Cancer Research The Future of Cancer Research: Science and Patient Impact  Tumor Immunology: New Perspectives
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cancer Research Clinical Cancer Research
Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention Molecular Cancer Therapeutics
Molecular Cancer Research Cancer Prevention Research
Cancer Prevention Journals Portal Cancer Reviews Online
Annual Meeting Education Book Meeting Abstracts Online

This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Shi, H.
Right arrow Articles by Huang, T. H.-M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Shi, H.
Right arrow Articles by Huang, T. H.-M.
[Cancer Research 63, 2164-2171, May 1, 2003]
© 2003 American Association for Cancer Research


Molecular Biology and Genetics

Triple Analysis of the Cancer Epigenome

An Integrated Microarray System for Assessing Gene Expression, DNA Methylation, and Histone Acetylation1

Huidong Shi, Susan H. Wei, Yu-Wei Leu, Farahnaz Rahmatpanah, Joseph C. Liu, Pearlly S. Yan, Kenneth P. Nephew and Tim Hui-Ming Huang2,3

Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri School of Medicine, Columbia, Missouri 65203 [H. S., S. H. W., Y-W. L., F. R., J. C. L., P. S. Y., T. H-M. H.]; Medical Sciences, Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington, Indiana 47405 [K. P. N.]; and Departments of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, Indiana University Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202 [K. P. N.]


    ABSTRACT
 Top
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
We developed a novel microarray system to assess gene expression, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation in parallel, and to dissect the complex hierarchy of epigenetic changes in cancer. An integrated microarray panel consisting of 1507 short CpG island tags located at the 5'-end regions (including the first exons) was used to assess effects of epigenetic treatments on a human epithelial ovarian cancer cell line. Treatment with methylation (5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine) or deacetylation (trichostatin A) inhibitors alone resulted in up-regulation of 1.9 or 1.1% of the genes analyzed; however, the combined treatment resulted in synergistic reactivation of more genes (10.4%; P < 0.001 versus either treatment alone). On the basis of either primary or secondary responses to the treatments, genes were identified as methylation-dependent or -independent. Synergistic reactivation of the methylation-dependent genes by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine plus trichostatin A revealed a functional interaction between methylated promoters and deacetylated histones. Increased expression of some methylation-independent genes was associated with enhanced histone acetylation, but up-regulation of most of the genes identified using this technology was because of events downstream of the epigenetic cascade. We demonstrate proof of principle for using the triple microarray system in analyzing the dynamic relationship between transcription factors and promoter targets in cancer genomes.


    INTRODUCTION
 Top
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Microarray approaches used to study functional DNA-protein interactions (1, 2, 3) have revealed recently that many transcription regulators are linked to chromatin remodeling (3 , 4) , placing this type of epigenetic change at the center of gene regulation. Repressed chromatin and gene silencing are associated with changes in DNA methylation and histone acetylation (5) , and whereas these epigenomic modifications are widely recognized as contributing factors in human tumorigenesis, their molecular basis is not understood yet. One model suggests that methylated DNAs at the 5'-end regulatory regions recruit MBD4 proteins, which are known to complex with HDACs and other transcriptional corepressors (6) . Deacetylation of lysine groups on histones 3 and 4 occurs via HDACs, resulting in a tighter interaction between negatively charged DNA and positively charged lysine, and a closed, repressive chromatin configuration (5 , 6) . How repressive chromatin structures assemble onto DNA is not clear, but changes in methylation status of CpG islands in gene promoters presumably play a central role (5) . We developed recently a microarray approach called differential methylation hybridization for screening CpG methylation and identifying loci susceptible to epigenetic modifications in various cancers (7, 8, 9) . However, to fully elucidate the functional relationship between DNA methylation and histone acetylation in gene silencing, a genomic microarray system for detecting changes in gene expression, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation would be necessary.

We developed an integrated "triple" microarray system to decipher the hierarchies of epigenetic regulation of gene expression in cancer cells. The microarray panel used in this novel approach contains 1507 ECISTs, short genomic fragments (0.2–2-kb) located at the 5'-end regulatory regions of genes (10) . We used the GC-rich components of ECISTs for screening methylated CpG sites, the exon-containing portions (i.e., the first exons) for measuring levels of the corresponding transcripts, and the promoter sequences within ECISTs for identifying chromatins immunoprecipitated with antibodies against acetylated histones. It is well known that DNA methylation and histone acetylation work in concert to regulate gene expression, and this new microarray system provides an effective means of segregating at specific loci expression changes that occurred as a consequence of reversing promoter hypermethylation status by epigenetic treatments.


    MATERIALS AND METHODS
 Top
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
Cell Culture.
A human epithelial ovarian cancer cell line CP70 (gift from Dr. Robert Brown, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom) was cultured in the presence of vehicle (PBS) or DAC (0.5 µM; medium changed every 24 h). After 4 days, cells were either harvested or treated with TSA (0.5 µM) for 12 h and then harvested. Some cells were also treated with TSA alone for 12 h before harvest. DNA and RNA were isolated using the QIAamp Tissue and RNeasy kits (Qiagen), respectively.

