad, and that one modification is enough to induce a maximal structural signature. Our results suggest that cysteine hyperoxidation in the nucleosome core particle might favor its disassembly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasaman Karami
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, Inria, LORIA, F-54000 Nancy, France
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El Sharkawy M, Felix JF, Grote V, Voortman T, Jaddoe VWV, Koletzko B, Küpers LK. Animal and plant protein intake during infancy and childhood DNA methylation: a meta-analysis in the NutriPROGRAM consortium. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2299045. [PMID: 38198623 PMCID: PMC10793674 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2299045] [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: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Higher early-life animal protein intake is associated with a higher childhood obesity risk compared to plant protein intake. Differential DNA methylation may represent an underlying mechanism. METHODS We analysed associations of infant animal and plant protein intakes with DNA methylation in early (2-6 years, N = 579) and late (7̄-12 years, N = 604) childhood in two studies. Study-specific robust linear regression models adjusted for relevant confounders were run, and then meta-analysed using a fixed-effects model. We also performed sex-stratified meta-analyses. Follow-up analyses included pathway analysis and eQTM look-up. RESULTS Infant animal protein intake was not associated with DNA methylation in early childhood, but was associated with late-childhood DNA methylation at cg21300373 (P = 4.27 × 10¯8, MARCHF1) and cg10633363 (P = 1.09 × 10¯7, HOXB9) after FDR correction. Infant plant protein intake was associated with early-childhood DNA methylation at cg25973293 (P = 2.26 × 10-7, C1orf159) and cg15407373 (P = 2.13 × 10-7, MBP) after FDR correction. There was no overlap between the findings from the animal and plant protein analyses. We did not find enriched functional pathways at either time point using CpGs associated with animal and plant protein. These CpGs were not previously associated with childhood gene expression. Sex-stratified meta-analyses showed sex-specific DNA methylation associations for both animal and plant protein intake. CONCLUSION Infant animal protein intake was associated with DNA methylation at two CpGs in late childhood. Infant plant protein intake was associated with DNA methylation in early childhood at two CpGs. A potential mediating role of DNA methylation at these CpGs between infant protein intake and health outcomes requires further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed El Sharkawy
- Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany
- Munich Medical Research School, Faculty of Medicine, LMU - Ludwig-Maximilians Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Janine F. Felix
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Veit Grote
- Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Trudy Voortman
- Department of Epidemiology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent W. V. Jaddoe
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Berthold Koletzko
- Division of Metabolic and Nutritional Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Dr. Von Hauner Children’s Hospital, LMU University Hospital Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Leanne K. Küpers
- The Generation R Study Group, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Pediatrics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
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Michels KB, Binder AM. Impact of folic acid supplementation on the epigenetic profile in healthy unfortified individuals - a randomized intervention trial. Epigenetics 2024; 19:2293410. [PMID: 38096372 PMCID: PMC10730197 DOI: 10.1080/15592294.2023.2293410] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Folate is an essential mediator in one-carbon metabolism, which provides methyl groups for DNA synthesis and methylation. The availability of active methyl groups can be influenced by the uptake of folic acid. We conducted a randomized intervention trial to test the influence of folic acid supplementation on DNA methylation in an unfortified population in Germany. A total of 16 healthy male volunteers (age range 23-61 y) were randomized to receive either 400 μg (n = 9) or 800 μg (n = 7) folic acid supplements daily for 8 weeks. Infinium Human Methylation 450K BeadChip Microarrays were used to assay site-specific DNA methylation across the genome. Microarray analyses were conducted on PBL DNA. We estimated several epigenetic clocks and mean DNA methylation across all autosomal probes on the array. AgeAccel was estimated as the residual variation in each metric. In virtually all participants, both serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate increased successively throughout the trial period. Participants with a larger increase in RBC folate had a larger increase in DNAmAge AgeAccel (Spearman Rho: 0.56, p-value = 0.03). No notable changes in the methylome resulting from the folic acid supplementation emerged. In this population with adequate folate levels derived from diet, an increase in RBC folate had a modest impact on the epigenetic clock predicting chronologic age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karin B. Michels
- Institute for Prevention and Cancer Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Alexandra M. Binder
- Department of Epidemiology, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Cancer Epidemiology Program, University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI, USA
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Chandrashekar PB, Chen H, Lee M, Ahmadinejad N, Liu L. DeepCORE: An interpretable multi-view deep neural network model to detect co-operative regulatory elements. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2024; 23:679-687. [PMID: 38292477 PMCID: PMC10825326 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2023.12.044] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/27/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Gene transcription is an essential process involved in all aspects of cellular functions with significant impact on biological traits and diseases. This process is tightly regulated by multiple elements that co-operate to jointly modulate the transcription levels of target genes. To decipher the complicated regulatory network, we present a novel multi-view attention-based deep neural network that models the relationship between genetic, epigenetic, and transcriptional patterns and identifies co-operative regulatory elements (COREs). We applied this new method, named DeepCORE, to predict transcriptomes in various tissues and cell lines, which outperformed the state-of-the-art algorithms. Furthermore, DeepCORE contains an interpreter that extracts the attention values embedded in the deep neural network, maps the attended regions to putative regulatory elements, and infers COREs based on correlated attentions. The identified COREs are significantly enriched with known promoters and enhancers. Novel regulatory elements discovered by DeepCORE showed epigenetic signatures consistent with the status of histone modification marks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pramod Bharadwaj Chandrashekar
- Waisman Center, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Department of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53076, USA
| | - Hai Chen
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Matthew Lee
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Navid Ahmadinejad
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
| | - Li Liu
- College of Health Solutions, Arizona State University, Phoenix, AZ, United States
- Biodesign Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States
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Miller RG, Mychaleckyj JC, Onengut-Gumuscu S, Orchard TJ, Costacou T. An Epigenome-Wide Association Study of DNA Methylation and Proliferative Retinopathy over 28 Years in Type 1 Diabetes. Ophthalmol Sci 2024; 4:100497. [PMID: 38601260 PMCID: PMC11004204 DOI: 10.1016/j.xops.2024.100497] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Purpose To perform a prospective epigenome-wide association study of DNA methylation (DNAm) and 28-year proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) incidence in type 1 diabetes (T1D). Design Prospective observational cohort study. Participants The Pittsburgh Epidemiology of Diabetes Complications (EDC) study of childhood-onset (< 17 years) T1D. Methods Stereoscopic fundus photographs were taken in fields 1, 2, and 4 at baseline, 2, 4, 6, 8, 16, 23, and 28 years after DNAm measurements. The photos were graded using the modified Airlie House System. In those free of PDR at baseline (n = 265; mean T1D duration of 18 years at baseline), whole blood DNAm (EPIC array) at 683 597 CpGs was analyzed in Cox models for time to event. Associations between significant CpGs and clinical risk factors were assessed; genetic variants associated with DNAm were identified (methylation quantitative trait loci [meQTLs]). Mendelian randomization was used to examine evidence of causal associations between DNAm and PDR. Post hoc regional and functional analyses were performed. Main Outcome Measures Proliferative diabetic retinopathy was defined as the first instance of a grade of ≥ 60 in at least 1 eye or pan-retinal photocoagulation for PDR. Follow-up time was calculated from the study visit at which DNAm data were available (baseline) until PDR incidence or censoring (December 31, 2018 or last follow-up). Results PDR incidence was 53% over 28-years' follow-up. Greater DNAm of cg27512687 (KIF16B) was associated with reduced PDR incidence (P = 6.3 × 10-9; false discovery rate [FDR]: < 0.01); 113 cis-meQTLs (P < 5 × 10-8) were identified. Mendelian randomization analysis using the sentinel meQTL as the instrumental variable supported a potentially causal association between cg27512687 and PDR. Cg27512687 was also associated with lower pulse rate and albumin excretion rate and higher estimated glomerular filtration rate, but its association with PDR remained independently significant after adjustment for those factors. In regional analyses, DNAm of FUT4, FKBP1A, and RIN2 was also associated with PDR incidence. Conclusions DNA methylation of KIF16B, FUT4, FKBP1A, and RIN2 was associated with PDR incidence, supporting roles for epigenetic regulation of iron clearance, developmental pathways, and autophagy in PDR pathogenesis. Further study of those loci may provide insight into novel targets for interventions to prevent or delay PDR in T1D. Financial Disclosures Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found in the Footnotes and Disclosures at the end of this article.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachel G. Miller
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Josyf C. Mychaleckyj
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Suna Onengut-Gumuscu
- Center for Public Health Genomics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia
| | - Trevor J. Orchard
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Tina Costacou
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
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Kiesslich T, Mayr C, Bekric D, Neureiter D. New insights into possible HDAC inhibitor resistance in DLBCL - Comment on 'defining cellular responses to HDAC-selective inhibitors reveals that efficient targeting of HDAC3 is required to elicit cytotoxicity and overcome naïve resistance to pan-HDACi in diffuse large B cell lymphoma' by Havas et al. Transl Oncol 2024; 44:101820. [PMID: 38641373 DOI: 10.1016/j.tranon.2023.101820] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 10/30/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Kiesslich
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University/University Hospital Salzburg (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Christian Mayr
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Department of Internal Medicine I, Paracelsus Medical University/University Hospital Salzburg (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Dino Bekric
- Institute of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Paracelsus Medical University, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
| | - Daniel Neureiter
- Institute of Pathology, Paracelsus Medical University/University Hospital Salzburg (SALK), 5020 Salzburg, Austria; Cancer Cluster Salzburg, 5020 Salzburg, Austria.
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Tateishi YS, Araki T, Kawai S, Koide S, Umeki Y, Imai T, Saito-Nakano Y, Kikuchi M, Iwama A, Hisaeda H, Coban C, Annoura T. Histone H3.3 variant plays a critical role on zygote-to-oocyst development in malaria parasites. Parasitol Int 2024; 100:102856. [PMID: 38199522 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102856] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The Plasmodium life cycle involves differentiation into multiple morphologically distinct forms, a process regulated by developmental stage-specific gene expression. Histone proteins are involved in epigenetic regulation in eukaryotes, and the histone variant H3.3 plays a key role in the regulation of gene expression and maintenance of genomic integrity during embryonic development in mice. However, the function of H3.3 through multiple developmental stages in Plasmodium remains unknown. To examine the function of H3.3, h3.3-deficient mutants (Δh3.3) were generated in P. berghei. The deletion of h3.3 was not lethal in blood stage parasites, although it had a minor effect of the growth rate in blood stage; however, the in vitro ookinete conversion rate was significantly reduced, and the production of the degenerated form was increased. Regarding the mosquito stage development of Δh3.3, oocysts number was significantly reduced, and no sporozoite production was observed. The h3.3 gene complemented mutant have normal development in mosquito stage producing mature oocysts and salivary glands contained sporozoites, and interestingly, the majority of H3.3 protein was detected in female gametocytes. However, Δh3.3 male and female gametocyte production levels were comparable to the wild-type levels. Transcriptome analysis of Δh3.3 male and female gametocytes revealed the upregulation of several male-specific genes in female gametocytes, suggesting that H3.3 functions as a transcription repressor of male-specific genes to maintain sexual identity in female gametocytes. This study provides new insights into the molecular biology of histone variants H3.3 which plays a critical role on zygote-to-oocyst development in primitive unicellular eukaryotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki S Tateishi
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Division of Malaria Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, Department of Computational Biology and Medical Science (CBMS), University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tamasa Araki
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoru Kawai
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, Dokkyo Medical University, Mibu, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Shuhei Koide
- Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuko Umeki
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Imai
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yumiko Saito-Nakano
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan; Antimicrobial Resistance Research Center, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masaki Kikuchi
- Laboratory for Epigenetics Drug Discovery, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan
| | - Atsushi Iwama
- Division of Stem Cell and Molecular Medicine, Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; The University of Tokyo Pandemic Preparedness, Infection and Advanced Research Center (UTOPIA), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hajime Hisaeda
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Cevayir Coban
- Division of Malaria Immunology, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan; The University of Tokyo Pandemic Preparedness, Infection and Advanced Research Center (UTOPIA), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan; International Vaccine Design Center (vDesC), The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo (IMSUT), Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takeshi Annoura
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan.
