Reprogramming of the Epigenome by MLL1 Links Early-Life Environmental Exposures to Prostate Cancer Risk

Mol Endocrinol. 2016 Aug;30(8):856-71. doi: 10.1210/me.2015-1310. Epub 2016 May 24.

Abstract

Tissue and organ development is a time of exquisite sensitivity to environmental exposures, which can reprogram developing tissues to increase susceptibility to adult diseases, including cancer. In the developing prostate, even brief exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can increase risk for developing cancer in adulthood, with disruption of the epigenome thought to play a key role in this developmental reprogramming. We find that EDC-induced nongenomic phosphoinositide 3-kinase; (PI3K) signaling engages the histone methyltransferase mixed-lineage leukemia 1 (MLL1), responsible for the histone H3 lysine 4 trimethylation (H3K4me3) active epigenetic mark, to increase cleavage and formation of active MLL1 dimers. In the developing prostate, EDC-induced MLL1 activation increased H3K4me3 at genes associated with prostate cancer, with increased H3K4me3 and elevated basal and hormone-induced expression of reprogrammed genes persisting into adulthood. These data identify a mechanism for MLL1 activation that is vulnerable to disruption by environmental exposures, and link MLL1 activation by EDCs to developmental reprogramming of genes involved in prostate cancer.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Blotting, Western
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Endocrine Disruptors / toxicity
  • Environmental Exposure / adverse effects
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / drug effects
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / genetics*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / genetics*
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / metabolism*
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Male
  • Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / genetics*
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / genetics
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / etiology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Signal Transduction / genetics

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Endocrine Disruptors
  • Histones
  • KMT2A protein, human
  • KMT2D protein, human
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Myeloid-Lymphoid Leukemia Protein
  • DOT1L protein, human
  • Methyltransferases
  • Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases