Coordinated transcription of ANRIL and P16 genes is silenced by P16 DNA methylation

Objective： To investigate the relationship between the transcription of ANRIL, P15, P14 and P16 at the same locus and the regulation mechanism of ANRIL.Methods： Publicly available database of Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia（CCLE） was used in bioinformatic analyses. Methylation of Cp G islands was detected by denaturing high performance liquid chromatography（DHPLC）. Gene transcript levels were determined using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction（q RTPCR） assays. An engineered P16-specific transcription factor and DNA methyltransferase were used to induce P16-specific DNA demethylation and methylation.Results： The expression level of ANRIL was positively and significantly correlated with that of P16 but not with that of P15 in the CCLE database. This was confirmed in human cell lines and patient colon tissue samples. In addition, ANRIL was significantly upregulated in colon cancer tissues. Transcription of ANRIL and P16 was observed only in cell lines in which the P16 alleles were unmethylated and not in cell lines with fully methylated P16 alleles.Notably, P16-specific methylation significantly decreased transcription of P16 and ANRIL in BGC823 and GES1 cells. In contrast, P16-specific demethylation re-activated transcription of ANRIL and P16 in H1299 cells（P〈0.001）.Alteration of ANRIL expression was not induced by P16 expression changes.Conclusions： ANRIL and P16 are coordinately transcribed in human cells and regulated by the methylation status of the P16 Cp G islands around the transcription start site.

Poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation of Apoptosis Antagonizing Transcription Factor Involved in Hydroquinone-Induced DNA Damage Response

The molecular mechanism of DNA damage induced by hydroquinone （HQ） remains unclear. Poly（ADP-ribose） polymerase-1 （PARP-1） usually works as a DNA damage sensor, and hence, it is possible that PARP-1 is involved in the DNA damage response induced by HQ. In TK6 cells treated with HQ, PARP activity as well as the expression of apoptosis antagonizing transcription factor （AATF）, PARP-1, and phosphorylated H2AX （v-H2AX） were maximum at 0.5 h, 6 h, 3 h, and 3 h, respectively. To explore the detailed mechanisms underlying the prompt DNA repair reaction, the above indicators were investigated in PARP-l-silenced cells. PARP activity and expression of AATF and PARP-1 decreased to 36%, 32%, and 33%, respectively, in the cells; however, y-H2AX expression increased to 265%. Co-immunoprecipitation （co-IP） assays were employed to determine whether PARP-1 and AATF formed protein complexes. The interaction between these proteins together with the results from IP assays and confocal microscopy indicated that poly（ADP-ribosyl）ation {PARylation） regulated AATF expression, in conclusion, PARP-1 was involved in the DNA damage repair induced by HQ via increasing the accumulation of AATF through PARylation.

Methylation profile of bovine Oct4 gene coding region in relation to three germ layers

Previous studies have shown that octamer-binding transcription factor 4（Oct4） plays a significant role in early embryonic development of mammalian animals, and different Oct4 expression levels induce multi-lineage differentiation which are regulated by DNA methylation. To explore the relationship between the methylation pattern of Oct4 gene exon 1 and embryonic development, in this work, five different tissues（heart, liver, lung, cerebrum and cerebellum） from three germ layers were chosen from low age（50–60 d） and advanced age（60–70 d） of fetal cattle and the differences between tissues or ages were analyzed, respectively. The result showed that the DNA methylation level of Oct4 gene exon 1 was significant different（P〈0.01） between any two of three germ layers in low age（〈60 d）, but kept steady of advanced age（P〉0.05）（〉60 d）, suggesting that 60-d post coital was an important boundary for embryonic development. In addition, in ectoderm（cerebrum and cerebellum）, there was no significant methylation difference of Oct4 gene exon 1 between low age and advanced age（P〉0.05）, but the result of endoderm（liver and lung） and mesoderm（heart） were on the contrary（P〈0.01）, which indicated the development of ectoderm was earlier than endoderm and mesoderm. The methylation differences from the 3rd, 5th and 9th Cp G-dinucleotide loci of Oct4 gene exon 1 were significantly different between each two of three germ layers（P〈0.05）, indicating that these three loci may have important influence on bovine embryonic development. This study showed that bovine germ layers differentiation was significantly related to the DNA methylation status of Oct4 gene exon 1. This work firstly identified the DNA methylation profile of bovine Oct4 gene exon 1 and its association with germ layers development in fetus and adult of cattle. Moreover, the work also provided epigenetic information for further studying bovine embryonic development and cellular reprogramming.

