Epigenetic inactivation of ERF reactivates γ-globin expression in ß-thalassemia.
Am J Hum Genet
; 108(4): 709-721, 2021 04 01.
Article
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| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-33735615
ABSTRACT
The fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch is regulated in a developmental stage-specific manner and reactivation of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) has therapeutic implications for treatment of ß-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia, two major global health problems. Although significant progress has been made in our understanding of the molecular mechanism of the fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switch, the mechanism of epigenetic regulation of HbF silencing remains to be fully defined. Here, we performed whole-genome bisulfite sequencing and RNA sequencing analysis of the bone marrow-derived GYPA+ erythroid cells from ß-thalassemia-affected individuals with widely varying levels of HbF groups (HbF ≥ 95th percentile or HbF ≤ 5th percentile) to screen epigenetic modulators of HbF and phenotypic diversity of ß-thalassemia. We identified an ETS2 repressor factor encoded by ERF, whose promoter hypermethylation and mRNA downregulation are associated with high HbF levels in ß-thalassemia. We further observed that hypermethylation of the ERF promoter mediated by enrichment of DNMT3A leads to demethylation of γ-globin genes and attenuation of binding of ERF on the HBG promoter and eventually re-activation of HbF in ß-thalassemia. We demonstrated that ERF depletion markedly increased HbF production in human CD34+ erythroid progenitor cells, HUDEP-2 cell lines, and transplanted NCG-Kit-V831M mice. ERF represses γ-globin expression by directly binding to two consensus motifs regulating γ-globin gene expression. Importantly, ERF depletion did not affect maturation of erythroid cells. Identification of alterations in DNA methylation of ERF as a modulator of HbF synthesis opens up therapeutic targets for ß-hemoglobinopathies.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Proteínas Represoras
/
Talasemia beta
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Perfilación de la Expresión Génica
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Epigénesis Genética
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Gamma-Globinas
Tipo de estudio:
Prognostic_studies
Límite:
Animals
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Child
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Am J Hum Genet
Año:
2021
Tipo del documento:
Article