Project description:Cancer is characterized by hypomethylation-associated silencing of large chromatin domains, whose contribution to tumorigenesis is uncertain. Through high-resolution single cell DNA methylation sequencing in prostate cancer, we identify 40 core hypomethylation domains, consistently hypomethylated across tumor cells and arising at early stages of malignancy. Transcriptionally silenced genes within these domains are enriched for immune-related genes; nested among repressive domains are small loci with preserved methylation, encoding cell proliferation genes that escape silencing. Prominent among hypomethylation-silenced genes is a gene cluster harboring all five CD1 genes that present lipid antigens to NKT cells, and four IFI16-related interferon-inducible genes implicated in innate immunity. Re-expression of CD1 or IFI16 murine orthologs in immunocompetent mice abrogates prostate tumorigenesis, accompanied by activation of anti-tumor immunity. Thus, early epigenetic changes in cancer may shape tumorigenesis, targeting co-located genes within defined chromosomal loci. Hypomethylation domains are detectable in blood specimens enriched for circulating tumor cells.
Project description:Cancer is characterized by hypomethylation-associated silencing of large chromatin domains, whose contribution to tumorigenesis is uncertain. Through high-resolution single cell DNA methylation sequencing in prostate cancer, we identify 40 core hypomethylation domains, consistently hypomethylated across tumor cells and arising at early stages of malignancy. Transcriptionally silenced genes within these domains are enriched for immune-related genes; nested among repressive domains are small loci with preserved methylation, encoding cell proliferation genes that escape silencing. Prominent among hypomethylation-silenced genes is a gene cluster harboring all five CD1 genes that present lipid antigens to NKT cells, and four IFI16-related interferon-inducible genes implicated in innate immunity. Re-expression of CD1 or IFI16 murine orthologs in immunocompetent mice abrogates prostate tumorigenesis, accompanied by activation of anti-tumor immunity. Thus, early epigenetic changes in cancer may shape tumorigenesis, targeting co-located genes within defined chromosomal loci. Hypomethylation domains are detectable in blood specimens enriched for circulating tumor cells.
Project description:Cancer is characterized by hypomethylation-associated silencing of large chromatin domains, whose contribution to tumorigenesis is uncertain. Through high-resolution single cell DNA methylation sequencing in prostate cancer, we identify 40 core hypomethylation domains, consistently hypomethylated across tumor cells and arising at early stages of malignancy. Transcriptionally silenced genes within these domains are enriched for immune-related genes; nested among repressive domains are small loci with preserved methylation, encoding cell proliferation genes that escape silencing. Prominent among hypomethylation-silenced genes is a gene cluster harboring all five CD1 genes that present lipid antigens to NKT cells, and four IFI16-related interferon-inducible genes implicated in innate immunity. Re-expression of CD1 or IFI16 murine orthologs in immunocompetent mice abrogates prostate tumorigenesis, accompanied by activation of anti-tumor immunity. Thus, early epigenetic changes in cancer may shape tumorigenesis, targeting co-located genes within defined chromosomal loci. Hypomethylation domains are detectable in blood specimens enriched for circulating tumor cells.
Project description:Cancer is characterized by hypomethylation-associated silencing of large chromatin domains, whose contribution to tumorigenesis is uncertain. Through high-resolution single cell DNA methylation sequencing in prostate cancer, we identify 40 core hypomethylation domains, consistently hypomethylated across tumor cells and arising at early stages of malignancy. Transcriptionally silenced genes within these domains are enriched for immune-related genes; nested among repressive domains are small loci with preserved methylation, encoding cell proliferation genes that escape silencing. Prominent among hypomethylation-silenced genes is a gene cluster harboring all five CD1 genes that present lipid antigens to NKT cells, and four IFI16-related interferon-inducible genes implicated in innate immunity. Re-expression of CD1 or IFI16 murine orthologs in immunocompetent mice abrogates prostate tumorigenesis, accompanied by activation of anti-tumor immunity. Thus, early epigenetic changes in cancer may shape tumorigenesis, targeting co-located genes within defined chromosomal loci. Hypomethylation domains are detectable in blood specimens enriched for circulating tumor cells.