Microarray Screening of ECISTs.
To identify ECISTs (including the first exons), RLCS (11) was used to prepare targets for screening of CpG island clones derived from a genomic library, CpG Island library (12) . In the presence of T4 RNA ligase, an RNA adapter (0.5 nmol, 5'-ACC GGA GCG GCA CGG GAA AUA GAG CAA CAG GAA A) was ligated to the 5'-ends of decapped mRNAs derived from the Stratagene Human Universal Reference RNAs. After reverse transcription, full-length cDNAs were amplified by long RT-PCR (TaqPlus Long PCR system; Stratagene) with the flanking 5'- and 3'-adapters (5'-GCA CGG GAA ATA GAG CAA CAG and 5'-GGC CGA CTC ACT GCG CGT CTT CTG, respectively). A low number of PCR cycles (18–25) were used to preserve the linearity of amplification. Amplified products were labeled with Cy3 fluorescent dyes as described (10) and hybridized to the CGI microarray panel. Hybridization and posthybridization procedures were performed.5 Hybridized slides were scanned with the GenePix 4000A (Axon). The acquired images and data were transferred to Excel spreadsheets for additional analysis using GenePix Pro 3.0. CGI loci with signal intensities 2-fold greater than local background were scored as positive for containing expressed sequences.

Methylation Microarray Analysis.
Preparation of methylation amplicons was carried out essentially as described (7) . Briefly, CP70 DNA (~1 µg) was digested with MseI and then ligated to a PCR-linker. The ligated DNA was digested with methylation-sensitive endonucleases BstUI and HpaII, and amplified with a linker primer by PCR. DNA obtained from a normal ovary tissue was prepared similarly. Genomic fragments containing methylated sites were protected from enzymatic restrictions and could be amplified; however, fragments containing unmethylated sites were digested and, thus, not present in the amplified samples. CP70 amplicon was labeled with Cy5 (red), whereas the control amplicon was labeled Cy3 (green). Both samples were cohybridized onto an ECIST microarray slide and processed as described (7) .

Expression Microarray Analysis.
Total RNA (100 µg) was prepared from control (vehicle treated) CP70 cells, or cells cultured with TSA and/or DAC. The RLCS method was used to generate full-length cDNAs. For quality control, the Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends method was used to determine the integrity of 5'-ends of a few cDNA sequences (10) . Cy5-labeled cDNAs from treated cells and Cy-3-labeled cDNAs from untreated cells were cohybridized to the ECIST panel, and microarray images obtained were processed accordingly.

ChIP Microarray Analysis.
The protocol used to identify immunoprecipitated E2F1 targets (2) was adapted for this study. To obtain a network of DNA-protein biopolymers, treated or untreated CP70 cells (2 x 107 cells/assay) were cross-linked using 1% formaldehyde. Cell nuclei were collected by microcentrifugation, and cross-linked chromatin fibers were isolated and fragmented to ~600-bp by sonication. Immunoprecipitation was carried out with 5 µg of antiacetylated histone H3 or H4 rabbit polyclonal antibody (Upstate) or no-antibody (negative control). DNA was additionally released by digesting the immunocomplex with proteinase K. Purified chromatin DNA (a total of ~1 µg) was recovered from 10–15 preparations for fluorescent labeling. Microarray hybridization, posthybridization washing, and slide scanning have been described previously by us (2) .

Microarray Data Analysis.
The Cy3 and Cy5 fluorescence intensities of hybridized ECIST spots were obtained for each experiment. Because Cy5 and Cy3 labeling efficiencies varied among samples, the Cy5:Cy3 ratio of each spot was normalized according to the global ratio in each microarray image. As described in our previous studies (7 , 9 , 10) , the derived normalization factor was additionally verified based on 14 internal controls of which the adjusted ratios were expected to be 1. Microarray experiments were repeated twice. A self-hybridization study using two equal portions of a test DNA sample was conducted for quality control. These self-hybridizing spots usually had adjusted Cy5:Cy3 ratios approaching 1.

Nucleotide Sequencing.
Plasmid DNA was prepared from ECISTs and sequenced using the DyeDeoxy Terminator reaction (Applied Biosystems) and the ABI PRISM 377 sequencer. The sequencing results were compared with GenBank for known sequence identities.

COBRA.
Sodium bisulfite modification of genomic DNA, which converts unmethylated but not methylated cytosine to uracil, was performed using the CpG Genome modification kit (Intergen). COBRA was performed as described (13) . Briefly, ~200 ng of treated DNA were used as the template for PCR with specific bisulfite primers (Table 1)Citation for a given locus. 32P-labeled PCR products were digested with BstUI, separated on 8% polyacrylamide gels, and subjected to autoradiography using a PhosphorImager (Amersham-Pharmacia).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 1 Primer sequences used for triple analysisa

 
Semiquantitative RT- and ChIP-PCR.
cDNA and chromatin DNA were prepared as described earlier. Diplex PCR (for both test and control targets) was performed using the AmpliTaq Gold polymerase (Perkin-Elmer). For RT-PCR, primer pairs were used to amplify a region (average 200-bp) from the 3'-end of a test gene, whereas for ChIP-PCR, primers were designed to amplify a fragment in the promoter or first exon region (average 200-bp) of the test gene (see Table 1Citation for primer information). After 20–25 cycles of amplification, radiolabeled PCR products were run on 5–8% polyacrylamide gels. A PhosphorImager was used to analyze the dried gels, and densitometric analysis of the observed bands was performed using ImageQuant (Molecular Dynamics). The relative levels of gene expression or histone acetylation were normalized with the level of the control run in the same lane.


