Effect of the key histone modifications on the expression of genes related to breast cancer

Genomics. 2020 Jan;112(1):853-858. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2019.05.026. Epub 2019 Jun 3.

Abstract

Abnormal histone modifications (HMs) and transcription factors (TFs) can alter the expression of cancer-related genes to promote tumorigenesis. We studied the variations of 11 HMs and 2 TFs in human breast cancer cells (MCF-7) compared to human normal mammary epithelial cells (HMEC), and the effects of HMs/TFs in various regions of the genome on the expression changes of breast cancer-related genes. Based on HMs and TFs signals' differences between MCF-7 and HMEC flanking TSSs, the up- and down-regulated genes in MCF-7 were predicted by Random Forest, and important HMs and regions were found. Results indicate that H3K79me2, H3K27ac, and H3K4me1 are particularly important for the changes of gene expression in MCF-7. Especially, H3K79me2 around the 60-th bin flanking TSSs may be the key for regulating gene expression. Our studies reveal H3K79me2 may be a core HM for breast cancer.

Keywords: Breast cancer; Flanking TSSs; Gene expression; H3K79me2; Histone modifications.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Histone Code*
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription Initiation Site

Substances

  • Transcription Factors