scholarly journals DNA Methylation-Governed Gene Expression in Autoimmune Arthritis

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (22) ◽  
pp. 5646 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Brandt ◽  
Shima Rashidiani ◽  
Ágnes Bán ◽  
Tibor A. Rauch
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Joint Destruction ◽  
Molecular Structures ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Epigenetic Factors ◽  
Biological Targets ◽  
Epigenetic Factor ◽  
Oral Pathogens ◽  
Inflammatory Autoimmune Disease

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease hallmarked by progressive and irreversible joint destruction. RA pathogenesis is a T cell-regulated and B cell-mediated process in which activated lymphocyte-produced chemokines and cytokines promote leukocyte infiltration that ultimately leads to destruction of the joints. There is an obvious need to discover new drugs for RA treatment that have different biological targets or modes of action than the currently employed therapeutics. Environmental factors such as cigarette smoke, certain diet components, and oral pathogens can significantly affect gene regulation via epigenetic factors. Epigenetics opened a new field for pharmacology, and DNA methylation and histone modification-implicated factors are feasible targets for RA therapy. Exploring RA pathogenesis involved epigenetic factors and mechanisms is crucial for developing more efficient RA therapies. Here we review epigenetic alterations associated with RA pathogenesis including DNA methylation and interacting factors. Additionally, we will summarize the literature revealing the involved molecular structures and interactions. Finally, potential epigenetic factor-based therapies will be discussed that may help in better management of RA in the future.

EPIGENETIC ALTERATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH PREMATURE OVARIAN FAILURE

2008 ◽  
Vol 31 (4) ◽  
pp. 11
Author(s):  
Manda Ghahremani ◽  
Courtney W Hannah ◽  
Maria Peneherrera ◽  
Karla L Bretherick ◽  
Margo R Fluker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Premature Ovarian Failure ◽  
Promoter Region ◽  
Gene Promoter ◽  
Ovarian Failure ◽  
P Value ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Methylation Array ◽  
Cpg Sites ◽  
Deficient Mice

Background/Purpose: Premature ovarian failure (POF) affects 1% of women with a largely idiopathic and poorly understood etiology. The objective of this study was to identify specific epigenetic alterations by measuring DNA methylation of gene regulatory regions in women with POF vs. controls. Methods: Blood samples were collected from idiopathic POFpatients (Amenorrhea for at least 3 months and 2 serum FSH levels of > 40mIU/ml obtained > 1 month apart prior to age 40) and control women (CW) (healthy pregnancy after age 37 with out a pregnancy loss). Genomic DNA was extracted from EDTA anticoagulated blood and bisulfite converted for analysis using the Illumina Golden Gate Methylation Panel which measures DNA methylation at 1506 CpG sites in the promoter regions of 807 genes in 10 POF and 12 CW. Candidate genes with altered epigenetic marks between POF and CW at a nominal P-value < 0.05 were identified using a t-testcomparison within the Illumina bead studio software. Genes of interest were further analyzed for quantitative methylation at specific CpG sites using pyrosequencing in 30 POF and 30 CW. Results: Comparison of DNA methylation profiles of our initial POF and CW groups identified several genes with statistically significanthyper- or hypo- methylation in the POF group (P < 0.05), including the Androgen Receptor (AR)promoter region, which was significantly hypermethylated. To further validate these results, DNA methylation of the AR gene promoter was quantified bypryosequencing in a larger group of POF and CW. Pyrosequencing further confirmed a significantly higher DNA methylation of the AR promoter region inPOF vs. CW (P=0.007). Conclusions: This is a novel study identifying epigenetic alterations in POF. The hypermethylation of the AR gene in POF patients may cause decreased level of the AR in these women. This is especially interesting given a recent report of induced POF in AR deficient mice^1. Specific epigenetic markers, as identified by DNA methylation array profiling in blood, may serve as useful biomarkers for POF and other fertility disorders. However, it will need to be determined if these methylation changes are present prior to diagnosis, or are a consequence of menopause itself. Reference: 1.Hiroko S. et al. Premature ovarian failure in androgenreceptor deficient mice. PNAS;103:224-9

Epigenetic modifications in acute lymphoblastic leukemia: From cellular mechanisms to therapeutics

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ezzatollah Fathi ◽  
Raheleh Farahzadi ◽  
Soheila Montazersaheb ◽  
Yasin Bagheri
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Histone Modification ◽  
Epigenetic Modification ◽  
Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽  
Underlying Mechanism ◽  
Methylation Pattern ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Cellular Mechanisms ◽  
Novel Treatments

