Cited by 245Epigenetics and DNA MethylationGenomics and Chromatin DynamicsChromatin Remodeling and Cancer

DNA methylation status predicts cell type‐specific enhancer activity

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Wiench, Malgorzata, John, Sam, Baek, Songjoon, Johnson, Thomas A, Sung, Myong‐Hee, Escobar, Thelma, Simmons, Catherine A, Pearce, Kenneth H +5 more·2011·The EMBO Journal

Abstract

Cell-selective glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding to distal regulatory elements is associated with cell type-specific regions of locally accessible chromatin. These regions can either pre-exist in chromatin (pre-programmed) or be induced by the receptor (de novo). Mechanisms that create and maintain these sites are not well understood. We observe a global enrichment of CpG density for pre-programmed elements, and implicate their demethylated state in the maintenance of open chromatin in a tissue-specific manner. In contrast, sites that are actively opened by GR (de novo) are characterized by low CpG density, and form a unique class of enhancers devoid of suppressive effect of agglomerated methyl-cytosines. Furthermore, treatment with glucocorticoids induces rapid changes in methylation levels at selected CpGs within de novo sites. Finally, we identify GR-binding elements with CpGs at critical positions, and show that methylation can affect GR-DNA interactions in vitro. The findings present a unique link between tissue-specific chromatin accessibility, DNA methylation and transcription factor binding and show that DNA methylation can be an integral component of gene regulation by nuclear receptors.

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Crossref · 10.1038/emboj.2011.210

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  • The presence of DNA methylation negatively correlates with enhancer activity and alters the ability of tissue-specific DNA-binding proteins to bind their target sites.

    “In addition, the presence of DNA methylation has been shown to negatively correlate with enhancer activity41 and alters the ability of tissue-specific DNA-binding proteins to bind their target sites.34”

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Authors
Wiench, M., John, S., Baek, S., Johnson, T. A., Sung, M., Escobar, T., Simmons, C. A., Pearce, K. H., Biddie, S. C., Sabo, P. J., Thurman, R. E., Stamatoyannopoulos, J. A., & Hager, G. L.
Affiliations
  • National Institutes of Health (US)
  • GlaxoSmithKline (United States) (US)
  • University of Washington (US)
Corresponding author
Hager, Gordon L
Venue
The EMBO Journal
Published
2011-06-24
Volume
30
Issue
15
Pages
3028-3039
ISSN
  • 0261-4189 (ISSN-L)
  • 1460-2075
OpenAlex
W1983347147
Cited by
245
References
64
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 19 · 2021: 22 · 2020: 7 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 20 · 2015: 24 · 2014: 31 · 2013: 28 · 2012: 24
FWCI
11.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • The EMBO Journal (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Birmingham Research Portal (University of Birmingham) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Cancer Institute
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Chromatin Remodeling and Cancer
Keywords
DNA methylation, glucocorticoid receptor, enhancer activity, CpG density, open chromatin, nuclear receptor binding, transcription factor-DNA interaction, glucocorticoid therapy, tissue-specific gene regulation
MeSH terms
Animals, Cell Line, Chromatin, DNA, Enhancer Elements, Genetic, Protein Binding, Receptors, Glucocorticoid, DNA Methylation, Mice

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