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Biology of Reproduction Jun 2024Ovarian theca cells produce testosterone, which acts as a vital precursor substance for synthesizing estrogens during follicular development. Nerve growth factor (NGF)...
Ovarian theca cells produce testosterone, which acts as a vital precursor substance for synthesizing estrogens during follicular development. Nerve growth factor (NGF) has been shown to participate in reproductive physiology, specifically to follicular development and ovulation. There is currently no available data on the impact of NGF on testosterone synthesis in porcine theca cells. Furthermore, m6A modification is the most common internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs that are closely associated with female gametogenesis, follicle development, ovulation, and other related processes. It is also uncertain whether the three main enzymes associated with m6A, such as Writers, Erasers and Readers, play a role in this process. The present study, with an in vitro culture model, investigated the effect of NGF on testosterone synthesis in porcine theca cells and the role of Writers-METTL14 in this process. It was found that NGF activates the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through METTL14, which regulates testosterone synthesis in porcine theca cells. This study will help to further elucidate the mechanisms by which NGF regulates follicular development and provide new therapeutic targets for ovary-related diseases in female animals.
PubMed: 38938081
DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae105 -
The Role of N6-methyladenosine Modification in Gametogenesis and Embryogenesis: Impact on Fertility.Genomics, Proteomics & Bioinformatics Jun 2024The most common epigenetic modification of messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) is N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which is mainly located near the 3' untranslated region of...
The most common epigenetic modification of messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) is N6-methyladenosine (m6A), which is mainly located near the 3' untranslated region of mRNAs, near the stop codons, and within internal exons. The biological effect of m6A is dynamically modified by methyltransferases (writers), demethylases (erasers), and m6A-binding proteins (readers). By controlling post-transcriptional gene expression, m6A has a significant impact on numerous biological functions, including RNA transcription, translation, splicing, transport, and degradation. Hence, m6A influences various physiological and pathological processes, such as spermatogenesis, oogenesis, embryogenesis, placental function, and human reproductive system diseases. During gametogenesis and embryogenesis, genetic material undergoes significant changes, including epigenomic modifications such as m6A. From spermatogenesis and oogenesis to the formation of an oosperm and early embryogenesis, m6A changes occur at every step. m6A abnormalities can lead to gamete abnormalities, developmental delays, impaired fertilization, and maternal-to-zygotic transition blockage. Both mice and humans with abnormal m6A modifications exhibit impaired fertility. In this review, we discuss the dynamic biological effects of m6A and its regulators on gamete and embryonic development and review the possible mechanisms of infertility caused by m6A changes. We also discuss the drugs currently used to manipulate m6A and provide prospects for the prevention and treatment of infertility at the epigenetic level.
PubMed: 38937660
DOI: 10.1093/gpbjnl/qzae050 -
Communications Chemistry Jun 2024Epigenetic processes influence health and disease through mechanisms which alter gene expression. In contrast to genetic changes which affect DNA sequences, epigenetic...
Epigenetic processes influence health and disease through mechanisms which alter gene expression. In contrast to genetic changes which affect DNA sequences, epigenetic marks include DNA base modifications or post-translational modification (PTM) of proteins. Histone methylation is a prominent and versatile example of an epigenetic marker: gene expression or silencing is dependent on the location and extent of the methylation. Protein methyltransferases exhibit functional redundancy and broad preferences for multiple histone residues, which presents a challenge for the study of their individual activities. We developed an isotopically labelled analogue of co-factor S-adenosyl-L-methionine (CD-BrSAM), with selectivity for the histone lysine methyltransferase DOT1L, permitting tracking of methylation activity by mass spectrometry (MS). This concept could be applied to other methyltransferases, linking PTM discovery to enzymatic mediators.
PubMed: 38937590
DOI: 10.1038/s42004-024-01227-x -
Discover Oncology Jun 2024Acute myeloid leukemia, constituting a majority of leukemias, grapples with a 24% 5-year survival rate. Recent strides in research have unveiled fresh targets for drug...
