EZH2 or HDAC1 Inhibition Reverses Multiple Myeloma-Induced Epigenetic Suppression of Osteoblast Differentiation

In multiple myeloma, osteolytic lesions rarely heal because of persistent suppressed osteoblast differentiation resulting in a high fracture risk. Herein, chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses reveal that multiple myeloma cells induce repressive epigenetic histone changes at the Runx2 locus that prevent osteoblast differentiation. The most pronounced multiple myeloma-induced changes were at the Runx2-P1 promoter, converting it from a poised bivalent state to a repressed state. Previously, it was observed that multiple myeloma induces the transcription repressor GFI1 in osteoblast precursors, which correlates with decreased Runx2 expression, thus prompting detailed characterization of the multiple myeloma and TNFα-dependent GFI1 response element within the Runx2-P1 promoter. Further analyses reveal that multiple myeloma-induced GFI1 binding to Runx2 in osteoblast precursors and recruitment of the histone modifiers HDAC1, LSD1, and EZH2 is required to establish and maintain Runx2 repression in osteogenic conditions. These GFI1-mediated repressive chromatin changes persist even after removal of multiple myeloma. Ectopic GFI1 is sufficient to bind to Runx2, recruit HDAC1 and EZH2, increase H3K27me3 on the gene, and prevent osteogenic induction of endogenous Runx2 expression. Gfi1 knockdown in MC4 cells blocked multiple myeloma-induced recruitment of HDAC1 and EZH2 to Runx2, acquisition of repressive chromatin architecture, and suppression of osteoblast differentiation. Importantly, inhibition of EZH2 or HDAC1 activity in pre-osteoblasts after multiple myeloma exposure in vitro or in osteoblast precursors from patients with multiple myeloma reversed the repressive chromatin architecture at Runx2 and rescued osteoblast differentiation.Implications: This study suggests that therapeutically targeting EZH2 or HDAC1 activity may reverse the profound multiple myeloma-induced osteoblast suppression and allow repair of the lytic lesions

CRISPR/Cas9 nuclease cleavage combined with Gibson assembly for seamless cloning

Restriction enzymes have two major limitations for cloning: they cannot cleave at any desired location in a DNA sequence and may not cleave uniquely within a DNA sequence. In contrast, the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)–associated enzyme 9 (Cas9), when coupled with single guide RNAs (sgRNA), has been used in vivo to cleave the genomes of many species at a single site, enabling generation of mutated cell lines and animals. The Cas9/sgRNA complex recognizes a 17–20 base target site, which can be of any sequence as long as it is located 5′ of the protospacer adjacent motif (PAM; sequence 5′-NRG, where R = G or A). Thus, it can be programmed to cleave almost anywhere with a stringency higher than that of one cleavage in a sequence of human genome size. Here, the Cas9 enzyme and a specific sgRNA were used to linearize a 22 kb plasmid in vitro. A DNA fragment was then inserted into the linearized vector seamlessly through Gibson assembly. Our technique can be used to directly, and seamlessly, clone fragments into vectors of any size as well as to modify existing constructs where no other methods are available

Gadd45a Expression Induces Bim Dissociation from the Cytoskeleton and Translocation to Mitochondria

Gadd45a, a p53- and BRCA1-regulated stress protein, has been implicated in the maintenance of genomic fidelity, probably through its roles in the control of cell cycle checkpoint and apoptosis. However, the mechanism(s) by which Gadd45a is involved in the induction of apoptosis remains unclear. We show here that inducible expression of Gadd45a protein causes dissociation of Bim, a Bcl2 family member, from microtubule-associated components and translocation to mitochondria. The Bim accumulation in mitochondria enhances interaction of Bim with Bcl-2, relieves Bax from Bcl-2-bound complexes, and subsequently results in release of cytochrome c into the cytoplasm. Suppression of endogenous Bim greatly inhibits Gadd45a induction of apoptosis. Interestingly, Gadd45a interacts with elongation factor 1α (EF-1α), a microtubule-severing protein that plays an important role in maintaining cytoskeletal stability, and inhibits EF-1α-mediated microtubule bundling, indicating that the interaction of Gadd45a with EF-1α disrupts cytoskeletal stability. A mutant form of Gadd45a harboring a deletion of EF-1α-binding domain fails to inhibit microtubule stability and to induce Bim translocation to mitochondria. Furthermore, coexpression of EF-1α antagonizes Gadd45a's property of suppressing cell growth and inducing apoptosis. These findings identify a novel link that connects stress protein Gadd45a to the apoptotic machinery and address the importance of cytoskeletal stability in apoptotic response to DNA damage