SMYD3 promotes implant metastasis of ovarian cancer via H3K4 trimethylation of integrin promoters

Detachment of cancer cells from the primary tumor and formation of spheroids in ascites is required for implantation metastasis in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC), but the underlying mechanism of this process has not been thoroughly elucidated. To mimic this process, ovarian cancer cells were grown in 3D and 2D culture. Hey and OVCA433 spheroids exhibited decreased cell proliferation and enhanced adhesion and invasion. SMYD3 expression was elevated in ovarian carcinoma spheroids in association with increased H3K4 methylation. Depletion of SMYD3 by transient siRNA, stable shRNA knockdown and the SMYD3 inhibitor BCI-121 all decreased spheroid invasion and adhesion. Gene expression arrays revealed downregulation of integrin family members. Inhibition assays confirmed that invasion and adhesion of spheroids are mediated by ITGB6 and ITGAM. SMYD3-deficient cells regained the ability to invade and adhere after forced overexpression of SMYD3, ITGB6 and ITGAM. However, this biological ability was not restored by forced overexpression of SMYD3 in ITGB6- and/or ITGAM-deficient cancer cells. SMYD3 and H3K4me3 binding at the ITGB6 and ITGAM promoters was increased in spheroids compared to that in monolayer cells, and the binding was decreased when SMYD3 expression was inhibited, consistent with the expression changes in integrins. SMYD3 expression and integrin-mediated adhesion were also activated in an intraperitoneal xenograft model and in EOC patient spheroids. In vivo, SMYD3 knockdown inhibited tumor metastasis and reduced ascites volume in both the intraperitoneal xenograft model and a PDX model. Overall, our results suggest that the SMYD3-H3K4me3-integrin pathway plays a crucial role in ovarian cancer metastasis to the peritoneal surface.     

HDAC1和CDK1在结肠癌组织中的表达及其临床意义

目的:研究组蛋白去乙酰化酶1（histone deacetylase 1,HDAC1）和细胞周期蛋白依赖性激酶1（cyclin-dependent kinase 1,CDK1）在结肠癌组织中的表达水平及其与患者临床病理特征及预后的关系。方法:收集2012年2月至2013年6月在本院普外科进行手术切除的51例结肠癌患者的肿瘤组织和癌旁非肿瘤组织,采用qRT-PCR法检测组织中HDAC1和CDK1 mRNA相对表达量,采用免疫组织化学染色法检测HDAC1和CDK1蛋白阳性表达率,分析肿瘤组织中HDAC1和CDK1表达的相关性及其与患者肿瘤直径、淋巴结转移等临床病理特征的关系,采用Kaplan-Meier生存函数分析HDAC1和CDK1不同表达情况与患者5年总生存率的关系。结果:肿瘤组织中HDAC1和CDK1 mRNA表达水平和蛋白阳性表达率均高于癌旁非肿瘤组织（P＜0.05）;肿瘤组织中HDAC1表达水平与CDK1表达水平呈显著正相关（P=0.012）;肿瘤组织中HDAC1表达与患者肿瘤直径和组织分化程度有关（P＜0.05）,CDK1与肿瘤直径、TNM分期、分化程度、淋巴结转移有关（P＜0.05）;HDAC1、CDK1阳性表达患者5年总生存率均低于其相应阴性表达患者（P＜0.05）,HDAC1和CDK1共阳性表达患者5年总生存率低于HDAC1和（或）CDK1阴性患者（P＜0.05）。结论:HDAC1和CDK1在结肠癌组织中高表达,与患者不良预后有关且两者呈正相关,推测两者在促进结肠癌进展中可能存在协同作用。     

