One-carbon genetic variants and the role of MTHFD1 1958G>A in liver and colon cancer risk according to global DNA methylation

Several polymorphic gene variants within one-carbon metabolism, an essential pathway for nucleotide synthesis and methylation reactions, are related to cancer risk. An aberrant DNA methylation is a common feature in cancer but whether the link between one-carbon metabolism variants and cancer occurs through an altered DNA methylation is yet unclear. Aims of the study were to evaluate the frequency of one-carbon metabolism gene variants in hepatocellular-carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma and colon cancer, and their relationship to cancer risk together with global DNA methylation status. Genotyping for BHMT 716A>G, DHFR 19bp ins/del, MTHFD1 1958G>A, MTHFR 677C>T, MTR 2756A>G, MTRR 66A>G, RFC1 80G>A, SHMT1 1420C>T, TCII 776C>G and TS 2rpt-3rpt was performed in 102 cancer patients and 363 cancer-free subjects. Methylcytosine (mCyt) content was measured by LC/MS/MS in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DNA. The MTHFD1 1958AA genotype was significantly less frequent among cancer patients as compared to controls (p = 0.007) and related to 63% reduction of overall cancer risk (p = 0.003) and 75% of colon cancer risk (p = 0.006). When considering PBMCs mCyt content, carriers of the MTHFD1 1958GG genotype showed a lower DNA methylation as compared to carriers of the A allele (p = 0.048). No differences were highlighted by evaluating a possible relationship between the other polymorphisms analyzed with cancer risk and DNA methylation. The MTHFD1 1958AA genotype is linked to a significantly reduced cancer risk. The 1958GG genotype is associated to PBMCs DNA hypomethylation as compared to the A allele carriership that may exert a protective effect for cancer risk by preserving from DNA hypomethylation

Low Levels of Serum Paraoxonase Activities are Characteristic of Metabolic Syndrome and May Influence the Metabolic-Syndrome-Related Risk of Coronary Artery Disease

Low concentrations of plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDLs) are characteristic in metabolic syndrome (MS). The antioxidant ability of HDLs is, at least in part, attributable to pleiotropic serum paraoxonase (PON1). Different PON1 activities have been assessed in 293 subjects with (n = 88) or without MS (n = 205) and with (n = 195) or without (n = 98) angiographically proven coronary artery disease (CAD). MS subjects had low PON1 activities, with a progressively decreasing trend by increasing the number of MS abnormalities. The activity versus 7-O-diethyl phosphoryl,3-cyano,4-methyl,7-hydroxycoumarin (DEPCyMC), which is considered a surrogate marker of PON1 concentration, showed the most significant association with MS, independently of both HDL and apolipoprotein A-I levels. Subjects with MS and low DEPCyMCase activity had the highest CAD risk (OR 4.34 with 95% CI 1.44–13.10), while no significant increase of risk was found among those with MS but high DEPCyMCase activity (OR 1.45 with 95% CI 0.47–4.46). Our results suggest that low PON1 concentrations are typical in MS and may modulate the MS-related risk of CAD

Hyperhomocysteinemia and Mortality after Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

BACKGROUND: The independent prognostic impact, as well as the possible causal role, of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) in coronary artery disease (CAD) is controversial. No previous study specifically has addressed the relationship between HHcy and mortality after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic impact of HHcy after CABG surgery. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We prospectively followed 350 patients who underwent elective CABG between May 1996 and May 1999. At baseline, fasting total homocysteine (tHcy) levels were measured in all participants, and a post-methionine loading (PML) test was performed in 77.7% of them (n = 272). After a median follow-up of 58 months, 33 patients (9.4%) had died, 25 because of cardiovascular events. HHcy, defined by levels higher than the 90(th) percentile (25.2 µmol/L) of the population's distribution, was significantly associated to total and cardiovascular mortality (P = 0.018 [log-rank test 5.57]; P = 0.002 [log-rank test 9.76], respectively). The PML test had no prognostic value. After multiple adjustment for other univariate predictors by Cox regression, including statin therapy (the most powerful predictor in uni-/multivariate analyses), high-sensitivity C Reactive Protein (hs-CRP) levels, and all known major genetic (MTHFR 677C→T polymorphism) and non-genetic (B-group vitamin status and renal function) tHcy determinants, HHcy remained an independent prognostic factor for mortality (HRs: 5.02, 95% CIs 1.88 to 13.42, P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: HHcy is an important prognostic marker after CABG, independent of modern drug therapy and biomarkers

DNA Methylation and Hydroxymethylation in Primary Colon Cancer and Synchronous Hepatic Metastasis

