| 1. |
- Arab, Khelifa, et al.
(author)
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Long Noncoding RNA TARID Directs Demethylation and Activation of the Tumor Suppressor TCF21 via GADD45A
- 2014
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In: Molecular Cell. - : Elsevier BV. - 1097-2765 .- 1097-4164. ; 55:4, s. 604-614
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- DNA methylation is a dynamic and reversible process that governs gene expression during development and disease. Several examples of active DNA demethylation have been documented, involving genome-wide and gene-specific DNA demethylation. How demethylating enzymes are targeted to specific genomic loci remains largely unknown. We show that an antisense lncRNA, termed TARID (for TCF21 antisense RNA inducing demethylation), activates TCF21 expression by inducing promoter demethylation. TARID interacts with both the TCF21 promoter and GADD45A (growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible, alpha), a regulator of DNA demethylation. GADD45A in turn recruits thymine-DNA glycosylase for base excision repair-mediated demethylation involving oxidation of 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine in the TCF21 promoter by ten-eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase proteins. The results reveal a function of lncRNAs, serving as a genomic address label for GADD45A-mediated demethylation of specific target genes.
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| 2. |
- Schöpf, Julia, et al.
(author)
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Multi-omic and functional analysis for classification and treatment of sarcomas with FUS-TFCP2 or EWSR1-TFCP2 fusions
- 2024
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In: Nature Communications. - 2041-1723. ; 15, s. 1-17
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Linking clinical multi-omics with mechanistic studies may improve the understanding of rare cancers. We leverage two precision oncology programs to investigate rhabdomyosarcoma with FUS/EWSR1-TFCP2 fusions, an orphan malignancy without effective therapies. All tumors exhibit outlier ALK expression, partly accompanied by intragenic deletions and aberrant splicing resulting in ALK variants that are oncogenic and sensitive to ALK inhibitors. Additionally, recurrent CKDN2A/MTAP co-deletions provide a rationale for PRMT5-targeted therapies. Functional studies show that FUS-TFCP2 blocks myogenic differentiation, induces transcription of ALK and truncated TERT, and inhibits DNA repair. Unlike other fusion-driven sarcomas, TFCP2-rearranged tumors exhibit genomic instability and signs of defective homologous recombination. DNA methylation profiling demonstrates a close relationship with undifferentiated sarcomas. In two patients, sarcoma was preceded by benign lesions carrying FUS-TFCP2, indicating stepwise sarcomagenesis. This study illustrates the potential of linking precision oncology with preclinical research to gain insight into the classification, pathogenesis, and therapeutic vulnerabilities of rare cancers.
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| 3. |
- Waraky, Ahmed, et al.
(author)
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Aberrant MNX1 expression associated with t(7;12)(q36;p13) pediatric acute myeloid leukemia induces the disease through altering histone methylation.
- 2024
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In: Haematologica. - 1592-8721. ; 109:3, s. 725-739
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Certain subtypes of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in children have inferior outcome, such as AML with translocation t(7;12)(q36;p13) leading to a MNX1::ETV6 fusion along with high expression of MNX1. We have identified the transforming event in this AML and possible ways of treatment. Retroviral expression of MNX1 was able to induce AML in mice, with similar gene expression and pathway enrichment to t(7;12) AML patient data. Importantly, this leukemia was only induced in immune incompetent mice using fetal but not adult hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. The restriction in transforming capacity to cells from fetal liver is in alignment with t(7;12)(q36;p13) AML being mostly seen in infants. Expression of MNX1 led to increased histone 3 lysine 4 mono-, di- and trimethylation, reduction in H3K27me3, accompanied with changes in genome-wide chromatin accessibility and genome expression, likely mediated through MNX1 interaction with the methionine cycle and methyltransferases. MNX1 expression increased DNA damage, depletion of the Lin- /Sca1+/c-Kit+ population and skewing toward the myeloid lineage. These effects, together with leukemia development, was prevented by pretreatment with the S-adenosylmethionine analog Sinefungin. In conclusion, we have shown the importance of MNX1 in development of AML with t(7;12), supporting a rationale for targeting MNX1 and downstream pathways.
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