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Mishra S, Srivastava P, Pandey A, Agarwal A, Shukla S, Husain N. Panel of serum long non-coding RNAs as potential non-invasive biomarkers for gallbladder carcinoma. Noncoding RNA Res 2024; 9:583-593. [PMID: 38524788 PMCID: PMC10959647 DOI: 10.1016/j.ncrna.2024.02.005] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is a common malignancy and is usually diagnosed in the late stages of the disease. The identification of new effective early diagnostic biomarkers could represent an effective approach in reducing mortality in GBC. Altered expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is believed to be associated with the emergence and development of GBC. Our study aims to identify the expression of a range of circulating lncRNAs, including HOTAIR, ANRIL, H19, CCAT1 and MEG3, in matched serum and tissues of GBC for diagnosis and its association with clinicopathological features. The case and control study included matched serum and tissues from 63 GBC, 19 cholecystitis (CC), and 46 normal controls (NC). RNA extraction and cDNA synthesis from serum and fresh tissue match were performed using commercially available kits. Relative expression was assessed using SYBR Green real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Circulating lncRNA levels including HOTAIR, ANRIL and H19 were upregulated in serum samples, while MEG3 and CCAT1 were downregulated in GBC compared to controls. The trend towards upregulation and downregulation was comparable in the tissue. HOTAIR and MEG3 levels were significantly different between serum CC and early-stage GBC (p = 0.0373, 0.0020), while H19 was significantly upregulated comparing early-stage GBC to advanced-stage GBC (p = 0.018). The expression of ANRIL was significant with M stage (p = 0.0488), H19 with stage (p = 0.009), M stage (p=<0.0001) & stage (0.009) and CCAT1 with M stage (0.044). When distinguishing GBC and NC, AUC for HOTAIR was 0.75, ANRIL 0.78, H19 0.74, CCAT1 0.80 and 0.96 for MEG3. The combination sensitivity for lncRNAs ranged from 84.13% (CI: 72.74-92.12%) to 100.0% (CI: 94.31-100.0%). Significant diagnostic value in discriminating pathologic stage was observed for ANRIL and MEG3 (p = 0.022, p = 0.0005). LncRNA show a significant change in expression in GBC and in discrimination of early stage from late-stage disease. The detection of 2 lncRNAs in panels, in coordination with radiology, could represent a potential serum-based biomarker for early-stage GBC diagnosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sridhar Mishra
- Department of Pathology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226010, India
| | - Pallavi Srivastava
- Department of Pathology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226010, India
| | - Anshuman Pandey
- Gastrosurgery, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226010, India
| | - Akash Agarwal
- Surgical Oncology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226010, India
| | - Saumya Shukla
- Department of Pathology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226010, India
| | - Nuzhat Husain
- Department of Pathology, Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226010, India
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11
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Kuraz Abebe B, Wang J, Guo J, Wang H, Li A, Zan L. A review of the role of epigenetic studies for intramuscular fat deposition in beef cattle. Gene 2024; 908:148295. [PMID: 38387707 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148295] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition profoundly influences meat quality and economic value in beef cattle production. Meanwhile, contemporary developments in epigenetics have opened new outlooks for understanding the molecular basics of IMF regulation, and it has become a key area of research for world scholars. Therefore, the aim of this paper was to provide insight and synthesis into the intricate relationship between epigenetic mechanisms and IMF deposition in beef cattle. The methodology involves a thorough analysis of existing literature, including pertinent books, academic journals, and online resources, to provide a comprehensive overview of the role of epigenetic studies in IMF deposition in beef cattle. This review summarizes the contemporary studies in epigenetic mechanisms in IMF regulation, high-resolution epigenomic mapping, single-cell epigenomics, multi-omics integration, epigenome editing approaches, longitudinal studies in cattle growth, environmental epigenetics, machine learning in epigenetics, ethical and regulatory considerations, and translation to industry practices from perspectives of IMF deposition in beef cattle. Moreover, this paper highlights DNA methylation, histone modifications, acetylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitylation, non-coding RNAs, DNA hydroxymethylation, epigenetic readers, writers, and erasers, chromatin immunoprecipitation followed by sequencing, whole genome bisulfite sequencing, epigenome-wide association studies, and their profound impact on the expression of crucial genes governing adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. Nutrition and stress also have significant influences on epigenetic modifications and IMF deposition. The key findings underscore the pivotal role of epigenetic studies in understanding and enhancing IMF deposition in beef cattle, with implications for precision livestock farming and ethical livestock management. In conclusion, this review highlights the crucial significance of epigenetic pathways and environmental factors in affecting IMF deposition in beef cattle, providing insightful information for improving the economics and meat quality of cattle production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belete Kuraz Abebe
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China; Department of Animal Science, Werabe University, P.O. Box 46, Werabe, Ethiopia
| | - Jianfang Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Juntao Guo
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongbao Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Anning Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China
| | - Linsen Zan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China; National Beef Cattle Improvement Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, People's Republic of China.
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12
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Opare-Addo PA, Sarfo FS, Aikins M, Bediako SA, Ovbiagele B. Epigenetics as a target to mitigate excess stroke risk in people of African ancestry: A scoping review. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2024; 33:107585. [PMID: 38253246 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2024.107585] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, individuals of African ancestry have a relatively greater stroke preponderance compared to other racial/ethnic groups. The higher prevalence of traditional stroke risk factors in this population, however, only partially explains this longstanding disparity. Epigenetic signatures are transgenerational and could be a plausible therapeutic target to further bend the stroke disparities curve for people of African ancestry. There is, however, limited data on epigenetics and stroke risk in this population. PURPOSE To examine existing evidence and knowledge gaps on the potential contribution of epigenetics to excess stroke risk in people of African ancestry and avenues for mitigation. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted a scoping review of studies published between January 2003 and July 2023, on epigenetics and stroke risk. We then summarized our findings, highlighting the results for people of African ancestry. RESULTS Of 104 studies, there were only 6 studies that specifically looked at epigenetic mechanisms and stroke risk in people of African ancestry. Results of these studies show how patterns of DNA methylation and non-coding RNA interact with lifestyle choices, xenobiotics, and FVIII levels to raise stroke risk in people of African ancestry. However, no studies evaluated epigenetic patterns as actionable targets for the influence of psychosocial stressors or social context and excess stroke risk in this population (versus others). Also, no studies interrogated the role of established or novel therapeutic agents with the potential to reprogram DNA by adding or removing epigenetic markers in people of African ancestry. CONCLUSION Epigenetics potentially offers a promising target for modifying the effects of lifestyle, environmental exposures, and other factors that differentially affect people of African ancestry and place them at relatively greater stroke risk compared to other populations. Studies that precisely assess the pathways by which epigenetic mechanisms modulate population-specific disparities in the risk of stroke are needed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred Stephen Sarfo
- Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, Kumasi, Ghana; Neurology Division, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology, P. O. Box 1934, Kumasi, Ghana.
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13
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Yau MS, Okoro PC, Haugen IK, Lynch JA, Nevitt MC, Lewis CE, Torner JC, Felson DT. Assessing the association of epigenetic age acceleration with osteoarthritis in the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study (MOST). Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2024; 32:585-591. [PMID: 38242313 DOI: 10.1016/j.joca.2023.11.024] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/21/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Advancing age is one of the strongest risk factors for osteoarthritis (OA). DNA methylation-based measures of epigenetic age acceleration may provide insights into mechanisms underlying OA. METHODS We analyzed data from the Multicenter Osteoarthritis Study in a subset of 671 participants ages 45-69 years with no or mild radiographic knee OA. DNA methylation was assessed with the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC 850K array. We calculated predicted epigenetic age according to Hannum, Horvath, PhenoAge, and GrimAge epigenetic clocks, then regressed epigenetic age on chronological age to obtain the residuals. Associations between the residuals and knee, hand, and multi-joint OA were assessed using logistic regression, adjusted for chronological age, sex, clinical site, smoking status, and race. RESULTS Twenty-three percent met criteria for radiographic hand OA, 25% met criteria for radiographic knee OA, and 8% met criteria for multi-joint OA. Mean chronological age (SD) was 58.4 (6.7) years. Mean predicted epigenetic age (SD) according to Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, and GrimAge epigenetic clocks was 64.9 (6.4), 68.6 (5.9), 50.5 (7.7), and 67.0 (6.2), respectively. Horvath epigenetic age acceleration was not associated with an increased odds of hand OA, odds ratio (95% confidence intervals) = 1.03 (0.99-1.08), with similar findings for knee and multi-joint OA. We found similar magnitudes of associations for Hannum epigenetic age, PhenoAge, and GrimAge acceleration compared to Horvath epigenetic age acceleration. CONCLUSIONS Epigenetic age acceleration as measured by various well-validated epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation was not associated with increased risk of knee, hand, or multi-joint OA independent of chronological age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle S Yau
- Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Gerontology, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Paul C Okoro
- Marcus Institute for Aging Research, Hebrew SeniorLife, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ida K Haugen
- Center for Treatment of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (REMEDY), Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - John A Lynch
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Michael C Nevitt
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cora E Lewis
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - James C Torner
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - David T Felson
- Section of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
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Girella A, Di Bartolomeo M, Dainese E, Buzzelli V, Trezza V, D'Addario C. Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 Genes Regulation is Modulated by Social Isolation in Rats. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:1278-1290. [PMID: 38368587 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-024-04117-9] [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: 11/09/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024]
Abstract
Social isolation is a state of lack of social connections, involving the modulation of different molecular signalling cascades and associated with high risk of mental health issues. To investigate if and how gene expression is modulated by social experience at the central level, we analyzed the effects of 5 weeks of social isolation in rats focusing on endocannabinoid system genes transcription in key brain regions involved in emotional control. We observed selective reduction in mRNA levels for fatty acid amide hydrolase (Faah) and cannabinoid receptor type 1 (Cnr1) genes in the amygdala complex and of Cnr1 in the prefrontal cortex of socially isolated rats when compared to controls, and these changes appear to be partially driven by trimethylation of Lysine 27 and acetylation of Lysine 9 at Histone 3. The alterations of Cnr1 transcriptional regulation result also directly correlated with those of oxytocin receptor gene. We here suggest that to counteract the effects of SI, it is of relevance to restore the endocannabinoid system homeostasis via the use of environmental triggers able to revert those epigenetic mechanisms accounting for the alterations observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Girella
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Martina Di Bartolomeo
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | - Enrico Dainese
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy
| | | | - Viviana Trezza
- Department of Science, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
- Neuroendocrinology, Metabolism and Neuropharmacology Unit, IRCSS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio D'Addario
- Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Renato Balzarini, 1, 64100, Teramo, Italy.
