scholarly journals Chromatin and oxygen sensing in the context of JmjC histone demethylases

2014 ◽  
Vol 462 (3) ◽  
pp. 385-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alena Shmakova ◽  
Michael Batie ◽  
Jimena Druker ◽  
Sonia Rocha

Responding appropriately to changes in oxygen availability is essential for multicellular organism survival. Molecularly, cells have evolved intricate gene expression programmes to handle this stressful condition. Although it is appreciated that gene expression is co-ordinated by changes in transcription and translation in hypoxia, much less is known about how chromatin changes allow for transcription to take place. The missing link between co-ordinating chromatin structure and the hypoxia-induced transcriptional programme could be in the form of a class of dioxygenases called JmjC (Jumonji C) enzymes, the majority of which are histone demethylases. In the present review, we will focus on the function of JmjC histone demethylases, and how these could act as oxygen sensors for chromatin in hypoxia. The current knowledge concerning the role of JmjC histone demethylases in the process of organism development and human disease will also be reviewed.

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria V. Deligiorgi ◽  
Mihalis I. Panayiotidis ◽  
Gerasimos Siasos ◽  
Dimitrios T. Trafalis

: Beyond being epiphenomenon of shared epidemiological factors, the integration of osteoporosis (OP) with cardiovascular disease (CVD)− termed "calcification paradox"− reflects a continuum of aberrant cardiometabolic status. The present review provides background knowledge on "calcification paradox", focusing on the endocrine aspect of vasculature orchestrated by the osteoblastic molecular fingerprint of vascular cells, acquired via imbalance among established modulators of mineralization. Osteoprotegerin (OPG)–the well-established osteoprotective cytokine−has recently been shown to exert a vessel-modifying role. Prompted by this notion, the present review interrogates OPG as the potential missing link between OP and CVD. However, so far, the confirmation of this hypothesis is hindered by the equivocal role of OPG in CVD, being both proatherosclerotic and antiatherosclerotic. Further research is needed to illuminate whether OPG could be biomarker of the "calcification paradox". Moreover, the present review brings into prominence the dual role of statins−cardioprotective and osteoprotective− as potential illustration of the integration of CVD with OP. Considering that the statins-induced modulation of OPG is central to the statins-driven osteoprotective signalling, statins could be suggested as illustration of the role of OPG in the bone/vessels crosstalk, if further studies consolidate the contribution of OPG to the cardioprotective role of statins. Another outstanding issue that merits further evaluation is the inconsistency of the osteoprotective role of statins. Further understanding of the varying bone-modifying role of statins, likely attributed to the unique profile of different classes of statins defined by distinct physicochemical characteristics, may yield tangible benefits for treating simultaneously OP and CVD.


1991 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54
Author(s):  
H Chan ◽  
S Hartung ◽  
M Breindl

We have studied the role of DNA methylation in repression of the murine alpha 1 type I collagen (COL1A1) gene in Mov13 fibroblasts. In Mov13 mice, a retroviral provirus has inserted into the first intron of the COL1A1 gene and blocks its expression at the level of transcriptional initiation. We found that regulatory sequences in the COL1A1 promoter region that are involved in the tissue-specific regulation of the gene are unmethylated in collagen-expressing wild-type fibroblasts and methylated in Mov13 fibroblasts, confirming and extending earlier observations. To directly assess the role of DNA methylation in the repression of COL1A1 gene transcription, we treated Mov13 fibroblasts with the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine. This treatment resulted in a demethylation of the COL1A1 regulatory sequences but failed to activate transcription of the COL1A1 gene. Moreover, the 5-azacytidine treatment induced a transcription-competent chromatin structure in the retroviral sequences but not in the COL1A1 promoter. In DNA transfection and microinjection experiments, we found that the provirus interfered with transcriptional activity of the COL1A1 promoter in Mov13 fibroblasts but not in Xenopus laevis oocytes. In contrast, the wild-type COL1A1 promoter was transcriptionally active in Mov13 fibroblasts. These experiments showed that the COL1A1 promoter is potentially transcriptionally active in the presence of proviral sequences and that Mov13 fibroblasts contain the trans-acting factors required for efficient COL1A1 gene expression. Our results indicate that the provirus insertion in Mov13 can inactivate COL1A1 gene expression at several levels. It prevents the developmentally regulated establishment of a transcription-competent methylation pattern and chromatin structure of the COL1A1 domain and, in the absence of DNA methylation, appears to suppress the COL1A1 promoter in a cell-specific manner, presumably by assuming a dominant chromatin structure that may be incompatible with transcriptional activity of flanking cellular sequences.


