Browsing by Author "Chiu, Chien-Chih"

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Breast cancer is associated with methylation and expression of the a disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain 33 (ADAM33) gene affected by endocrine-disrupting chemicals
(2018-11-01)
Yang, Pei-Jing
;
Hou, Ming-Feng
;
Tsai, Eing-Mei
;
Liang, Shih-Shin
;
Chiu, Chien-Chih
A disintegrin and metalloproteinase domain 33 (ADAM33) gene is a transmembrane glycoprotein that mediates changes in cell adhesion and plays an important role in cancer progression. Since bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates are epigenetically toxic, the purpose of this study was to examine whether BPA and phthalate metabolites, including monoethyl phthalate (MEP), mono-n-butyl phthalate (MBP), mono-isobutyl phthalate (MIBP), mono(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), mono(2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP), and mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP), have an epigenetic impact on ADAM33 and the incidence of breast cancer. CpG islands of breast cancer microarray data-sets obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) were used to assess the ADAM33 methylation profile. We designed a case-control study including 44 cases and 22 age-matched controls to detect the methylation status of intron 1 in ADAM33 from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in blood, using BSP, nested PCR, and bisulfite sequencing, and measured the in vivo gene expression of ADAM33 and the urinary concentrations of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), using real-time PCR, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Only one dataset, GSE32393, reached significance (P=0.016). ADAM33 expression and methylation frequencies at CpG site 3 in intron 1 were higher in the control group. We found a positive association between intron 1 methylation level and ADAM33 expression as well as urinary concentrations of MEHHP, MECPP, MEOHP and Sigma 4MEHP (the sum of MEHP, MECPP, MEHHP, and MEOHP) in the cases. This study suggests that metabolites of phthalate such as MEHHP, MECPP, MEOHP and Sigma 4MEHP may increase the intron 1 methylation level to elevate ADAM33 gene expression and have a protective effect on reducing the risk of breast cancer.
Transcribed pseudogene psi PPM1K generates endogenous siRNA to suppress oncogenic cell growth in hepatocellular carcinoma
(2013-04-01)
Chan, Wen-Ling
;
Yuo, Chung-Yee
;
Yang, Wen-Kuang
;
Hung, Shih-Ya
;
Chang, Ya-Sian
Pseudogenes, especially those that are transcribed, may not be mere genomic fossils, but their biological significance remains unclear. Postulating that in the human genome, as in animal models, pseudogenes may function as gene regulators through generation of endo-siRNAs (esiRNAs), antisense RNAs or RNA decoys, we performed bioinformatic and subsequent experimental tests to explore esiRNA-mediated mechanisms of pseudogene involvement in oncogenesis. A genome-wide survey revealed a partial retrotranscript pseudogene psi PPM1K containing inverted repeats capable of folding into hairpin structures that can be processed into two esiRNAs; these esiRNAs potentially target many cellular genes, including NEK8. In 41 paired surgical specimens, we found significantly reduced expression of two predicted psi PPM1K-specific esiRNAs, and the cognate gene PPM1K, in hepatocellular carcinoma compared with matched non-tumour tissues, whereas the expression of target gene NEK8 was increased in tumours. Additionally, NEK8 and PPM1K were downregulated in stably transfected psi PPM1K-overexpressing cells, but not in cells transfected with an esiRNA1-deletion mutant of psi PPM1K. Furthermore, expression of NEK8 in psi PPM1K-transfected cells demonstrated that NEK8 can counteract the growth inhibitory effects of psi PPM1K. These findings indicate that a transcribed pseudogene can exert tumour-suppressor activity independent of its parental gene by generation of esiRNAs that regulate human cell growth.
Visceral obesity and cell cycle pathways serve as links in the association between bisphenol A exposure and breast cancer
(2020-07-01)
Wang, Tsu-Nai
;
Yang, Pei-Jing
;
Tseng, Yu-Ting
;
Tsai, Yi-Shan
;
Kuo, Po-Lin
It has been identified that bisphenol A (BPA) exposure causes developmental toxicity in breast cells. However, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying the association between exposure to BPA and breast cancer remain unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the BPA-regulated signaling pathways associated with the aggressiveness and the development of breast cancer. Microarray technology and functional gene set analyses were used to evaluate BPA and breast cancer-associated biomarkers and pathways in a discovery-driven manner. Using individual dataset analyses, it was indicated that two BPA-associated gene sets, the visceral obesity pathway, involved in visceral fat deposits and the metabolic syndrome, and the cell cycle pathway, involved in cyclins and cell cycle regulation, were significantly associated with a high grade of aggressiveness and the development of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive breast cancer (between P<0.05 and 0.0001). The pooled analysis indicated that the most significant pathway was G(1)/S checkpoint regulation, and the cyclin and cell cycle regulation pathway for BPA-associated ER-positive cancer. Cancer cell signaling pathways were associated with healthy breast cells developing into breast cancer. The visceral obesity and the cell cycle pathways were indicated to link BPA exposure to breast cancer. The results of the present study demonstrate a significant association between breast cancer and BPA-regulated gene pathways.