    RESULTS
 Top
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
ECIST Microarray.
Using RLCS, we screened a library of ~9000 CGIs (12) and recovered 1,507 ECIST-positive loci. To confirm whether these ECISTs were located at the 5'-ends of genes, nucleotide sequencing was performed on 250 of these loci. Sequencing data showed that: (a) 79% (198) contained sequences located in the promoter and first exon of known genes; (b) 16% (40) matched genomic sequences and may contain as yet uncharacterized expressed sequences; and (c) 5% (12) contained non-exon 1 expressed sequences. These results suggest that the ECIST loci identified here can be effectively used to assess epigenetic alterations in cancer cells.

Triple Microarray Screening.
To assess gene expression, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation in parallel, CP70 cells were treated with a demethylating agent, DAC, and/or an inhibitor of HDACs, TSA, and then subjected to triple microarray procedures (Fig. 1A)Citation . Representative individual gene loci are marked by arrows in Fig. 1BCitation . At a hypermethylated locus in untreated CP70 cells (Fig. 1BCitation , top panels), DAC plus TSA treatments increased expression (normalized Cy5:Cy3 = 5.5) and histone hyperacetylation (3.4-fold relative to the control) of this gene. The combined treatment of DAC plus TSA also increased expression and histone hyperacetylation of a locus that was not hypermethylated in untreated CP70 cells (Fig. 1BCitation , bottom panels).



View larger version (30K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 1. A, schematic flowchart for parallel assessment of gene expression, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation in ovarian cancer cell line CP70. B, representative microarray images for the triple analysis. Cy5- and Cy3-labeled targets were prepared as described in the text and cohybridized to the ECIST microarray panel. The hybridization images were acquired, and signal intensities of ECIST spots (see examples marked by arrows) were calculated. The normalized Cy5:Cy3 ratios are shown at the bottom of each microarray panel image.

 
The total number of ECISTs up-regulated >=4-fold by epigenetic treatments was determined. Treatment with DAC or TSA alone resulted in up-regulation of 29 (1.9% of 1507 loci) or 17 (1.1%) loci, respectively; however, a greater number of genes (150 or 10.4%; P < 0.001 versus either treatment alone) were up-regulated after the combined treatment (Fig. 2, A–C)Citation . The epigenetic treatments also resulted in down-regulation of a few ECIST loci (<=0.25-fold), but this response was not the focus of our investigation. Histone hyperacetylation was measured in the combined treatment and scored when a locus showed a normalized Cy5:Cy3 ratio 2-fold greater in the treated cells than that of untreated cells (2) . Using this cutoff, hyperacetylated loci were detected in 3.6% (55; red circles in Fig. 2CCitation ) of the 1507 ECISTs examined.



View larger version (94K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 2. Scatter plots (AC) of the triple analysis in CP70 cells using the ECIST microarray panel. Microarray hybridization was conducted as described in the text. Cy5:Cy3 ratios of >=4 (red line) or <=0.25 (green line) were used to identify up- or down-regulated genes, respectively, in response to epigenetic treatments. Yellow and blue spots depict hypermethylated and unmethylated loci, respectively, in CP70 cells. Red circles indicate hyperacetylated ECIST loci identified by microarray analysis (see additional description in the text). D, total number of up-regulated ECIST loci in response to various epigenetic treatments.

 
To identify hypermethylated ECISTs, a normalized Cy5:Cy3 ratio >=1.5 relative to the control was used. This cutoff ratio was used by us to reliably identify hypermethylated CpG islands in various cancers (7 , 9 , 14) . The genes up-regulated by the combined treatment of DAC plus TSA were additionally divided into two groups (Fig. 2D)Citation : hypermethylated (group 1, yellow spots; see Table 2Citation ) and no detectable methylation (group 2, blue spots; see Table 3Citation Citation ). As shown in Fig. 2CCitation , up-regulation of group 1 loci is more closely associated with histone hyperacetylation than that of group 2 loci (64%; 22 of 34 loci versus 28%; 33 of 116 loci).


