DNA羟甲基化修饰在消化系统肿瘤中的研究进展

DNA羟甲基化修饰是基因组表观遗传学的重要调控方式,指5-甲基胞嘧啶(5-m C)在TET蛋白家族的催化作用下氧化生成5-羟甲基胞嘧啶(5-hm C),完成DNA胞嘧啶的去甲基化过程。基因组甲基化异常导致了多种肿瘤的发生,羟甲基化修饰作为去甲基化的一种,同样与肿瘤发生密不可分。在消化系统肿瘤发生发展过程中存在5-hm C含量的变化,其原因可能与TET蛋白家族、IDH突变等密切相关,提示DNA羟甲基化修饰参与了消化系统肿瘤的发生发展过程。本文围绕DNA羟甲基化修饰与消化系统肿瘤之间的关系进行综述,旨在为消化系统肿瘤羟甲基化修饰研究提供新方向。     

肝癌表观遗传学研究进展

肝细胞癌是原发性肝癌的主要类型,也是恶性程度最高的肿瘤之一．目前人们对肝癌的发病机制并不十分清楚．研究表明,由遗传学和表观遗传学改变弓『起的原癌基因的活化和抑癌基因的灭活而引起细胞恶性改变是肿瘤发生的核心生物学过程．过去人们普遍认为遗传学上的基因突变是肿瘤发病机制中的关键事件,尤其是抑癌基因的体细胞突变与肿瘤的发生有着密切的关系．但是,近年来随着对肿瘤认识的深入,人们发现DNA序列以外的调控机制（即表观遗传学）异常在肿瘤的发生、发展过程中也起到非常重要的作用．表观遗传学机制包括：DNA甲基化修饰,组蛋白修饰,非编码RNAs（包括microRNA）,染色质重塑等．其中,DNA甲基化和microRNA与肝癌发生的关系是得到最为深入研究的表观遗传学机制．本文将结合本课题组的研究重点,综述DNA甲基化和microRNA在肝癌研究中的进展．     

表观遗传修饰与肿瘤

肿瘤的形成受遗传学修饰和表观遗传修饰的影响。长期以来人们一直认为基因突变参与肿瘤的形成,近年来越来越多的证据表明,表观遗传修饰在肿瘤进展中同样具有非常重要的作用。表观遗传调控可以影响基因转录活性而不涉及DNA序列的改变。本文介绍了肿瘤发生发展过程中出现的表观遗传修饰异常,以及通过干预表观遗传修饰治疗肿瘤的应用前景。     

硫氧还蛋白的共价修饰

硫氧还蛋白是细胞中普遍存在的低分子量蛋白质,为生物体所必需。硫氧还蛋白、硫氧还蛋白还原酶和烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷磷酸组成硫氧还蛋白系统,调节细胞的氧化还原状态。硫氧还蛋白不仅维持细胞的氧化还原平衡,还具有抗凋亡及促进细胞增殖等功能。原核细胞的硫氧还蛋白仅含有两个半胱氨酸残基,真核细胞的硫氧还蛋白除了活性中心的两个半胱氨酸残基外,通常还有另外的半胱氨酸残基。这些半胱氨酸残基的共价修饰使硫氧还蛋白具有了更丰富的功能。硫氧还蛋白的共价修饰包括谷胱甘肽化、巯基氧化、亚硝基化和烷基化。     

组蛋白SUMO化与肿瘤

随着对肿瘤研究的不断深入,人们逐渐认识到几乎所有人类肿瘤都是由表观遗传学异常与基因突变共同引起并促进其演变的。表观遗传学改变主要包括DNA甲基化程度的改变和组蛋白修饰两种类型。其中组蛋白修饰的改变与许多基因表达失调有密切的关系,因此在肿瘤的发生发展中起着重要的作用。在组蛋白各种修饰类型中,组蛋白甲基化和乙酰化修饰在基因转录调控过程中的作用及其与肿瘤发生、发展之间的关系已经较为清楚。然而,人们对于组蛋白SUMO化修饰在基因表达调控和肿瘤形成过程中所发挥的具体作用尚无深入的了解。本文根据最新的相关文献对该问题作一综述。     

硫氧还蛋白结合蛋白-2在糖和脂代谢中的作用

硫氧还蛋白结合蛋白-2(thioredoxin binding protein-2,TBP-2)属于硫氧还蛋白结合蛋白家族成员,与还原型硫氧还蛋白结合,抑制其还原活性。在生物体内,TBP-2不但参与细胞内的氧化还原调节,还具有调节细胞生长繁殖和促进细胞凋亡的作用。TBP-2在葡萄糖和脂肪代谢中的作用被广泛研究。TBP-2高表达时,胰岛细胞凋亡,与糖尿病发生相关;而TBP-2缺失,与高脂血症发病有关。本文综述了TBP-2在糖脂代谢中的作用。     