组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂TSA对食管癌细胞ncRNA/mRNA表达谱的影响

目的:分析组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂TSA处理前后,食管癌细胞株EC109中差异表达的非编码RNA(ncRNA)和mRNA表达谱,初步预测与TSA作用相关的ncRNA和mRNA。方法:采用MTT、细胞周期等方法检测TSA的效应;运用应用芯片技术分别检测TSA处理前后EC109细胞中ncRNA和mRNA表达谱变化,并对差异ncRNA和mRNA表达谱进行整合分析。结果:TSA以剂量时间依赖方式抑制细胞增殖,细胞周期阻滞和凋亡的发生。芯片检测共发现461个ncRNA和758个mRNA显著性差异表达,生物信息学分析显示差异涉及红比霉素、阿霉素代谢过程、氧化还原、核小体的装配、染色质结构组织和端粒的结构组织等。通过数据库分析预测及整合分析,得到了361个ncRNA-mRNA靶基因对。结论:差异表达的ncRNA和mRNA对TSA的生物学效应密切关联,为进一步研究基因功能及其在肿瘤中的生物学意义奠定基础。     

心肌肥大表观遗传调控的研究进展

心肌肥大是各种严重心血管疾病的独立危险因素.表观遗传学涉及的机制,如DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰、RNA甲基化等参与心肌肥大的发生发展.因此,了解表观遗传对心肌肥大的作用有助于为心肌肥大的预防和早期治疗提供有效方案和科学依据.     

Microbe-metabolite-host axis,two-way action in the pathogenesis and treatment of human autoimmunity

The role of microorganism in human diseases cannot be ignored. These microorganisms have evolved together with humans and worked together with body's mechanism to maintain immune and metabolic function. Emerging evidence shows that gut microbe and their metabolites open up new doors for the study of human response mechanism. The complexity and interdependence of these microbe-metabolite-host interactions are rapidly being elucidated. There are various changes of microbial levels in models or in patients of various autoimmune diseases (AIDs). In addition, the relevant metabolites involved in mechanism mainly include short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids (BAs), and polysaccharide A (PSA). Meanwhile, the interaction between microbes and host genes is also a factor that must be considered. It has been demonstrated that human microbes are involved in the development of a variety of AIDs, including organ-specific AIDs and systemic AIDs. At the same time, microbes or related products can be used to remodel body's response to alleviate or cure diseases. This review summarizes the latest research of microbes and their related metabolites in AIDs. More importantly, it highlights novel and potential therapeutics, including fecal microbial transplantation, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. Nonetheless, exact mechanisms still remain elusive, and future research will focus on finding a specific strain that can act as a biomarker of an autoimmune disease.     

三氧化二砷对MRL/lpr狼疮鼠IFN-γ基因表达的调控

目的: 探讨三氧化二砷(ATO)调控MRL/lpr狼疮鼠干扰素γ(IFN-γ)基因表达的机制。方法: 将20周龄MRL/lpr狼疮鼠和正常C57BL/6J小鼠无菌条件下取出脾脏,制成脾脏淋巴细胞悬液。体外经植物血球凝集素P(PHA-P,终浓度20 mg/L)和白细胞介素-2(IL-2,终浓度10⁶ IU/L)常规刺激48 h后,随机分为PBS组(空白对照)和 ATO(1.0 μmol/L)组,继续培养24 h。酶联免疫吸附法(ELISA)测定各组培养上清液IFN-γ的表达量,采用实时荧光定量PCR(Q-PCR)检测各组IFN-γ mRNA的表达情况,应用基于半定量PCR和Q-PCR的染色质免疫共沉淀(ChIP)技术检测各组细胞 IFN-γ 启动子区乙酰化组蛋白H3、H4(acH3, acH4)及启动子区结合RNA聚合酶Ⅱ(RNAPⅡ)的水平。结果: (1)MRL/lpr狼疮鼠PBS组IFN-γ的分泌和IFN-γ mRNA的表达均高于C57BL/6J小鼠PBS组(分别P<0.01和 P<0.05),并且 IFN-γ 启动子区acH3、acH4的水平及启动子区域富集RNAPⅡ水平高于C57BL/6J小鼠PBS组(均P<0.01)。(2)在MRL/lpr狼疮鼠中,与PBS组相比,ATO组IFN-γ的分泌和IFN-γ mRNA的表达下降(分别P<0.01, P<0.05),IFN-γ基因启动子区域acH3、acH4的水平及启动子区域富集RNAPⅡ水平也下降(均P<0.01)。(3)在C57BL/6J小鼠中,PBS组和ATO组之间以上指标均无差异。结论: ATO下调MRL/lpr狼疮鼠IFN-γ的分泌和IFN-γ mRNA的表达可能是通过降低基因启动子区域acH3、acH4的水平减弱了RNAPⅡ依赖的转录,而ATO对正常C57BL/6J小鼠无明显影响。     