View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 2 List of methylation-dependent genes up-regulated by epigenetic treatments

 

View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 3 List of methylation-independent genes up-regulated by epigenetic treatments

 

View this table:
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Table 3A Continued

 
Up-Regulation of Methylation-silenced Genes in Response to Epigenetic Treatments.
Within group 1 genes, increased expression of only a few loci (n = 11) was observed after treatment with DAC alone; however, the combined treatment of DAC and TSA resulted in up-regulation of 34 loci (Fig. 2D)Citation . No significant change in expression of group 1 genes was seen in CP70 cells treated with TSA alone. To confirm the microarray findings, three gene loci from Group 1 (HSPA.2, CYP27B1, and EIF1A) were additionally analyzed. Hypermethylation of the HSPA.2 CpG island in CP70 cells was confirmed using COBRA (Fig. 3Citation , row 1, left panel), and no expression of HSPA.2 was detected in untreated CP70 cells using RT-PCR (Fig. 3Citation , row 1, middle panel). However, HSPA.2 expression was increased by DAC treatment, remained unchanged after treatment with TSA alone, and was markedly increased by the combined treatment of DAC and TSA (Fig. 3Citation , row 1, middle panel). Furthermore, after treatment of CP70 cells with DAC plus TSA, histones H3 and H4 in the promoter region of HSPA.2 were determined to be hyperacetylated using ChIP-PCR (Fig. 3Citation , row 1, right panel). These results support previous reports (3 , 4) that the concerted action of DNA demethylation and histone hyperacetylation resulted in synergistic re-expression of methylation-silenced genes.



View larger version (60K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 3. Analysis of DNA methylation, gene expression, and histone acetylation in methylation-dependent ECIST loci. Methylation analysis: COBRA was used to determine the methylation status of ECIST loci in ovarian cancer cell line CP70 (gene names are shown at left). Genomic DNA (2 µg) was bisulfite-treated and subjected to PCR using primers flanking the interrogating BstUI site(s) in each ECIST locus. 32P-labeled products were digested with BstUI and separated on 8% polyacrylamide gels. As shown, the digested fragments reflect BstUI methylation within a CpG island. Control DNA was methylated in vitro with the SSI methylase. +: BstUI digestion; -: without BstUI digestion. Expression analysis: total RNA (2 µg) isolated from treated (+) or untreated (-) CP70 cells was used to generate cDNA for RT-PCR. Arrows indicate the positions of amplified fragments. The level of each ECIST expression was compared with that of ß-actin (marked by C). Acetylation analysis: chromatin DNA was immunoprecipitated with antiacetylated histone 3 (Anti AcH3) or 4 (Anti AcH4) and subjected to PCR using primers located at the 5'-ends of a test gene. Arrows indicate the positions of amplified products. The level of histone acetylation for an ECIST locus was compared with that of a control locus (C), either GTF2H4 or FLJ31996.

 
In untreated CP70 cells, partial methylation of the CYP27B1 CpG island was observed, and expression of CYP27B1 was low; however, treatment of CP70 cells with DAC plus TSA resulted in histone hyperacetylation and increased expression of CYP27B1 (Fig. 3Citation , row 2). Contrariwise, despite the strong hyperacetylation observed at the EIF1A locus, expression of EIF1A remained largely unaffected by the epigenetic treatments. The EIF1A locus we identified, located on human chromosome 1 (15) , was determined to be hypermethylated in CP70 cells by using COBRA. It has been reported that multiple copies of EIF1A exist at different chromosomal regions, e.g., chromosomes X and Y (16) , and it seems reasonable to suggest that one or more of these loci remain unmethylated, and, thus, contribute to the basal expression of EIF1A detected by RT-PCR (Fig. 3Citation , row 3).

Up-Regulation of Methylation-independent Genes in Response to Epigenetic Treatments.
A total of 116 loci were up-regulated (>=4-fold) by the epigenetic treatments (blue spots; see also Fig. 2DCitation ), but expression of these loci appeared to be unrelated to DNA methylation. From this group, 8 loci were additionally analyzed using COBRA, RT-PCR, and ChIP-PCR (Fig. 4, A and B)Citation . The loci were unmethylated in CP70 cells, and expression of these loci was low or absent in untreated CP70 cells. Increased expression of some of these loci was observed after treatment with DAC or TSA alone. The combined treatment induced expression of all 8 of the loci, but histone hyperacetylation was seen in only the promoter regions of MDS1, SC13C2, and UNG2 (Fig. 4A)Citation . On the basis of the response of these 8 loci to the epigenetic treatments, we additionally subdivided the methylation-independent loci into two groups: group 2a, methylation-independent, histone acetylation-enhanced genes (n = 33) and group 2b, methylation- and histone acetylation-independent genes (n = 83).



View larger version (45K):
[in this window]
[in a new window]
 
Fig. 4. Triple analysis of group 2a ECIST loci (A, methylation-independent and histone acetylation-enhanced) and group 2b loci (B, methylation- and histone acetylation-independent). See also "Results" section for nomenclature of group 2s. Methylation analysis: COBRA (combined bisulfite restriction analysis) was used to determine the methylation status of ECIST loci in ovarian cancer cell line CP70 (gene names are shown at left). Genomic DNA (2 µg) was bisulfite-treated and subjected to PCR using primers flanking the interrogating BstUI site(s) in each ECIST locus. 32P-labeled products were digested with BstUI and separated on 8% polyacrylamide gels. As shown, the digested fragments reflect BstUI methylation within a CpG island. Control DNA was methylated in vitro with the SSI methylase. +: BstUI digestion; -: without BstUI digestion. Expression analysis: total RNA (2 µg) isolated from treated (+) or untreated (-) CP70 cells was used to generate cDNA for RT-PCR. Arrows indicate the positions of amplified fragments. The level of each ECIST expression was compared with that of ß-actin (marked by C). Acetylation analysis: CP70 cells were treated with DAC plus TSA (+) or untreated (-). Chromatin DNA was then immunoprecipitated with (+) or without (-) antiacetylated histone 3 (Anti AcH3) or 4 (Anti AcH4) and subjected to PCR using primers located at the 5-ends of a test gene. Arrows indicate the positions of amplified products. The level of histone acetylation for an ECIST locus was compared with that of a control locus (C), either GTF2H4 or FLJ31996.