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
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15
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Lee SY, Chao CT, Han DS, Chiang CK, Hung KY. A combined circulating microRNA panel predicts the risk of vascular calcification in community-dwelling older adults with age strata differences. Arch Gerontol Geriatr 2024; 120:105333. [PMID: 38262252 DOI: 10.1016/j.archger.2024.105333] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/14/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Older adults have a higher risk of developing vascular calcification (VC). Circulating miRNAs can be potential risk indicators. However, prior studies used single miRNA mostly, whereas miRNA panels were rarely evaluated. We aimed to examine whether a miRNA panel outperformed each miRNA alone, and analyzed whether advanced age affected VC risk predictive performance offered by the miRNA panel. METHODS We prospectively enrolled older adults (age ≥65 years) during their annual health checkup in 2017, and examined their VC severity followed by analyzing sera for VC regulatory miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, miR-125b-3p, and miR-378a-3p). We used multiple regression analyses to determine associations between each miRNA or a 3-combind panel and VC risk, followed by area under the receiver-operating-characteristics curve (AUROC) analysis. Participants were further divided to those of 65-75 and ≥75 years for comparison. RESULTS From 199 older adults screened, 169 (median age, 73.3 years) with available calcification assessment were analyzed, among whom 74.6 % having VC. Those with VC had significantly lower circulating miR-125b-5p, miR-125b-3p, and miR-378a-3p levels than those without. Regression analyses showed that the 3-combined miRNA panel exhibited significant associations with VC risk, with significantly higher AUROC than those of models based on individual miRNA. Importantly, in those ≥75 years, the miRNA-predicted risk of VC was more prominent than that in the 65-75 years group. CONCLUSION A miRNA panel for VC risk prediction might outperform individual miRNA alone in older adults, and advanced age modified the association between circulating miRNAs and the risk of VC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Szu-Ying Lee
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Yunlin branch, Yunlin County, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Ter Chao
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Toxicology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Min-Sheng General Hospital, Taoyuan City, Taiwan.
| | - Der-Sheng Han
- Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University Hospital BeiHu Branch, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Kang Chiang
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Department of Integrative diagnostics and Therapeutics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Kuan-Yu Hung
- Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan; Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, New Taipei City, Taiwan
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16
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Bowes MM, Casares-Marfil D, Sawalha AH. Intestinal permeability correlates with disease activity and DNA methylation changes in lupus patients. Clin Immunol 2024; 262:110173. [PMID: 38460891 PMCID: PMC11009052 DOI: 10.1016/j.clim.2024.110173] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE or lupus) is a chronic autoimmune disease that can involve various organ systems. Several studies have suggested that increased intestinal permeability may play a role in the pathogenesis of lupus. The aim of this study was to elucidate the relationship between intestinal permeability, disease activity, and epigenetic changes in lupus patients. METHODS A total of 25 female lupus patients were included in this study. Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) scores were used as indicator of disease activity. Plasma zonulin levels were measured, using an ELISA, as a marker of intestinal permeability. Genome-wide DNA methylation patterns were assessed in neutrophils for 19 of the lupus patients using the Infinium MethylationEPIC array. Linear regression and Pearson's correlation were used to evaluate the correlation between zonulin concentrations and SLEDAI scores. The relationship between DNA methylation levels and zonulin concentrations was assessed using beta regression, linear regression, and Pearson's correlation, adjusting for age and race. RESULTS Intestinal permeability positively correlated with disease activity in lupus patients (p-value = 7.60 × 10-3, r = 0.53). DNA methylation levels in 926 CpG sites significantly correlated with intestinal permeability. The highest correlation was identified in LRIG1 (cg14159396, FDR-adjusted p-value = 1.35 × 10-12, adjusted r2 = 0.92), which plays a role in intestinal homeostasis. Gene Ontologies related to cell-cell adhesion were enriched among the genes that were hypomethylated with increased intestinal permeability in lupus. CONCLUSION Our data suggest a correlation between increased intestinal permeability and disease activity in lupus patients. Further, increased intestinal permeability might be associated with epigenetic changes that could play a role in the pathogenesis of lupus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mckenna M Bowes
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Desiré Casares-Marfil
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
| | - Amr H Sawalha
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Department of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Lupus Center of Excellence, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Immunology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
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17
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Abstract
Lymphomas, complex and heterogeneous malignant tumors, originate from the lymphopoietic system. These tumors are notorious for their high recurrence rates and resistance to treatment, which leads to poor prognoses. As ongoing research has shown, epigenetic modifications like DNA methylation, histone modifications, non-coding RNA regulation, and RNA modifications play crucial roles in lymphoma pathogenesis. Epigenetic modification-targeting drugs have exhibited therapeutic efficacy and tolerability in both monotherapy and combination lymphoma therapy. This review discusses pathogenic mechanisms and potential epigenetic therapeutic targets in common lymphomas, offering new avenues for lymphoma diagnosis and treatment. We also discuss the shortcomings of current lymphoma treatments, while suggesting potential areas for future research, in order to improve the prediction and prognosis of lymphoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuhui Zhuang
- Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, School of Clinical Medicine, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, China
- Department of Hematology, Linyi People's Hospital, Shandong University, Linyi, 276000, Shandong, China
| | - Zhaobo Yang
- Spine Surgery, Linyi People's Hospital, Shandong University, Linyi, 276000, Shandong, China
| | - Zhuangzhuang Cui
- Department of Hematology, Linyi People's Hospital, Shandong University, Linyi, 276000, Shandong, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhang
- Department of Hematology, Linyi People's Hospital, Shandong University, Linyi, 276000, Shandong, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Key Laboratory of Immunohematology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fengyuan Che
- Department of Neurology, Central Laboratory and Key Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Linyi People's Hospital, Shandong University, Linyi, 276000, China.
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18
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Desmarchelier MR. Behavioral Development of Pediatric Exotic Pets and Practical Applications. Vet Clin North Am Exot Anim Pract 2024; 27:431-448. [PMID: 38103997 DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2023.11.015] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of epigenetics and the interaction between genes and the environment have moved our understanding of how animal behavior develops from gestation to adulthood, and even throughout generations, to a new level. Studying the natural biology of exotic pets is key to providing them with a rich social and physical environment that will encourage species-specific behaviors. Combining parent-raising with appropriately timed human handling is likely to result in individuals with more resilience to stress. Using operant conditioning techniques early in life to train the animals' basic behaviors gives them control over their environment, empowering them through their social interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion R Desmarchelier
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculté de médecine vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, 3200 rue Sicotte, J2S 2M2 Saint-Hyacinthe, Québec, Canada.
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Ageeli Hakami M. Diabetes and diabetic associative diseases: An overview of epigenetic regulations of TUG1. Saudi J Biol Sci 2024; 31:103976. [PMID: 38510528 PMCID: PMC10951089 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2024.103976] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The epigenetic regulation of lncRNA TUG1 has garnered significant attention in the context of diabetes and its associated disorders. TUG1's multifaceted roles in gene expression modulation, and cellular differentiation, and it plays a major role in the growth of diabetes and the issues that are related to it due to pathological processes. In diabetes, aberrant epigenetic modifications can lead to dysregulation of TUG1 expression, contributing to disrupted insulin signaling, impaired glucose metabolism, and beta-cell dysfunction. Moreover, it has been reported that TUG1 contributes to the development of problems linked to diabetes, such as nephropathy, retinopathy, and cardiovascular complications, through epigenetically mediated mechanisms. Understanding the epigenetic regulations of TUG1 offers novel insights into the primary molecular mechanisms of diabetes and provides a possible path for healing interventions. Targeting epigenetic modifications associated with TUG1 holds promise for restoring proper gene expression patterns, ameliorating insulin sensitivity, and mitigating the inception and development of diabetic associative diseases. This review highlights the intricate epigenetic landscape that governs TUG1 expression in diabetes, encompassing DNA methylation and alterations in histone structure, as well as microRNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Ageeli Hakami
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Al-Quwayiyah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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20
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Wang SS, Hall ML, Lee E, Kim SC, Ramesh N, Lee SH, Jang JY, Bold RJ, Ku JL, Hwang CI. Whole-genome bisulfite sequencing identifies stage- and subtype-specific DNA methylation signatures in pancreatic cancer. iScience 2024; 27:109414. [PMID: 38532888 PMCID: PMC10963232 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109414] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2023] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), no recurrent metastasis-specific mutation has been found, suggesting that epigenetic mechanisms, such as DNA methylation, are the major contributors of late-stage disease progression. Here, we performed the first whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) on mouse and human PDAC organoid models to identify stage-specific and molecular subtype-specific DNA methylation signatures. With this approach, we identified thousands of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) that can distinguish between the stages and molecular subtypes of PDAC. Stage-specific DMRs are associated with genes related to nervous system development and cell-cell adhesions, and are enriched in promoters and bivalent enhancers. Subtype-specific DMRs showed hypermethylation of GATA6 foregut endoderm transcriptional networks in the squamous subtype and hypermethylation of EMT transcriptional networks in the progenitor subtype. These results indicate that aberrant DNA methylation contributes to both PDAC progression and subtype differentiation, resulting in significant and reoccurring DNA methylation patterns with diagnostic and prognostic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah S. Wang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Madison L. Hall
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - EunJung Lee
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Soon-Chan Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Neha Ramesh
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Sang Hyub Lee
- Department of Internal Medicine and Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jin-Young Jang
- Department of Surgery and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Richard J. Bold
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, Sacramento, CA, USA
- University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - Ja-Lok Ku
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korean Cell Line Bank, Laboratory of Cell Biology and Cancer Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chang-Il Hwang
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, College of Biological Sciences, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
- University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
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Mimouni NEH, Giacobini P. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS): progress towards a better understanding and treatment of the syndrome. C R Biol 2024; 347:19-25. [PMID: 38639155 DOI: 10.5802/crbiol.147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine and metabolic disorder in women of reproductive age. It has a strong hereditary component estimated at 60 to 70% in daughters. It has been suggested that environmental factors during the fetal period may be involved in the development of the syndrome in adulthood. However, the underlying mechanisms of its transmission remain unknown, thus limiting the development of effective therapeutic strategies.This article highlights how an altered fetal environment (prenatal exposure to high levels of anti-Müllerian hormone) can contribute to the onset of PCOS in adulthood and lead to the transgenerational transmission of neuroendocrine and metabolic traits through alterations in the DNA methylation process.The originality of the translational findings summarized here involves the identification of potential biomarkers for early diagnosis of the syndrome, in addition to the validation of a promising therapeutic avenue in a preclinical model of PCOS, which can improve the management of patients suffering from the syndrome.