Blood ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (22) ◽  
pp. 3921-3921
Author(s):  
Katerina Rejlova ◽  
Alena Musilova ◽  
Martina Slamova ◽  
Karel Fiser ◽  
Karolina Skvarova Kramarzova ◽  
...  

Abstract Homeobox genes (HOX) encode transcription factors that are frequently deregulated in leukemias. Our previous results showed that HOX gene expression differs among genetically characterized subtypes of pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Specifically, PML-RARa positive AML patients have overall lowest HOX gene expression which positively correlates with expression of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylases - JMJD3 and UTX and negatively with the expression of DNA methyltransferases - DNMT3a and DNMT3b. Interestingly, JMJD3 was already shown to be a direct target of PML-RARa protein (Martens, JH et al, 2010, Cancer Cell). From these findings we postulated a hypothesis that reduced levels of HOX genes in PML-RARa positive AML are a consequence of suppressed expression of histone demethylases resulting in increased H3K27 methylation and/or of elevated levels of DNMTs leading to de novoDNA methylation. We studied the role of histone demethylases and DNMTs in the regulation of HOX gene expression and the effect of treatment in PML-RARa positive cell lines (NB4 and ATRA-resistant clones NB4-LR2 and NB4-MR2). We treated NB4 cell line by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA; 1uM), which was described to release the differentiation block caused by the presence of PML-RARa and to degrade the fusion protein. We observed that expression of particular HOX genes (HOXA1, HOXA3, HOXA4, HOXA5, HOXA7, HOXB4, HOXB6) measured by qPCR was significantly increased after ATRA treatment. While the level of JMJD3 was significantly increased upon ATRA treatment as well, the expression of UTX did not change. Furthermore, we detected significantly reduced expression of DNMT3b gene. To exclude a non-specific effect of ATRA, independent of PML-RARa, we used resistant clones LR2 and MR2 bearing mutations in retinoic acid-binding domain. HOX gene expression together with JMJD3, UTX and DNMT3b expression did not change upon ATRA treatment. These results confirm the PML-RARa-dependent regulation of HOX genes. To test the role of JMJD3 in the HOX gene expression regulation, we cultured NB4 cells with a specific inhibitor of histone demethylases, GSK-J4 (1 uM, 10 uM), in the presence of ATRA. The co-treatment caused significant decrease in the expression of studied HOX genes (HOXA1, HOXA3, HOXA5, HOXA7, HOXA10, HOXB4, HOXB6) in comparison to ATRA alone which supports the role of JMJD3 in the transcription regulation. Further, we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) to investigate if the changes of HOX gene expression upon ATRA and GSK-J4 treatment would correspond with changes of histone code on HOX gene promoter regions. ATRA treatment caused reduction of repressive histone mark (H3K27me3) on particular HOX gene promoters (HOXA1, HOXA3, HOXA5, HOXA7), by contrast, combinational treatment of ATRA and GSK-J4 reversed this effect. Accordingly, we detected that ATRA/GSK-J4 co-treatment reduced active histone mark H3K4me2. Next we were interested if JMJD3 inhibition would interfere with the differentiation effect of ATRA. As shown previously, ATRA treatment alone caused differentiation of NB4 cell line whereas the combination with GSK-J4 did not reduce the effect. Interestingly, in addition to differentiation it led cells to apoptosis. Combination of drugs (ATRA - 1uM, GSK-J4 - 1, 2, 5uM) increased significantly the percentage of dead cells in comparison to ATRA or GSK treatment alone (GSK-J4 alone vs in combination with ATRA, 1uM - 1.8 fold, 2uM - 2.2 fold, 5 uM - 2.3 fold increase). Next we measured apoptosis in resistant clones LR2 and MR2. In both cases the highest concentration used of GSK-J4 (5uM) in combination with ATRA caused significant increase of dead cells as well (LR2 - 2.1 fold, MR2 - 2.0 fold increase). Our results indicate that JMJD3 is responsible for the regulation of HOX gene expression in PML-RARa positive leukemia since changes of HOX gene expression correspond with histone modifications on the regions of HOX gene promoters. We assume that DNA methylation driven by DNMT3b can also participate in this process. Moreover, our findings demonstrate potential therapeutic implications of GSK-J4 inhibitor in combination with ATRA in patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia who are not responsive to ATRA monotherapy. Supported by P304/12/2214 and GAUK 196616 Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2008 ◽  
Vol 389 (4) ◽  
pp. 323-331 ◽  
Author(s):  
David Umlauf ◽  
Peter Fraser ◽  
Takashi Nagano

