'; ?> geneimprint : Hot off the Press http://www.geneimprint.com/site/hot-off-the-press Daily listing of the most recent articles in epigenetics and imprinting, collected from the PubMed database. en-us Mon, 04 Dec 2023 02:25:50 EST Mon, 04 Dec 2023 02:25:50 EST jirtle@radonc.duke.edu james001@jirtle.com Dynamics of imprinted genes and their epigenetic mechanisms in castor bean seed with persistent endosperm. Han B, Li Y, Wu D, Li DZ, Liu A, Xu W
New Phytol (Dec 2023)

Genomic imprinting refers to parent-of-origin-dependent gene expression and primarily occurs in the endosperm of flowering plants, but its functions and epigenetic mechanisms remain to be elucidated in eudicots. Castor bean, a eudicot with large and persistent endosperm, provides an excellent system for studying the imprinting. Here, we identified 131 imprinted genes in developing endosperms and endosperm at seed germination phase of castor bean, involving into the endosperm development, accumulation of storage compounds and specially seed germination. Our results showed that the transcriptional repression of maternal allele of DNA METHYLTRANSFERASE 1 (MET1) may be required for maternal genome demethylation in the endosperm. DNA methylation analysis showed that only a small fraction of imprinted genes was associated with allele-specific DNA methylation, and most of them were closely associated with constitutively unmethylated regions (UMRs), suggesting a limited role for DNA methylation in controlling genomic imprinting. Instead, histone modifications can be asymmetrically deposited in maternal and paternal genomes in a DNA methylation-independent manner to control expression of most imprinted genes. These results expanded our understanding of the occurrence and biological functions of imprinted genes and showed the evolutionary flexibility of the imprinting machinery and mechanisms in plants.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Clinical, genomic, and epigenomic analyses of H3K27M-mutant diffuse midline glioma long-term survivors reveal a distinct group of tumors with MAPK pathway alterations. Roberts HJ, Ji S, Picca A, Sanson M, Garcia M, Snuderl M, Schüller U, Picart T, Ducray F, Green AL, Nakano Y, Sturm D, Abdullaev Z, Aldape K, Dang D, Kumar-Sinha C, Wu YM, Robinson D, Vo JN, Chinnaiyan AM, Cartaxo R, Upadhyaya SA, Mody R, Chiang J, Baker S, Solomon D, Venneti S, Pratt D, Waszak SM, Koschmann C
Acta Neuropathol (Dec 2023)

]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Adrenergic and mesenchymal signatures are identifiable in cell-free DNA and correlate with metastatic disease burden in children with neuroblastoma. Vayani OR, Kaufman ME, Moore K, Chennakesavalu M, TerHaar R, Chaves G, Chlenski A, He C, Cohn SL, Applebaum MA
Pediatr Blood Cancer (Jan 2024)

Cell-free DNA (cfDNA) profiles of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), an epigenetic marker of open chromatin and active gene expression, are correlated with metastatic disease burden in patients with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma tumors are comprised of adrenergic (ADRN) and mesenchymal (MES) cells, and the relative abundance of each in tumor biopsies has prognostic implications. We hypothesized that ADRN and MES-specific signatures could be quantified in cfDNA 5-hmC profiles and would augment the detection of metastatic burden in patients with neuroblastoma.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Genomewide epigenetic study shows significant DNA hypermethylation in chronic rhinosinusitis versus control ethmoidal tissue. Brar T, Baheti S, Bhagwate AV, Kita H, Marino MJ, Lal D
Int Forum Allergy Rhinol (Dec 2023)

]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Cleavage Under Targets & Release Using Nuclease (CUT&RUN) of Histone Modifications in Epidermal Stem Cells of Adult Murine Skin. Flora P, Ezhkova E
Methods Mol Biol (2024)

