Cited by 253Epigenetics and DNA MethylationAlzheimer's disease research and treatmentsDementia and Cognitive Impairment Research

Epigenetic dysregulation of enhancers in neurons is associated with Alzheimer’s disease pathology and cognitive symptoms

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Li, Peipei, Marshall, Lee, Oh, Gabriel, Jakubowski, Jennifer L., Groot, Daniel, He, Yu, Wang, Ting, Petronis, Arturas +1 more·2019·Nature Communications

Abstract

Epigenetic control of enhancers alters neuronal functions and may be involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here, we identify enhancers in neurons contributing to AD by comprehensive fine-mapping of DNA methylation at enhancers, genome-wide. We examine 1.2 million CpG and CpH sites in enhancers in prefrontal cortex neurons of individuals with no/mild, moderate, and severe AD pathology ( n = 101). We identify 1224 differentially methylated enhancer regions; most of which are hypomethylated at CpH sites in AD neurons. CpH methylation losses occur in normal aging neurons, but are accelerated in AD. Integration of epigenetic and transcriptomic data demonstrates a pro-apoptotic reactivation of the cell cycle in post-mitotic AD neurons. Furthermore, AD neurons have a large cluster of significantly hypomethylated enhancers in the DSCAML1 gene that targets BACE1 . Hypomethylation of these enhancers in AD is associated with an upregulation of BACE1 transcripts and an increase in amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, and cognitive decline.

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  • Hypomethylated enhancer regions have been identified in AD neurons, where they may affect expression of AD-relevant genes including tau kinases and BACE1.

    “Hypomethylated enhancer regions have been recently identified in AD neurons, where they may affect the expression of AD-relevant genes including tau kinases and BACE1 [512].”
  • Hypomethylation of a large enhancer cluster in CpH sites in prefrontal cortex neurons of severe AD cases, including DSCAML1 enhancers, likely upregulates BACE1 transcripts in AD.

    “More recently, a large cluster of significantly hypomethylated enhancers in the CpH sites were identified in prefrontal cortex neurons of individuals with severe AD pathology, and hypomethylation of these enhancers in the DSCAML1 gene likely upregulate BACE1 transcripts in AD (17).”

    From The β-Secretase BACE1 in Alzheimer’s Disease (2021) · cites this paper as [17]

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Authors
Li, P., Marshall, L., Oh, G., Jakubowski, J. L., Groot, D., He, Y., Wang, T., Petronis, A., & Labrie, V.
Affiliations
  • Van Andel Institute (US)
  • Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CA)
  • Washington University in St. Louis (US)
Corresponding author
Labrie, Viviane
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2019-05-21
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
2246-2246
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2945063373
Cited by
234
References
80
Citations by year
2026: 15 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 31 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 41 · 2021: 51 · 2020: 34 · 2019: 10
FWCI
12.73
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Digital Commons@Becker (Washington University School of Medicine) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
  • Scottish Rite Charitable Foundation of Canada (15110)
  • U.S. Department of Defense (PD170089)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Alzheimer's disease research and treatments
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research
Keywords
Alzheimer's disease, prefrontal cortex neurons, BACE1, amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles, cognitive decline, cell cycle re-entry, apoptosis, fine mapping
MeSH terms
Aged, Aged, 80 and over, Alzheimer Disease, Enhancer Elements, Genetic, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Neurons, Cohort Studies, Cell Adhesion Molecules, Up-Regulation, Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases, Prefrontal Cortex, CpG Islands, DNA Methylation, Epigenesis, Genetic, Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases, Cognitive Dysfunction

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