Project description:Sex exerts a profound impact on cancer incidence, spectrum and outcomes, yet the molecular genetic bases of such sex differences are ill-defined and presumptively ascribed to X-chromosome genes and sex hormones. Such sex differences are particularly prominent in colorectal cancer (CRC) where men experience higher metastases and mortality. A murine CRC model, engineered with an inducible transgene encoding oncogenic mutant KRASG12D and conditional null alleles of Apc and Trp53 tumor suppressors (designated iKAP), revealed higher metastases and worse outcomes specifically in males with oncogenic mutant KRAS (KRAS*) CRC. Integrated cross-species molecular and transcriptomic analyses identified Y-chromosome gene histone demethylase KDM5D as a transcriptionally up-regulated gene driven by KRAS*-mediated activation of the STAT4 transcription factor. KDM5D-dependent chromatin mark and transcriptome changes showed repression of regulators of the epithelial cell tight junction and MHC class I complex components. Deletion of Kdm5d in iKAP cancer cells increased tight junction integrity, decreased cell invasiveness, and enhanced cancer cell killing by CD8+ T cells. Conversely, iAP mice engineered with a Kdm5d transgene to provide constitutive Kdm5d expression specifically in iAP cancer cells exhibited an increased propensity for more invasive tumors in vivo. Thus, KRAS*-STAT4-mediated upregulation of Y chromosome KDM5D contributes significantly to the sex differences in KRAS* CRC via its disruption of cancer cell adhesion properties and tumor immunity, providing an actionable therapeutic strategy for metastasis risk reduction for men afflicted with KRAS* CRC.
Project description:Sex exerts a profound impact on cancer incidence, spectrum and outcomes, yet the molecular genetic bases of such sex differences are ill-defined and presumptively ascribed to X-chromosome genes and sex hormones. Such sex differences are particularly prominent in colorectal cancer (CRC) where men experience higher metastases and mortality. A murine CRC model, engineered with an inducible transgene encoding oncogenic mutant KRASG12D and conditional null alleles of Apc and Trp53 tumor suppressors (designated iKAP), revealed higher metastases and worse outcomes specifically in males with oncogenic mutant KRAS (KRAS*) CRC. Integrated cross-species molecular and transcriptomic analyses identified Y-chromosome gene histone demethylase KDM5D as a transcriptionally up-regulated gene driven by KRAS*-mediated activation of the STAT4 transcription factor. KDM5D-dependent chromatin mark and transcriptome changes showed repression of regulators of the epithelial cell tight junction and MHC class I complex components. Deletion of Kdm5d in iKAP cancer cells increased tight junction integrity, decreased cell invasiveness, and enhanced cancer cell killing by CD8+ T cells. Conversely, iAP mice engineered with a Kdm5d transgene to provide constitutive Kdm5d expression specifically in iAP cancer cells exhibited an increased propensity for more invasive tumors in vivo. Thus, KRAS*-STAT4-mediated upregulation of Y chromosome KDM5D contributes significantly to the sex differences in KRAS* CRC via its disruption of cancer cell adhesion properties and tumor immunity, providing an actionable therapeutic strategy for metastasis risk reduction for men afflicted with KRAS* CRC.
Project description:Sex exerts a profound impact on cancer incidence, spectrum and outcomes, yet the molecular genetic bases of such sex differences are ill-defined and presumptively ascribed to X-chromosome genes and sex hormones. Such sex differences are particularly prominent in colorectal cancer (CRC) where men experience higher metastases and mortality. A murine CRC model, engineered with an inducible transgene encoding oncogenic mutant KRASG12D and conditional null alleles of Apc and Trp53 tumor suppressors (designated iKAP), revealed higher metastases and worse outcomes specifically in males with oncogenic mutant KRAS (KRAS*) CRC. Integrated cross-species molecular and transcriptomic analyses identified Y-chromosome gene histone demethylase KDM5D as a transcriptionally up-regulated gene driven by KRAS*-mediated activation of the STAT4 transcription factor. KDM5D-dependent chromatin mark and transcriptome changes showed repression of regulators of the epithelial cell tight junction and MHC class I complex components. Deletion of Kdm5d in iKAP cancer cells increased tight junction integrity, decreased cell invasiveness, and enhanced cancer cell killing by CD8+ T cells. Conversely, iAP mice engineered with a Kdm5d transgene to provide constitutive Kdm5d expression specifically in iAP cancer cells exhibited an increased propensity for more invasive tumors in vivo. Thus, KRAS*-STAT4-mediated upregulation of Y chromosome KDM5D contributes significantly to the sex differences in KRAS* CRC via its disruption of cancer cell adhesion properties and tumor immunity, providing an actionable therapeutic strategy for metastasis risk reduction for men afflicted with KRAS* CRC.