Cleavage Under Targets & Release Using Nuclease (CUT&RUN) has swiftly become the preferred procedure over the past few years for genomic mapping and detecting interactions between chromatin and its bound proteins. CUT&RUN is now being widely used for characterizing the epigenetic landscape in many cell types as it utilizes far less cell numbers when compared to Chromatin Immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq), thereby making it a powerful tool for researchers working with limited material. This protocol has been specifically optimized for detecting histone modifications in fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS)-isolated epidermal stem cells from adult mice.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Histopathologic brain age estimation via multiple instance learning. Marx GA, Kauffman J, McKenzie AT, Koenigsberg DG, McMillan CT, Morgello S, Karlovich E, Insausti R, Richardson TE, Walker JM, White CL, Babrowicz BM, Shen L, McKee AC, Stein TD,  , Farrell K, Crary JF
Acta Neuropathol (Dec 2023)

Understanding age acceleration, the discordance between biological and chronological age, in the brain can reveal mechanistic insights into normal physiology as well as elucidate pathological determinants of age-related functional decline and identify early disease changes in the context of Alzheimer's and other disorders. Histopathological whole slide images provide a wealth of pathologic data on the cellular level that can be leveraged to build deep learning models to assess age acceleration. Here, we used a collection of digitized human post-mortem hippocampal sections to develop a histological brain age estimation model. Our model predicted brain age within a mean absolute error of 5.45 ± 0.22 years, with attention weights corresponding to neuroanatomical regions vulnerable to age-related changes. We found that histopathologic brain age acceleration had significant associations with clinical and pathologic outcomes that were not found with epigenetic based measures. Our results indicate that histopathologic brain age is a powerful, independent metric for understanding factors that contribute to brain aging.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Epigenetic modification related to cognitive changes during a cognitive training intervention in depression. Van Assche E, Hohoff C, Zang J, Knight MJ, Baune BT
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry (Dec 2023)

DNA methylation as a biomarker is well suited to investigate dynamic processes, such as symptom improvement. For this study we focus on epigenomic state or trait markers as early signatures of cognitive improvement in individuals receiving a cognitive intervention. We performed a first epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) on patients with cognitive dysfunction in depression comparing those with vs without cognitive dysfunction and those cognitively improving vs non-improving following a cognitive intervention.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Prenatal exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals: The role of multi-omics in understanding toxicity. Rabotnick MH, Ehlinger J, Haidari A, Goodrich JM
Mol Cell Endocrinol (Dec 2023)

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a diverse group of toxicants detected in populations globally. Prenatal EDC exposures impact birth and childhood outcomes. EDCs work through persistent changes at the molecular, cellular, and organ level. Molecular and biochemical signals or 'omics' can be measured at various functional levels - including the epigenome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, and the microbiome. In this narrative review, we introduce each omics and give examples of associations with prenatal EDC exposures. There is substantial research on epigenomic modifications in offspring exposed to EDCs during gestation, and a growing number of studies evaluating the transcriptome, proteome, metabolome, or microbiome in response to these exposures. Multi-omics, integrating data across omics layers, may improve understanding of disrupted function pathways related to early life exposures. We highlight several data integration methods to consider in multi-omics studies. Information from multi-omics can improve understanding of the biological processes and mechanisms underlying prenatal EDC toxicity.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Epigenomics in aortic dissection: From mechanism to therapeutics. Tao Y, Li G, Yang Y, Wang Z, Wang S, Li X, Yu T, Fu X
Life Sci (Dec 2023)

Aortic dissection (AD) has an unfavorable prognosis. It requires early diagnosis, appropriate treatment strategies, and suspicion to recognize symptoms; thus, it is commonly described as an acute aortic emergency. The clinical manifestations of painless AD are complex and variable. However, there is no effective treatment to prevent the progression of AD. Therefore, study of the molecular targets and mechanisms of AD to enable prevention or early intervention is particularly important. Although multiple gene mutations have been proposed as linked to AD development, evidence that multiple epigenetic elements are strongly associated is steadily increasing. These epigenetic processes include DNA methylation, N6-methyladenosine, histone modification, non-histone posttranslational modification, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Among these processes, resveratrol targeting Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), 5-azacytidine (5azaC) targeting DNA methyltransferase (DNMT), and vitamin C targeting ten-eleven translocation 2 (Tet2) showed unique advantages in improving AD and vascular dysfunction. Finally, we explored potential epigenetic drugs and diagnostic methods for AD, which might provide options for the future.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Evolutionary insights into 3D genome organization and epigenetic landscape of . Junaid A, Singh B, Bhatia S
Life Sci Alliance (Jan 2024)

