XRCC1 Prevents Replication Fork Instability during Misincorporation of the DNA Demethylation Bases 5-Hydroxymethyl-2′-Deoxycytidine and 5-Hydroxymethyl-2′-Deoxyuridine

Whilst avoidance of chemical modifications of DNA bases is essential to maintain genome stability, during evolution eukaryotic cells have evolved a chemically reversible modification of the cytosine base. These dynamic methylation and demethylation reactions on carbon-5 of cytosine regulate several cellular and developmental processes such as embryonic stem cell pluripotency, cell identity, differentiation or tumourgenesis. Whereas these physiological processes are well characterized, very little is known about the toxicity of these cytosine analogues when they incorporate during replication. Here, we report a role of the base excision repair factor XRCC1 in protecting replication fork upon incorporation of 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytosine (5hmC) and its deamination product 5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxyuridine (5hmU) during DNA synthesis. In the absence of XRCC1, 5hmC exposure leads to increased genomic instability, replication fork impairment and cell lethality. Moreover, the 5hmC deamination product 5hmU recapitulated the genomic instability phenotypes observed by 5hmC exposure, suggesting that 5hmU accounts for the observed by 5hmC exposure. Remarkably, 5hmC-dependent genomic instability and replication fork impairment seen in Xrcc1−/− cells were exacerbated by the trapping of Parp1 on chromatin, indicating that XRCC1 maintains replication fork stability during processing of 5hmC and 5hmU by the base excision repair pathway. Our findings uncover natural epigenetic DNA bases 5hmC and 5hmU as genotoxic nucleosides that threaten replication dynamics and genome integrity in the absence of XRCC1.

Pembrolizumab plus azacitidine in patients with chemotherapy refractory metastatic colorectal cancer: a single-arm phase 2 trial and correlative biomarker analysis

Background DNA mismatch repair proficient (pMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is not responsive to pembrolizumab monotherapy. DNA methyltransferase inhibitors can promote antitumor immune responses. This clinical trial investigated whether concurrent treatment with azacitidine enhances the antitumor activity of pembrolizumab in mCRC. Methods We conducted a phase 2 single-arm trial evaluating activity and tolerability of pembrolizumab plus azacitidine in patients with chemotherapy-refractory mCRC (NCT02260440). Patients received pembrolizumab 200 mg IV on day 1 and azacitidine 100 mg SQ on days 1–5, every 3 weeks. A low fixed dose of azacitidine was chosen in order to reduce the possibility of a direct cytotoxic effect of the drug, since the main focus of this study was to investigate its potential immunomodulatory effect. The primary endpoint of this study was overall response rate (ORR) using RECIST v1.1., and secondary endpoints were progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Tumor tissue was collected pre- and on-treatment for correlative studies. Results Thirty chemotherapy-refractory patients received a median of three cycles of therapy. One patient achieved partial response (PR), and one patient had stable disease (SD) as best confirmed response. The ORR was 3%, median PFS was 1.9 months, and median OS was 6.3 months. The combination regimen was well-tolerated, and 96% of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs) were grade 1/2. This trial was terminated prior to the accrual target of 40 patients due to lack of clinical efficacy. DNA methylation on-treatment as compared to pre-treatment decreased genome wide in 10 of 15 patients with paired biopsies and was significantly lower in gene promoter regions after treatment. These promoter demethylated genes represented a higher proportion of upregulated genes, including several immune gene sets, endogenous retroviral elements, and cancer-testis antigens. CD8+ TIL density trended higher on-treatment compared to pre-treatment. Higher CD8+ TIL density at baseline was associated with greater likelihood of benefit from treatment. On-treatment tumor demethylation correlated with the increases in tumor CD8+ TIL density. Conclusions The combination of pembrolizumab and azacitidine is safe and tolerable with modest clinical activity in the treatment for chemotherapy-refractory mCRC. Correlative studies suggest that tumor DNA demethylation and immunomodulation occurs. An association between tumor DNA demethylation and tumor-immune modulation suggests immune modulation and may result from treatment with azacitidine. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02260440. Registered 9 October 2014, https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02260440.

