Cited by 1,188Epigenetics and DNA MethylationCancer, Hypoxia, and MetabolismChromatin Remodeling and Cancer

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 50 of the 50 references it cites were found in a registry or an index; none of the 29 sources its claims cite is checked for support yet.

Inhibition of α-KG-dependent histone and DNA demethylases by fumarate and succinate that are accumulated in mutations of FH and SDH tumor suppressors

Open access

Abstract

Two Krebs cycle genes, fumarate hydratase ( FH ) and succinate dehydrogenase ( SDH ), are mutated in a subset of human cancers, leading to accumulation of their substrates, fumarate and succinate, respectively. Here we demonstrate that fumarate and succinate are competitive inhibitors of multiple α-ketoglutarate (α-KG)-dependent dioxygenases, including histone demethylases, prolyl hydroxylases, collagen prolyl-4-hydroxylases, and the TET (ten-eleven translocation) family of 5-methlycytosine (5mC) hydroxylases. Knockdown of FH and SDH results in elevated intracellular levels of fumarate and succinate, respectively, which act as competitors of α-KG to broadly inhibit the activity of α-KG-dependent dioxygenases. In addition, ectopic expression of tumor-derived FH and SDH mutants inhibits histone demethylation and hydroxylation of 5mC. Our study suggests that tumor-derived FH and SDH mutations accumulate fumarate and succinate, leading to enzymatic inhibition of multiple α-KG-dependent dioxygenases and consequent alterations of genome-wide histone and DNA methylation. These epigenetic alterations associated with mutations of FH and SDH likely contribute to tumorigenesis.

Overview

AI snapshot

Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

Fumarate and succinate, which accumulate when FH or SDH is lost, act as α-KG competitors and suppress multiple α-KG-dependent dioxygenases, including histone demethylases and TET DNA hydroxylases. This connects FH/SDH mutations to broad histone and DNA methylation changes that may contribute to tumorigenesis.

Key findings

  • In vitro, fumarate and succinate inhibited CeKDM7A by more than 80% at 1–10 mM; for HsKDM4A, fumarate caused 22%, 41%, and 73% inhibition and succinate caused 43%, 68%, and 85% inhibition at 1, 3, and 10 mM, with succinate more potent (IC50 0.8 mM) than fumarate (IC50 1.5 mM).
  • In cultured cells, cell-permeable fumarate or succinate increased H3K4 monomethylation about fourfold, H3K27 and H3K79 dimethylation about fourfold and threefold, and H3K4 trimethylation about twofold; FH or SDHA/B knockdown increased histone methylation three- to fivefold, raised HIF1α about fivefold, and lowered endostatin about sevenfold, effects diminished by cell-permeable α-KG.
  • TET-catalyzed 5hmC production was reduced in FH, SDHA, or SDHB knockdown cells by 71%, 73%, and 82% for TET1 and by 80%, 83%, and 69% for TET2; in mouse liver, Fh or Sdha knockdown reduced 5hmC by 72% and 63% and increased Hoxa gene expression more than tenfold.
  • Tumor-derived mutants were impaired: FH R190H and H137R retained 17% and 10% of wild-type activity; SDHA G555E and R554W retained 51% and 46%; SDHB R46Q and A43P retained 48% and 61%; wild-type but not mutant re-expression restored demethylation and 5hmC and reduced fumarate/succinate.

Methods

  • In vitro demethylase assays used synthetic H3K9me1 and H3K36me3 peptides with MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry; FH and SDH enzyme activities were measured by absorbance-based assays.
  • Cell work used HeLa and HEK293T cells with siRNA or stable knockdown of FH, SDHA, or SDHB, treatment with cell-permeable fumarate/succinate or octyl-α-KG, and TET1/TET2 catalytic-domain expression; readouts included GC-MS, Western blot, immunofluorescence, dot blot, and quantitative RT-PCR.
  • In vivo work used hydrodynamic tail-vein siRNA delivery to knock down mouse liver Fh or Sdha (n = 3 per group); statistics used two-tailed unpaired Student’s t-test, triplicate experiments, and P < 0.05.

Limitations

  • The paper notes an alternative product-inhibition model, observes that the succinate/α-KG ratio did not change in cells expressing tumor-derived FH mutants, and states that FH/SDH tumorigenesis may involve mechanisms independent of α-KG-dependent dioxygenases; it also says fumarate-mediated KEAP1 succination and NRF2 signaling require further exploration.
  • The corrigendum reports that Figure 2B mislabeled SDHA and SDHB as FH and duplicated an actin control, though the authors state this does not affect the conclusions.
  • Evident from the text: TET inhibition is inferred mainly from 5hmC readouts rather than direct TET enzyme kinetics, and the study relies on knockdown/overexpression and cell-permeable metabolite esters rather than direct human tumor metabolite-epigenome correlations.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1101/gad.191056.112

Cites

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Show all 46 claims

  • It may state two separate claims as one. 30
  • The quote only partly states this claim. 6
  • Probably not a substantial claim. 6
34 of 34
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    TET family enzymes function as tumor suppressors.

    “Given the well-characterized tumor suppressor function of TET”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Many missense mutations in FH or SDH have unknown functional consequences.

    “There are also many missense mutations whose exact functional consequences have not been characterized.”
2 of 2

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  • KDM7A substrate is described as both dimethylated and monomethylated

    Minor

    The assay description calls the H3K9 substrate dimethylated, but the peptide it says was used is monomethylated.

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Metadata

Authors
Xiao, M., Yang, H., Xu, W., Ma, S., Lin, H., Zhu, H., Liu, L., Liu, Y., Yang, C., Xu, Y., Zhao, S., Ye, D., Xiong, Y., & Guan, K.-L.
Affiliations
  • Fudan University (CN)
  • Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University (CN)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
  • University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
Venue
Genes & Development
Published
2012-06-07
Volume
26
Issue
12
Pages
1326-1338
ISSN
  • 0890-9369 (ISSN-L)
  • 1549-5477
OpenAlex
W2104852749
Cited by
1,188
References
50
Citations by year
2026: 141 · 2025: 96 · 2024: 85 · 2023: 100 · 2022: 99 · 2021: 96 · 2020: 105 · 2019: 91 · 2018: 70 · 2017: 84 · 2016: 74 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 50 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 9
Type
posted content
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Genes & Development (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • James S. McDonnell Foundation
  • Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (2012CB910101, 2012CB910300, 30600112, 31071192, 81120108016, 30871255)
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Shanghai Leading Academic Discipline Project
  • National Cancer Institute (F31CA260794)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › Cancer, Hypoxia, and Metabolism
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Chromatin Remodeling and Cancer
Keywords
fumarate hydratase, succinate dehydrogenase, fumarate, succinic acid, alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, histone demethylase, DNA demethylase, prolyl hydroxylase, collagen prolyl 4-hydroxylase, competitive inhibition, tumor suppressor mutations, epigenetic modifications, DNA methylation, histone methylation, TCA cycle, carcinogenesis
MeSH terms
Animals, Cells, Cultured, Fumarate Hydratase, Fumarates, Gene Expression Regulation, Humans, Ketoglutaric Acids, Models, Biological, Mutation, Succinate Dehydrogenase, Genome, Human, DNA Methylation, Succinic Acid, Tumor Suppressor Proteins, Endostatins, Dioxygenases, Mice, Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit, Biocatalysis, Gene Knockdown Techniques, Histone Demethylases, HEK293 Cells

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