In addition to mutations in genes, aberrant enhancer element activity at non-coding regions of the genome is a key driver of tumorigenesis. Here, we perform epigenomic enhancer profiling of a cohort of more than forty genetically diverse human colorectal cancer (CRC) specimens. Using normal colonic crypt epithelium as a comparator, we identify enhancers with recurrently gained or lost activity across CRC specimens. Of the enhancers highly recurrently activated in CRC, most are constituents of super enhancers, are occupied by AP-1 and cohesin complex members, and originate from primed chromatin. Many activate known oncogenes, and CRC growth can be mitigated through pharmacologic inhibition or genome editing of these loci. Nearly half of all GWAS CRC risk loci co-localize to recurrently activated enhancers. These findings indicate that the CRC epigenome is defined by highly recurrent epigenetic alterations at enhancers which activate a common, aberrant transcriptional programme critical for CRC growth and survival.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5309719PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms14400DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

aberrant enhancer
8
colorectal cancer
8
crc specimens
8
recurrently activated
8
crc growth
8
crc
7
enhancers
5
hotspots aberrant
4
enhancer activity
4
activity punctuate
4

Similar Publications

DNMT3A loss drives a HIF-1-dependent synthetic lethality to HDAC6 inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer.

Acta Pharm Sin B

December 2024

Department of Pharmacology, School of Life Science and Biopharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China.

encodes a DNA methyltransferase involved in development, cell differentiation, and gene transcription, which is mutated and aberrant-expressed in cancers. Here, we revealed that loss of promotes malignant phenotypes in lung cancer. Based on the epigenetic inhibitor library synthetic lethal screening, we found that small-molecule HDAC6 inhibitors selectively killed -defective NSCLC cells.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Functional Characterization and In Silico Prediction Tools Improve the Pathogenicity Prediction of Novel Bile Acid Transporter Variants.

Clin Genet

January 2025

Human Molecular Genetics Group, National Health Commission (NHC), Key Laboratory of Molecular Probes and Targeted Diagnosis and Therapy, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, China.

The pathogenicity of cholestatic liver diseases (CLDs) remains insufficiently characterized, hindering definitive diagnosis and timely treatment. The aim of this study was to improve the pathogenicity prediction of novel bile acid (BA) transporter variants in patients with CLDs. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and genetic profiles of a CLD cohort (n = 57) using multiple in silico tools and in vitro functional assays.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Homologous recombination promotes non-immunogenic mitotic cell death upon DNA damage.

Nat Cell Biol

January 2025

Genome Integrity Unit, Children's Medical Research Institute, University of Sydney, Westmead, New South Wales, Australia.

Double-strand breaks (DSBs) can initiate mitotic catastrophe, a complex oncosuppressive phenomenon characterized by cell death during or after cell division. Here we unveil how cell cycle-regulated DSB repair guides disparate cell death outcomes through single-cell analysis of extended live imaging. Following DSB induction in S or G2, passage of unresolved homologous recombination intermediates into mitosis promotes non-immunogenic intrinsic apoptosis in the immediate attempt at cell division.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Efficacy and durability of cobalt sulfide nanoparticles and axial sulfur-coordinated cobalt single-atom composite sites in hydrogenative nitroaromatics decontamination.

J Colloid Interface Sci

January 2025

Key Laboratory for Water Quality and Conservation of the Pearl River Delta, Ministry of Education, School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou 510006, China. Electronic address:

Emerging single-atom materials and metal sulfides hold significant promise as alternatives to precious metal catalysts for nitroaromatics conversion; however, their intrinsic activity and durability remain insufficiently understood. Herein, sulfur and nitrogen co-doped carbon matrices incorporating CoS nanoparticles and single-atom Co with Co-N-S coordination were constructed through a facile pyrolysis approach. Advanced characterization techniques, such as X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) and aberration-corrected electron microscopy, unveiled unique structural features underpinning exceptional catalytic efficiency and recyclability.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

C9ORF72 poly-PR induces TDP-43 nuclear condensation via NEAT1 and is modulated by HSP70 activity.

Cell Rep

January 2025

Institute of Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Sustainable Chemical Science and Technology, Taiwan International Graduate Program, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan; Department of Applied Chemistry, National Chiayi University, Chiayi City 600, Taiwan; Neuroscience Program of Academia Sinica, Academia Sinica, Taipei 115, Taiwan. Electronic address:

The toxicity of C9ORF72-encoded polyproline-arginine (poly-PR) dipeptide is associated with its ability to disrupt the liquid-liquid phase separation of intrinsically disordered proteins participating in the formation of membraneless organelles, such as the nucleolus and paraspeckles. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-related TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) also undergoes phase separation to form nuclear condensates (NCs) in response to stress. However, whether poly-PR alters the nuclear condensation of TDP-43 in ALS remains unclear.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!