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Guan S, Tang J, Ma X, Miao R, Cheng B. CBX7C⋅PHC2 interaction facilitates PRC1 assembly and modulates its phase separation properties. iScience 2024; 27:109548. [PMID: 38600974 PMCID: PMC11004992 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109548] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
CBX7 is a key component of PRC1 complex. Cbx7C is an uncharacterized Cbx7 splicing isoform specifically expressed in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). We demonstrate that CBX7C functions as an epigenetic repressor at the classic PRC1 targets in mESCs, and its preferential interaction to PHC2 facilitates PRC1 assembly. Both Cbx7C and Phc2 are significantly upregulated during cell differentiation, and knockdown of Cbx7C abolishes the differentiation of mESCs to embryoid bodies. Interestingly, CBX7C⋅PHC2 interaction at low levels efficiently undergoes the formation of functional Polycomb bodies with high mobility, whereas the coordination of the two factors at high doses results in the formation of large, low-mobility, chromatin-free aggregates. Overall, these findings uncover the unique roles and molecular basis of the CBX7C⋅PHC2 interaction in PRC1 assembly on chromatin and Pc body formation and open a new avenue of controlling PRC1 activities via modulation of its phase separation properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanli Guan
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Jiajia Tang
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Xiaojun Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Ruidong Miao
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China
| | - Bo Cheng
- School of Life Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China
- Key Laboratory of Cell Activities and Stress Adaptations, Ministry of Education, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu, P.R. China
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23
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Li T, Wu Y, Yang J, Jing J, Ma C, Sun L. N6-methyladenosine-associated genetic variants in NECTIN2 and HPCAL1 are risk factors for abdominal aortic aneurysm. iScience 2024; 27:109419. [PMID: 38510151 PMCID: PMC10952030 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109419] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Although N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification has been implicated in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), the relationship between m6A-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (m6A-SNPs) and AAA remains unknown. This study used integrative multi-omics analysis and clinical validation approaches to systematically identify potential m6A-SNPs connected with AAA risk. We found that rs6859 and rs10198139 could modulate the expression of local genes, NECTIN2 and HPCAL1, respectively, which exhibited upregulation in AAA tissues, and their risk variants were significantly correlated with an increased susceptibility to AAA. Incorporating rs6859 and rs10198139 improved the efficiency of AAA risk prediction compared to the model considering only conventional risk factors. Additionally, these two SNPs were predicted to be located within the regulatory sequences, and rs6859 showed a substantial impact on m6A modification levels. Our findings suggest that m6A-SNPs rs6859 and rs10198139 confer an elevated risk of AAA, possibly by promoting local gene expression through an m6A-mediated manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tan Li
- Department of Cardiovascular Ultrasound, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
- Clinical Medical Research Center of Imaging in Liaoning Province, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Yijun Wu
- Tumor Etiology and Screening Department of Cancer Institute and General Surgery, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Prevention in Liaoning Education Department, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Cardiovascular Ultrasound, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
- Clinical Medical Research Center of Imaging in Liaoning Province, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Jingjing Jing
- Tumor Etiology and Screening Department of Cancer Institute and General Surgery, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Prevention in Liaoning Education Department, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Chunyan Ma
- Department of Cardiovascular Ultrasound, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
- Clinical Medical Research Center of Imaging in Liaoning Province, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
| | - Liping Sun
- Tumor Etiology and Screening Department of Cancer Institute and General Surgery, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
- Key Laboratory of Cancer Etiology and Prevention in Liaoning Education Department, the First Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110001, China
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24
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Bierhoff H. [Genetics, epigenetics, and environmental factors in life expectancy-What role does nature-versus-nurture play in aging?]. Bundesgesundheitsblatt Gesundheitsforschung Gesundheitsschutz 2024:10.1007/s00103-024-03873-x. [PMID: 38637469 DOI: 10.1007/s00103-024-03873-x] [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] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
In Germany and worldwide, the average age of the population is continuously rising. With this general increase in chronological age, the focus on biological age, meaning the actual health and fitness status, is becoming more and more important. The key question is to what extent the age-related decline in fitness is genetically predetermined or malleable by environmental factors and lifestyle.Many epigenetic studies in aging research have provided interesting insights in this nature-versus-nurture debate. In most model organisms, aging is associated with specific epigenetic changes, which can be countered by certain interventions like moderate caloric restriction or increased physical activity. Since these interventions also have positive effects on lifespan and health, epigenetics appears to be the interface between environmental factors and the aging process. This notion is supported by the fact that an epigenetic drift occurs through the life course of identical twins, which is related to the different manifestations of aging symptoms. Furthermore, biological age can be determined with high precision based on DNA methylation patterns, further emphasizing the importance of epigenetics in aging.This article provides an overview of the importance of genetic and epigenetic parameters for life expectancy. A major focus will be on the possibilities of maintaining a young epigenome through lifestyle and environmental factors, thereby slowing down biological aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holger Bierhoff
- Institut für Biochemie und Biophysik, Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Hans-Knöll-Straße 2, 07745, Jena, Deutschland.
- Leibniz-Institut für Alternsforschung - Fritz-Lipmann-Institut (FLI), Jena, Deutschland.
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25
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Creasey LD, Tauber E. Interconnected Codons: Unravelling the Epigenetic Significance of Flanking Sequences in CpG Dyads. J Mol Evol 2024:10.1007/s00239-024-10172-1. [PMID: 38634873 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-024-10172-1] [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] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Hypothesizing that CpG codon dyads, formed by consecutive codons containing a cytosine-guanine pair (NNC-GNN), may play a crucial role in gene function, we conducted an extensive analysis to investigate their distribution and conservation within mammalian genes. Our findings reveal that genes characterized by a high density of CpG codon dyads are notably associated with homeobox domains and RNA polymerase II transcription factors. Conversely, genes exhibiting low CpG codon dyad density have links to DNA damage repair and mitosis. Importantly, our study identifies a re-markable increase in expressed genes that harbor CpG during embryonic development, suggesting their potential involvement in gene regulation at these developmental stages. These results under-score the functional significance of CpG codon dyads in DNA methylation and gene expression, fur-ther demonstrating the coevolution of consecutive codons and their contribution to codon usage bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leo Douglas Creasey
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 199 Abba-Hushi Avenue, Haifa, 3498838, Israel
| | - Eran Tauber
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology, and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, 199 Abba-Hushi Avenue, Haifa, 3498838, Israel.
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26
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Ni S, Takada Y, Ando T, Yu S, Yamashita Y, Takahashi Y, Sawada M, Oba M, Itoh Y, Suzuki T. Identification of a novel histone H2A mono-ubiquitination-inhibiting cell-active small molecule. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 105:129759. [PMID: 38636717 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129759] [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] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 04/12/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Histone H2A mono-ubiquitination plays important roles in epigenetic gene expression and is also involved in tumorigenesis. Small molecules controlling H2A ubiquitination are of interest as potential chemical tools and anticancer drugs. To identify novel small molecule inhibitors of H2A ubiquitination, we synthesized and evaluated several compounds designed based on PRT4165 (1), which is a reported histone ubiquitin ligase RING1A inhibitor. We found that compound 11b strongly inhibited the viability and reduced histone H2A mono-ubiquitination in human osteosarcoma U2OS cells. Therefore, compound 11b is a promising lead compound for the development of H2A histone ubiquitination-inhibiting small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyao Ni
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Yuri Takada
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Takaaki Ando
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Shengwang Yu
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | | | - Yukari Takahashi
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 1-5 Shimogamohangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0823, Japan
| | - Miho Sawada
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan
| | - Makoto Oba
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 1-5 Shimogamohangi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-0823, Japan
| | - Yukihiro Itoh
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
| | - Takayoshi Suzuki
- SANKEN, Osaka University, 8-1 Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047, Japan.
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27
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He X, Tang B, Zou P, Song Z, Liu J, Pi Z, Xiao Y, Xiao R. m6A RNA methylation: The latent string-puller in fibrosis. Life Sci 2024; 346:122644. [PMID: 38614300 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122644] [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] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 03/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Fibrosis is a pathological phenomenon characterized by the aberrant accumulation of extracellular matrix (ECM) in tissues. Fibrosis is a universally age-related disease involving that many organs and is the final stage of many chronic inflammatory diseases, which often threaten the patient's health. Undoubtedly, fibrosis has become a serious economic and health burden worldwide, However, the pathogenesis of fibrosis is complex. Further, the key molecules still remain to be unraveled. Hence, so far, there have been no effective treatments designed against the key targets of fibrosis. The methylation modification on the nitrogen atom at position 6 of adenine (m6A) is the most common mRNA modification in mammals. There is increasing evidence that m6A is actively involved in the pathogenesis of fibrosis. This review aims to highlight m6A-associated mechanisms and functions in several organic fibrosis, which implies that m6A is universal and critical for fibrosis and summarize the outlook of m6A in the treatment of fibrosis. This may light up the unknown aspects of this condition for researchers interested to explore fibrosis further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinglan He
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan
| | - Bingsi Tang
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan
| | - Puyu Zou
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan
| | - Zehong Song
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan
| | - Jiani Liu
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan
| | - Zixin Pi
- Department of Medical Genetics, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan 410011, China
| | - Yangfan Xiao
- Clinical Nursing Teaching and Research Section, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China; Department of Anesthesiology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
| | - Rong Xiao
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China; Hunan Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Department of Dermatology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan.
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28
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Rea M, Kimmerer G, Mittendorf S, Xiong X, Green M, Chandler D, Saintilnord W, Blackburn J, Gao T, Fondufe-Mittendorf YN. A dynamic model of inorganic arsenic-induced carcinogenesis reveals an epigenetic mechanism for epithelial-mesenchymal plasticity. Environ Pollut 2024; 347:123586. [PMID: 38467368 PMCID: PMC11005477 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123586] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Inorganic arsenic (iAs) causes cancer by initiating dynamic transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cell phenotypes. These transitions transform normal cells into cancerous cells, and cancerous cells into metastatic cells. Most in vitro models assume that transitions between states are binary and complete, and do not consider the possibility that intermediate, stable cellular states might exist. In this paper, we describe a new, two-hit in vitro model of iAs-induced carcinogenesis that extends to 28 weeks of iAs exposure. Through week 17, the model faithfully recapitulates known and expected phenotypic, genetic, and epigenetic characteristics of iAs-induced carcinogenesis. By 28 weeks, however, exposed cells exhibit stable, intermediate phenotypes and epigenetic properties, and key transcription factor promoters (SNAI1, ZEB1) enter an epigenetically poised or bivalent state. These data suggest that key epigenetic transitions and cellular states exist during iAs-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and that it is important for our in vitro models to encapsulate all aspects of EMT and the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET). In so doing, and by understanding the epigenetic systems controlling these transitions, we might find new, unexpected opportunities for developing targeted, cell state-specific therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew Rea
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49502, USA
| | - Greg Kimmerer
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Shania Mittendorf
- Department of Biology, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40506, USA
| | - Xiaopeng Xiong
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Meghan Green
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Darrell Chandler
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49502, USA
| | - Wesley Saintilnord
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, 49502, USA; Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Jessica Blackburn
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
| | - Tianyan Gao
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA; Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, 40536, USA
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29
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Goodkey K, Wischmeijer A, Perrin L, Watson AES, Qureshi L, Cordelli DM, Toni F, Gnazzo M, Benedicenti F, Elmaleh-Bergès M, Low KJ, Voronova A. Olfactory bulb anomalies in KBG syndrome mouse model and patients. BMC Med 2024; 22:158. [PMID: 38616269 PMCID: PMC11017579 DOI: 10.1186/s12916-024-03363-6] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
ANKRD11 (ankyrin repeat domain 11) is a chromatin regulator and the only gene associated with KBG syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. We have previously shown that Ankrd11 regulates murine embryonic cortical neurogenesis. Here, we show a novel olfactory bulb phenotype in a KBG syndrome mouse model and two diagnosed patients. Conditional knockout of Ankrd11 in murine embryonic neural stem cells leads to aberrant postnatal olfactory bulb development and reduced size due to reduction of the olfactory bulb granule cell layer. We further show that the rostral migratory stream has incomplete migration of neuroblasts, reduced cell proliferation as well as aberrant differentiation of neurons. This leads to reduced neuroblasts and neurons in the olfactory bulb granule cell layer. In vitro, Ankrd11-deficient neural stem cells from the postnatal subventricular zone display reduced migration, proliferation, and neurogenesis. Finally, we describe two clinically and molecularly confirmed KBG syndrome patients with anosmia and olfactory bulb and groove hypo-dysgenesis/agenesis. Our report provides evidence that Ankrd11 is a novel regulator of olfactory bulb development and neuroblast migration. Moreover, our study highlights a novel clinical sign of KBG syndrome linked to ANKRD11 perturbations in mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Goodkey
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 5-083 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Anita Wischmeijer
- Clinical Genetics Service and Coordination Center for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | | | - Adrianne E S Watson
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 5-083 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada
| | - Leenah Qureshi
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Duccio Maria Cordelli
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, UOC Neuropsichiatria Dell'età Pediatrica, Bologna, Italy
| | - Francesco Toni
- IRCCS Istituto Delle Scienze Neurologiche Di Bologna, Programma Di Neuroradiologia Con Tecniche Ad Elevata Complessità (PNTEC), Bologna, Italy
| | - Maria Gnazzo
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Translational Cytogenomics Research Unit, Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital, IRCCS, 00165, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Benedicenti
- Clinical Genetics Service and Coordination Center for Rare Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, Regional Hospital of Bolzano, Bolzano, Italy
| | | | - Karen J Low
- Department of Academic Child Health, Bristol Medical School, Population Health Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
- Clinical Genetics Service, St. Michaels Hospital, Bristol, UK
| | - Anastassia Voronova
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada.