Colon cancer is one of the most frequent solid tumor and simultaneous diagnosis of primary colon cancer and liver metastases occurs in about one fourth of cases. The current knowledge on epigenetic signatures, especially those related to hydroxymethylation in primary cancer tissue, synchronous metastasis, and blood circulating cells is lacking. This study aimed to investigate both methylcytosine (mCyt) and hydroxymethylcytosine (hmCyt) status in the DNA of individual patients from colon cancer tissue, synchronous liver metastases, and in cancer-free colon and liver tissues and leukocytes. Patients undergoing curative surgery (n= 16) were enrolled and their laboratory and clinical history data collected. The contents of mCyt and hmCyt were determined by a liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) method in DNA extracted from primary colon cancer, synchronous hepatic metastatic tissues and homologous cancer-free tissues, i.e., colon and liver tissues as well as leukocytes. The mCyt and hmCyt levels were compared between cancerous and cancer-free tissues, and correlations between leukocytes and colon/liver tissues for both the mCyt and hmCyt levels were evaluated. The mCyt levels were similar in primary colon cancer and liver metastasis tissues (4.69 \ub1 0.37% vs. 4.77 \ub1 0.38%, respectively,p= 0.535), and both primary and metastatic tissues were hypomethylated compared to cancer-free colon (4.98 \ub1 0.26%). The difference in the mCyt content between cancerous and cancer-free colon tissues was significantly lower in primary colon cancer (p= 0.004), but not in liver metastasis (p= 0.148). The hmCyt content was similar in primary colon cancer compared to liver metastasis (0.035%, C.I. 0.024-0.052% versus 0.035%, C.I. 0.021-0.058%, respectively,p =0.905) and markedly depleted compared to the cancer-free colon (0.081%, C.I. 0.055-0.119%) with a statistically significant difference (p< 0.05) for both comparisons. The mCyt levels showed a borderline correlation between leukocytes and colon cancer tissue (Pearson's correlation coefficient = 0.51,p= 0.052) while no correlations were detected for the hmCyt levels. In conclusion, primary colon cancer and synchronous liver metastasis tissues showed a similar epigenetic status but were significantly hypomethylated and hypohydroxymethylated as compared to homologous cancer-free colon tissues

The RFC1 80G>A, among Common One-Carbon Polymorphisms, Relates to Survival Rate According to DNA Global Methylation in Primary Liver Cancers

Polymorphisms within one-carbon metabolism genes have been largely studied in relation to cancer risk for the function of this pathway in nucleotide synthesis and DNA methylation. Aims of this study were to explore the possible link among several common functional gene polymorphisms within one-carbon metabolism and survival rate in primary liver cancers, i.e., hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma, and to assess the additional effect of global DNA methylation on survival rate and mortality risk. Forty-seven primary liver cancer patients were genotyped for ten polymorphisms: DHFR 19bp ins/del, TS 2rpt-3rpt, MTHFD1 1958G>A, MTHFR 677C>T, MTR 2756A>G, MTRR 66A>G, RFC1 80G>A, SHMT1 1420C>T, BHMT 716 A>G, TC II 776C>G. Methylation was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DNA as methylcytosine (mCyt) content using LC/MS/MS. Among the polymorphisms analysed, the RFC1 80G>A (rs1051266) influenced the survival rate in primary liver cancers. The RFC1 80AA was associated to a significantly reduced survival rate (22.2%) as compared to both GG and GA genotypes (61.5% and 76% respectively, p = 0.005). When the cancer patients were stratified according to the mCyt median value as high (>5.34%) or low ( 645.34%), the concomitant presence of AA genotype and low mCyt level led to a significantly worse survival rate as compared to the G allele carriership (pA polymorphism influenced the survival rate, and the presence of RFC1 80AA genotype with low global methylation in PBMCs DNA was associated with poorer prognosis and higher mortality risk, therefore highlighting novel molecular signatures potentially helpful to define prognostic markers for primary liver cancers

Global DNA Hypomethylation in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells as a Biomarker of Cancer Risk

BACKGROUND: Global DNA hypomethylation is an early molecular event in carcinogenesis. Whether methylation measured in peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs) DNA is a clinically reliable biomarker for early detection or cancer risk assessment is to be established. METHODS: From an original sample-set of 753 male and female adults(aged 64.8±7.3years),PBMCs DNA methylation was measured in 68 subjects with history of cancer at time of enrollment and 62 who developed cancer during follow-up. Age-and sex-matched controls for prevalent and incident cancer cases(n=68 and n=58,respectively)were also selected. Global DNA methylation was assessed by LC/MS. Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) 677C>T genotype and plasma folate concentrations were also determined for the known gene-nutrient interaction affecting DNA methylation. RESULTS: Cancer subjects had significantly lower PBMCs-DNA methylation than controls [4.39(95%CIs 4.25–4.53) vs. 5.13(95%CIs 5.03–5.21)%mCyt/(mCyt+Cyt), P<0.0001]. A DNA methylation threshold of 4.74% clearly categorized cancer patients from controls so that those with DNA methylation <4.74% showed an increased prevalence of cancer than those with higher levels (91.5% vs. 19%;P <0.001). Subjects with cancer at follow-up had, already at enrollment, reduced DNA methylation compared to controls [4.34(95%CIs 4.24–4.51) vs. 5.08(95%CIs 5.05–5.22)%mCyt/(mCyt+Cyt),P<0.0001].Moreover, MTHFR677C>T genotype and folate interact for determining DNA methylation, so that MTHFR677TT carriers with low folate had the lowest DNA methylation and concordantly showed a higher prevalence of cancer history (OR=7.04,95%CIs 1.52–32.63, P=0.013). CONCLUSIONS: Genomic PBMCs-DNA methylation may be a useful epigenetic biomarker for early detection and cancer risk estimation. IMPACT: This study identifies a threshold for PBMCs-DNA methylation to detect cancer-affected from cancer–free subjects and an at-risk condition for cancer based on genomic DNA methylation and MTHFR677C>T-folate status