Global histone modification pattern associated with recurrence and disease-free survival in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Global histone modification patterns are presumed to establish epigenetic patterns of gene expression and determine the biology of the cell. In the present study, the global modification status of histone H3 and H4 was evaluated in 408 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues by immunostaining. NSCLC showed variable staining scores for each antibody. Clinicopathological analyses demonstrated a positive correlation between weak nuclear staining for H3K9Ac (P < 0.001), H3K9TriMe (P= 0.001), H4K16Ac (P < 0.001) and tumor recurrence except H4K20 TriMe (P= 0.201). Staining scores of four different antibodies were not correlated with other clinicopathologic variables. Patients were further clustered according to histone modification patterns: acetylation dominant, methylation dominant, co-dominant and modification-negative. The acetylation-dominant group (P= 0.009) and co-dominant group exhibited less frequent lymph node metastasis (P= 0.050), recurrence (P= 0.002) and distant metastasis (P= 0.010). The acetylation-dominant group showed better prognosis in survival analysis (P < 0.001, log-rank), whereas methylation-dominant and modification-negative status was associated with poor prognosis. In conclusion, our data suggest that global histone H3 and H4 modification patterns are potential markers of tumor recurrence and disease-free survival in NSCLC patients.     

曲古菌素A对HL-60细胞组蛋白乙酰化水平和凋亡的作用

本研究旨在探讨曲古菌素A(trichostatinA ,TSA)高效低毒的抗癌机理。应用细胞培养、MTT法 ,免疫细胞化学技术和Annexin V FITC PI双标流式细胞术观察TSA对HL 6 0细胞和正常人外周血单个核细胞 (normalhumanperipheralbloodmononuclearcell,NPBMNC)的生长抑制 ,组蛋白乙酰化水平以及诱导凋亡的影响。结果表明 :TSA能够以时间、剂量依赖性方式抑制HL 6 0细胞增殖 ,36小时IC50 为 10 0ng ml。TSA能够诱导HL 6 0细胞凋亡 ,其作用也呈时间、剂量依赖性。TSA在显著诱导HL 6 0细胞凋亡的浓度和时间范围内对NPBMNC无明显的诱导凋亡作用。TSA处理 4小时后 ,HL 6 0细胞和NPBMNC组蛋白乙酰化水平上调显著高于未用TSA各组 (P<0 .0 5 ) ,但两者之间无显著性差异 (P >0 .0 5 )。结论 :TSA对HL 6 0细胞有明确的抑制增殖能力 ;TSA有明确的诱导HL 6 0细胞凋亡的能力 ,这可能是TSA体外抑制白血病细胞系HL 6 0生长和发挥抗白血病作用的主要机理之一 ;与NPBMNC相比较 ,TSA能够选择性诱导HL 6 0细胞凋亡 ;TSA选择性抑制HL 6 0细胞的机理与TSA调控HL 6 0细胞和NPBMNC组蛋白乙酰化水平的差异无关。     

Epigenetic reprogramming in breast cancer: From new targets to new therapies

Abstract

Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer death among women in the United States. Recently, interest has grown in the role of epigenetics in breast cancer development and progression. Epigenetic changes such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, and abnormal expression of non-coding RNAs emerged as novel biomarkers in breast cancer diagnosis, therapy, and prevention. This review focuses on the most recent mechanistic findings underlying epigenetic changes in breast cancer development and their role as predictors of breast cancer risk. The rapid progress in our understanding of epigenetic findings in breast cancer has opened new avenues for potential therapeutic approaches via identification of epigenetic targets. We highlight the development of novel epigenetically targeted drugs, relevant clinical trials in breast cancer patients, and recent approaches combining epigenetic agents with chemotherapy and/or endocrine therapy that may incrementally improve long-term outcomes in appropriately selected breast cancer patients. Biomarkers of response are needed, however, to identify patient subsets that are most likely to benefit from epigenetic treatment strategies.