- Women and Children's Health Research Institute, University of Alberta, 5-083 Edmonton Clinic Health Academy, Edmonton, AB, T6G 1C9, Canada.
- Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2H7, Canada.
- Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2E1, Canada.
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30
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Araki T, Miwa N. Selective epigenetic alterations in RNF43 in pancreatic exocrine cells from high-fat-diet-induced obese mice; implications for pancreatic cancer. BMC Res Notes 2024; 17:106. [PMID: 38622664 PMCID: PMC11020883 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-024-06757-0] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Pancreatic cancer (PC) originates and progresses with genetic mutations in various oncogenes and suppressor genes, notably KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53, and SMAD4, prevalent across diverse PC cells. In addition to genetic mutations/deletions, persistent exposure to high-risk factors, including obesity, induces whole-genome scale epigenetic alterations contributing to malignancy. However, the impact of obesity on DNA methylation in the presymptomatic stage, particularly in genes prone to PC mutation, remains uncharacterized. RESULTS We analyzed the methylation levels of 197 loci in six genes (KRAS, CDKN2A, TP53, SMAD4, GNAS and RNF43) using Illumina Mouse Methylation BeadChip array (280 K) data from pancreatic exocrine cells obtained from high-fat-diet (HFD) induced obese mice. Results revealed no significant differences in methylation levels in loci between HFD- and normal-fat-diet (NFD)-fed mice, except for RNF43, a negative regulator of Wnt signaling, which showed hypermethylation in three loci. These findings indicate that, in mouse pancreatic exocrine cells, high-fat dietary obesity induced aberrant DNA methylation in RNF43 but not in other frequently mutated PC-related genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoyuki Araki
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 38 Moro-hongo, Iruma-gun, 350-0495, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan.
| | - Naofumi Miwa
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Saitama Medical University, 38 Moro-hongo, Iruma-gun, 350-0495, Moroyama, Saitama, Japan.
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31
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Wadgaonkar P, Wang Z, Chen F. Endoplasmic reticulum stress responses and epigenetic alterations in arsenic carcinogenesis. Environ Pollut 2024; 347:123565. [PMID: 38373625 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123565] [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] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Arsenic is a well-known human carcinogen whose environmental exposure via drinking water, food, and air impacts millions of people across the globe. Various mechanisms of arsenic carcinogenesis have been identified, ranging from damage caused by excessive production of free radicals and epigenetic alterations to the generation of cancer stem cells. A growing body of evidence supports the critical involvement of the endoplasmic stress-activated unfolded protein response (UPR) in promoting as well as suppressing cancer development/progression. Various in vitro and in vivo models have also demonstrated that arsenic induces the UPR via activation of the PERK, IRE1α, and ATF6 proteins. In this review, we discuss the mechanisms of arsenic-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress and the role of each UPR pathway in the various cancer types with a focus on the epigenetic regulation and function of the ATF6 protein. The importance of UPR in arsenic carcinogenesis and cancer stem cells is a relatively new area of research that requires additional investigations via various omics-based and computational tools. These approaches will provide interesting insights into the mechanisms of arsenic-induced cancers for prospective target identification and development of novel anti-cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Wadgaonkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Ziwei Wang
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Lauterbur Drive, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA
| | - Fei Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, 259 Mack Avenue, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA; Stony Brook Cancer Center, Department of Pathology, Renaissance School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Lauterbur Drive, Stony Brook, NY, 11794, USA.
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32
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Casey C, Fullard JF, Sleator RD. Unravelling the genetic basis of Schizophrenia. Gene 2024; 902:148198. [PMID: 38266791 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148198] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
Neuronal development is a highly regulated mechanism that is central to organismal function in animals. In humans, disruptions to this process can lead to a range of neurodevelopmental phenotypes, including Schizophrenia (SCZ). SCZ has a significant genetic component, whereby an individual with an SCZ affected family member is eight times more likely to develop the disease than someone with no family history of SCZ. By examining a combination of genomic, transcriptomic and epigenomic datasets, large-scale 'omics' studies aim to delineate the relationship between genetic variation and abnormal cellular activity in the SCZ brain. Herein, we provide a brief overview of some of the key omics methods currently being used in SCZ research, including RNA-seq, the assay for transposase-accessible chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) and high-throughput chromosome conformation capture (3C) approaches (e.g., Hi-C), as well as single-cell/nuclei iterations of these methods. We also discuss how these techniques are being employed to further our understanding of the genetic basis of SCZ, and to identify associated molecular pathways, biomarkers, and candidate drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Casey
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland; Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - John F Fullard
- Center for Disease Neurogenomics, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Department of Genetics and Genomic Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Roy D Sleator
- Department of Biological Sciences, Munster Technological University, Bishopstown, Cork, Ireland.
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33
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Wu S, Ren W, Hong J, Yang Y, Lu Y. Ablation of histone methyltransferase Suv39h2 in hepatocytes attenuates NASH in mice. Life Sci 2024; 343:122524. [PMID: 38401627 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122524] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/14/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
AIMS Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is characterized by aberrant lipid metabolism in hepatocytes. We investigated the involvement of a histone H3K9 methyltransferase Suv39h2 in the pathogenesis of NASH. METHODS AND MATERIALS NASH is induced by feeding the mice with a high-fat high-carbohydrate (HFHC) diet or a high-fat choline-deficient amino acid defined (HFD-CDAA) diet. The Suv39h2f/f mice were crossbred with the Alb-Cre mice to specifically delete Suv39h2 in hepatocytes. KEY FINDINGS Ablation of Suv39h2 in hepatocytes improved insulin sensitivity of the mice fed either the HFHC diet or the CDAA-HFD diet. Importantly, Suv39h2 deletion significantly ameliorated NAFLD as evidenced by reduced lipid accumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis in the liver. RNA-seq uncovered Vanin-1 (Vnn1) as a novel transcriptional target for Suv39h2. Mechanistically, Suv39h2 repressed Vnn1 transcription in hepatocytes exposed to free fatty acids. Consistently, Vanin-1 knockdown normalized lipid accumulation in Suv39h2-null hepatocytes. Importantly, a significant correlation between Suv39h2, Vanin-1, and hepatic triglyceride levels was identified in NASH patients. SIGNIFICANCE Our study uncovers a novel mechanism whereby Suv39h2 may contribute to NASH pathogenesis and suggests that targeting the Suv39h2-Vanin-1 axis may yield novel therapeutic solutions against NASH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiqiang Wu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Wenjing Ren
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiameng Hong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yuyu Yang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Molecular and Medical Biotechnology, College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, China.
| | - Yunjie Lu
- Suzhou Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, China; Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, the third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Changzhou, China; Africa Hepatopancreatobiliary Cancer Consortium, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, USA.
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Que Y, Qiu Y, Ding Z, Zhang S, Wei R, Xia J, Lin Y. The role of molecular chaperone CCT/TRiC in translation elongation: A literature review. Heliyon 2024; 10:e29029. [PMID: 38596045 PMCID: PMC11002246 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e29029] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 03/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein synthesis from mRNA is an energy-intensive and strictly controlled biological process. Translation elongation is a well-coordinated and multifactorial step in translation that ensures the accurate and efficient addition of amino acids to a growing nascent-peptide chain encoded in the sequence of messenger RNA (mRNA). Which undergoes dynamic regulation due to cellular state and environmental determinants. An expanding body of research points to translational elongation as a crucial process that controls the translation of an mRNA through multiple feedback mechanisms. Molecular chaperones are key players in protein homeostasis to keep the balance between protein synthesis, folding, assembly, and degradation. Chaperonin-containing tailless complex polypeptide 1 (CCT) or tailless complex polypeptide 1 ring complex (TRiC) is an essential eukaryotic molecular chaperone that plays an essential role in assisting cellular protein folding and suppressing protein aggregation. In this review, we give an overview of the factors that influence translation elongation, focusing on different functions of molecular chaperones in translation elongation, including how they affect translation rates and post-translational modifications. We also provide an understanding of the mechanisms by which the molecular chaperone CCT plays multiple roles in the elongation phase of eukaryotic protein synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyue Que
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yudan Qiu
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Zheyu Ding
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Shanshan Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Rong Wei
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Jianing Xia
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
| | - Yingying Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-Cancer Chinese Medicines, Engineering Laboratory of Development and Application of Traditional Chinese Medicines, Collaborative Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicines of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311121, China
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Marra PS, Seki T, Nishizawa Y, Chang G, Yamanishi K, Nishiguchi T, Shibata K, Braun P, Shinozaki G. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis in female veterans with military sexual trauma and comorbid PTSD/MDD. J Affect Disord 2024; 351:624-630. [PMID: 38309478 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.01.241] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Military sexual trauma (MST) is a prevalent issue within the U.S. military. Victims are more likely to develop comorbid diseases such as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Nonetheless, not everyone who suffers from MST develops PTSD and/or MDD. DNA methylation, which can regulate gene expression, might give us insight into the molecular mechanisms behind this discrepancy. Therefore, we sought to identify genomic loci and enriched biological pathways that differ between patients with and without MST, PTSD, and MDD. METHODS Saliva samples were collected from 113 female veterans. Following DNA extraction and processing, DNA methylation levels were measured through the Infinium HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip array. We used limma and bump hunting methods to generate the differentially methylated positions and differentially methylated regions (DMRs), respectively. Concurrently, we used Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genome to find enriched pathways. RESULTS A DMR close to the transcription start site of ZFP57 was differentially methylated between subjects with and without PTSD, replicating previous findings and emphasizing the potential role of ZFP57 in PTSD susceptibility. In the pathway analyses, none survived multiple correction, although top GO terms included some potentially relevant to MST, PTSD, and MDD etiology. CONCLUSION We conducted one of the first DNA methylation analyses investigating MST along with PTSD and MDD. In addition, we found one DMR near ZFP57 to be associated with PTSD. The replication of this finding indicates further investigation of ZFP57 in PTSD may be warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro S Marra
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA; University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tomoteru Seki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Nishizawa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Osaka Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Takatsuki, Osaka, Japan
| | - Gloria Chang
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA; Developmental Psychology Graduate Program, Department of Psychological Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Kyosuke Yamanishi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Hyogo Medical University, Nishinomiya, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Nishiguchi
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Neuropsychiatry, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Tottori, Japan
| | - Kazuki Shibata
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Sumitomo Pharma Co. Ltd, Osaka, Osaka, Japan
| | - Patricia Braun
- Department of Biology, Clarke University, Dubuque, IA, USA
| | - Gen Shinozaki
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA.