 

    DISCUSSION
 Top
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 
To additionally define epigenetic modifications and order of epigenomic events at CpG islands on a global scale, we have developed a microarray system that combines gene expression, DNA methylation, and DNA-protein interaction analyses. To our knowledge, this represents the first report of a genomic approach that is capable of dissecting the complex hierarchy of transcriptional controls orchestrated by the epigenomic machinery. This integrated microarray system allows for both the identification of individual genes and a systematic analysis of the relationship among the epigenetic machinery, promoter targets, and downstream responses regulated by the epigenome.

It has been demonstrated that pharmacological reversal of promoter hypermethylation status results in global and specific changes in gene expression (3 , 5) ; in addition, inhibiting DNA methylation has both primary (direct) and secondary (indirect) effects on gene expression (3 , 17 , 18) . Using the triple analysis approach, we identified both primary and secondary responses, and additionally categorized those responses into three groups of genes based on their methylation status: group 1, methylation-dependent, and groups 2a and b, methylation-independent. For group 1 genes, transcriptional silencing is dominated by methylation (Fig. 3)Citation . Reactivation of genes silenced by CpG methylation would presumably involve a series of steps, including removal of MBD proteins from demethylated DNA and/or transcriptional repressors that are recruited by MBD proteins (5) . Epigenetic complexes have been shown to possess chromatin-remodeling activity and produce structures refractory to transcriptional activation (5) . Disrupting these complexes would presumably diminish their activity and result in a more open, transcriptionally active chromatin configuration. A physical association between methylated DNAs and deacetylated histones has been shown recently (19) , and our observation that synergistic reactivation of methylation-silenced genes (group 1) could only be achieved by the combined treatment is suggestive of a functional interaction between the epigenetic modifications. Whether this functional relationship is because of a direct or indirect interaction between the molecular targets remains to be elucidated.

The triple array analysis revealed an effect of the drug treatments on methylation-independent gene expression. Group 2a represents a class of distinct genes with unmethylated promoters of which the increased expression is produced by TSA alone or the combined treatment, but not by DAC alone. It is unclear how DAC and TSA act mechanistically on unmethylated promoters, but it was shown recently that DNA methyltransferase 1 (3) , in the absence of DNA methylation, can directly suppress transcription through actions with HDACs (3 , 19) . Our observation that enhanced histone hyperacetylation of MDS1 required both DAC and TSA supports a role for a methylation-independent effect of DNA methyltransferase 1 in ovarian cancer cells; furthermore, these observations indicate that HDAC activity may play a role in the epigenetic-associated control of group 2a gene expression. The majority of genes we identified in this triple array analysis belonged to group 2b, which showed enhanced expression independent of both DNA demethylation and histone acetylation. Up-regulation of these loci by DAC plus TSA treatments is most likely because of an event downstream of modulations in the epigenetic cascade. There are several possible, but not mutually exclusive, mechanisms that may account for this secondary effect, including increased post-transcriptional processing (RNA stability), reactivation of an upstream transcription factor, or regulation by target genes in an induced signal transduction pathway (20) .

Induction of some of the genes in group 2 is likely to be associated with cellular responses to drug toxicity or stress, as shown recently by several groups using microarrays to examine gene expression profiles in DAC-treated human cancer cell lines (3 , 17 , 21) . Furthermore, many of the stress-response genes induced by DAC show similar early and transient expression characteristics (21) . For example, early induction of the apoptosis promoting factor BIK was observed after DAC treatment of a human lung cancer cell line, and BIK expression returned to control levels by 72 h after treatment with DAC (21) . Interestingly, the BIK gene, which does not contain a CpG island, is also induced in a methylation-independent manner by TSA (3) . In contrast, DAC treatment gradually induces expression of methylation-dependent genes and their downstream targets (17 , 21) , and expression of these genes has been shown to be prolonged or increased as demethylation progresses (17 , 21) . In this regard, our triple microarray system is well suited for distinguishing early stress-response genes from late genes induced by epigenetic treatments over time, and our future studies will investigate this and the effect of other modulators on epigenetic pathways.

The current study offers proof of principle for a triple microarray system capable of interrogating the complex hierarchy of epigenetic changes often seen in human cancer. This integrated approach is useful for identifying novel therapeutic targets and more fully understanding the mechanisms underlying epigenetic gene silencing. The continued development of the triple microarray will be useful for assessing the specificity of emerging epigenetic therapies based on reactivating the expression of methylation-silenced genes in cancer and other diseases.


    ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
 
We thank Diane Peckham for assistance in the preparation of this manuscript.


    FOOTNOTES
 
The costs of publication of this article were defrayed in part by the payment of page charges. This article must therefore be hereby marked advertisement in accordance with 18 U.S.C. Section 1734 solely to indicate this fact.