Background:: Epigenetic modification pattern is considered as a characteristic feature in blood malignancies. Modifications in the DNA methylation modulators are recurrent in lymphoma and leukemia, so that, the distinct methylation pattern defines different types of leukemia. Generally, the role of epigenetics is less understood and most investigations are focused on genetic abnormalities and cytogenic studies to develop novel treatments for patients with hematologic disorders. Recently, understanding the underlying mechanism of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), especially epigenetic altera-tions as a driving force in the development of ALL opens a new era of investigation for developing promising strategy, be-yond available conventional therapy. Objective:: This review will focus on a better understanding of the epigenetic mechanisms in cancer development and pro-gression, with an emphasis on epigenetic alterations in ALL including, DNA methylation, histone modification, and mi-croRNA alterations. Other topics that will be discussed include the use of epigenetic alterations as a promising therapeutic target in order to develop novel well-suited approaches against ALL. Conclusion:: According to the literature review, leukemogenesis of ALL is extensively influenced by epigenetic modifica-tions, particularly DNA hyper-methylation, histone modification, and miRNA alteration.

scholarly journals Neuroblastoma and the epigenome

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Irfete S. Fetahu ◽  
Sabine Taschner-Mandl
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Histone Modifications ◽  
Disease Diagnosis ◽  
Dna Methyltransferases ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Aberrant Expression ◽  
Tet Proteins ◽  
Relative Paucity ◽  
Underlying Causes ◽  
Aberrant Dna Methylation

AbstractNeuroblastoma (NB) is a pediatric cancer of the sympathetic nervous system and one of the most common solid tumors in infancy. Amplification of MYCN, copy number alterations, numerical and segmental chromosomal aberrations, mutations, and rearrangements on a handful of genes, such as ALK, ATRX, TP53, RAS/MAPK pathway genes, and TERT, are attributed as underlying causes that give rise to NB. However, the heterogeneous nature of the disease—along with the relative paucity of recurrent somatic mutations—reinforces the need to understand the interplay of genetic factors and epigenetic alterations in the context of NB. Epigenetic mechanisms tightly control gene expression, embryogenesis, imprinting, chromosomal stability, and tumorigenesis, thereby playing a pivotal role in physio- and pathological settings. The main epigenetic alterations include aberrant DNA methylation, disrupted patterns of posttranslational histone modifications, alterations in chromatin composition and/or architecture, and aberrant expression of non-coding RNAs. DNA methylation and demethylation are mediated by DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) and ten-eleven translocation (TET) proteins, respectively, while histone modifications are coordinated by histone acetyltransferases and deacetylases (HATs, HDACs), and histone methyltransferases and demethylases (HMTs, HDMs). This article focuses predominately on the crosstalk between the epigenome and NB, and the implications it has on disease diagnosis and treatment.

scholarly journals Association of expression of epigenetic molecular factors with DNA methylation and sensitivity to chemotherapeutic agents in cancer cell lines

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Suleyman Vural ◽  
Alida Palmisano ◽  
William C. Reinhold ◽  
Yves Pommier ◽  
Beverly A. Teicher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cell Line ◽  
Cell Lines ◽  
Cancer Cell ◽  
Antitumor Agents ◽  
Cancer Cell Lines ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Epigenetic Factors ◽  
Expression Of Genes ◽  
Genes Encoding

Abstract Background Altered DNA methylation patterns play important roles in cancer development and progression. We examined whether expression levels of genes directly or indirectly involved in DNA methylation and demethylation may be associated with response of cancer cell lines to chemotherapy treatment with a variety of antitumor agents. Results We analyzed 72 genes encoding epigenetic factors directly or indirectly involved in DNA methylation and demethylation processes. We examined association of their pretreatment expression levels with methylation beta-values of individual DNA methylation probes, DNA methylation averaged within gene regions, and average epigenome-wide methylation levels. We analyzed data from 645 cancer cell lines and 23 cancer types from the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia and Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer datasets. We observed numerous correlations between expression of genes encoding epigenetic factors and response to chemotherapeutic agents. Expression of genes encoding a variety of epigenetic factors, including KDM2B, DNMT1, EHMT2, SETDB1, EZH2, APOBEC3G, and other genes, was correlated with response to multiple agents. DNA methylation of numerous target probes and gene regions was associated with expression of multiple genes encoding epigenetic factors, underscoring complex regulation of epigenome methylation by multiple intersecting molecular pathways. The genes whose expression was associated with methylation of multiple epigenome targets encode DNA methyltransferases, TET DNA methylcytosine dioxygenases, the methylated DNA-binding protein ZBTB38, KDM2B, SETDB1, and other molecular factors which are involved in diverse epigenetic processes affecting DNA methylation. While baseline DNA methylation of numerous epigenome targets was correlated with cell line response to antitumor agents, the complex relationships between the overlapping effects of each epigenetic factor on methylation of specific targets and the importance of such influences in tumor response to individual agents require further investigation. Conclusions Expression of multiple genes encoding epigenetic factors is associated with drug response and with DNA methylation of numerous epigenome targets that may affect response to therapeutic agents. Our findings suggest complex and interconnected pathways regulating DNA methylation in the epigenome, which may both directly and indirectly affect response to chemotherapy.