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Jones Lipinski RA, Stancill JS, Nuñez R, Wynia-Smith SL, Sprague DJ, Nord JA, Bird A, Corbett JA, Smith BC. Zinc-chelating BET bromodomain inhibitors equally target islet endocrine cell types. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2024. [PMID: 38618911 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00259.2023] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Inhibition of the bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) protein family is a potential strategy to prevent and treat diabetes; however, the clinical use of BET bromodomain inhibitors (BETi) is associated with adverse effects. Here, we explore a strategy for targeting BETi to β-cells by exploiting the high zinc (Zn2+) concentration in β-cells relative to other cell types. We report the synthesis of a novel, Zn2+-chelating derivative of the pan-BETi (+)-JQ1, (+)-JQ1-DPA, in which (+)-JQ1 was conjugated to dipicolyl amine (DPA). As controls, we synthesized (+)-JQ1-DBA, a non-Zn2+-chelating derivative, and (-)-JQ1-DPA, an inactive enantiomer that chelates Zn2+. Molecular modeling and biophysical assays showed that (+)-JQ1-DPA and (+)-JQ1-DBA retain potent binding to BET bromodomains in vitro. Cellular assays demonstrated (+)-JQ1-DPA attenuated NF-ĸB target gene expression in β-cells stimulated with the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 1β. To assess β-cell selectivity, we isolated islets from a mouse model that expresses green fluorescent protein in insulin-positive β-cells and mTomato in insulin-negative cells (non-β-cells). Surprisingly, Zn2+-chelation did not confer β-cell selectivity as (+)-JQ1-DPA was equally effective in both β- and α-cells; however, (+)-JQ1-DPA was less effective in macrophages, a non-endocrine islet cell type. Intriguingly, the non-Zn2+-chelating derivative (+)-JQ1-DBA displayed the opposite selectivity, with greater effect in macrophages compared to (+)-JQ1-DPA, suggesting potential as a macrophage-targeting molecule. These findings suggest that Zn2+-chelating small molecules confer endocrine cell selectivity rather than β-cell selectivity in pancreatic islets and provide valuable insights and techniques to assess Zn2+-chelation as an approach to selectively target small molecules to pancreatic β-cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jennifer S Stancill
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, United States
| | - Raymundo Nuñez
- Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Sarah L Wynia-Smith
- Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Daniel J Sprague
- Cell Biology, Neurobiology, and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Joshua A Nord
- Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - Amir Bird
- Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
| | - John A Corbett
- Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin,, Milwaukee, WI, United States
| | - Brian C Smith
- Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States
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Yin J, Fu J, Xu J, Chen C, Zhu H, Wang B, Yu C, Yang X, Cai R, Li M, Ji K, Wu W, Zhao Y, Zheng Z, Pu Y, Zheng L. Integrated analysis of m6A regulator-mediated RNA methylation modification patterns and immune characteristics in Sjögren's syndrome. Heliyon 2024; 10:e28645. [PMID: 38596085 PMCID: PMC11002070 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e28645] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The epigenetic modifier N6-methyladenosine (m6A), recognized as the most prevalent internal modification in messenger RNA (mRNA), has recently emerged as a pivotal player in immune regulation. Its dysregulation has been implicated in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune conditions. However, the implications of m6A modification within the immune microenvironment of Sjögren's syndrome (SS), a chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by exocrine gland dysfunction, remain unexplored. Herein, we leverage an integrative analysis combining public database resources and novel sequencing data to investigate the expression profiles of m6A regulatory genes in SS. Our cohort comprised 220 patients diagnosed with SS and 62 healthy individuals, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of peripheral blood at the transcriptomic level. We report a significant association between SS and altered expression of key m6A regulators, with these changes closely tied to the activation of CD4+ T cells. Employing a random forest (RF) algorithm, we identified crucial genes contributing to the disease phenotype, which facilitated the development of a robust diagnostic model via multivariate logistic regression analysis. Further, unsupervised clustering revealed two distinct m6A modification patterns, which were significantly associated with variations in immunocyte infiltration, immune response activity, and biological function enrichment in SS. Subsequently, we proceeded with a screening process aimed at identifying genes that were differentially expressed (DEGs) between the two groups distinguished by m6A modification. Leveraging these DEGs, we employed weight gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to uncover sets of genes that exhibited strong co-variance and hub genes that were closely linked to m6A modification. Through rigorous analysis, we identified three critical m6A regulators - METTL3, ALKBH5, and YTHDF1 - alongside two m6A-related hub genes, COMMD8 and SRP9. These elements collectively underscore a complex but discernible pattern of m6A modification that appears to be integrally linked with SS's pathogenesis. Our findings not only illuminate the significant correlation between m6A modification and the immune microenvironment in SS but also lay the groundwork for a deeper understanding of m6A regulatory mechanisms. More importantly, the identification of these key regulators and hub genes opens new avenues for the diagnosis and treatment of SS, presenting potential targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junhao Yin
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayao Fu
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiabao Xu
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Changyu Chen
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Hanyi Zhu
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Baoli Wang
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuangqi Yu
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiujuan Yang
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Ruiyu Cai
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Mengyang Li
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kaihan Ji
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wanning Wu
- College of Stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yijie Zhao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Shanghai Stomatological Hospital, Fudan University, 1258 Fuxin Zhong Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zhanglong Zheng
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Tongji University, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Tooth Restoration and Regeneration, Shanghai, China
| | - Yiping Pu
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
| | - Lingyan Zheng
- Department of Oral Surgery, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, College of stomatology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
- National Center for Stomatology & National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute of Stomatology, Shanghai, China
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Pozzo LD, Xu Z, Lin S, Wang J, Wang Y, Enechojo OS, Abankwah JK, Peng Y, Chu X, Zhou H, Bian Y. Role of epigenetics in the regulation of skin aging and geroprotective intervention: A new sight. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116592. [PMID: 38615608 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116592] [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] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Revised: 04/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Multiple epigenetic factors play a regulatory role in maintaining the homeostasis of cutaneous components and are implicated in the aging process of the skin. They have been associated with the activation of the senescence program, which is the primary contributor to age-related decline in the skin. Senescent species drive a series of interconnected processes that impact the immediate surroundings, leading to structural changes, diminished functionality, and heightened vulnerability to infections. Geroprotective medicines that may restore the epigenetic balance represent valid therapeutic alliances against skin aging. Most of them are well-known Western medications such as metformin, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), rapamycin, and histone deacetylase inhibitors, while others belong to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) remedies for which the scientific literature provides limited information. With the help of the Geroprotectors.org database and a comprehensive analysis of the referenced literature, we have compiled data on compounds and formulae that have shown potential in preventing skin aging and have been identified as epigenetic modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa Dal Pozzo
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Zhe Xu
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Shan Lin
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Jida Wang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Ying Wang
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Ogbe Susan Enechojo
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Joseph Kofi Abankwah
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Yanfei Peng
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Xiaoqian Chu
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China
| | - Huifang Zhou
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
| | - Yuhong Bian
- School of Integrative Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 301617, China.
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Kawaf RR, Ramadan WS, El-Awady R. Deciphering the interplay of histone post-translational modifications in cancer: Co-targeting histone modulators for precision therapy. Life Sci 2024; 346:122639. [PMID: 38615747 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122639] [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] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024]
Abstract
Chromatin undergoes dynamic regulation through reversible histone post-translational modifications (PTMs), orchestrated by "writers," "erasers," and "readers" enzymes. Dysregulation of these histone modulators is well implicated in shaping the cancer epigenome and providing avenues for precision therapies. The approval of six drugs for cancer therapy targeting histone modulators, along with the ongoing clinical trials of numerous candidates, represents a significant advancement in the field of precision medicine. Recently, it became apparent that histone PTMs act together in a coordinated manner to control gene expression. The intricate crosstalk of histone PTMs has been reported to be dysregulated in cancer, thus emerging as a critical factor in the complex landscape of cancer development. This formed the foundation of the swift emergence of co-targeting different histone modulators as a new strategy in cancer therapy. This review dissects how histone PTMs, encompassing acetylation, phosphorylation, methylation, SUMOylation and ubiquitination, collaboratively influence the chromatin states and impact cellular processes. Furthermore, we explore the significance of histone modification crosstalk in cancer and discuss the potential of targeting histone modification crosstalk in cancer management. Moreover, we underscore the significant strides made in developing dual epigenetic inhibitors, which hold promise as emerging candidates for effective cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rawan R Kawaf
- College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates; Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Wafaa S Ramadan
- Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates
| | - Raafat El-Awady
- College of Pharmacy, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates; Research Institute for Medical and Health Sciences, University of Sharjah, Sharjah 27272, United Arab Emirates.
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Czamara D, Dieckmann L, Lahti-Pulkkinen M, Cruceanu C, Henrich W, Plagemann A, Räikkönen K, Braun T, Binder EB, Lahti J, Entringer S. Sex differences in DNA methylation across gestation: a large scale, cross-cohort, multi-tissue analysis. Cell Mol Life Sci 2024; 81:177. [PMID: 38600394 PMCID: PMC11006734 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-024-05208-0] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 03/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Biological sex is a key variable influencing many physiological systems. Disease prevalence as well as treatment success can be modified by sex. Differences emerge already early in life and include pregnancy complications and adverse birth outcomes. The placenta is a critical organ for fetal development and shows sex-based differences in the expression of hormones and cytokines. Epigenetic regulation, such as DNA methylation (DNAm), may underlie the previously reported placental sexual dimorphism. We associated placental DNAm with fetal sex in three cohorts. Individual cohort results were meta-analyzed with random-effects modelling. CpG-sites differentially methylated with sex were further investigated regarding pathway enrichment, overlap with methylation quantitative trait loci (meQTLs), and hits from phenome-wide association studies (PheWAS). We evaluated the consistency of findings across tissues (CVS, i.e. chorionic villus sampling from early placenta, and cord blood) as well as with gene expression. We identified 10,320 epigenome-wide significant sex-differentially methylated probes (DMPs) spread throughout the epigenome of the placenta at birth. Most DMPs presented with lower DNAm levels in females. DMPs mapped to genes upregulated in brain, were enriched for neurodevelopmental pathways and significantly overlapped with meQTLs and PheWAS hits. Effect sizes were moderately correlated between CVS and placenta at birth, but only weakly correlated between birth placenta and cord blood. Sex differential gene expression in birth placenta was less pronounced and implicated genetic regions only marginally overlapped with those associated with differential DNAm. Our study provides an integrative perspective on sex-differential DNAm in perinatal tissues underscoring the possible link between placenta and brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darina Czamara
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany.
| | - Linda Dieckmann
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- International Max Planck Research School for Translational Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - Marius Lahti-Pulkkinen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland
- Centre for Cardiovascular Science, Queen's Medical Research Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Cristiana Cruceanu
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wolfgang Henrich
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Plagemann
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Katri Räikkönen
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, HUS Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Thorsten Braun
- Department of Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Experimental Obstetrics, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Elisabeth B Binder
- Department Genes and Environment, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Jari Lahti
- Department of Psychology and Logopedics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sonja Entringer
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität Zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
- Department of Pediatrics, Health and Disease Research Program, School of Medicine, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA.