1 Supported in part by National Cancer Institute Grants CA-85289 (to K. P. N.), -69065, and -84701 (to T. H-M. H.), and by Epigenomics, Inc. T. H-M. H. was a recipient of a travel fellowship from the Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research, Japan. Back

2 To whom requests for reprints should be addressed, at Department of Pathology and Anatomical Sciences, Ellis Fischel Cancer Center, University of Missouri, 115 Business Loop I-70 West, Columbia, MO 65203. Phone: (573) 882-1276; Fax: (573) 884-5206; E-mail: huangh{at}health.missouri.edu Back

3 T. H-M. H. is a consultant to Epigenomics, Inc. Back

4 The abbreviations used are: MBD, methyl-CpG binding domain; HDAC, histone deacetylase; ECIST, expressed CpG island sequence tag; DAC, 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine; TSA, trichostatin A; RLCS, RNA ligase-mediated cDNA synthesis; ChIP, chromatin immunoprecipitation; COBRA, combined bisulfite restriction analysis; RT-PCR, reverse transcription-PCR. Back

5 Internet address: http://www.microarrays.org. Back

Received 12/ 3/02. Accepted 2/28/03.


    REFERENCES
 Top
 ABSTRACT
 INTRODUCTION
 MATERIALS AND METHODS
 RESULTS
 DISCUSSION
 REFERENCES
 

  1. Ren B., Robert F., Wyrick J. J., Aparicio O., Jennings E. G., Simon I., Zeitlinger J., Schreiber J., Hannett N., Kanin E., Volkert T. L., Wilson C. J., Bell S. P., Young R. A. Genome-wide location and function of DNA binding proteins. Science (Wash. DC), 290: 2306-2309, 2000.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  2. Weinmann A. S., Yan P. S., Oberley M. J., Huang T. H-M., Farnham P. J. Isolating human transcription factor targets by coupling chromatin immunoprecipitation and CpG island microarray analysis. Genes Dev., 16: 235-244, 2002.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  3. Suzuki H., Gabrielson E., Chen W., Anbazhagan R., van Engeland M., Weijenberg M. P., Herman J. G., Baylin S. B. A genomic screen for genes upregulated by demethylation and histone deacetylase inhibition in human colorectal cancer. Nat. Genet., 31: 141-149, 2002.[Medline]
  4. Cameron E. E., Bachman K. E., Myohanen S., Herman J. G., Baylin S. B. Synergy of demethylation and histone deacetylase inhibition in the re-expression of genes silenced in cancer. Nat. Genet., 21: 103-107, 1999.[Medline]
  5. Jones P. A., Baylin S. B. The fundamental role of epigenetic events in cancer. Nat. Rev. Genet., 3: 415-428, 2002.[Medline]
  6. Ballestar E., Esteller M. The impact of chromatin in human cancer: linking DNA methylation to gene silencing. Carcinogenesis (Lond.), 23: 1103-1109, 2002.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  7. Yan P. S., Chen C-M., Shi H., Rahmatpanah F., Wei S. H., Caldwell C. W., Huang T. H-M. Dissecting complex epigenetic alterations in breast cancer using CpG island microarrays. Cancer Res., 61: 8375-8380, 2001.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  8. Ahluwalia A., Yan P., Hurteau J. A., Bigsby R. M., Jung S. H., Huang T. H-M., Nephew K. P. DNA methylation and ovarian cancer. I. Analysis of CpG island hypermethylation in human ovarian cancer using differential methylation hybridization. Gynecol. Oncol., 82: 261-268, 2001.[Medline]
  9. Wei S. H., Chen C. M., Strathdee G., Harnsomburana J., Shyu C. R., Rahmatpanah F., Shi H., Ng S. W., Yan P. S., Nephew K. P., Brown R., Huang T. H-M. Methylation microarray analysis of late-stage ovarian carcinomas distinguishes progression-free survival in patients and identifies candidate epigenetic markers. Clin. Cancer Res., 8: 2246-2252, 2002.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  10. Shi H., Yan P. S., Chen C. M., Rahmatpanah F., Lofton-Day C., Caldwell C. W., Huang T. H-M. Expressed CpG island sequence tag microarray for dual screening of DNA hypermethylation and gene silencing in cancer cells. Cancer Res., 62: 3214-3220, 2002.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  11. Suzuki Y., Yoshitomo-Nakagawa K., Maruyama K., Suyama A., Sugano S. Construction and characterization of a full length-enriched and a 5'-end-enriched cDNA library. Gene, 200: 149-156, 1997.[Medline]
  12. Cross S. H., Charlton J. A., Nan X., Bird A. P. Purification of CpG islands using a methylated DNA binding column. Nat. Genet., 6: 236-244, 1994.[Medline]
  13. Xiong A., Laird P. W. COBRA: a sensitive and quantitative DNA methylation assay. Nucleic Acids Res., 25: 2532-2534, 1997.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  14. Yan P. S., Efferth T., Chen H. L., Lin J., Rodel F., Fuzesi L., Huang T. H-M. Use of CpG island microarrays to identify colorectal tumors with a high degree of concurrent methylation. Methods (Orlando), 27: 162-169, 2002.[Medline]
  15. Dever T. E., Wei C. L., Benkowski L. A., Browning K., Merrick W. C., Hershey J. W. Determination of the amino acid sequence of rabbit, human, and wheat germ protein synthesis factor eIF-4C by cloning and chemical sequencing. J. Biol. Chem., 269: 3212-3218, 1994.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  16. Lahn B. T., Page D. C. Functional coherence of the human Y chromosome. Science (Wash. DC), 278: 675-680, 1997.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  17. Liang G., Gonzales F. A., Jones P. A., Orntoft T. F., Thykjaer T. Analysis of gene induction in human fibroblasts and bladder cancer cells exposed to the methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine. Cancer Res., 62: 961-966, 2002.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  18. Karpf A. R., Peterson P. W., Rawlins J. T., Dalley B. K., Yang Q., Albertsen H., Jones D. A. Inhibition of DNA methyltransferase stimulates the expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 1, 2, and 3 genes in colon tumor cells. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 96: 14007-14012, 1999.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  19. Robertson K., Keymarsi K., Gonzales F., Velicescu M., Jones P. Differential mRNA expression of the human DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs)1, 3a and 3b during the Go/G1 to S phase transition in normal and tumor cells. Nucleic Acids Res., 28: 2108-2113, 2000.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
  20. Karpf A. R., Jones D. A. Reactivating the expression of methylation silenced genes in human cancer. Oncogene, 21: 5496-5503, 2002.[Medline]
  21. Milutinovic S., Zhuang Q., Niveleau A., Szyf M. Epigenomic stress response: Knock-down of DNA methyltransferase 1 triggers an intra S-phase arrest of DNA replication and induction of stress response genes. J. Biol. Chem., 278: (e-publication ahead of print) 2003.