Eukaryotic genomes show an intricate three-dimensional (3D) organization within the nucleus that regulates multiple biological processes including gene expression. Contrary to animals, understanding of 3D genome organization in plants remains at a nascent stage. Here, we investigate the evolution of 3D chromatin architecture in legumes. By using cutting-edge PacBio, Illumina, and Hi-C contact reads, we report a gap-free, chromosome-scale reference genome assembly of , an important minor legume cultivated in Southeast Asia. We spatially resolved chromosomes into euchromatic, transcriptionally active A compartment and heterochromatic, transcriptionally-dormant B compartment. We report the presence of TAD-like-regions throughout the diagonal of the HiC matrix that resembled transcriptional quiescent centers based on their genomic and epigenomic features. We observed high syntenic breakpoints but also high coverage of syntenic sequences and conserved blocks in boundary regions than in the TAD-like region domains. Our findings present unprecedented evolutionary insights into spatial 3D genome organization and epigenetic patterns and their interaction within the genome. This will aid future genomics and epigenomics research and breeding programs of .]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Epigenetic switch reshapes epithelial progenitor cell signatures and drives inflammatory pathogenesis in hidradenitis suppurativa. Jin L, Chen Y, Muzaffar S, Li C, Mier-Aguilar CA, Khan J, Kashyap MP, Liu S, Srivastava R, Deshane JS, Townes TM, Elewski BE, Elmets CA, Crossman DK, Raman C, Athar M
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A (Dec 2023)

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a complex inflammatory skin disease with undefined mechanistic underpinnings. Here, we investigated HS epithelial cells and demonstrated that HS basal progenitors modulate their lineage restriction and give rise to pathogenic keratinocyte clones, resulting in epidermal hyperproliferation and dysregulated inflammation in HS. When comparing to healthy epithelial stem/progenitor cells, in HS, we identified changes in gene signatures that revolve around the mitotic cell cycle, DNA damage response and repair, as well as cell-cell adhesion and chromatin remodeling. By reconstructing cell differentiation trajectory and CellChat modeling, we identified a keratinocyte population specific to HS. This population is marked by // and family members, triggering IL1, IL10, and complement inflammatory cascades. These signals, along with HS-specific proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, contribute to the recruitment of certain immune cells during the disease progression. Furthermore, we revealed a previously uncharacterized role of S100A8 in regulating the local chromatin environment of target loci in HS keratinocytes. Through the integration of genomic and epigenomic datasets, we identified genome-wide chromatin rewiring alongside the switch of transcription factors (TFs), which mediated HS transcriptional profiles. Importantly, we identified numerous clinically relevant inflammatory enhancers and their coordinated TFs in HS basal CD49f cells. The disruption of the enhancer using the CRISPR/Cas9-mediated approach or the pharmacological inhibition of the interferon regulatory transcription factor 3 (IRF3) efficiently reduced the production of HS-associated inflammatory regulators. Our study not only uncovers the plasticity of epidermal progenitor cells in HS but also elucidates the epigenetic mechanisms underlying HS pathogenesis.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Involvement of CCCTC-binding factor in epigenetic regulation of cancer. Bose S, Saha S, Goswami H, Shanmugam G, Sarkar K
Mol Biol Rep (Dec 2023)

A major global health burden continues to be borne by the complex and multifaceted disease of cancer. Epigenetic changes, which are essential for the emergence and spread of cancer, have drawn a huge amount of attention recently. The CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF), which takes part in a wide range of cellular processes including genomic imprinting, X chromosome inactivation, 3D chromatin architecture, local modifications of histone, and RNA polymerase II-mediated gene transcription, stands out among the diverse array of epigenetic regulators. CTCF not only functions as an architectural protein but also modulates DNA methylation and histone modifications. Epigenetic regulation of cancer has already been the focus of plenty of studies. Understanding the role of CTCF in the cancer epigenetic landscape may lead to the development of novel targeted therapeutic strategies for cancer. CTCF has already earned its status as a tumor suppressor gene by acting like a homeostatic regulator of genome integrity and function. Moreover, CTCF has a direct effect on many important transcriptional regulators that control the cell cycle, apoptosis, senescence, and differentiation. As we learn more about CTCF-mediated epigenetic modifications and transcriptional regulations, the possibility of utilizing CTCF as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target for cancer will also increase. Thus, the current review intends to promote personalized and precision-based therapeutics for cancer patients by shedding light on the complex interplay between CTCF and epigenetic processes.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Epigenetic programming for obesity and noncommunicable disease: From womb to tomb. Saavedra LPJ, Piovan S, Moreira VM, Gonçalves GD, Ferreira ARO, Ribeiro MVG, Peres MNC, Almeida DL, Raposo SR, da Silva MC, Barbosa LF, de Freitas Mathias PC
Rev Endocr Metab Disord (Dec 2023)

Several epidemiological, clinical and experimental studies in recent decades have shown the relationship between exposure to stressors during development and health outcomes later in life. The characterization of these susceptible phases, such as preconception, gestation, lactation and adolescence, and the understanding of factors that influence the risk of an adult individual for developing obesity, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, is the focus of the DOHaD (Developmental Origins of Health and Disease) research line. In this sense, advancements in molecular biology techniques have contributed significantly to the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the observed phenotypes, their morphological and physiological alterations, having as a main driving factor the epigenetic modifications and their consequent modulation of gene expression. The present narrative review aimed to characterize the different susceptible phases of development and associated epigenetic modifications, and their implication in the development of non-communicable diseases. Additionally, we provide useful insights into interventions during development to counteract or prevent long-term programming for disease susceptibility.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST A consistent pattern of slide effects in Illumina DNA methylation BeadChip array data. Hecker J, Lee S, Kachroo P, Prokopenko D, Maaser-Hecker A, Lutz SM, Hahn G, Irizarry R, Weiss ST, DeMeo DL, Lange C
Epigenetics (Dec 2023)

Recent studies have identified thousands of associations between DNA methylation CpGs and complex diseases/traits, emphasizing the critical role of epigenetics in understanding disease aetiology and identifying biomarkers. However, association analyses based on methylation array data are susceptible to batch/slide effects, which can lead to inflated false positive rates or reduced statistical power We use multiple DNA methylation datasets based on the popular Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array to describe consistent patterns and the joint distribution of slide effects across CpGs, confirming and extending previous results. The susceptible CpGs overlap with the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array content. Our findings reveal systematic patterns in slide effects. The observations provide further insights into the characteristics of these effects and can improve existing adjustment approaches.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST IGF2 is upregulated by its antisense RNA to potentiate pancreatic cancer progression. Tian Y, Han W, Fu L, Zhang J, Zhou X
Funct Integr Genomics (Dec 2023)

Pancreatic cancer is a deadly cancer. More and more long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have received confirmation to be dysregulated in tumors and exert the regulatory function. Studies have suggested that lncRNA insulin-like growth factor 2 antisense RNA (IGF2-AS) participates in the development of some cancers. Thus, we attempted to clarify its function in pancreatic cancer. Reverse-transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction was applied for testing IGF2-AS expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Colony formation and Transwell wound experiments were applied for determining cell proliferative, migratory, and invasive capabilities. The alteration of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related gene level was tested via western blot. The mice model was established for measuring the tumor growth and metastasis. RIP validated the interaction of RNAs. IGF2-AS displays high expression in pancreatic cancer cells. IGF2-AS depletion repressed PC cell proliferative, migratory, invasive capabilities, and EMT process. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer tumor growth and metastasis were also inhibited by IGF2-AS depletion. Additionally, IGF2-AS positively regulated IGF2 level via recruiting HNRNPC. IGF2 overexpression counteracted the functions of IGF2-AS deficiency on pancreatic cancer cell behaviors. Moreover, IGF2R deletion was found to inhibit the positive effect of IGF2 on pancreatic cancer progression. IGF2-AS potentiates pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, tumor growth, and metastasis by recruiting HNRNPC via the IGF2-IGF2R regulatory pathway. These discoveries might offer a novel insight for treatment of PC, which may facilitate targeted therapies of PC in clinical practice.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST DNA methylation biomarkers to identify epigenetically abnormal spermatozoa in male partners from couples experiencing recurrent pregnancy loss. Khambata K, Begum S, Raut S, Mohan S, Irani D, Singh D, Bansal V, Patil A, Balasinor NH
Epigenetics (Dec 2023)

Previously, we showed that DNA methylation defects in spermatozoa from male partners of couples undergoing recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) could be a contributing paternal factor. In the present study, we aimed to determine whether the methylation levels of selected imprinted genes can be used as diagnostic markers to identify epigenetically abnormal spermatozoa sample in these cases. The methylation levels of selected imprinted genes in spermatozoa, which were previously found to be differentially methylated, were combined into a probability score (between 0-1) using multiple logistic regression. Different combinations of these genes were investigated using Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis, and the threshold values were experimentally validated in an independent cohort of 38 control and 45 RPL spermatozoa samples. Among the different combinations investigated, a combination of five imprinted genes comprising IGF2-H19 DMR, IG-DMR, ZAC, KvDMR, and PEG3 (AUC = 0.88) with a threshold value of 0.61 was selected with a specificity of 90.41% and sensitivity of 70%. The results from the validation study indicated that 97% of the control samples had probability scores below this threshold, whereas 40% of the RPL samples were above this threshold with a post-hoc power of 97.8%. Thus, this combination can correctly classify control samples and potentially identify epigenetically abnormal spermatozoa samples in the male partners of couples undergoing RPL. We propose that the combined DNA methylation levels of these imprinted genes can be used as a diagnostic tool to identify spermatozoa samples with epigenetic defects which could contribute to the pathophysiology of RPL and the couple could be counselled appropriately.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Multi-omics analysis in developmental bone biology. Matsushita Y, Noguchi A, Ono W, Ono N
Jpn Dent Sci Rev (Dec 2023)

Single-cell omics and multi-omics have revolutionized our understanding of molecular and cellular biological processes at a single-cell level. In bone biology, the combination of single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses and in vivo lineage-tracing approaches has successfully identified multi-cellular diversity and dynamics of skeletal cells. This established a new concept that bone growth and regeneration are regulated by concerted actions of multiple types of skeletal stem cells, which reside in spatiotemporally distinct niches. One important subtype is endosteal stem cells that are particularly abundant in young bone marrow. The discovery of this new skeletal stem cell type has been facilitated by single-cell multi-omics, which simultaneously measures gene expression and chromatin accessibility. Using single-cell omics, it is now possible to computationally predict the immediate future state of individual cells and their differentiation potential. In vivo validation using histological approaches is the key to interpret the computational prediction. The emerging spatial omics, such as spatial transcriptomics and epigenomics, have major advantage in retaining the location of individual cells within highly complex tissue architecture. Spatial omics can be integrated with other omics to further obtain in-depth insights. Single-cell multi-omics are now becoming an essential tool to unravel intricate multicellular dynamics and intercellular interactions of skeletal cells.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST SARS-CoV-2 variants, its recombinants and epigenomic exploitation of host defenses. Saksena NK, Reddy SB, Miranda-Saksena M, Cardoso THS, Silva EMA, Ferreira JC, Rabeh WM
Biochim Biophys Acta Mol Basis Dis (Dec 2023)