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Larue A, Atlasi Y. The epigenetic landscape in intestinal stem cells and its deregulation in colorectal cancer. Stem Cells 2024:sxae027. [PMID: 38597726 DOI: 10.1093/stmcls/sxae027] [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] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic mechanisms play a pivotal role in controlling gene expression and cellular plasticity in both normal physiology and pathophysiological conditions. These mechanisms are particularly important in the regulation of stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, both in embryonic development and within adult tissues. A prime example of this finely tuned epigenetic control is observed in the gastrointestinal lining, where the small intestine undergoes renewal approximately every 3-5 days. How various epigenetic mechanisms modulate chromatin functions in intestinal stem cells (ISCs) is currently an active area of research. In this review, we discuss the main epigenetic mechanisms that control ISC differentiation under normal homeostasis. Furthermore, we explore the dysregulation of these mechanisms in the context of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. By outlining the main epigenetic mechanisms contributing to CRC, we highlight the recent therapeutics development and future directions for colorectal cancer research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axelle Larue
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
| | - Yaser Atlasi
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen's University Belfast, Belfast, UK
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Singh R, Rathore AS, Dilnashin H, Keshri PK, Gupta NK, Prakash SAS, Zahra W, Singh S, Singh SP. HAT and HDAC: Enzyme with Contradictory Action in Neurodegenerative Diseases. Mol Neurobiol 2024:10.1007/s12035-024-04115-6. [PMID: 38587698 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-024-04115-6] [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] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
In view of the increasing risk of neurodegenerative diseases, epigenetics plays a fundamental role in the field of neuroscience. Several modifications have been studied including DNA methylation, histone acetylation, histone phosphorylation, etc. Histone acetylation and deacetylation regulate gene expression, and the regular activity of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) provides regulatory stages for gene expression and cell cycle. Imbalanced homeostasis in these enzymes causes a detrimental effect on neurophysiological function. Intriguingly, epigenetic remodelling via histone acetylation in certain brain areas has been found to play a key role in the neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and Huntington's disease. It has been demonstrated that a number of HATs have a role in crucial brain processes such regulating neuronal plasticity and memory formation. The most recent therapeutic methods involve the use of small molecules known as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors that antagonize HDAC activity thereby increase acetylation levels in order to prevent the loss of HAT function in neurodegenerative disorders. The target specificity of the HDAC inhibitors now in use raises concerns about their applicability, despite the fact that this strategy has demonstrated promising therapeutic outcomes. The aim of this review is to summarize the cross-linking between histone modification and its regulation in the pathogenesis of neurological disorders. Furthermore, these findings also support the notion of new pharmacotherapies that target particular areas of the brain using histone deacetylase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richa Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Aaina Singh Rathore
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Hagera Dilnashin
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Priyanka Kumari Keshri
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Nitesh Kumar Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Singh Ankit Satya Prakash
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Walia Zahra
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Shekhar Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India
| | - Surya Pratap Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221005 (U.P.), India.
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Mao Z, Dong S, Yan Y, Wang C, Li W, Wang L, Qian C, Song Y, Tong L, Yu W. Diagnosis of malignant body fluids via cancer-universal methylation in cell-free DNA. JCI Insight 2024; 9:e175482. [PMID: 38587071 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.175482] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUNDDifferentiating malignant from nonmalignant body fluids remains a clinical challenge because of the unsatisfying performance of conventional cytology. We aimed to improve the sensitivity and ubiquity of cancer cell detection by assaying universal cancer-only methylation (UCOM) markers in supernatant cell-free DNA (cfDNA).METHODSAn observational prospective cohort including 1,321 nonmalignant and malignant body fluids of multiple cancers was used to develop and validate a cfDNA UCOM methylation diagnostic assay. All samples were divided into 2 portions for cytology and supernatant cfDNA methylation analysis.RESULTSThe significant hypermethylation of a potentially novel UCOM marker, TAGMe, together with the formerly reported PCDHGB7, was identified in the cfDNA of malignant body fluid samples. The combined model, cell-free cancer-universal methylation (CUE), was developed and validated in a prospective multicancer cohort with markedly elevated sensitivity and specificity, and was further verified in a set containing additional types of malignant body fluids and metastases. In addition, it remained hypersensitive in detecting cancer cells in cytologically negative malignant samples.CONCLUSIONcfDNA methylation markers are robust in detecting tumor cells and are applicable to diverse body fluids and tumor types, providing a feasible complement to current cytology-based diagnostic analyses.TRIAL REGISTRATIONThis study was registered at Chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR2200060532).FUNDINGNational Natural Science Foundation of China (32270645, 31872814, 32000505, 82170088), the National Key R&D Program of Ningxia Hui Autonomous region (2022BEG01003), Shanghai Municipal Key Clinical Specialty (shslczdzk02201), Science and Technology Commission of Shanghai Municipality (20DZ2261200, 20DZ2254400), and Major Special Projects of Basic Research of Shanghai Science and Technology Commission (18JC1411101).
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhanrui Mao
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Cancer Metastasis Institute, and Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shihua Dong
- Shanghai Epiprobe Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu Yan
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengyang Wang
- Shanghai Epiprobe Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei Li
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Cancer Metastasis Institute, and Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lu Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengchen Qian
- Shanghai Epiprobe Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuanlin Song
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Respiratory Research Institute, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Tong
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Respiratory Research Institute, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenqiang Yu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Cancer Metastasis Institute, and Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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Baquero J, Tang XH, Ferrotta A, Zhang T, DiKun KM, Gudas LJ. The transcription factor bmi1 increases hypoxic signaling in oral cavity epithelia. Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis 2024:167161. [PMID: 38599260 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbadis.2024.167161] [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] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
The tongue epithelium is maintained by a proliferative basal layer. This layer contains long-lived stem cells (SCs), which produce progeny cells that move up to the surface as they differentiate. B-lymphoma Mo-MLV insertion region 1 (Bmi1), a protein in mammalian Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) and a biomarker of oral squamous cell carcinoma, is expressed in almost all basal epithelial SCs of the tongue, and single, Bmi1-labelled SCs give rise to cells in all epithelial layers. We previously developed a transgenic mouse model (KrTB) containing a doxycycline- (dox) controlled, Tet-responsive element system to selectively overexpress Bmi1 in the tongue basal epithelial SCs. Here, we used this model to assess Bmi1 actions in tongue epithelia. Genome-wide transcriptomics revealed increased levels of transcripts involved in the cellular response to hypoxia in Bmi1-overexpressing (KrTB + DOX) oral epithelia even though these mice were not subjected to hypoxia conditions. Ectopic Bmi1 expression in tongue epithelia increased the levels of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF1α) and HIF1α targets linked to metabolic reprogramming during hypoxia. We used chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to demonstrate that Bmi1 associates with the promoters of HIF1A and HIF1A-activator RELA (p65) in tongue epithelia. We also detected increased SC proliferation and oxidative stress in Bmi1-overexpressing tongue epithelia. Finally, using a human oral keratinocyte line (OKF6-TERT1R), we showed that ectopic Bmi1 overexpression decreases the oxygen consumption rate while increasing the extracellular acidification rate, indicative of elevated glycolysis. Thus, our data demonstrate that high Bmi1 expression drives hypoxic signaling, including metabolic reprogramming, in normal oral cavity epithelia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Baquero
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Xiao-Han Tang
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Annalisa Ferrotta
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tuo Zhang
- Weill Cornell Genomics Core Facility, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA
| | - Krysta M DiKun
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lorraine J Gudas
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, USA; Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, New York, NY, USA.
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Nguyen HM, Hong UVT, Ruocco M, Dattolo E, Marín-Guirao L, Pernice M, Procaccini G. Thermo-priming triggers species-specific physiological and transcriptome responses in Mediterranean seagrasses. Plant Physiol Biochem 2024; 210:108614. [PMID: 38626655 DOI: 10.1016/j.plaphy.2024.108614] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024]
Abstract
Heat-priming improves plants' tolerance to a recurring heat stress event. The underlying molecular mechanisms of heat-priming are largely unknown in seagrasses. Here, ad hoc mesocosm experiments were conducted with two Mediterranean seagrass species, Posidonia oceanica and Cymodocea nodosa. Plants were first exposed to heat-priming, followed by a heat-triggering event. A comprehensive assessment of plant stress response across different levels of biological organization was performed at the end of the triggering event. Morphological and physiological results showed an improved response of heat-primed P. oceanica plants while in C. nodosa both heat- and non-primed plants enhanced their growth rates at the end of the triggering event. As resulting from whole transcriptome sequencing, molecular functions related to several cellular compartments and processes were involved in the response to warming of non-primed plants, while the response of heat-primed plants involved a limited group of processes. Our results suggest that seagrasses acquire a primed state during the priming event, that eventually gives plants the ability to induce a more energy-effective response when the thermal stress event recurs. Different species may differ in their ability to perform an improved heat stress response after priming. This study provides pioneer molecular insights into the emerging topic of seagrass stress priming and may benefit future studies in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hung Manh Nguyen
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy
| | - Uyen V T Hong
- La Trobe University, AgriBio Building, Bundoora, 3086, VIC, Australia; Department of Plant Biotechnology & Biotransformation, University of Science, Vietnam National University, 700000, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
| | - Miriam Ruocco
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy
| | - Emanuela Dattolo
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133, Palermo, Italy
| | - Lázaro Marín-Guirao
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy; Oceanographic Center of Murcia, Seagrass Ecology Group, Spanish Institute of Oceanography (IEO-CSIC), C/Varadero, San Pedro del Pinatar, 30740, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Mathieu Pernice
- Faculty of Science, Climate Change Cluster (C3), University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, 2007, NSW, Australia
| | - Gabriele Procaccini
- Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 80121, Napoli, Italy; NBFC, National Biodiversity Future Center, Piazza Marina 61, 90133, Palermo, Italy
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Eaves LA, Harrington CE, Fry RC. Epigenetic Responses to Nonchemical Stressors: Potential Molecular Links to Perinatal Health Outcomes. Curr Environ Health Rep 2024:10.1007/s40572-024-00435-w. [PMID: 38580766 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-024-00435-w] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW We summarize the recent literature investigating exposure to four nonchemical stressors (financial stress, racism, psychosocial stress, and trauma) and DNA methylation, miRNA expression, and mRNA expression. We also highlight the relationships between these epigenetic changes and six critical perinatal outcomes (preterm birth, low birth weight, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, childhood allergic disease, and childhood neurocognition). RECENT FINDINGS Multiple studies have found financial stress, psychosocial stress, and trauma to be associated with DNA methylation and/or miRNA and mRNA expression. Fewer studies have investigated the effects of racism. The majority of studies assessed epigenetic or genomic changes in maternal blood, cord blood, or placenta. Several studies included multi-OMIC assessments in which DNA methylation and/or miRNA expression were associated with gene expression. There is strong evidence for the role of epigenetics in driving the health outcomes considered. A total of 22 biomarkers, including numerous HPA axis genes, were identified to be epigenetically altered by both stressors and outcomes. Epigenetic changes related to inflammation, the immune and endocrine systems, and cell growth and survival were highlighted across numerous studies. Maternal exposure to nonchemical stressors is associated with epigenetic and/or genomic changes in a tissue-specific manner among inflammatory, immune, endocrine, and cell growth-related pathways, which may act as mediating pathways to perinatal health outcomes. Future research can test the mediating role of the specific biomarkers identified as linked with both stressors and outcomes. Understanding underlying epigenetic mechanisms altered by nonchemical stressors can provide a better understanding of how chemical and nonchemical exposures interact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Eaves
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Cailee E Harrington
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Rebecca C Fry
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Institute for Environmental Health Solutions, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Curriculum in Toxicology and Environmental Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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Sánchez-Ceinos J, Hussain S, Khan AW, Zhang L, Almahmeed W, Pernow J, Cosentino F. Repressive H3K27me3 drives hyperglycemia-induced oxidative and inflammatory transcriptional programs in human endothelium. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2024; 23:122. [PMID: 38580969 PMCID: PMC10998410 DOI: 10.1186/s12933-024-02196-0] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Histone modifications play a critical role in chromatin remodelling and regulate gene expression in health and disease. Histone methyltransferases EZH1, EZH2, and demethylases UTX, JMJD3, and UTY catalyse trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3). This study was designed to investigate whether H3K27me3 triggers hyperglycemia-induced oxidative and inflammatory transcriptional programs in the endothelium. METHODS We studied human aortic endothelial cells exposed to high glucose (HAEC) or isolated from individuals with diabetes (D-HAEC). RT-qPCR, immunoblotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP-qPCR), and confocal microscopy were performed to investigate the role of H3K27me3. We determined superoxide anion (O2-) production by ESR spectroscopy, NF-κB binding activity, and monocyte adhesion. Silencing/overexpression and pharmacological inhibition of chromatin modifying enzymes were used to modulate H3K27me3 levels. Furthermore, isometric tension studies and immunohistochemistry were performed in aorta from wild-type and db/db mice. RESULTS Incubation of HAEC to high glucose showed that upregulation of EZH2 coupled to reduced demethylase UTX and JMJD3 was responsible for the increased H3K27me3. ChIP-qPCR revealed that repressive H3K27me3 binding to superoxide dismutase and transcription factor JunD promoters is involved in glucose-induced O2- generation. Indeed, loss of JunD transcriptional inhibition favours NOX4 expression. Furthermore, H3K27me3-driven oxidative stress increased NF-κB p65 activity and downstream inflammatory genes. Interestingly, EZH2 inhibitor GSK126 rescued these endothelial derangements by reducing H3K27me3. We also found that H3K27me3 epigenetic signature alters transcriptional programs in D-HAEC and aortas from db/db mice. CONCLUSIONS EZH2-mediated H3K27me3 represents a key epigenetic driver of hyperglycemia-induced endothelial dysfunction. Targeting EZH2 may attenuate oxidative stress and inflammation and, hence, prevent vascular disease in diabetes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Sánchez-Ceinos
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine-Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Shafaat Hussain
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine-Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Abdul Waheed Khan
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine-Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Diabetes, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - Liang Zhang
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine-Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Wael Almahmeed
- Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE
| | - John Pernow
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine-Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Francesco Cosentino
- Cardiology Unit, Department of Medicine-Solna, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Castellano-Castillo D, Ramos-Molina B, Frutos MD, Arranz-Salas I, Reyes-Engel A, Queipo-Ortuño MI, Cardona F. RNA expression changes driven by altered epigenetics status related to NASH etiology. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116508. [PMID: 38579398 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116508] [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] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a growing health problem due to the increased obesity rates, among other factors. In its more severe stage (NASH), inflammation, hepatocellular ballooning and fibrosis are present in the liver, which can further evolve to total liver dysfunction or even hepatocarcinoma. As a metabolic disease, is associated to environmental factors such as diet and lifestyle conditions, which in turn can influence the epigenetic landscape of the cells, affecting to the gene expression profile and chromatin organization. In this study we performed ATAC-sequencing and RNA-sequencing to interrogate the chromatin status of liver biopsies in subjects with and without NASH and its effects on RNA transcription and NASH etiology. NASH subjects showed transcriptional downregulation for lipid and glucose metabolic pathways (e.g., ABC transporters, AMPK, FoxO or insulin pathways). A total of 229 genes were differentially enriched (ATAC and mRNA) in NASH, which were mainly related to lipid transport activity, nuclear receptor-binding, dicarboxylic acid transporter, and PPARA lipid regulation. Interpolation of ATAC data with known liver enhancer regions showed differential openness at 8 enhancers, some linked to genes involved in lipid metabolism, (i.e., FASN) and glucose homeostasis (i.e., GCGR). In conclusion, the chromatin landscape is altered in NASH patients compared to patients without this liver condition. This alteration might cause mRNA changes explaining, at least partially, the etiology and pathophysiology of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Castellano-Castillo
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica Intercentros de Oncología Médica, Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA)-CIMES-UMA, Málaga 29010, Spain
| | - Bruno Ramos-Molina
- Obesity, Diabetes and Metabolism Laboratory, Biomedical Research Institute of Murcia (IMIB), Murcia 30120, Spain.
| | - María Dolores Frutos
- General and Digestive System Surgery Department, Virgen de la Arrixaca University Hospital, Murcia 31020, Spain
| | - Isabel Arranz-Salas
- Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga-Plataforma BIONAND (IBIMA), Virgen de la Victoria University Hospital, Malaga University, 2ª Planta, Campus Teatinos S/N, Málaga 29010, Spain; Department of Human Physiology, Human Histology, Anatomical Pathology and Physical Education, Malaga University, Málaga 29010, Spain; 11 Department of Anatomical Pathology, Virgen de la Victoria Hospital, Málaga, Spain
| | - Armando Reyes-Engel
- Departamento de especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010, Spain
| | - María Isabel Queipo-Ortuño
- Unidad de Gestión Clínica Intercentros de Oncología Médica, Hospitales Universitarios Regional y Virgen de la Victoria, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Málaga (IBIMA)-CIMES-UMA, Málaga 29010, Spain; Departamento de especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010, Spain.
| | - Fernando Cardona
- Departamento de especialidades Quirúrgicas, Bioquímica e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga, 29010, Spain
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Hench J, Hultschig C, Brugger J, Mariani L, Guzman R, Soleman J, Leu S, Benton M, Stec IM, Hench IB, Hoffmann P, Harter P, Weber KJ, Albers A, Thomas C, Hasselblatt M, Schüller U, Restelli L, Capper D, Hewer E, Diebold J, Kolenc D, Schneider UC, Rushing E, Della Monica R, Chiariotti L, Sill M, Schrimpf D, von Deimling A, Sahm F, Kölsche C, Tolnay M, Frank S. EpiDiP/NanoDiP: a versatile unsupervised machine learning edge computing platform for epigenomic tumour diagnostics. Acta Neuropathol Commun 2024; 12:51. [PMID: 38576030 PMCID: PMC10993614 DOI: 10.1186/s40478-024-01759-2] [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: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024] Open
Abstract
DNA methylation analysis based on supervised machine learning algorithms with static reference data, allowing diagnostic tumour typing with unprecedented precision, has quickly become a new standard of care. Whereas genome-wide diagnostic methylation profiling is mostly performed on microarrays, an increasing number of institutions additionally employ nanopore sequencing as a faster alternative. In addition, methylation-specific parallel sequencing can generate methylation and genomic copy number data. Given these diverse approaches to methylation profiling, to date, there is no single tool that allows (1) classification and interpretation of microarray, nanopore and parallel sequencing data, (2) direct control of nanopore sequencers, and (3) the integration of microarray-based methylation reference data. Furthermore, no software capable of entirely running in routine diagnostic laboratory environments lacking high-performance computing and network infrastructure exists. To overcome these shortcomings, we present EpiDiP/NanoDiP as an open-source DNA methylation and copy number profiling suite, which has been benchmarked against an established supervised machine learning approach using in-house routine diagnostics data obtained between 2019 and 2021. Running locally on portable, cost- and energy-saving system-on-chip as well as gpGPU-augmented edge computing devices, NanoDiP works in offline mode, ensuring data privacy. It does not require the rigid training data annotation of supervised approaches. Furthermore, NanoDiP is the core of our public, free-of-charge EpiDiP web service which enables comparative methylation data analysis against an extensive reference data collection. We envision this versatile platform as a useful resource not only for neuropathologists and surgical pathologists but also for the tumour epigenetics research community. In daily diagnostic routine, analysis of native, unfixed biopsies by NanoDiP delivers molecular tumour classification in an intraoperative time frame.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jürgen Hench
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Claus Hultschig
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jon Brugger
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luigi Mariani
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsspital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Guzman
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsspital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jehuda Soleman
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsspital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Severina Leu
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Universitätsspital Basel, Spitalstrasse 21, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Miles Benton
- Human Genomics, Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR), 5022, Porirua, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Irenäus Maria Stec
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ivana Bratic Hench
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Per Hoffmann
- Life&Brain GmbH, Venusberg-Campus 1, Gebäude 76, 53127, Bonn, Germany
| | - Patrick Harter
- Institute of Neuropathology, Center for Neuropathology and Prion Research, Feodor- Lynen-Str. 23, 81377, München, Germany
| | - Katharina J Weber
- Neurological Institute (Edinger Institute), University Hospital, Heinrich-Hoffmann- Straße 7, 60528, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Frankfurt, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute (FCI), Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Anne Albers
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Christian Thomas
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Martin Hasselblatt
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Münster, Pottkamp 2, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Ulrich Schüller
- Forschungsinstitut Kinderkrebszentrum, Martinistrasse 52, 20251, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Hamburg- Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Hamburg-Eppendorf, Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Neuropathology, Department of Neuropathology, Charité- Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, 10117, Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisa Restelli
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Capper
- , 15. Luzerner Kantonsspital, Pathologie, Haus 27, 6000, Spitalstrasse, Luzern 16, Switzerland
| | - Ekkehard Hewer
- Institut universitaire de pathologie, Lausanne University Hospital (CHUV), University of Lausanne, Rue du Bugnon 25, 1011, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Diebold
- , 15. Luzerner Kantonsspital, Pathologie, Haus 27, 6000, Spitalstrasse, Luzern 16, Switzerland
| | - Danijela Kolenc
- , 15. Luzerner Kantonsspital, Pathologie, Haus 27, 6000, Spitalstrasse, Luzern 16, Switzerland
| | - Ulf C Schneider
- Klinik für Neurochirurgie, Luzerner Kantonsspital, Haus 31, 6000, 16, Spitalstrasse, Luzern, Switzerland
| | - Elisabeth Rushing
- , 15. Luzerner Kantonsspital, Pathologie, Haus 27, 6000, Spitalstrasse, Luzern 16, Switzerland
- Medica Pathologie Zentrum Zürich, Hottingerstrasse 9 / 11, 8032, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Rosa Della Monica
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486 - 80145, Napoli, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Chiariotti
- CEINGE-Biotecnologie Avanzate, Via Gaetano Salvatore, 486 - 80145, Napoli, Italy
| | - Martin Sill
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center Heidelberg (KiTZ), Heidelberg, Germany
- Division of Pediatric Neurooncology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Daniel Schrimpf
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Andreas von Deimling
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Felix Sahm
- Department of Neuropathology, Institute of Neuropathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- CCU Neuropathology, German Consortium for Translational Cancer Research (DKTK), Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
- , 23. DKFZ, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Kölsche
- Pathologisches Institut der LMU, Thalkirchner Str. 36, 80337, München, Germany
| | - Markus Tolnay
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stephan Frank
- Institut für Medizinische Genetik und Pathologie, Universitätsspital Basel, Schönbeinstr. 40, 4031, Basel, Switzerland.
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Farazi MM, Jafarinejad-Farsangi S, Miri Karam Z, Gholizadeh M, Hadadi M, Yari A. Circular RNAs: Epigenetic regulators of PTEN expression and function in cancer. Gene 2024; 916:148442. [PMID: 38582262 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2024.148442] [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] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression, without altering the DNA sequence, is involved in many normal cellular growth and division events, as well as diseases such as cancer. Epigenetics is no longer limited to DNA methylation, and histone modification, but regulatory non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) also play an important role in epigenetics. Circular RNAs (circRNAs), single-stranded RNAs without 3' and 5' ends, have recently emerged as a class of ncRNAs that regulate gene expression. CircRNAs regulate phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression at various levels of transcription, post-transcription, translation, and post-translation under their own regulation. Given the importance of PTEN as a tumor suppressor in cancer that inhibits one of the most important cancer pathways PI3K/AKT involved in tumor cell proliferation and survival, significant studies have been conducted on the regulatory role of circRNAs in relation to PTEN. These studies will be reviewed in this paper to better understand the function of this protein in cancer and explore new therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Saeideh Jafarinejad-Farsangi
- Physiology Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
| | - Zahra Miri Karam
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran; Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic & Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran
| | - Maryam Gholizadeh
- Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Medicine Greifswald, Greifwald, Germany
| | - Maryam Hadadi
- Cardiovascular Research Center, Institute of Neuropharmacology, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran
| | - Abolfazl Yari
- Endocrinology & Metabolism Research Center, Institute of Basic & Clinical Physiology Sciences, Kerman University of Medical Sciences Kerman, Iran; Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, Iran
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