PreprintCited by 897Epigenetics and DNA MethylationChromatin Remodeling and CancerGenomics and Chromatin Dynamics

Pharmacologic disruption of Polycomb-repressive complex 2-mediated gene repression selectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells

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Tan, Jing, Yang, Xiaojing, Zhuang, Li, Jiang, Xia, Chen, Wei, Lee, Puay Leng, Karuturi, R.K. Murthy, Tan, Patrick Boon Ooi +2 more·2007·Genes & Development

Abstract

Polycomb-repressive complex 2 (PRC2)-mediated histone methylation plays an important role in aberrant cancer gene silencing and is a potential target for cancer therapy. Here we show that S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase inhibitor 3-Deazaneplanocin A (DZNep) induces efficient apoptotic cell death in cancer cells but not in normal cells. We found that DZNep effectively depleted cellular levels of PRC2 components EZH2, SUZ12, and EED and inhibited associated histone H3 Lys 27 methylation (but not H3 Lys 9 methylation). By integrating RNA interference (RNAi), genome-wide expression analysis, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) studies, we have identified a prominent set of genes selectively repressed by PRC2 in breast cancer that can be reactivated by DZNep. We further demonstrate that the preferential reactivation of a set of these genes by DZNep, including a novel apoptosis affector, FBXO32 , contributes to DZNep-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Our results demonstrate the unique feature of DZNep as a novel chromatin remodeling compound and suggest that pharmacologic reversal of PRC2-mediated gene repression by DZNep may constitute a novel approach for cancer therapy.

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Authors
Tan, J., Yang, X., Zhuang, L., Jiang, X., Chen, W., Lee, P. L., Karuturi, R. K. M., Tan, P. B. O., Liu, E. T., & Yu, Q.
Affiliations
  • Genome Institute of Singapore (SG)
  • Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College (CN)
  • Duke-NUS Medical School (SG)
Venue
Genes & Development
Published
2007-04-16
Volume
21
Issue
9
Pages
1050-1063
ISSN
  • 0890-9369 (ISSN-L)
  • 1549-5477
OpenAlex
W2113634596
Cited by
895
References
68
Citations by year
2026: 12 · 2025: 16 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 35 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 35 · 2020: 39 · 2019: 37 · 2018: 44 · 2017: 65 · 2016: 55 · 2015: 65 · 2014: 98 · 2013: 77 · 2012: 70
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genes & Development (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • National University of Singapore (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Agency for Science, Technology and Research
  • 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 › Chromatin Remodeling and Cancer
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Genomics and Chromatin Dynamics
Keywords
polycomb repressive complex 2, DZNep, EZH2, SUZ12, EED, histone H3 lysine 27 methylation, gene silencing, apoptosis, breast cancer, atrogin-1, chromatin remodeling, cancer therapy
MeSH terms
Adenosine, Base Sequence, Breast Neoplasms, Enzyme Inhibitors, Female, Histones, Humans, Methylation, Promoter Regions, Genetic, Repressor Proteins, RNA Polymerase II, Apoptosis, RNA Interference, RNA, Small Interfering, Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly, Adenosylhomocysteinase, Epigenesis, Genetic, Cell Line, Tumor, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation, Polycomb-Group Proteins

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