Since 2003, we have seen the emergence of novel viruses, such as SARS-CoV-1, MERS, ZIKA, swine flu virus H1N1, Marburg, Monkeypox, Ebola, and SARS-CoV-2, but none of them gained pandemic proportions similar to SARS-CoV-2. This could be attributed to unique viral traits, allowing its rapid global dissemination following its emergence in October 2019 in Wuhan, China, which appears to be primarily driven by the emergence of highly transmissible and virulent variants that also associate, in some cases, with severe disease and considerable mortality caused by fatal pneumonia, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in infected individuals. Mechanistically, several factors are involved in viral pathogenesis, and epigenetic alterations take the front seat in host-virus interactions. The molecular basis of all viral infections, including SARS-CoV-2, tightly hinges on the transitory silencing of the host gene machinery via epigenetic modulation. SARS-CoV-2 also hijacks and subdues the host gene machinery, leading to epigenetic modulation of the critical host elements responsible for antiviral immunity. Epigenomics is a powerful, unexplored avenue that can provide a profound understanding of virus-host interactions and lead to the development of epigenome-based therapies and vaccines to counter viruses. This review discusses current developments in SARS-CoV-2 variation and its role in epigenetic modulation in infected hosts. This review provides an overview, especially in the context of emerging viral strains, their recombinants, and their possible roles in the epigenetic exploitation of host defense and viral pathogenesis. It provides insights into host-virus interactions at the molecular, genomic, and immunological levels and sheds light on the future of epigenomics-based therapies for SARS-CoV-2 infection.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Altered expression of imprinted genes in patients with cytogenetically normal‑acute myeloid leukemia: Implications for leukemogenesis and survival outcomes. Yang MY, Hsu CM, Lin PM, Yang CH, Hu ML, Chen IY, Lin SF
Mol Clin Oncol (Dec 2023)

Genomic imprinting, an epigenetic mechanism that regulates gene expression from parental chromosomes, holds substantial relevance in multiple cancers, including hematopoietic malignancies. In the present study, the expression of a panel of 16 human imprinted genes in bone marrow samples from 64 patients newly diagnosed with cytogenetically normal-acute myeloid leukemia (CN-AML) were examined alongside peripheral blood samples from 85 healthy subjects. The validated findings of the present study revealed significant upregulation of seven genes [COPI coat complex subunit gamma 2 (), H19 imprinted maternally expressed transcript (), insulin like growth factor 2 (), PEG3 antisense RNA 1 (), DNA primase subunit 2 (), solute carrier family 22 member 3 and Zinc finger protein 215 ()] in patients with CN-AML (P<0.001). Notably, the expression level of exhibited an inverse association with the survival duration of the patients (P=0.018), establishing it as a predictive marker for two- and five-year survival in patients with CN-AML. Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that patients with lower expression had superior two- and five-year survival rates compared with those with higher expression. The results of the present study highlighted the association between loss of imprinting and leukemogenesis in CN-AML, underscoring the significance of imprinting loss as a prognostic indicator for unfavorable two- and five-year survival in CN-AML patients.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST Comparative and integrative analysis of transcriptomic and epigenomic-wide DNA methylation changes in African American prostate cancer. Creighton CJ, Zhang F, Zhang Y, Castro P, Hu R, Islam M, Ghosh S, Ittmann M, Kwabi-Addo B
Epigenetics (Dec 2023)

African American (AA) men have the highest incidence and mortality rate from Prostate cancer (PCa) than any other racial/ethnic group. To date, PCa genomic studies have largely under-represented tumour samples from AA men. We measured genome-wide DNA methylation in benign and tumor prostate tissues from AA men using the Illumina Infunium 850 K EPIC array. mRNA expression database from a subset of the AA biospecimen were used to assess correlation of transcriptome and methylation datasets. Genome-wide methylation analysis identified 11,460 probes that were significant (p < 0.01) and differentially methylated in AA PCa compared to normal prostate tissues and showed significant (p < 0.01) inverse-correlation with mRNA expression. Ingenuity pathway analysis and Gene Ontology analysis in our AA dataset compared with TCGA dataset showed similarities in methylation patterns: top candidate genes with significant hypermethylation and corresponding down-regulated gene expression were associated with biological pathways in hemidesmosome assembly, mammary gland development, epidermis development, hormone biosynthesis, and cell communication. In addition, top candidate genes with significant hypomethylation and corresponding up-regulated gene expression were associated with biological pathways in macrophage differentiation, cAMP-dependent protein kinase activity, protein destabilization, transcription co-repression, and fatty acid biosynthesis. In contrast, differences in genome-wide methylation in our AA dataset compared with TCGA dataset were enriched for genes in steroid signalling, immune signalling, chromatin structure remodelling and RNA processing. Overall, differential methylation of 3, 3, 1, 7, 2C, 2, 2, 292, 2, 1, and 6 were significant and uniquely associated with PCa progression in our AA cohort.]]> Wed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 EST