Abstract Transcriptome studies have uncovered a plethora of non-coding RNAs (ncRNA) in mammals. Most originate within intergenic regions of the genome and recent evidence indicates that some are involved in many different pathways that ultimately act on genome architecture and gene expression. In this review, we discuss the role of well-characterized long ncRNAs in gene regulation pointing to their similarities, but also their differences. We will attempt to highlight a paradoxical situation in which transcription is needed to repress entire chromosomal domains possibly through the action of ncRNAs that create nuclear environments refractory to transcription.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 1096
Author(s):  
Jessica Gambardella ◽  
Angela Lombardi ◽  
Marco Bruno Morelli ◽  
John Ferrara ◽  
Gaetano Santulli

Inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptors (ITPRs) are intracellular calcium release channels located on the endoplasmic reticulum of virtually every cell. Herein, we are reporting an updated systematic summary of the current knowledge on the functional role of ITPRs in human disorders. Specifically, we are describing the involvement of its loss-of-function and gain-of-function mutations in the pathogenesis of neurological, immunological, cardiovascular, and neoplastic human disease. Recent results from genome-wide association studies are also discussed.


Genes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Harmen Hawer ◽  
Alexander Hammermeister ◽  
Keerthiraju Ravichandran ◽  
Sebastian Glatt ◽  
Raffael Schaffrath ◽  
...  

Transfer RNA (tRNA) is subject to a multitude of posttranscriptional modifications which can profoundly impact its functionality as the essential adaptor molecule in messenger RNA (mRNA) translation. Therefore, dynamic regulation of tRNA modification in response to environmental changes can tune the efficiency of gene expression in concert with the emerging epitranscriptomic mRNA regulators. Several of the tRNA modifications are required to prevent human diseases and are particularly important for proper development and generation of neurons. In addition to the positive role of different tRNA modifications in prevention of neurodegeneration, certain cancer types upregulate tRNA modification genes to sustain cancer cell gene expression and metastasis. Multiple associations of defects in genes encoding subunits of the tRNA modifier complex Elongator with human disease highlight the importance of proper anticodon wobble uridine modifications (xm5U34) for health. Elongator functionality requires communication with accessory proteins and dynamic phosphorylation, providing regulatory control of its function. Here, we summarized recent insights into molecular functions of the complex and the role of Elongator dependent tRNA modification in human disease.


Blood ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 124 (21) ◽  
pp. 876-876
Author(s):  
Katerina Rejlova ◽  
Karolina Kramarzova ◽  
Meritxell Alberich-Jorda ◽  
Karel Fiser ◽  
Marketa Zaliova ◽  
...  

