bims-meprid 2023-07-16 papers

Issue of 2023‒07‒16
seven papers selected by
Alessandro Carrer
Veneto Institute of Molecular Medicine

Mol Neurodegener. 2023 07 12. 18(1): 47

ACSS2-dependent histone acetylation improves cognition in mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

Yingbin Lin, Anlan Lin, Lili Cai, Weibin Huang, Shanzhi Yan, Yuanxiang Wei, Xinglin Ruan, Wenting Fang, Xiaoman Dai, Jinbo Cheng, Jie Zhang, Wanjin Chen, Qinyong Ye, Xiaochun Chen, Jing Zhang.

BACKGROUND: Nuclear acetyl-CoA pools govern histone acetylation that controls synaptic plasticity and contributes to cognitive deterioration in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Nuclear acetyl-CoA pools are generated partially from local acetate that is metabolized by acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2). However, the underlying mechanism of histone acetylation dysregulation in AD remains poorly understood.METHODS: We detected ACSS2 expression and histone acetylation levels in the brains of AD patients and 5 × FAD mice. When we altered ACSS2 expression by injecting adeno-associated virus into the dorsal hippocampus of 5 × FAD mice and replenished ACSS2 substrate (acetate), we observed changes in cognitive function by Morris water maze. We next performed RNA-seq, ChIP-qPCR, and electrophysiology to study molecular mechanism underlying ACSS2-mediated spatial learning and memory in 5 × FAD mice.
RESULTS: We reported that ACSS2 expression and histone acetylation (H3K9, H4K12) were reduced in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of 5 × FAD mice. Reduced ACSS2 levels were also observed in the temporal cortex of AD patients. 5 × FAD mice exhibited a low enrichment of acetylated histones on the promoters of NMDARs and AMPARs, together with impaired basal and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity, all of which were rescued by ACSS2 upregulation. Moreover, acetate replenishment enhanced ac-H3K9 and ac-H4K12 in 5 × FAD mice, leading to an increase of NMDARs and AMPARs and a restoration of synaptic plasticity and cognitive function in an ACSS2-dependent manner.
CONCLUSION: ACSS2 is a key molecular switch of cognitive impairment and that targeting ACSS2 or acetate administration may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of intermediate or advanced AD. Nuclear acetyl-CoA pools are generated partly from local acetate that is metabolized by acetyl-CoA synthetase 2 (ACSS2). Model depicts that ACSS2 expression is downregulated in the brains of 5×FAD model mice and AD patients. Of note, ACSS2 downregulation mediates a reduction in ionotropic glutamate receptor expression through histone acetylation, which exacerbates synaptic plasticity impairment in AD. These deficits can be rescued by ACSS2 upregulation or acetate supplementation (GTA, an FDA-approved food additive), which may serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for AD treatment.

Keywords: ACSS2; Acetate; Alzheimer’s disease; Glutamate receptors; Histone acetylation; Synaptic plasticity

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13024-023-00625-4

Science. 2023 Jul 14. 381(6654): 125-126

Metabolic control of transcription.

Eric B Taylor.

Light alters histone methylation in plants via nuclear α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adi7577

Science. 2023 Jul 14. 381(6654): eadf8822

Control of histone demethylation by nuclear-localized α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase.

Fei Huang, Xiao Luo, Yang Ou, Zhaoxu Gao, Qiming Tang, Zhenzhen Chu, Xinguang Zhu, Yuehui He.

Methylations on nucleosomal histones play fundamental roles in regulating eukaryotic transcription. Jumonji C domain-containing histone demethylases (JMJs) dynamically control the level of histone methylations. However, how JMJ activity is generally regulated is unknown. We found that the tricarboxylic acid cycle-associated enzyme α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) dehydrogenase (KGDH) entered the nucleus, where it interacted with various JMJs to regulate α-KG-dependent histone demethylations by JMJs, and thus controlled genome-wide gene expression in plants. We show that nuclear targeting is regulated by environmental signals and that KGDH is enriched at thousands of loci in Arabidopsis thaliana. Chromatin-bound KGDH catalyzes α-KG decarboxylation and thus may limit its local availability to KGDH-coupled JMJs, inhibiting histone demethylation. Thus, our results uncover a regulatory mechanism for histone demethylations by JMJs.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adf8822

Cell Rep. 2023 Jul 07. pii: S2211-1247(23)00781-7. [Epub ahead of print]42(7): 112770

αKG-driven RNA polymerase II transcription of cyclin D1 licenses malic enzyme 2 to promote cell-cycle progression.

Yanting Yang, Zhenxi Zhang, Wei Li, Yufan Si, Li Li, Wenjing Du.

Increased metabolic activity usually provides energy and nutrients for biomass synthesis and is indispensable for the progression of the cell cycle. Here, we find a role for α-ketoglutarate (αKG) generation in regulating cell-cycle gene transcription. A reduction in cellular αKG levels triggered by malic enzyme 2 (ME2) or isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) depletion leads to a pronounced arrest in G1 phase, while αKG supplementation promotes cell-cycle progression. Mechanistically, αKG directly binds to RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) and increases the level of RNAPII binding to the cyclin D1 gene promoter via promoting pre-initiation complex (PIC) assembly, consequently enhancing cyclin D1 transcription. Notably, αKG addition is sufficient to restore cyclin D1 expression in ME2- or IDH1-depleted cells, facilitating cell-cycle progression and proliferation in these cells. Therefore, our findings indicate a function of αKG in gene transcriptional regulation and cell-cycle control.