BACKGROUND
Acute myeloid leukemia, constituting a majority of leukemias, grapples with a 24% 5-year survival rate. Recent strides in research have unveiled fresh targets for drug therapies. LIM-only, a pivotal transcription factor within LIM proteins, oversees cell development and is implicated in tumor formation. Among these critical LIM proteins, CSRP1, a Cysteine-rich protein, emerges as a significant player in various diseases. Despite its recognition as a potential prognostic factor and therapeutic target in various cancers, the specific link between CSRP1 and acute myeloid leukemia remains unexplored. Our previous work, identifying CSRP1 in a prognostic model for AML patients, instigates a dedicated exploration into the nuanced role of CSRP1 in acute myeloid leukemia.
METHODS
R tool was conducted to analyze the public data. qPCR was applied to evaluate the expression of CSRP1 mRNA for clinical samples and cell line. Unpaired t test, Wilcoxon Rank Sum test, KM curves, spearman correlation test and Pearson correlation test were included in this study.
RESULTS
CSRP1 displays notable expression variations between normal and tumor samples in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). It stands out as an independent prognostic factor for AML patients, showing correlations with clinical factors like age and cytogenetics risk. Additionally, CSRP1 correlates with immune-related pathways, immune cells, and immune checkpoints in AML. Furthermore, the alteration of CSRP1 mRNA levels is observed upon treatment with a DNMT1 inhibitor for THP1 cells.
CONCLUSION
The CSRP1 has potential as a novel prognostic factor and appears to influence the immune response in acute myeloid leukemia. Additionally, there is an observed association between CSRP1 and DNA methylation in acute myeloid leukemia.
PubMed: 38937285
DOI: 10.1007/s12672-024-01088-9 -
Journal of Medical Genetics Jun 2024Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS; OMIM 615879), also known as DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha ()-overgrowth syndrome (DOS), was first described by Tatton-Brown in 2014....
BACKGROUND
Tatton-Brown-Rahman syndrome (TBRS; OMIM 615879), also known as DNA methyltransferase 3 alpha ()-overgrowth syndrome (DOS), was first described by Tatton-Brown in 2014. This syndrome is characterised by overgrowth, intellectual disability and distinctive facial features and is the consequence of germline loss-of-function variants in , which encodes a DNA methyltransferase involved in epigenetic regulation. Somatic variants of are frequently observed in haematological malignancies, including acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). To date, 100 individuals with TBRS with de novo germline variants have been described. We aimed to further characterise this disorder clinically and at the molecular level in a nationwide series of 24 French patients and to investigate the correlation between the severity of intellectual disability and the type of variant.
METHODS
We collected genetic and medical information from 24 individuals with TBRS using a questionnaire released through the French National AnDDI-Rares Network.
RESULTS
Here, we describe the first nationwide French cohort of 24 individuals with germline likely pathogenic/pathogenic variants in , including 17 novel variants. We confirmed that the main phenotypic features were intellectual disability (100% of individuals), distinctive facial features (96%) and overgrowth (87%). We highlighted novel clinical features, such as hypertrichosis, and further described the neurological features and EEG results.
CONCLUSION
This study of a nationwide cohort of individuals with TBRS confirms previously published data and provides additional information and clarifies clinical features to facilitate diagnosis and improve care. This study adds value to the growing body of knowledge on TBRS and broadens its clinical and molecular spectrum.
PubMed: 38937076
DOI: 10.1136/jmg-2024-110031 -
Molecular Cell Jun 2024The bacterial world offers diverse strains for understanding medical and environmental processes and for engineering synthetic biological chassis. However, genetically...