Cardiovascular epigenetics: from DNA methylation to microRNAs

Epigenetic phenomena define heritable mechanisms that establish and maintain mitotically stable patterns of gene expression regulation that occur without modifying the base sequence of DNA. The major epigenetic features of mammalian cells enclose DNA methylation, post-translational histone modifications and RNA-based mechanisms including those controlled by small non-coding RNAs (miRNAs). Their impact in cardiovascular pathophysiology is now emerging as a major interface between genotype to phenotype variability with strict implications on disease development and progression, opening up to possible novel preventive strategies. Epigenetic mechanisms are potentially reversible and may be influenced by nutritional-environmental factors as well as through gene-environment interactions, all of which have an important role in complex, multifactorial diseases such as those affecting the cardiovascular system. Gene expression regulation through the interplay of DNA methylation and histone modifications is well-established, although the knowledge about the function of epigenetic signatures in cardiovascular disease is still largely unexplored. The study of epigenetic markers is, therefore, an emerging and very promising frontier of science which may help for a deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the modulation of gene expression in cardiovascular disease-linked biomolecular pathways. This review will focus on up-to-date knowledge pertaining to the role of epigenetics, from DNA methylation to miRNAs, in major cardiovascular diseases such as ischemic heart disease, hypertension, heart failure and stroke

High ferritin and low folate increases PBMCs genomic DNA methylation in association with SHMT1-1420TT variant.

Nutrient-gene interactions within one-carbon metabolism modulate DNA methylation, the major potentially reversible epigenetic modification in eukaryotic cells. The cytosolic serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT1) regulates the metabolic balance between nucleotide synthesis and methylation in one-carbon pathway. The SHMT1-1420T allele has been associated with a reduced enzyme activity and a decreased risk of cancer. By enhancing SHMT1 expression, ferritin affects folate-mediated one-carbon metabolism. Aim of this study was to analyze how the interaction among ferritin, folate and SHMT1-1420C>T polymorphism may affect peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) DNA methylation (LC/ESI/MS method) in 537 subjects enrolled in the Verona Heart Studyto identify a possible biomarker for cancer. Results showed that SHMT1-TT carriers, under a high ferritin/low folate condition, show significantly increased PBMCs genomic DNA methylation than SHMT1-CC subjects (P=0.01). Since cancer is usually associated with genomic hypomethylation, the increased genomic methylation in SHMT1-1420TT genotypes in presence of high ferritin/low folate, could be potentially protective for cancer risk

11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 promoter methylation is increased in adults essential hypertensive patients

Role of promoter methylation in regulating 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 enzyme in essential hypertensive adult patients

CpG methylation of 11betaHydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 promoter is increased in adult essential hypertension.

We reported that 15% of essential hypertensives may suffer from impairment of the enzyme 11beta-hydroxysteroid-dehydrogenase type 2 (11BHSD2). 11BHSD2 activity and expression can be affected by mutations, polymorphisms, and lately, epigenetic modifications. Aim: To evaluate the HSD11B2 promoter methylation in adults and pediatric essential hypertensives (HT). Material and Methods: We recruited 64 patients, grouped in 16 HT and 16 Normotensive (NT) adults; 16 HT and 16 NT pediatrics. We measured serum aldosterone, plasma renin activity (PRA), cortisol (F), cortisone (E) and free urinary cortisol metabolites (THF, aTHF, and THE). PBMC bisulfite\u2013treated DNA was used to perform the methylation-specific PCR (MS-PCR) and calculated the methylation index in HSD11B2 promoter. Results: HT adults have higher methylation index compared with NT adults (0.154\ub10.031 vs. 0.072\ub10.011, p<0.05). HT and NT children have low and similar methylation (0.021\ub10.005 vs. 0.052\ub10.008, p NS). Methylation in HT adults was higher than either HT or NT children (p<0.05), and negatively associated with lower urinary cortisone levels. Conclusions: CpG methylation of HSD11B2 promoter is increased in adult esential hypertensives compared to NT adults and either HT/NT children. A high cortisol/cortisone ratio is in agreement with previously reported low expression of renal HSD11B2. Further studies would support the HSD11B2 methylation index in PBMC as potential molecular biomarker of mineralocorticoid activity and essential hypertension