Sebastian Moran

Distinct DNA methylomes of newborns and centenarians

Human aging cannot be fully understood in terms of the constrained genetic setting. Epigenetic drift is an alternative means of explaining age-associated alterations. To address this issue, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) of newborn and centenarian genomes. The centenarian DNA had a lower DNA methylation content and a reduced correlation in the methylation status of neighboring cytosine—phosphate—guanine (CpGs) throughout the genome in comparison with the more homogeneously methylated newborn DNA. The more hypomethylated CpGs observed in the centenarian DNA compared with the neonate covered all genomic compartments, such as promoters, exonic, intronic, and intergenic regions. For regulatory regions, the most hypomethylated sequences in the centenarian DNA were present mainly at CpG-poor promoters and in tissue-specific genes, whereas a greater level of DNA methylation was observed in CpG island promoters. We extended the study to a larger cohort of newborn and nonagenarian samples using a 450,000 CpG-site DNA methylation microarray that reinforced the observation of more hypomethylated DNA sequences in the advanced age group. WGBS and 450,000 analyses of middle-age individuals demonstrated DNA methylomes in the crossroad between the newborn and the nonagenarian/centenarian groups. Our study constitutes a unique DNA methylation analysis of the extreme points of human life at a single-nucleotide resolution level.

A Landscape of Pharmacogenomic Interactions in Cancer

Summary Systematic studies of cancer genomes have provided unprecedented insights into the molecular nature of cancer. Using this information to guide the development and application of therapies in the clinic is challenging. Here, we report how cancer-driven alterations identified in 11,289 tumors from 29 tissues (integrating somatic mutations, copy number alterations, DNA methylation, and gene expression) can be mapped onto 1,001 molecularly annotated human cancer cell lines and correlated with sensitivity to 265 drugs. We find that cell lines faithfully recapitulate oncogenic alterations identified in tumors, find that many of these associate with drug sensitivity/resistance, and highlight the importance of tissue lineage in mediating drug response. Logic-based modeling uncovers combinations of alterations that sensitize to drugs, while machine learning demonstrates the relative importance of different data types in predicting drug response. Our analysis and datasets are rich resources to link genotypes with cellular phenotypes and to identify therapeutic options for selected cancer sub-populations.

DNA methylation contributes to natural human variation

DNA methylation patterns are important for establishing cell, tissue, and organism phenotypes, but little is known about their contribution to natural human variation. To determine their contribution to variability, we have generated genome-scale DNA methylation profiles of three human populations (Caucasian-American, African-American, and Han Chinese-American) and examined the differentially methylated CpG sites. The distinctly methylated genes identified suggest an influence of DNA methylation on phenotype differences, such as susceptibility to certain diseases and pathogens, and response to drugs and environmental agents. DNA methylation differences can be partially traced back to genetic variation, suggesting that differentially methylated CpG sites serve as evolutionarily established mediators between the genetic code and phenotypic variability. Notably, one-third of the DNA methylation differences were not associated with any genetic variation, suggesting that variation in population-specific sites takes place at the genetic and epigenetic levels, highlighting the contribution of epigenetic modification to natural human variation.

A Prognostic DNA Methylation Signature for Stage I Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

PURPOSE Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a tumor in which only small improvements in clinical outcome have been achieved. The issue is critical for stage I patients for whom there are no available biomarkers that indicate which high-risk patients should receive adjuvant chemotherapy. We aimed to find DNA methylation markers that could be helpful in this regard. PATIENTS AND METHODS A DNA methylation microarray that analyzes 450,000 CpG sites was used to study tumoral DNA obtained from 444 patients with NSCLC that included 237 stage I tumors. The prognostic DNA methylation markers were validated by a single-methylation pyrosequencing assay in an independent cohort of 143 patients with stage I NSCLC. RESULTS Unsupervised clustering of the 10,000 most variable DNA methylation sites in the discovery cohort identified patients with high-risk stage I NSCLC who had shorter relapse-free survival (RFS; hazard ratio [HR], 2.35; 95% CI, 1.29 to 4.28; P = .004). The study in the validation cohort of the significant methylated sites from the discovery cohort found that hypermethylation of five genes was significantly associated with shorter RFS in stage I NSCLC: HIST1H4F, PCDHGB6, NPBWR1, ALX1, and HOXA9. A signature based on the number of hypermethylated events distinguished patients with high- and low-risk stage I NSCLC (HR, 3.24; 95% CI, 1.61 to 6.54; P = .001). CONCLUSION The DNA methylation signature of NSCLC affects the outcome of stage I patients, and it can be practically determined by user-friendly polymerase chain reaction assays. The analysis of the best DNA methylation biomarkers improved prognostic accuracy beyond standard staging.

Validation of a DNA methylation microarray for 850,000 CpG sites of the human genome enriched in enhancer sequences

Aim: DNA methylation is the best known epigenetic mark. Cancer and other pathologies show an altered DNA methylome. However, delivering complete DNA methylation maps is compromised by the price and labor-intensive interpretation of single nucleotide methods. Material & methods: Following the success of the HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (Infinium) methylation microarray (450K), we report the technical and biological validation of the newly developed MethylationEPIC BeadChip (Infinium) microarray that covers over 850,000 CpG methylation sites (850K). The 850K microarray contains >90% of the 450K sites, but adds 333,265 CpGs located in enhancer regions identified by the ENCODE and FANTOM5 projects. Results & conclusion: The 850K array demonstrates high reproducibility at the 450K CpG sites, is consistent among technical replicates, is reliable in the matched study of fresh frozen versus formalin-fixed paraffin-embeded samples and is also useful for 5-hydroxymethylcytosine. These results highlight the value of the MethylationEPIC BeadChip as a useful tool for the analysis of the DNA methylation profile of the human genome.