Keywords: CP: Molecular biology; RNA polymerase II; cell cycle; cyclin D1; malic enzyme 2; α-ketoglutarate

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112770

Front Cell Dev Biol. 2023 ;11 1209928

One-carbon metabolism is required for epigenetic stability in the mouse placenta.

Claire E Senner, Ziqi Dong, Malwina Prater, Miguel R Branco, Erica D Watson.

One-carbon metabolism, including the folate cycle, has a crucial role in fetal development though its molecular function is complex and unclear. The hypomorphic Mtrr gt allele is known to disrupt one-carbon metabolism, and thus methyl group availability, leading to several developmental phenotypes (e.g., neural tube closure defects, fetal growth anomalies). Remarkably, previous studies showed that some of the phenotypes were transgenerationally inherited. Here, we explored the genome-wide epigenetic impact of one-carbon metabolism in placentas associated with fetal growth phenotypes and determined whether specific DNA methylation changes were inherited. Firstly, methylome analysis of Mtrr gt/gt homozygous placentas revealed genome-wide epigenetic instability. Several differentially methylated regions (DMRs) were identified including at the Cxcl1 gene promoter and at the En2 gene locus, which may have phenotypic implications. Importantly, we discovered hypomethylation and ectopic expression of a subset of ERV elements throughout the genome of Mtrr gt/gt placentas with broad implications for genomic stability. Next, we determined that known spermatozoan DMRs in Mtrr gt/gt males were reprogrammed in the placenta with little evidence of direct or transgenerational germline DMR inheritance. However, some spermatozoan DMRs were associated with placental gene misexpression despite normalisation of DNA methylation, suggesting the inheritance of an alternative epigenetic mechanism. Integration of published wildtype histone ChIP-seq datasets with Mtrr gt/gt spermatozoan methylome and placental transcriptome datasets point towards H3K4me3 deposition at key loci. These data suggest that histone modifications might play a role in epigenetic inheritance in this context. Overall, this study sheds light on the mechanistic complexities of one-carbon metabolism in development and epigenetic inheritance.

Keywords: DNA methylation; MTRR; epigenetic inheritance; folate; histone methylation; sperm; transposable elements; trophoblast

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2023.1209928

Nat Commun. 2023 Jul 14. 14(1): 4129

Lactate-dependent transcriptional regulation controls mammalian eye morphogenesis.

Nozomu Takata, Jason M Miska, Marc A Morgan, Priyam Patel, Leah K Billingham, Neha Joshi, Matthew J Schipma, Zachary J Dumar, Nikita R Joshi, Alexander V Misharin, Ryan B Embry, Luciano Fiore, Peng Gao, Lauren P Diebold, Gregory S McElroy, Ali Shilatifard, Navdeep S Chandel, Guillermo Oliver.

Mammalian retinal metabolism favors aerobic glycolysis. However, the role of glycolytic metabolism in retinal morphogenesis remains unknown. We report that aerobic glycolysis is necessary for the early stages of retinal development. Taking advantage of an unbiased approach that combines the use of eye organoids and single-cell RNA sequencing, we identify specific glucose transporters and glycolytic genes in retinal progenitors. Next, we determine that the optic vesicle territory of mouse embryos displays elevated levels of glycolytic activity. At the functional level, we show that removal of Glucose transporter 1 and Lactate dehydrogenase A gene activity from developing retinal progenitors arrests eye morphogenesis. Surprisingly, we uncover that lactate-mediated upregulation of key eye-field transcription factors is controlled by the epigenetic modification of histone H3 acetylation through histone deacetylase activity. Our results identify an unexpected bioenergetic independent role of lactate as a signaling molecule necessary for mammalian eye morphogenesis.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-39672-2

Int J Mol Sci. 2023 Jun 21. pii: 10444. [Epub ahead of print]24(13):

α-Aminobutyric Acid Constrains Macrophage-Associated Inflammatory Diseases through Metabolic Reprogramming and Epigenetic Modification.

Fei Li, Yuting Xia, Shijie Yuan, Xiaorong Xie, Lin Li, Yuan Luo, Qiuyang Du, Yuqi Yuan, Ran He.

Metabolites play critical roles in macrophage polarization and in their function in response to infection and inflammation. α-aminobutyric acid (AABA), a non-proteinogenic amino acid which can be generated from methionine, threonine, serine, and glycine, has not been studied extensively in relation to macrophage polarization and function. In this study, we aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory function of AABA in regulating M1 macrophage polarization and function in vitro and in vivo. We stimulated bone-marrow-derived macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to generate M1 macrophages. Subsequently, we induced sepsis and colitis in mice, followed by treatment with AABA. We then analyzed the samples using ELISA, real-time PCR, Western blotting, flow cytometry, and histopathological analysis to evaluate cytokine secretion, inflammatory gene expression, macrophage activation, disease progression, and inflammation severity. Additionally, metabolomic and chromatin immunoprecipitation-qPCR were conducted to investigate the function of AABA on metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modifications of M1 macrophages. Our results revealed that AABA inhibited M1 macrophage polarization and function, which led to prolonged survival in septic mice and reduced disease severity in colitis mice. Mechanically, AABA promoted oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and glutamine and arginine metabolism while inhibiting glycolysis. Moreover, AABA could increase the occupancy of trimethylation of histone H3K27 at the promoter regions of M1 macrophage-associated inflammatory genes, which contributed to the inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization. These findings suggest that AABA may have therapeutic potential for inflammatory diseases by regulating macrophage polarization and function through metabolic and epigenetic pathways.

Keywords: EZH2; H3K27me3; inflammation; macrophage; metabolic reprogramming; α-aminobutyric acid

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310444