scholarly journals DNA methylation as predictive marker of response to immunotherapy?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gerwin Heller
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cancer Treatment ◽  
Treatment Efficacy ◽  
Predictive Marker ◽  
Short Review ◽  
Predictive Markers ◽  
Epigenetic Factors

SummaryImmunotherapy is one of the major breakthroughs in cancer treatment. However, many patients do not benefit from this type of therapy. Thus, there is an urgent need for a strategy to predict treatment efficacy before start of therapy. The role of certain genetic and epigenetic factors as potential predictive markers for response to immunotherapy is discussed in this short review.

scholarly journals Dicer-like proteins influence Arabidopsis root microbiota independent of RNA-directed DNA methylation

Microbiome ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Richa Kaushal ◽  
Li Peng ◽  
Sunil K. Singh ◽  
Mengrui Zhang ◽  
Xinlian Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Cell Wall ◽  
Plant Defense ◽  
Root Exudates ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Epigenetic Factors ◽  
Callose Deposition ◽  
Arabidopsis Root ◽  
Triple Mutation ◽  
Root Microbiota

Abstract Background Plants are naturally associated with root microbiota, which are microbial communities influential to host fitness. Thus, it is important to understand how plants control root microbiota. Epigenetic factors regulate the readouts of genetic information and consequently many essential biological processes. However, it has been elusive whether RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM) affects root microbiota assembly. Results By applying 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we investigated root microbiota of Arabidopsis mutants defective in the canonical RdDM pathway, including dcl234 that harbors triple mutation in the Dicer-like proteins DCL3, DCL2, and DCL4, which produce small RNAs for RdDM. Alpha diversity analysis showed reductions in microbe richness from the soil to roots, reflecting the selectivity of plants on root-associated bacteria. The dcl234 triple mutation significantly decreases the levels of Aeromonadaceae and Pseudomonadaceae, while it increases the abundance of many other bacteria families in the root microbiota. However, mutants of the other examined key players in the canonical RdDM pathway showed similar microbiota as Col-0, indicating that the DCL proteins affect root microbiota in an RdDM-independent manner. Subsequently gene analysis by shotgun sequencing of root microbiome indicated a selective pressure on microbial resistance to plant defense in the dcl234 mutant. Consistent with the altered plant-microbe interactions, dcl234 displayed altered characters, including the mRNA and sRNA transcriptomes that jointly highlighted altered cell wall organization and up-regulated defense, the decreased cellulose and callose deposition in root xylem, and the restructured profile of root exudates that supported the alterations in gene expression and cell wall modifications. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate an important role of the DCL proteins in influencing root microbiota through integrated regulation of plant defense, cell wall compositions, and root exudates. Our results also demonstrate that the canonical RdDM is dispensable for Arabidopsis root microbiota. These findings not only establish a connection between root microbiota and plant epigenetic factors but also highlight the complexity of plant regulation of root microbiota.

Cataloging recent advances in epigenetic alterations in major mental disorders and autism

Epigenomics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamid Mostafavi Abdolmaleky ◽  
Jin-Rong Zhou ◽  
Sam Thiagalingam
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Mental Disorders ◽  
Psychiatric Disorders ◽  
Drug Effects ◽  
Tissue Cell ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Cell Specificity ◽  
Aberrant Dna Methylation ◽  
Potential Origin

During the last two decades, diverse epigenetic modifications including DNA methylation, histone modifications, RNA editing and miRNA dysregulation have been associated with psychiatric disorders. A few years ago, in a review we outlined the most common epigenetic alterations in major psychiatric disorders (e.g., aberrant DNA methylation of DTNBP1, HTR2A, RELN, MB-COMT and PPP3CC, and increased expression of miR-34a and miR-181b). Recent follow-up studies have uncovered other DNA methylation aberrations affecting several genes in mental disorders, in addition to dysregulation of many miRNAs. Here, we provide an update on new epigenetic findings and highlight potential origin of the diversity and inconsistencies, focusing on drug effects, tissue/cell specificity of epigenetic landscape and discuss shortcomings of the current diagnostic criteria in mental disorders.

scholarly journals Deciphering DNA Methylation in HIV Infection

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thilona Arumugam ◽  
Upasana Ramphal ◽  
Theolan Adimulam ◽  
Romona Chinniah ◽  
Veron Ramsuran
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Hiv Infection ◽  
Therapeutic Strategy ◽  
New Drugs ◽  
Sub Saharan Africa ◽  
Epigenetic Mechanism ◽  
People Living With Hiv ◽  
Modifying Factors ◽  
Autoimmune Conditions ◽  
Sub Saharan

With approximately 38 million people living with HIV/AIDS globally, and a further 1.5 million new global infections per year, it is imperative that we advance our understanding of all factors contributing to HIV infection. While most studies have focused on the influence of host genetic factors on HIV pathogenesis, epigenetic factors are gaining attention. Epigenetics involves alterations in gene expression without altering the DNA sequence. DNA methylation is a critical epigenetic mechanism that influences both viral and host factors. This review has five focal points, which examines (i) fluctuations in the expression of methylation modifying factors upon HIV infection (ii) the effect of DNA methylation on HIV viral genes and (iii) host genome (iv) inferences from other infectious and non-communicable diseases, we provide a list of HIV-associated host genes that are regulated by methylation in other disease models (v) the potential of DNA methylation as an epi-therapeutic strategy and biomarker. DNA methylation has also been shown to serve as a robust therapeutic strategy and precision medicine biomarker against diseases such as cancer and autoimmune conditions. Despite new drugs being discovered for HIV, drug resistance is a problem in high disease burden settings such as Sub-Saharan Africa. Furthermore, genetic therapies that are under investigation are irreversible and may have off target effects. Alternative therapies that are nongenetic are essential. In this review, we discuss the potential role of DNA methylation as a novel therapeutic intervention against HIV.

scholarly journals Genetic and Epigenetic Changes Are Rapid Responses of the Genome to the Newly Synthesized Autotetraploid Carassius auratus

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chongqing Wang ◽  
Yuwei Zhou ◽  
Huan Qin ◽  
Chun Zhao ◽  
Li Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dna Methylation ◽  
Carassius Auratus ◽  
Whole Genome Duplication ◽  
Genome Duplication ◽  
Enrichment Analysis ◽  
Full Length ◽  
Aflp Analysis ◽  
Whole Genome ◽  
Epigenetic Alterations ◽  
Fish Genome

Whole genome duplication events have occurred frequently during the course of vertebrate evolution. To better understand the influence of polyploidization on the fish genome, we herein used the autotetraploid Carassius auratus (4n = 200, RRRR) (4nRR) resulting from the whole genome duplication of Carassius auratus (2n = 100, RR) (RCC) to explore the genomic and epigenetic alterations after polyploidization. We subsequently performed analyses of full-length transcriptome dataset, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and methylation sensitive amplification polymorphism (MSAP) on 4nRR and RCC. By matching the results of 4nRR and RCC isoforms with reference genome in full-length transcriptome dataset, 649 and 1,971 novel genes were found in the RCC and 4nRR full-length geneset, respectively. Compared to Carassius auratus and Megalobrama amblycephala, 4nRR presented 3,661 unexpressed genes and 2,743 expressed genes. Furthermore, GO enrichment analysis of expressed genes in 4nRR revealed that they were enriched in meiosis I, whereas KEGG enrichment analysis displayed that they were mainly enriched in proteasome. Using AFLP analysis, we noted that 32.61% of RCC fragments had disappeared, while 32.79% of new bands were uncovered in 4nRR. Concerning DNA methylation, 4nRR exhibited a lower level of global DNA methylation than RCC. Additionally, 60.31% of methylation patterns in 4nRR were altered compared to RCC. These observations indicated that transcriptome alterations, genomic changes and regulation of DNA methylation levels and patterns had occurred in the newly established autotetraploid genomes, suggesting that genetic and epigenetic alterations were influenced by autotetraploidization. In summary, this study provides valuable novel insights into vertebrate genome evolution and generates relevant information for fish breeding.

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