DNA methylation profiling in breast cancer discordant identical twins identifies DOK7 as novel epigenetic biomarker

Using whole blood from 15 twin pairs discordant for breast cancer and high-resolution (450K) DNA methylation analysis, we identified 403 differentially methylated CpG sites including known and novel potential breast cancer genes. Confirming the results in an independent validation cohort of 21 twin pairs determined the docking protein DOK7 as a candidate for blood-based cancer diagnosis. DNA hypermethylation of the promoter region was also seen in primary breast cancer tissues and cancer cell lines. Hypermethylation of DOK7 occurs years before tumor diagnosis, suggesting a role as a powerful epigenetic blood-based biomarker as well as providing insights into breast cancer pathogenesis.

A DNA Methylation Map of Human Atherosclerosis.

Background—Epigenetic alterations may contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. In particular, DNA methylation, a reversible and highly regulated DNA modification, could influence disease onset and progression because it functions as an effector for environmental influences, including diet and lifestyle, both of which are risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Methods and Results—To address the role of DNA methylation changes in atherosclerosis, we compared a donor-matched healthy and atherosclerotic human aorta sample using whole-genome shotgun bisulfite sequencing. We observed that the atherosclerotic portion of the aorta was hypermethylated across many genomic loci in comparison with the matched healthy counterpart. Furthermore, we defined specific loci of differential DNA methylation using a set of donor-matched aortic samples and a high-density (>450 000 CpG sites) DNA methylation microarray. The functional importance in the disease was corroborated by crossing the DNA methylation signature with the corresponding expression data of the same samples. Among the differentially methylated CpGs associated with atherosclerosis onset, we identified genes participating in endothelial and smooth muscle functions. These findings provide new clues toward a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of atherosclerosis. Conclusions—Our data identify an atherosclerosis-specific DNA methylation profile that highlights the contribution of different genes and pathways to the disorder. Interestingly, the observed gain of DNA methylation in the atherosclerotic lesions justifies efforts to develop DNA demethylating agents for therapeutic benefit.

Whole-Exome Sequencing Identifies MDH2 as a New Familial Paraganglioma Gene

Disruption of the Krebs cycle is a hallmark of cancer. IDH1 and IDH2 mutations are found in many neoplasms, and germline alterations in SDH genes and FH predispose to pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma and other cancers. We describe a paraganglioma family carrying a germline mutation in MDH2, which encodes a Krebs cycle enzyme. Whole-exome sequencing was applied to tumor DNA obtained from a man age 55 years diagnosed with multiple malignant paragangliomas. Data were analyzed with the two-sided Students t and Mann-Whitney U tests with Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons. Between six- and 14-fold lower levels of MDH2 expression were observed in MDH2-mutated tumors compared with control patients. Knockdown (KD) of MDH2 in HeLa cells by shRNA triggered the accumulation of both malate (mean ± SD: wild-type [WT] = 1±0.18; KD = 2.24±0.17, P = .043) and fumarate (WT = 1±0.06; KD = 2.6±0.25, P = .033), which was reversed by transient introduction of WT MDH2 cDNA. Segregation of the mutation with disease and absence of MDH2 in mutated tumors revealed MDH2 as a novel pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma susceptibility gene.

Gene amplification of the histone methyltransferase SETDB1 contributes to human lung tumorigenesis

Disruption of the histone modification patterns is one of the most common features of human tumors. However, few genetic alterations in the histone modifier genes have been described in tumorigenesis. Herein we show that the histone methyltransferase SETDB1 undergoes gene amplification in non-small and small lung cancer cell lines and primary tumors. The existence of additional copies of the SETDB1 gene in these transformed cells is associated with higher levels of the corresponding mRNA and protein. From a functional standpoint, the depletion of SETDB1 expression in amplified cells reduces cancer growth in cell culture and nude mice models, whereas its overexpression increases the tumor invasiveness. The increased gene dosage of SETDB1 is also associated with enhanced sensitivity to the growth inhibitory effect mediated by the SETDB1-interfering drug mithramycin. Overall, the findings identify SETDB1 as a bona fide oncogene undergoing gene amplification-associated activation in lung cancer and suggest its potential for new therapeutic strategies.

Epigenomic analysis detects aberrant super-enhancer DNA methylation in human cancer

BackgroundOne of the hallmarks of cancer is the disruption of gene expression patterns. Many molecular lesions contribute to this phenotype, and the importance of aberrant DNA methylation profiles is increasingly recognized. Much of the research effort in this area has examined proximal promoter regions and epigenetic alterations at other loci are not well characterized.ResultsUsing whole genome bisulfite sequencing to examine uncharted regions of the epigenome, we identify a type of far-reaching DNA methylation alteration in cancer cells of the distal regulatory sequences described as super-enhancers. Human tumors undergo a shift in super-enhancer DNA methylation profiles that is associated with the transcriptional silencing or the overactivation of the corresponding target genes. Intriguingly, we observe locally active fractions of super-enhancers detectable through hypomethylated regions that suggest spatial variability within the large enhancer clusters. Functionally, the DNA methylomes obtained suggest that transcription factors contribute to this local activity of super-enhancers and that trans-acting factors modulate DNA methylation profiles with impact on transforming processes during carcinogenesis.ConclusionsWe develop an extensive catalogue of human DNA methylomes at base resolution to better understand the regulatory functions of DNA methylation beyond those of proximal promoter gene regions. CpG methylation status in normal cells points to locally active regulatory sites at super-enhancers, which are targeted by specific aberrant DNA methylation events in cancer, with putative effects on the expression of downstream genes.