肿瘤表观基因组学研究进展

多年来遗传学改变一直是肿瘤研究的焦点,近来人们越来越认识到异常表观遗传修饰在肿瘤形成中所起的重要作用。表观遗传修饰包括DNA甲基化、组蛋白修饰等,其变异会导致基因转录异常。表观基因组学是在基因组水平上对表观遗传学改变的研究。文章主要介绍目前已知的肿瘤表观基因组学相关内容,阐述表观遗传修饰与肿瘤的紧密关系及异常表观遗传修饰作为生物标记在肿瘤诊断、预后及治疗方面的最新研究进展。     

组蛋白赖氨酸修饰相关蛋白的鉴定研究

组蛋白翻译后修饰(Histone post-translational modifications,HPTMs)是表观遗传学研究的重要内容之一,其中组蛋白赖氨酸修饰在调控酶的作用下动态变化,一方面改变了组蛋白与DNA的作用关系,一方面招募结合蛋白(readers),进而调控基因转录。这些组蛋白赖氨酸修饰相关蛋白蕴含着重要的生物学信息,它们的鉴定是理解其功能,解析表观遗传机制的关键。本文就基于质谱的蛋白质组学技术,评述了组蛋白赖氨酸修饰相关蛋白的分析方法和应用研究。     

表观遗传学研究进展

表观遗传学是在基因组DNA序列不发生变化的条件下,基因表达发生的改变也是可以遗传的,导致可遗传的表现型变化。表观遗传学主要包括DNA甲基化作用、组蛋白修饰作用、染色质重塑、遗传印记、随机染色体(X)失活及RNA世界等。与表观遗传学相关的疾病主要有肿瘤、心血管病、精神病和自身免疫系统性病等。现就表观遗传学与疾病进行综述。     

谷氧还蛋白系统及其对细胞氧化还原态势的调控

细胞内氧化还原调控主要是由谷氧还蛋白系统和硫氧还蛋白系统完成。谷氧还蛋白属于硫氧还蛋白超家族,广泛分布在各种生物体内。作为一种巯基转移酶,它能够催化巯基．二硫键交换反应或者还原蛋白质谷胱甘肽二硫化物,以维持胞内的氧化还原态势。谷氧蛋白系统参与氧化胁迫、蛋白修饰、信号转导、细胞调亡和细胞分化等多种生物过程。对其体内作用靶蛋白的研究,有助于阐明谷氧还蛋白在整个细胞氧化还原网络的重要调控作用。     

Mitochondrial alteration in type 2 diabetes and obesity: An epigenetic link

The growing epidemic of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity is largely attributed to the current lifestyle of over-consumption and physical inactivity. As the primary platform controlling metabolic and energy homeostasis, mitochondria show aberrant changes in T2DM and obese subjects. While the underlying mechanism is under extensive investigation, epigenetic regulation is now emerging to play an important role in mitochondrial biogenesis, function, and dynamics. In line with lifestyle modifications preventing mitochondrial alterations and metabolic disorders, exercise has been shown to change DNA methylation of the promoter of PGC1α to favor gene expression responsible for mitochondrial biogenesis and function. In this article we discuss the epigenetic mechanism of mitochondrial alteration in T2DM and obesity, and the effects of lifestyle on epigenetic regulation. Future studies designed to further explore and integrate the epigenetic mechanisms with lifestyle modification may lead to interdisciplinary interventions and novel preventive options for mitochondrial alteration and metabolic disorders.     

Neisseria meningitidis transferrin-binding protein 1 expressed in Escherichia coli is surface exposed and binds human transferrin

Abstract A gene library of Neisseria meningitidis B15 P1.16 DNA was established in λ Zap II and clones containing DNA encoding transferrin binding protein 1 (TBP-1) identified following hybridisation with a 63-bp DNA probe based on the codon assignment for the first 21 N-terminal amino acids of TBP-1. Sequencing of the cloned DNA demonstrated that all of the intergenic DNA (i.e. upstream of bp-1 running through to the 3' end of the transferrin-binding protein 2 gene) and approx. 15% of tbp-1 had been cloned. The complete gene was generated using a polymerase chain reaction, with the primer for the 3' end being based on tbp-A of N. gonorrhoeae , and the approx. 2.9-kb DNA product cloned into pGem-3Z. The expressed protein (approx. 100 kDa) reacted with antiserum to an N-terminal peptide of TBP-1. In addition, the native product was surface-expressed by Escherichia coli and bound human transferrin.     

Epigenetics: the study of embryonic stem cells by restriction landmark genomic scanning

During mammalian development, it is essential that the proper epigenetic state is established across the entire genome in each differentiated cell. To date, little is known about the mechanism for establishing epigenetic modifications of individual genes during the course of cellular differentiation. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of embryonic stem cells by restriction landmark genomic scanning provides information about cell type- and tissue-specific DNA methylation profiles at tissue-specific methylated regions associated with developmental processes. It also sheds light on DNA methylation alterations following fetal exposure to chemical agents. In addition, analysis of embryonic stem cells deficient in epigenetic regulators will contribute to revealing the mechanism for establishing DNA methylation profiles and the interplay between DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications.     