Abstract Homeobox genes (HOX) encode transcription factors that are frequently deregulated in leukemias. Our previous findings described that HOX gene expression differs among genetically characterized subtypes of pediatric AML with PML-RARa+ patients having the lowest overall HOX gene expression. We observed that HOX gene expression positively correlated with expression of histone 3 lysine 27 (H3K27) demethylases JMJD3 and UTX and negatively with DNA methyltransferase DNMT3b. Interestingly, it has been shown that JMJD3 is a direct target of PML-RARa protein (Martens, JH et al, 2010, Cancer Cell). These findings led us to postulate the hypothesis that reduced levels of HOX genes in PML-RARa+ AML can be caused by the suppressed expression of histone demethylases, such as JMJD3 and UTX, resulting in increased H3K27 methylation and transcription inhibition. We chose PML-RARa+ NB4 cell line to study the role of PML-RARa fusion gene in the regulation of HOX gene expression. To inhibit the effect of PML-RARa we used all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA; 1 uM, 10 uM) which was described to release the block caused by this fusion protein. Expression of particular HOX genes (e.g., HOXA1, HOXA3, HOXA5, HOXA7) together with that of JMJD3 and UTX assessed by qPCR was significantly elevated after ATRA treatment, while gene expression of DNMT3b was decreased. To test whether the reduction in HOX gene expression is directly related to the levels of JMJD3 and UTX, we cultured NB4 cells with a specific inhibitor of these histone demethylases, GSK-J4 (1 uM, 10 uM), in combination with ATRA. This co-treatment led to inhibition of JMJD3 and UTX proteins, followed by significant reduction of HOX genes expression (e.g., HOXA1, HOXA3, HOXA5, HOXA7). This result supports our hypothesis that HOX genes expression is directly related to JMJD3/UTX activity. To determine the effect of ATRA and GSK-J4 on histone marks we have isolated histones by acid extraction and detected the levels of histones by western blot in NB4 ATRA or GSK-J4/ATRA treated cells. We observed that the level of repressive histone methylation mark (trimethylated H3K27; H3K27me3) was decreased after ATRA treatment (activation of JMJD3/UTX) and increased after GSK-J4/ATRA co-treatment (inhibition of JMJD3/UTX). The opposite effect was observed in active histone methylation marks where di- and tri-methylated H3K4 (H3K4me2, H3K4me3) increased after ATRA treatment and decreased after GSK-J4/ATRA co-treatment. H3K9 dimethylated (another repressive histone methylation mark) levels did not change. Next, to investigate the histone code directly in particular HOX genes regions we performed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays. We studied the presence of H3K27me3 and H3K4me2 in 5´UTR genomic region of particular HOX genes (HOXA1, HOXA2, HOXA3, HOXA5, HOXA7) in cells treated with ATRA alone or in the combination with GSK-J4. Preliminary results showed reduction in repressive marks (H3K27me3) upon ATRA treatment, whereas addition of GSK-J4 prevented this decrease. Accordingly, we observed that ATRA/GSK-J4 co-treatment reduced active histone mark H3K4me2. To evaluate the role of DNA methylation in observed expression changes after ATRA treatment we performed bisulfite sequencing of particular promoter sites of HOX genes (e.g., HOXA7, HOXA5). Although we detected decreased DNMT3b gene expression after ATRA treatment there was no change in DNA methylation of CpGs in studied regions. Our results demonstrate that changes in chromatin activity correspond with changes in HOX gene expression. Moreover, ChIP data show direct binding of the modified histones and HOX 5´UTR sites. Our data implicate histone demethylases in regulation of HOX gene expression in PML-RARa+ leukemic blasts. DNA methylation in these particular HOX genes is not involved in the regulation. Elucidating the mechanism of regulation of HOX genes expression can help to understand their role in the leukemogenic process. Supported by GACR P304/12/2214 and GAUK 568213. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wendy Rosales ◽  
Juan Carulla ◽  
Jeison García ◽  
Diana Vargas ◽  
Fernando Lizcano

Epigenetic changes induced by histone demethylases play an important role in differentiation and pathological changes in cardiac cells. However, the role of the jumonji family of demethylases in the development of cardiac hypertrophy remains elusive. In this study, the presence of different histone demethylases in cardiac cells was evaluated after hypertrophy was induced with neurohormones. A cell line from rat cardiomyocytes was used as a biological model. The phenotypic profiles of the cells, as well as the expression of histone demethylases, were studied through immunofluorescence, transient transfection, western blot, and qRT-PCR analysis after inducing hypertrophy by angiotensin II and endothelin-1. An increase in fetal gene expression (ANP, BNP, andβ-MHC) was observed in cardiomyocytes after treatment with angiotensin II and endothelin-1. A significant increase in JMJD2A expression, but not in UTX or JMJD2C expression, was observed. When JMJD2A was overexpressed in cardiomyocytes through transient transfection, the effect of neurohormones on fetal cardiac gene expression was increased. We conclude that JMJD2A plays a principal role in the regulation of fetal cardiac genes, which increase in expression during the pathological hypertrophic process.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (20) ◽  
pp. 11059
Author(s):  
Martha A. Schalla ◽  
Andreas Stengel

Ghrelin and nesfatin-1 are enteroendocrine peptide hormones expressed in rat X/A-like and human P/D1cells of the gastric mucosa. Besides their effect on food intake, both peptides are also implicated in various other physiological systems. One of these is the reproductive system. This present review illustrates the distribution of ghrelin and nesfatin-1 along the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis, their modulation by reproductive hormones, and effects on reproductive functions as well as highlighting gaps in current knowledge to foster further research.


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