Project description:Mammalian sex differences are determined by the X and Y chromosomes. Ancestral homologous genes on the sex chromosomes, termed X-Y gene pairs, have been predicted to drive sex differences. However, among the five X-Y gene pairs conserved across eutherians, which pairs drive sex-biased gene expression have remained undefined. Here, we investigate the roles of the X-Y gene pair Kdm5c-Kdm5d in regulating sex-biased gene expression independently of sex hormones using pluripotent mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs) as a model. Wild-type (WT) XX female and WT XY male ESCs significantly differ in the expression of approximately 4% of all expressed genes, classified as female- or male-biased. Loss of Kdm5c in female ESCs results in the downregulation of female-biased genes. In contrast, loss of either Kdm5c or Kdm5d in male ESCs results in the upregulation of female-biased genes and downregulation of male-biased genes, effectively neutralizing sex-biased gene expression. In male ESCs, most sex-biased genes change in expression in a similar direction upon loss of Kdm5c or Kdm5d. However, Kdm5c loss dysregulates a greater number of sex-biased genes relative to Kdm5d loss in male ESCs. Remarkably, in female ESCs ectopic Kdm5d expression is sufficient to drive a sex-biased gene expression pattern similar to that of WT male ESCs. Taken together, these results establish Kdm5c-Kdm5d as a critical X-Y gene pair in driving sex-biased gene expression in pluripotent cells.
Project description:Sex differences in anti-tumor immunity remain incompletely understood yet have important implications for tumor biology and immunotherapy. Here, we combine murine colorectal cancer (CRC) models, primary CD8+ T-cell perturbation studies, and single-cell transcriptomic analyses of human CRC to define a male-biased regulatory axis that limits CD8+ T-cell effector function. Male CD8+ T cells displayed reduced cytokine production, proliferation, cytotoxicity, TCR abundance, and TCR signaling relative to female CD8+ T-cells. Mechanistically, depletion of histone demethylase KDM5D, encoded by the Y chromosome, enhanced TCR expression and clustering, increased proximal TCR signaling, reduced cholesterol biosynthetic programs, and lowered expression of exhaustion-associated genes. In human CRC single-cell datasets, male tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T-cells showed enrichment for exhaustion and cholesterol-associated programs, supporting the translational relevance of this axis. Consistent with the known role of cholesterol in TCR clustering and activation, lovastatin reduced exhaustion-associated marker expression in male CD8+ T-cells and delayed CRC tumor growth in vivo – findings which align with the male-specific CRC risk reduction role of statins. Together, these findings identify KDM5D as a sex-chromosome-linked regulator of male CD8+ T-cell dysfunction and validate cholesterol metabolism as an actionable target for sex-specific immunotherapeutic modulation in cancer.
Project description:Sex differences in anti-tumor immunity remain incompletely understood yet have important implications for tumor biology and immunotherapy. Here, we combine murine colorectal cancer (CRC) models, primary CD8+ T-cell perturbation studies, and single-cell transcriptomic analyses of human CRC to define a male-biased regulatory axis that limits CD8+ T-cell effector function. Male CD8+ T cells displayed reduced cytokine production, proliferation, cytotoxicity, TCR abundance, and TCR signaling relative to female CD8+ T-cells. Mechanistically, depletion of histone demethylase KDM5D, encoded by the Y chromosome, enhanced TCR expression and clustering, increased proximal TCR signaling, reduced cholesterol biosynthetic programs, and lowered expression of exhaustion-associated genes. In human CRC single-cell datasets, male tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T-cells showed enrichment for exhaustion and cholesterol-associated programs, supporting the translational relevance of this axis. Consistent with the known role of cholesterol in TCR clustering and activation, lovastatin reduced exhaustion-associated marker expression in male CD8+ T-cells and delayed CRC tumor growth in vivo – findings which align with the male-specific CRC risk reduction role of statins. Together, these findings identify KDM5D as a sex-chromosome-linked regulator of male CD8+ T-cell dysfunction and validate cholesterol metabolism as an actionable target for sex-specific immunotherapeutic modulation in cancer.
2026-07-23 | GSE330655 | GEO
Project description:Histone demethylase KDM5D upregulation drives sex differences in colon cancer
Project description:Background. Several lines of evidence suggest that the sex-chromosome complement influences autosomal gene regulation and DNA methylation, however, the exact molecular mechanisms responsible for such effects remain elusive. X-linked epigenetic modifiers that escape X-chromosome inactivation, and hence have higher dosage in female cells, are the primary gene candidates for mediating the effects of X-dosage, whereas Y-linked paralogs may rescue such imbalance or have distinct effects on methylation. Methods. Here, we tested the impacts of mutations in mouse histone lysine 4 demethylases Kdm5c (X-linked) and Kdm5d (Y-linked) on DNA methylation in mouse liver. KDM5C and KDM5D demethylate H3K4me2/3 thereby facilitating DNA methylation of their target DNA regions. Therefore, loss of either Kdm5c or Kdm5d is expected to reduce DNA methylation at such regions. We hypothesized that Kdm5c gene dosage was responsible for the X-dosage dependent DNA methylation in mouse liver and compared DNA methylation patterns in heterozygous mutant Kdm5c+/- and wild type females using whole genome bisulfite sequencing (WGBS) and DSS. Results. We examined the impacts of mutations in Kdm5c or Kdm5d on genome-wide DNA methylation and found that they had different targets but tended to map close to H3K4me1-enriched regions. We also compared the Kdm5c and Kdm5d sensitive regions to regions with sex-chromosome complement dependent DNA methylation and found no overlaps. Conclusions. In summary, while Kdm5c and Kdm5d have multi-locus effects on DNA methylation in mouse liver, they are unlikely to be solely responsible for sex-chromosome complement effects on DNA methylation in adult mouse liver.