This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
Cancer Res.Home page
N. Yamada, Y. Nishida, H. Tsutsumida, T. Hamada, M. Goto, M. Higashi, M. Nomoto, and S. Yonezawa
MUC1 Expression Is Regulated by DNA Methylation and Histone H3 Lysine 9 Modification in Cancer Cells
Cancer Res., April 15, 2008; 68(8): 2708 - 2716.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
haematolHome page
T. Ripperger, N. von Neuhoff, K. Kamphues, M. Emura, U. Lehmann, M. Tauscher, M. Schraders, P. Groenen, B. Skawran, C. Rudolph, et al.
Promoter methylation of PARG1, a novel candidate tumor suppressor gene in mantle cell lymphomas
Haematologica, April 1, 2007; 92(4): 460 - 468.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CarcinogenesisHome page
H. Shi, J. Guo, D. J. Duff, F. Rahmatpanah, R. Chitima-Matsiga, M. Al-Kuhlani, K. H. Taylor, O. Sjahputera, M. Andreski, J. E. Wooldridge, et al.
Discovery of novel epigenetic markers in non-Hodgkin's lymphoma
Carcinogenesis, January 1, 2007; 28(1): 60 - 70.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cancer Res.Home page
T. Rauch, H. Li, X. Wu, and G. P. Pfeifer
MIRA-Assisted Microarray Analysis, a New Technology for the Determination of DNA Methylation Patterns, Identifies Frequent Methylation of Homeodomain-Containing Genes in Lung Cancer Cells
Cancer Res., August 15, 2006; 66(16): 7939 - 7947.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cancer Res.Home page
J. Wu, L. T. Smith, C. Plass, and T. H-M. Huang
ChIP-chip Comes of Age for Genome-wide Functional Analysis.
Cancer Res., July 15, 2006; 66(14): 6899 - 6902.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CarcinogenesisHome page
W. J. Lee and B. T. Zhu
Inhibition of DNA methylation by caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid, two common catechol-containing coffee polyphenols
Carcinogenesis, February 1, 2006; 27(2): 269 - 277.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Nucleic Acids ResHome page
A. Schumacher, P. Kapranov, Z. Kaminsky, J. Flanagan, A. Assadzadeh, P. Yau, C. Virtanen, N. Winegarden, J. Cheng, T. Gingeras, et al.
Microarray-based DNA methylation profiling: technology and applications
Nucleic Acids Res., January 20, 2006; 34(2): 528 - 542.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci.Home page
Y. WANG, J. HAYAKAWA, F. LONG, Q. YU, A. H. CHO, G. RONDEAU, J. WELSH, S. MITTAL, I. DE BELLE, E. ADAMSON, et al.
"Promoter Array" Studies Identify Cohorts of Genes Directly Regulated by Methylation, Copy Number Change, or Transcription Factor Binding in Human Cancer Cells
Ann. N.Y. Acad. Sci., November 1, 2005; 1058(1): 162 - 185.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CarcinogenesisHome page
W. M. Gallagher, O. E. Bergin, M. Rafferty, Z. D. Kelly, I.-M. Nolan, E. J.P. Fox, A. C. Culhane, L. McArdle, M. F. Fraga, L. Hughes, et al.
Multiple markers for melanoma progression regulated by DNA methylation: insights from transcriptomic studies
Carcinogenesis, November 1, 2005; 26(11): 1856 - 1867.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Molecular Cancer TherapeuticsHome page
C. Balch, P. Yan, T. Craft, S. Young, D. G. Skalnik, T. H-M. Huang, and K. P. Nephew
Antimitogenic and chemosensitizing effects of the methylation inhibitor zebularine in ovarian cancer
Mol. Cancer Ther., October 1, 2005; 4(10): 1505 - 1514.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol. Pharmacol.Home page
W. J. Lee, J.-Y. Shim, and B. T. Zhu
Mechanisms for the Inhibition of DNA Methyltransferases by Tea Catechins and Bioflavonoids
Mol. Pharmacol., October 1, 2005; 68(4): 1018 - 1030.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Mol Cancer ResHome page
N. Takai, N. Kawamata, C. S. Walsh, S. Gery, J. C. Desmond, S. Whittaker, J. W. Said, L. M. Popoviciu, P. A. Jones, I. Miyakawa, et al.
Discovery of Epigenetically Masked Tumor Suppressor Genes in Endometrial Cancer