Characteristics of mRNA dynamic expression related to spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury:a transcriptomics study

Following spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury,an endogenous damage system is immediately activated and participates in a cascade reaction.It is difficult to interpret dynamic changes in these pathways,but the examination of the transcriptome may provide some information.The transcriptome reflects highly dynamic genomic and genetic information and can be seen as a precursor for the proteome.We used DNA microarrays to measure the expression levels of dynamic evolution-related m RNA after spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury in rats.The abdominal aorta was blocked with a vascular clamp for 90 minutes and underwent reperfusion for 24 and 48 hours.The simple ischemia group and sham group served as controls.After rats had regained consciousness,hindlimbs showed varying degrees of functional impairment,and gradually improved with prolonged reperfusion in spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury groups.Hematoxylin-eosin staining demonstrated that neuronal injury and tissue edema were most severe in the 24-hour reperfusion group,and mitigated in the 48-hour reperfusion group.There were 8,242 differentially expressed m RNAs obtained by Multi-Class Dif in the simple ischemia group,24-hour and 48-hour reperfusion groups.Sixteen m RNA dynamic expression patterns were obtained by Serial Test Cluster.Of them,five patterns were significant.In the No.28 pattern,all differential genes were detected in the 24-hour reperfusion group,and their expressions showed a trend in up-regulation.No.11 pattern showed a decreasing trend in m RNA whereas No.40 pattern showed an increasing trend in m RNA from ischemia to 48 hours of reperfusion,and peaked at 48 hours.In the No.25 and No.27 patterns,differential expression appeared only in the 24-hour and 48-hour reperfusion groups.Among the five m RNA dynamic expression patterns,No.11 and No.40 patterns could distinguish normal spinal cord from pathological tissue.No.25 and No.27 patterns could distinguish simple ischemia from ischemia/reperfusion.No.28 pattern could analyze the need for inducing reperfusion injury.The study of specific pathways and functions for different dynamic patterns can provide a theoretical basis for clinical differential diagnosis and treatment of spinal cord ischemia/reperfusion injury.

ASSOCIATION OF ADENOVIRUS DNA TRANSCRIBED ACTIVITY WITH NUCLEAR MATRIX OF HOST CELLS

With gentle cell extraction techniques, various DNA components in the HeLa cells after 6 h of adenovirus infection have been obtained. Adenovirus, early transcribed regions (El_a El_b) and a late transcribed region (L_2) were used as probes in Southern hybridization, respectively. The experiment showed that only actively transcribed adenovirus DNA fragments would tightly bind to the nuclear matrix of host cells. We inferred that the nuclear matrix of host cells plays an important role in viral DNA transcription.

DDIT4 promotes gastric cancer proliferation and tumorigenesis through the p53 and MAPK pathways

Background:Gastric cancer(GC)is one of the most common malignancies worldwide,particularly in China.DNA damage-inducible transcript 4(DDIT4)is a mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor and is induced by various cellular stresses;however,its critical role in GC remains poorly understood.The present study aimed to investigate the poten-tial relationship and the underlying mechanism between DDIT4 and GC development.Methods:We used western blotting,real-time polymerase chain reaction,and immunohistochemical or immunoflu-orescence to determine DDIT4 expression in GC cells and tissues.High-content screening,cell counting kit-8 assays,colony formation,and in vivo tumorigenesis assays were performed to evaluate cell proliferation.Flow cytometry was used to investigate cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution.Results:DDIT4 was upregulated in GC cells and tissue.Furthermore,downregulating DDIT4 in GC cells inhibited proliferation both in vitro and in vivo and increased 5-fluorouracil-induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.In contrast,ectopic expression of DDIT4 in normal gastric epithelial cells promoted proliferation and attenuated chemosensitivity.Further analysis indicated that the mitogen-activated protein kinase and p53 signaling pathways were involved in the suppression of proliferation,and increased chemosensitivity upon DDIT4 downregulation.Conclusion:DDIT4 promotes GC proliferation and tumorigenesis,providing new insights into the role of DDIT4 in the tumorigenesis of human GC.

Topoisomerase I in Human Disease Pathogenesis and Treatments

Mammalian topoisomerase 1（TOP1） is an essential enzyme for normal development.TOP1 relaxes supercoiled DNA to remove helical constraints that can otherwise hinder DNA replication and transcription and thus block cell growth.Unfortunately,this exact activity can covalently trap TOP1 on the DNA that could lead to cell death or mutagenesis,a precursor for tumorigenesis.It is therefore important for cells to find a proper balance between the utilization of the TOP1 catalytic activity to maintain DNA topology and the risk of accumulating the toxic DNA damages due to TOP1 trapping that prevents normal cell growth.In an apparent contradiction to the negative attribute of the TOP1 activity to genome stability,the detrimental effect of the TOP1-induced DNA lesions on cell survival has made this enzyme a prime target for cancer therapies to kill fast-growing cancer cells.In addition,cumulative evidence supports a direct role of TOP1 in promoting transcriptional progression independent of its topoisomerase activity.The involvement of TOP1 in transcriptional regulation has recently become a focus in developing potential new treatments for a subtype of autism spectrum disorders.Clearly,the impact of TOP1 on human health is multifold.In this review,we will summarize our current understandings on how TOP1 contributes to human diseases and how its activity is targeted for disease treatments.