The bacterial world offers diverse strains for understanding medical and environmental processes and for engineering synthetic biological chassis. However, genetically manipulating these strains has faced a long-standing bottleneck: how to efficiently transform DNA. Here, we report imitating methylation patterns rapidly in TXTL (IMPRINT), a generalized, rapid, and scalable approach based on cell-free transcription-translation (TXTL) to overcome DNA restriction, a prominent barrier to transformation. IMPRINT utilizes TXTL to express DNA methyltransferases from a bacterium's restriction-modification systems. The expressed methyltransferases then methylate DNA in vitro to match the bacterium's DNA methylation pattern, circumventing restriction and enhancing transformation. With IMPRINT, we efficiently multiplex methylation by diverse DNA methyltransferases and enhance plasmid transformation in gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. We also develop a high-throughput pipeline that identifies the most consequential methyltransferases, and we apply IMPRINT to screen a ribosome-binding site library in a hard-to-transform Bifidobacterium. Overall, IMPRINT can enhance DNA transformation, enabling the use of sophisticated genetic manipulation tools across the bacterial world.
PubMed: 38936361
DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.06.003 -
Science (New York, N.Y.) Jun 2024Prion disease is caused by misfolding of the prion protein (PrP) into pathogenic self-propagating conformations, leading to rapid-onset dementia and death. However,...
Prion disease is caused by misfolding of the prion protein (PrP) into pathogenic self-propagating conformations, leading to rapid-onset dementia and death. However, elimination of endogenous PrP halts prion disease progression. In this study, we describe Coupled Histone tail for Autoinhibition Release of Methyltransferase (CHARM), a compact, enzyme-free epigenetic editor capable of silencing transcription through programmable DNA methylation. Using a histone H3 tail-Dnmt3l fusion, CHARM recruits and activates endogenous DNA methyltransferases, thereby reducing transgene size and cytotoxicity. When delivered to the mouse brain by systemic injection of adeno-associated virus (AAV), -targeted CHARM ablates PrP expression across the brain. Furthermore, we have temporally limited editor expression by implementing a kinetically tuned self-silencing approach. CHARM potentially represents a broadly applicable strategy to suppress pathogenic proteins, including those implicated in other neurodegenerative diseases.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Mice; Brain; Dependovirus; DNA (Cytosine-5-)-Methyltransferases; DNA Methylation; Gene Silencing; Histones; Prion Diseases; Prion Proteins; Transgenes
PubMed: 38935715
DOI: 10.1126/science.ado7082 -
International Journal of Cancer Jun 2024Protein function alteration and protein mislocalization are cancer hallmarks that drive oncogenesis. N-methyladenosine (mA) deposition mediated by METTL3, METTL16, and... (Review)
Review
Protein function alteration and protein mislocalization are cancer hallmarks that drive oncogenesis. N-methyladenosine (mA) deposition mediated by METTL3, METTL16, and METTL5 together with the contribution of additional subunits of the mA system, has shown a dramatic impact on cancer development. However, the cellular localization of mA proteins inside tumor cells has been little studied so far. Interestingly, recent evidence indicates that mA methyltransferases are not always confined to the nucleus, suggesting that epitranscriptomic factors may also have multiple oncogenic roles beyond mA that still represent an unexplored field. To date novel epigenetic drugs targeting mA modifiers, such as METTL3 inhibitors, are entering into clinical trials, therefore, the study of the potential onco-properties of mA effectors beyond mA is required. Here we will provide an overview of methylation-independent functions of the mA players in cancer, describing the molecular mechanisms involved and the future implications for therapeutics.
PubMed: 38935523
DOI: 10.1002/ijc.35067 -
Gynecologic and Obstetric Investigation Jun 2024Endometriosis (EMs) commonly occurs in reproductive women. We explored the mechanism of methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) on human endometriotic stromal cell (ESC;...
OBJECTIVE
Endometriosis (EMs) commonly occurs in reproductive women. We explored the mechanism of methyltransferase-like 14 (METTL14) on human endometriotic stromal cell (ESC; HEM15A) proliferation, migration and invasion, to provide novel therapy for EMs.
METHODS
HEM15A and human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were cultured in vitro. HEM15A cells were treated with oe-METTL14 and oe-zinc finger E-box-binding protein 1 (ZEB1) plasmids, N6-methyladenosine (m6A) inhibitor 3-deazaadenosine (3-DAA) and the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway inhibitor isoprenaline (ISO). After identifying HEM15A and HESCs, METTL14, ZEB1, p-ERK1/2/ERK1/2 and p-MEK/MEK levels, and cell proliferation, migration and invasion were assessed. The modification sites of ZEB1 and m6A were predicted using SRAMP database, with m6A modification level assessed by MeRIP. The binding of YT521-B homology domain 2 (YTHDF2) to ZEB1 messenger RNA (mRNA), and ZEB1 stability and mRNA level were tested.
RESULTS
Compared with HESCs, METTL14 level in HEM15A was significantly reduced. METTL14 overexpression in HEM15A prominently increased its proliferation, migration and invasion. METTL14 overexpression notably elecated m6A-methylated ZEB1 mRNA level and reduced the stability and expression of ZEB1 mRNA. Further m6A modification inhibition increased ZEB1 mRNA stability and mRNA and protein levels, and decreased ZEB1 m6A modification level. ZEB1 upregulation partially reversed METTL14 overexpression-inhibited HEM15A proliferation, migration and invasion. METTL14 inhibited the MEK/ERK signaling activation by regulating ZEB1, and the MEK/ERK signaling activation partly averted METTL14-suppressed proliferation, migration and invasion.
CONCLUSION
METTL14 lowered ZEB1 expression by regulating ZEB1 m6A modification levels, thereby inhibiting the MEK/ERK pathway activation and ESC proliferation, migration and invasion.
PubMed: 38934184
DOI: 10.1159/000539656 -
F1000Research 2023The risk of recurrence after nephrectomy for primary clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is estimated in daily practice solely based on clinical criteria. The aim of...
BACKGROUND
The risk of recurrence after nephrectomy for primary clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is estimated in daily practice solely based on clinical criteria. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic relevance of common somatic mutations with respect to tumor aggressiveness and outcomes of ccRCC patients after definitive treatment.
METHODS
Primary tumors from 37 patients with ccRCC who underwent radical nephrectomy were analyzed for presence of somatic mutations using a 15-gene targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) panel. Associations to histopathologic characteristics and outcomes were investigated in the study cohort (n=37) and validated in The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) ccRCC cohort (n=451).
RESULTS
was the most frequently mutated gene (51%), followed by (27%), (13%), (13%), (5%), (5%), (5%), and (3%). One-third of patients did not have any somatic mutations within the 15-gene panel. The vast majority of tumors harboring no mutations at all or VHL-only mutations (51%) were more frequently of smaller size (pT1-2) and earlier stage (I/II), whereas presence of any other gene mutations in various combinations with or without was enriched in larger (pT3) and higher stage tumors (III) (p=0.02). No recurrences were noted in patients with unmutated tumors or -only mutations as opposed to three relapses in patients with non- somatic mutations (p=0.06). Presence of somatic mutations in , or genes in 451 TCGA ccRCC patients was associated with a significantly shorter disease-free survival (DFS) compared to those with unaltered tumors (q=0.01).
CONCLUSIONS
Preliminary findings from this ongoing study support the prognostic value of non- mutations including , and in primary ccRCC tumors as surrogates of earlier recurrence and potential selection for adjuvant immune checkpoint inhibition.
Topics: Humans; Carcinoma, Renal Cell; Male; Female; Kidney Neoplasms; Middle Aged; Mutation; Aged; Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Tumor Suppressor Proteins; Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins; Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein; Prognosis; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; Adult; Transcription Factors; Aged, 80 and over; Nuclear Proteins; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; DNA-Binding Proteins; Histone Demethylases
PubMed: 38933491
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.136087.2