Pronounced sequence specificity of the TET enzyme catalytic domain guides its cellular function

TET (ten-eleven translocation) enzymes catalyze the oxidation of 5-methylcytosine bases in DNA, thus driving active and passive DNA demethylation. Here, we report that the catalytic cores of mammalian TET enzymes favor CpGs embedded within bHLH and bZIP transcription factor binding sites, with 250-fold preference in vitro. Crystal structures and molecular dynamics calculations show that sequence preference is caused by intra-substrate interactions and CpG flanking sequence indirectly affecting enzyme conformation. TET sequence preferences are physiologically relevant as they explain the rates of DNA demethylation in TET-rescue experiments in culture and in vivo within the zygote and germline. Most and least favorable TET motifs represent DNA sites that are bound by methylation-sensitive immediate-early transcription factors and OCT4, respectively, illuminating TET function in transcriptional responses and pluripotency support. One-Sentence Summary: The catalytic domains of the enzymes that facilitate passive and drive active DNA demethylation have intrinsic sequence preferences that target DNA demethylation to bHLH and bZIP transcription factor binding sites.

Triticale Green Plant Regeneration Is Due to DNA Methylation and Sequence Changes Affecting Distinct Sequence Contexts in the Presence of Copper Ions in Induction Medium

Metal ions in the induction medium are essential ingredients allowing green plant regeneration. For instance, Cu(II) and Ag(I) ions may affect the mitochondrial electron transport chain, influencing the Yang cycle and synthesis of S-adenosyl-L-methionine, the prominent donor of the methylation group for all cellular compounds, including cytosines. If the ion concentrations are not balanced, they can interfere with the proper flow of electrons in the respiratory chain and ATP production. Under oxidative stress, methylated cytosines might be subjected to mutations impacting green plant regeneration efficiency. Varying Cu(II) and Ag(I) concentrations in the induction medium and time of anther culture, nine trials of anther culture-derived regenerants of triticale were derived. The methylation-sensitive AFLP approach quantitative characteristics of tissue culture-induced variation, including sequence variation, DNA demethylation, and DNA de novo methylation for all symmetric-CG, CHG, and asymmetric-CHH sequence contexts, were evaluated for all trials. In addition, the implementation of mediation analysis allowed evaluating relationships between factors influencing green plant regeneration efficiency. It was demonstrated that Cu(II) ions mediated relationships between: (1) de novo methylation in the CHH context and sequence variation in the CHH, (2) sequence variation in CHH and green plant regeneration efficiency, (3) de novo methylation in CHH sequences and green plant regeneration, (4) between sequence variation in the CHG context, and green plant regeneration efficiency. Cu(II) ions were not a mediator between de novo methylation in the CG context and green plant regeneration. The latter relationship was mediated by sequence variation in the CG context. On the other hand, we failed to identify any mediating action of Ag(I) ions or the moderating role of time. Furthermore, demethylation in any sequence context seems not to participate in any relationships leading to green plant regeneration, sequence variation, and the involvement of Cu(II) or Ag(I) as mediators.

Model systems in SDHx-related pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma

Pheochromocytoma (PHEO) and paraganglioma (PGL) (together PPGL) are tumors with poor outcomes that arise from neuroendocrine cells in the adrenal gland, and sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia outside the adrenal gland, respectively. Many follow germline mutations in genes coding for subunits of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), a tetrameric enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle that both converts succinate to fumarate and participates in electron transport. Germline SDH subunit B (SDHB) mutations have a high metastatic potential. Herein, we review the spectrum of model organisms that have contributed hugely to our understanding of SDH dysfunction. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae (yeast), succinate accumulation inhibits alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase enzymes leading to DNA demethylation. In the worm Caenorhabditis elegans, mutated SDH creates developmental abnormalities, metabolic rewiring, an energy deficit and oxygen hypersensitivity (the latter is also found in Drosophila melanogaster). In the zebrafish Danio rerio, sdhb mutants display a shorter lifespan with defective energy metabolism. Recently, SDHB-deficient pheochromocytoma has been cultivated in xenografts and has generated cell lines, which can be traced back to a heterozygous SDHB-deficient rat. We propose that a combination of such models can be efficiently and effectively used in both pathophysiological studies and drug-screening projects in order to find novel strategies in PPGL treatment.

RNA sequencing-based screen for reactivation of silenced alleles of autosomal genes

In mammalian cells, maternal and paternal alleles usually have similar transcriptional activity. Epigenetic mechanisms such as X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) and imprinting were historically viewed as rare exceptions to this rule. Discovery of autosomal monoallelic expression (MAE) a decade ago revealed an additional allele-specific mode regulating thousands of mammalian genes. Despite MAE prevalence, its mechanistic basis remains unknown. Using an RNA sequencing-based screen for reactivation of silenced alleles, we identified DNA methylation as key mechanism of MAE mitotic maintenance. In contrast with the all-or-nothing allelic choice in XCI, allele-specific expression in MAE loci is tunable, with exact allelic imbalance dependent on the extent of DNA methylation. In a subset of MAE genes, allelic imbalance was insensitive to DNA demethylation, implicating additional mechanisms in MAE maintenance in these loci. Our findings identify a key mechanism of MAE maintenance and provide basis for understanding the biological role of MAE.

5-Hydroxymethylcytosine-mediated active demethylation is required for mammalian neuronal differentiation and function

Although high levels of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5hmC) accumulate in mammalian neurons, our knowledge of its roles in terminal differentiation or as an intermediate in active DNA demethylation is incomplete. We report high-resolution mapping of DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation, chromatin accessibility, and histone marks in developing postmitotic Purkinje cells (PCs) in Mus musculus. Our data reveal new relationships between PC transcriptional and epigenetic programs, and identify a class of genes that lose both 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and 5hmC during terminal differentiation. Deletion of the 5hmC writers Tet1, Tet2, and Tet3 from postmitotic PCs prevents loss of 5mC and 5hmC in regulatory domains and gene bodies, and hinders transcriptional and epigenetic developmental transitions. Our data demonstrate that Tet-mediated active DNA demethylation occurs in vivo, and that acquisition of the precise molecular properties of adult PCs require continued oxidation of 5mC to 5hmC during the final phases of differentiation.

TET3 Promotes HCC Proliferation And Metastasis Via lncRNA ARAP1-AS1

Background: Aberrations of DNA methylation and proteins involved in DNA methylation process have been demonstrated to be correlated with tumor malignancy and prognosis of patients. The present study aims to investigate the preliminary mechanism underlying the biological functions of a DNA demethylation enzyme TET3 during HCC proliferation and metastasis.Methods: CCK8 assay, colony formation assay and transwell assay were performed to monito cell proliferation, migration and invasion. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was applied to screen the differentially expressed mRNA upon TET3 overexpression to investigate the downstream mediators of TET3 during HCC progression. The expression of TET3 or ARAP1-AS1 was examined by western blot or quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).Results: First, TET3 expression was increased in HCC tumor tissues and positively correlated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Next, TET3 was found to promote the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells. RNA-seq was then performed and unveiled lncRNA ARAP1-AS1, a well identified onco-lncRNA in several cancer types, as a candidate downstream mediator of TET3. The following results indicated that TET3 increased ARAP1-AS1 expression. And rescue experiments indicated that ARAP1-AS1 knockdown impaired the proliferation of HCC cells induced by TET3 overexpression.Conclusion: TET3 promoted the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells by regulating the expression of lncRNA ARAP1-AS1.