Mol. Cancer Res., May 1, 2005; 3(5): 261 - 269.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Hum Mol GenetHome page
P. W. Laird
Cancer epigenetics
Hum. Mol. Genet., April 15, 2005; 14(suppl_1): R65 - R76.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cancer Res.Home page
T. Mori, J. Kim, T. Yamano, H. Takeuchi, S. Huang, N. Umetani, K. Koyanagi, and D. S.B. Hoon
Epigenetic Up-regulation of C-C Chemokine Receptor 7 and C-X-C Chemokine Receptor 4 Expression in Melanoma Cells
Cancer Res., March 1, 2005; 65(5): 1800 - 1807.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Biol. Chem.Home page
S. Chang and C. S. Pikaard
Transcript Profiling in Arabidopsis Reveals Complex Responses to Global Inhibition of DNA Methylation and Histone Deacetylation
J. Biol. Chem., January 7, 2005; 280(1): 796 - 804.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci.Home page
V. R. Russanova, T. H. Hirai, and B. H. Howard
Semirandom Sampling to Detect Differentiation-Related and Age-Related Epigenome Remodeling
J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci., December 1, 2004; 59(12): 1221 - 1233.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther.Home page
M. Nouzova, N. Holtan, M. M. Oshiro, R. B. Isett, J. L. Munoz-Rodriguez, A. F. List, M. L. Narro, S. J. Miller, N. C. Merchant, and B. W. Futscher
Epigenomic Changes during Leukemia Cell Differentiation: Analysis of Histone Acetylation and Cytosine Methylation Using CpG Island Microarrays
J. Pharmacol. Exp. Ther., December 1, 2004; 311(3): 968 - 981.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Cancer Res.Home page
Y.-W. Leu, P. S. Yan, M. Fan, V. X. Jin, J. C. Liu, E. M. Curran, W. V. Welshons, S. H. Wei, R. V. Davuluri, C. Plass, et al.
Loss of Estrogen Receptor Signaling Triggers Epigenetic Silencing of Downstream Targets in Breast Cancer
Cancer Res., November 15, 2004; 64(22): 8184 - 8192.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Exp. Biol. Med.Home page
A. Kirmizis and P. J. Farnham
Genomic Approaches That Aid in the Identification of Transcription Factor Target Genes
Experimental Biology and Medicine, September 1, 2004; 229(8): 705 - 721.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USAHome page
Y. Kondo, L. Shen, P. S. Yan, T. H.-M. Huang, and J.-P. J. Issa
Chromatin immunoprecipitation microarrays for identification of genes silenced by histone H3 lysine 9 methylation
PNAS, May 11, 2004; 101(19): 7398 - 7403.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
CarcinogenesisHome page
J. C. Lindsey, M. E. Lusher, J. A. Anderton, S. Bailey, R. J. Gilbertson, A. D.J. Pearson, D. W. Ellison, and S. C. Clifford
Identification of tumour-specific epigenetic events in medulloblastoma development by hypermethylation profiling
Carcinogenesis, May 1, 2004; 25(5): 661 - 668.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
J. Nutr.Home page
S. A. Ross, P. R. Srinivas, A. J. Clifford, S. C. Lee, M. A. Philbert, and R. L. Hettich
New Technologies for Nutrition Research
J. Nutr., March 1, 2004; 134(3): 681 - 685.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Home page
Toxicol PatholHome page
Diagnostic Arrays for Epigenetic Markers: YU-WEI LEU AND TIM H.-M. HUANG, Human Cancer Genetics Program, The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical Research Facility, Columbus, Ohio 43210
Toxicol Pathol, January 1, 2004; 32(1): 139 - 139.
[PDF]


Home page
Cancer Res.Home page
M. Z. Fang, Y. Wang, N. Ai, Z. Hou, Y. Sun, H. Lu, W. Welsh, and C. S. Yang
Tea Polyphenol (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Inhibits DNA Methyltransferase and Reactivates Methylation-Silenced Genes in Cancer Cell Lines
Cancer Res., November 15, 2003; 63(22): 7563 - 7570.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


This Article
Right arrow Abstract Freely available
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar