Abstract 5331: Repression ofTETgenes and enhancement of DNA methyltransferase activity are critical for induction of aberrant DNA methylation

Chronic inflammation is deeply involved in the development of human cancers by inducing epigenetic alterations, such as aberrant DNA methylation. Among various inflammatory cytokines, the expression of Il1b, Tnf, and Nos2, is associated with induction of aberrant DNA methylation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which these cytokines induce aberrant DNA methylation remain unclear. Here, we show that the activation of the NF-kB signaling pathway, downstream of IL-1β and TNF-α, caused up-regulation of specific miRNAs, such as miR-20a, miR-26b, and miR-29c, and that these miRNAs caused repression of the Tet methylcytosine dioxygenases (Tet) genes, Tet1, Tet2, and Tet3. TET repression by overexpression of one of these miRNAs in cultured cells appeared to be insufficient for induction of aberrant DNA methylation as detected by an Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. However, triple knockout of TET genes induced strong DNA methylation at thousands of genomic loci. At the same time, exposure to nitric oxide, produced by Nos2, enhanced enzymatic activity of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Treatment of cultured cells with nitric oxide induced weak DNA methylation at hundreds of genomic loci. These results show that both the repression of TET genes and enhancement of DNMT activity, induced by chronic inflammation, are critical for induction of aberrant DNA methylation. 99Vicious99 combination of such dysregulations might have a synergistic effect on induction of aberrant DNA methylation. Citation Format: Hideyuki Takeshima, Tohru Niwa, Harumi Yamada, Satoshi Yamashita, Mika Wakabayashi, Toshikazu Ushijima. Repression of TET genes and enhancement of DNA methyltransferase activity are critical for induction of aberrant DNA methylation [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5331.