Cooperative DNA and histone binding by Uhrf2 links the two major repressive epigenetic pathways

Gene expression is regulated by DNA as well as histone modifications but the crosstalk and mechanistic link between these epigenetic signals are still poorly understood. Here we investigate the multi-domain protein Uhrf2 that is similar to Uhrf1, an essential cofactor of maintenance DNA methylation. Binding assays demonstrate a cooperative interplay of Uhrf2 domains that induces preference for hemimethylated DNA, the substrate of maintenance methylation, and enhances binding to H3K9me3 heterochromatin marks. FRAP analyses revealed that localization and binding dynamics of Uhrf2 in vivo require an intact tandem Tudor domain and depend on H3K9 trimethylation but not on DNA methylation. Besides the cooperative DNA and histone binding that is characteristic for Uhrf2, we also found an opposite expression pattern of uhrf1 and uhrf2 during differentiation. While uhrf1 is mainly expressed in pluripotent stem cells, uhrf2 is upregulated during differentiation and highly expressed in differentiated mouse tissues. Ectopic expression of Uhrf2 in uhrf1(-/-) embryonic stem cells did not restore DNA methylation at major satellites indicating functional differences. We propose that the cooperative interplay of Uhrf2 domains may contribute to a tighter epigenetic control of gene expression in differentiated cells.     

DNA损伤修复过程表观遗传学改变

多种化学、物理及生物因素可诱发细胞DNA损伤,损伤后DNA损伤位点被相关损伤感受器识别,激活相应的修复通路进行DNA修复。越来越多的证据表明DNA甲基化状态、蛋白翻译后修饰、染色质重塑、miRNA等修饰方式参与了DNA的损伤修复。文章通过不同损伤修复通路中这些修饰的特点,阐述表观遗传学改变在DNA损伤修复发展过程中的作用机制。     

Thioredoxin-binding protein-2 (TBP-2): its potential roles in the aging process

Thioredoxin (TRX) binding protein-2 (TBP-2), a negative regulator of TRX, is involved in intracellular redox regulation and cellular growth. The expression of TBP-2 is frequently lost in tumor cell lines and tissues, whereas the ectopic expression of TBP-2 suppresses cellular proliferation along with cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. TBP-2 was also reported to be a cellular senescence-associated gene. Besides the retardation of cellular growth, the reduction of white adipose, and alteration of the energy pathway are involved in several features of the aging process. We have generated TBP-2 genetically modified mice and found that TBP-2 is closely linked to lipid metabolism. Indeed, TBP-2 has been suggesting to be related to familial combined hyperlipidemia analyzed by a spontaneous mutant mouse strain. As lipid metabolism is one of the most primitive sources of energy production, we discussed the possible roles of TBP-2 in the regulation of energy utilization connected to the aging process.     

Developmental consequences of imprinting of parental chromosomes by DNA methylation

Genomic imprinting by epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation, confers functional differences on parental chromosomes during development so that neither the male nor the female genome is by itself totipotential. We propose that maternal chromosomes are needed at the time when embryonic cells are totipotential or pluripotential, but paternal chromosomes are probably required for the proliferation of progenitor cells of differentiated tissues. Selective elimination or proliferation of embryonic cells may occur if there is an imbalance in the parental origin of some alleles. The inheritance of repressed and derepressed chromatin structures probably constitutes the initial germ-line-dependent 'imprints'. The subsequent modifications, such as changes in DNA methylation during early development, will be affected by the initial inheritance of epigenetic modifications and by the genotype-specific modifier genes. A significant number of transgene inserts are prone to reversible methylation imprinting so that paternally transmitted transgenes are undermethylated, whereas maternal transmission results in hypermethylation. Hence, allelic differences in epigenetic modifications can affect their potential for expression. The germ line evidently reverses the previously acquired epigenetic modifications before the introduction of new modifications. Errors in the reversal process could result in the transmission of epigenetic modifications to subsequent generation(s) with consequent cumulative phenotypic and grandparental effects.     

Position effect variegation and epigenetic modification of a transgene in a pig model

Sequences proximal to transgene integration sites are able to regulate transgene expression, resulting in complex position effect variegation. Position effect variegation can cause differences in epigenetic modifications, such as DNA methylation and histone acetylation. However, it is not known which factor, position effect or epigenetic modification, plays a more important role in the regulation of transgene expression. We analyzed transgene expression patterns and epigenetic modifications of transgenic pigs expressing green fluorescent protein, driven by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter. DNA hypermethylation and loss of acetylation of specific histone H3 and H4 lysines, except H4K16 acetylation in the CMV promoter, were consistent with a low level of transgene expression. Moreover, the degree of DNA methylation and histone H3/H4 acetylation in the promoter region depended on the integration site; consequently, position effect variegation caused variations in epigenetic modifications. The transgenic pig fibroblast cell lines were treated with DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine and/or histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A. Transgene expression was promoted by reversing the DNA hypermethylation and histone hypoacetylation status. The differences in DNA methylation and histone acetylation in the CMV promoter region in these cell lines were not significant; however, significant differences in transgene expression were detected, demonstrating that variegation of transgene expression is affected by the integration site. We conclude that in this pig model, position effect variegation affects transgene expression.