Patent Application
20230365637
The instant application contains a Sequence Listing which has been submitted electronically in ASCII format and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said ASCII copy, created on Sep. 22, 2021, is named NCH-029706 WO ORD SEQUENCE LISTING_ST25 and is 17,105 bytes in size.
The pioneer factor subset of the broad transcription factor (TF) class of proteins possesses conserved motifs common to TFs, including a structured DNA-binding domain (DBD) responsible for motif recognition and a flexible transactivation domain mediating regulated recruitment (Ptashne and Gann, 1997). Distinct structural elements of pioneer factors (PFs) provide a unique capacity for high-affinity DNA binding despite steric deterrents at the chromatin interface, including nucleosomes. However, the combinatorial rules or “logic” of domain organization within PFs, requisite to achieve nucleosomal-motif recognition, remain obscure (Fernandez Garcia et al., 2019). Moreover, it is presently unknown if two pioneer factors fused together will possess pioneer activity in the resulting chimera.
Among characterized PFs, the forkhead family has been studied extensively at the structural and regulatory levels in mammalian development and also in multiple cancers (Herman et al., 2021). A winged-helix DNA-binding domain is conserved across individual members of this protein family In the case of FOXA1, the winged-helix domain mimics the structural features of the linker histone H1, disrupting H1-compacted chromatin together with the FOXA1 C-terminal domain (Cirillo et al., 1998, 2002; Zhou et al., 2020). Consistent with its high degree of sequence and structural similarity, the FOXO1 protein also recognizes its cognate DNA sequence motif within H1-compacted nucleosome arrays, initiating local DNase hypersensitivity through disruption of histone:DNA contacts without input from chromatin remodelers (Hatta and Cirillo, 2007). Of importance, chromatin decompaction following nucleosomal motif recognition by PFs is not necessarily associated with nucleosome eviction (Cirillo et al., 2002; Hatta and Cirillo, 2007). In a recently reported example, FOXA2 binding was shown principally to mediate the induction of nucleosome spacing within tissue-specific cis-regulatory regions (Iwafuchi-Doi et al., 2016). Findings such as these reinforce that PFs are capable of decompacting and stably binding to nucleosome-occupied regions of the genome, whereas recruitment of additional factors may be necessary for the formation of active and accessible regulatory elements generally associated with gene activation.
While evidence for direct nucleosomal motif recognition by putative PFs continues to emerge (Fernandez Garcia et al., 2019; Zhu et al., 2018), additional compact chromatin binding behaviors of PFs such as heterochromatin recognition and mitotic chromatin bookmarking are emerging from cell imaging studies. In addition to forkhead factors FOXI1 and FOXA1 (Yan et al., 2006; Zaret et al., 2008), other pioneer factors including SOX2, OCT4, and PAX3 are retained on compact mitotic chromatin (Deluz et al., 2016; Teves et al., 2016; Wu et al., 2015). In the case of SOX2, this may serve to mark specific genes for post-mitotic reactivation, whereas mitotic chromatin binding by PAX3 may instead be related to its reported function in the stable repression of microsatellite transcription via establishment and maintenance of H3K9me3-marked heterochromatin domains across cell divisions (Bulut-Karslioglu et al., 2012). These fundamental molecular functions of PFs likely underlie their central role in de novo activation of lineage-defining gene expression programs during tissue differentiation and contribute to heritable transmission of these gene programs during development.
In alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, two pioneer factors, PAX3 and FOXO1, are fused in-frame in the recurrent translocation between chromosome arms 2p and 13q (Galili et al., 1993). The resulting PAX3-FOXO1 fusion is an oncogenic driver that has been described as binding active regulatory elements alongside myogenic TFs (Gryder et al., 2019), whereas its nucleosome targeting function in inactive or repressed chromatin domains remains unstudied. Neither retention of canonical pioneer activity nor the emergence of functions distinct from the wild-type PAX3 or FOXO1 monomers has been rigorously defined for PAX3-FOXO1 in fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma (FP-RMS). Given the relatively low mutational frequencies in FP-RMS, which can be approximated at 0.1 protein-coding mutations per Mb (Shern et al., 2014), the inventors hypothesized that the pioneer function of PAX3-FOXO1, defined by targeting to nucleosomal motifs within inaccessible chromatin, might underlie its transforming potential in this tumor. However, the mechanisms through which PAX3-FOXO1 engages distinct classes of chromatin have remained poorly understood.
The cascade of initiation events for a tumor are unlikely to involve mere stabilization of pre-existing transcriptional networks or DNA accessibility, but rather, a restructuring of regulatory elements into a new state that differs from a cell of origin. Presently, the cell of origin for FPRMS remains unknown. Expression of PAX3-FOXO1, along with other highly expressed TFs in FP-RMS, is reminiscent of both neuronal tissue and developing muscle (Galili et al., 1993), contributing to ambiguity in defining a tissue of origin. Often, transcriptional reprogramming represents the functional output of tissue-specific pioneer factors. It is noteworthy that tumors prevalent in children are frequently defined by a profound failure of cellular differentiation (Nacev et al., 2020). In these and other relatively low-mutation-burden tumors, there has been increasing evidence suggesting that disruption of transcription factors drives reprogramming into altered epigenetic states. The role of PFs like SOX2, PAX3, and FOXO1 in developmental reprogramming may be analogous to pioneer activity in establishing cell-fate decisions in pediatric cancers, including synovial sarcoma and MPNST (Kadoch and Crabtree, 2013; Miller et al., 2009), where mis-regulation of SOX-family pioneer factors occurs, as well as in FP-RMS, where PAX3 and FOXO1 are frequently fused as a chimeric oncoprotein.
Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a devastating pediatric cancer with the most aggressive form of the disease being genetically defined by fusions between PSX3/7 and FOXO1. This rare pediatric tumor has a poor prognosis, with survival rates at 30-50%, that have not improved in several decades. In fusion-positive RMS (FP-RMS), the early targeting function of the primary fusion protein PAX3-FOXO1 has remained unclear. Accordingly, there has been a critical need to precisely define the requirements for PAX3-FOXO1 function at the chromatin level. PAX3-FOXO1 uses super enhancers to set up autoregulatory loops in collaboration with the master transcription factors MYOG, MYOD, and MYCN. Gryder et al., 2017. However, the immediate targeting mechanisms of PAX3-FOXO1 in the context of chromatin accessibility have yet to be assessed in a temporally-controlled system.
Therapy for the aggressive alveolar RMS subtype relies upon surgery, radiation, and broadly toxic drugs. Arndt et al., 2009. Understanding the immediate localization of the driving translocation in FP-RMS is critical for identifying new targetable genes under the control of PAX3-FOXO1.
The inventors and their colleagues have recently discovered that PAX3-FOXO1 accumulates in the soluble euchromatic nuclear fractions and in the insoluble heterochromatic pellet with ammonium sulfate nuclear extractions, while wildtype FOXO1 accumulates in the cytoplasm. This has several interesting implications. First, either PAX3-FOXO1 forms insoluble condensates due to some intrinsic disorder, or binds outside of euchromatic regions, or that FOXO1 is subject to active nuclear export in the presence of the fusion protein.
The inventors speculated that nuclear FOXO1 epitopes in FP-RMS cells would be present only in the context of the PAX3-FOXO1 fusion. They therefore carried out a ChIP-seq analysis using a FOXO1 antibody that recognizes the C-terminal region that is preserved after translocation. The inventors found that “under-sonicating” the chromatin preserved many binding sites that may have been missed in previous studies of PAX3-FOXO1 localization. Their study produced 9,063 binding sites enriched with the previously characterized PAX3-FOXO1 binding motif which overlapped 69% of PAX3-FOXO1 sites identified in previous localization studies. Cao et al., Cancer Res. 70, 6497-6508 (2010). The biological replicates for each sample were then sequenced. The 7,282 unique PAX3-FOXO1 binding sites, mapping to thousands of inactive genomic loci outside of enhancers, represent a new paradigm in the understanding of targeting by PAX3-FOXO1.
The inventors have identified a new method to (1) localize PAX3-FOXO1 across the genome, (2) define its biochemical fractionation, and (3) operationalize an inducible system for rapid regulation. This work enables the definition of immediate-early target loci for PAX3-FOXO1, the most common oncogenic driver for FP-RMS, which expands the scope of actionable targets for this type of cancer.
The present invention may be more readily understood by reference to the following figures, wherein:
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of identifying a plurality of regions in a genome that bind to PAX3-FOXO1. The method includes the steps of obtaining chromatin from a cell; sonicating the chromatin; isolating the chromatin by immunoprecipitation using an antibody that binds to FOXO1, purifying the DNA from the immunoprecipitated chromatin; amplifying and sequencing the DNA; and analyzing the sequenced DNA to identify the regions in the genome of the cell that bind to PAX3-FOXO1. Another aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a subject having rhabdomyosarcoma by modulating the expression of a genomic region of a cancer cell identified by the method.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which these exemplary embodiments belong. The terminology used in the description herein is for describing particular exemplary embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the exemplary embodiments. As used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.
Throughout this application, the term “about” is used to indicate that a value includes the standard deviation of error for the device or method being employed to determine the value, except that the value will never deviate by more than 5% from the value cited.
Where a range of values is provided, it is understood that each intervening value, to the tenth of the unit of the lower limit unless the context clearly dictates otherwise, between the upper and lower limit of that range and any other stated or intervening value in that stated range, is encompassed within the invention. The upper and lower limits of these smaller ranges may independently be included in the smaller ranges, and are also encompassed within the invention, subject to any specifically excluded limit in the stated range. Where the stated range includes one or both of the limits, ranges excluding either or both of those included limits are also included in the invention.
“Treating”, as used herein, means ameliorating the effects of, or delaying, halting or reversing the progress of a disease or disorder. Treatment includes prophylactic treatment of subjects diagnosed with cancer who have not yet exhibited symptoms of the disease, and non-prophylactic treatment of subjects who have exhibited symptoms. The word encompasses reducing the severity of a symptom of a disease or disorder and/or the frequency of a symptom of a disease or disorder. A subject is successfully “treated” for a disease or disorder if the subject shows observable and/or measurable reduction in or absence of one or more signs and symptoms of a particular disease or condition.
A “subject”, as used therein, can be a human or non-human animal Non-human animals include, for example, livestock and pets, such as ovine, bovine, porcine, canine, feline and murine mammals, as well as reptiles, birds and fish. Preferably, the subject is human Subjects can also be selected from different age groups. For example, the subject can be a child, adult, or elderly subject.
The term “gene,” as used herein, means one or more sequence(s) of nucleotides in a genome that together encode one or more expressed molecule, e.g., an RNA, or polypeptide. The gene can include coding sequences that are transcribed into RNA which may then be translated into a polypeptide sequence, and can include associated structural or regulatory sequences that aid in replication or expression of the gene.
“Nucleic acid” or “oligonucleotide” or “polynucleotide”, as used herein, may mean at least two nucleotides covalently linked together. The depiction of a single strand also defines the sequence of the complementary strand. Thus, a nucleic acid also encompasses the complementary strand of a depicted single strand. Many variants of a nucleic acid may be used for the same purpose as a given nucleic acid. Thus, a nucleic acid also encompasses substantially identical nucleic acids and complements thereof. The term “nucleotide sequence,” as used herein, refers to an oligonucleotide, nucleotide, or polynucleotide of single-stranded or double stranded DNA or RNA, or fragments thereof.
DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid), as is understood by those skilled in the art, is a molecule consisting of two long polymers of simple units called nucleotides with a backbone made of alternating sugars (deoxyribose) and phosphate groups that forms a double-stranded helix. The nucleotides include guanine, adenine, thymine, and cytosine, which are referenced using the letters G, A, T, and C.
The term “antibody” as used herein refers to immunoglobulin molecules or other molecules which comprise at least one antigen-binding domain. The term “antibody” as used herein is intended to include whole antibodies, monoclonal antibodies, polyclonal antibodies, chimeric antibodies, humanized antibodies, primatized antibodies, multi-specific antibodies, single chain antibodies, epitope-binding fragments, e.g., Fab, Fab′ and F(ab′)2, Fd, Fvs, single-chain Fvs (scFv), disulfide-linked Fvs (sdFv), fragments comprising either a VL or VH domain, and totally synthetic and recombinant antibodies. The antibodies can be of any type (e.g., IgG, IgE, IgM, IgD, IgA, and IgY), class (e.g., IgG1, IgG2, IgG3, IgG4, IgA1 and IgA2) or subclass of immunoglobulin molecule.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a method of identifying a plurality of regions in a genome that bind to PAX3-FOXO1. Typically the method is performed as part of a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. The term “chromatin immunoprecipitation assay” is well known to one skilled in the pertinent art, and preferably comprises at least the following steps: (i) preparation of a liquid sample comprising chromatin to be analyzed from cells; (ii) immunoprecipitation of the chromatin in the liquid sample onto the matrix using an antibody; (iii) DNA recovery from the precipitated chromatin; and (iv) DNA analysis.
One step of the method includes obtaining chromatin from a cell. Chromatin consists of a complex of DNA and protein (primarily histone) and makes up the chromosomes found in eukaryotic cells. Chromatin occurs in two states, euchromatin and heterochromatin, with different staining properties, and during cell division it coils and folds to form the metaphase chromosomes. Chromatin is used herein to refer to any such complex of nucleic acid (typically DNA) and associated proteins, including chromatin fragments produced by fragmentation of chromosomes or other chromatin preparations.
The cells evaluated by the method can be cancer cells, such as rhabdomyosarcoma cells. Typically, the method may be performed on a sample comprising chromatin from 103 to 109 cells, e.g. preferably less than 107 cells, less than 106 cells or less than 105 cells, preferably about 104 to 106 cells. One cell typically contains about 6 pg (6×10−12 g) DNA per cell and equal amounts of DNA and protein in chromatin. Thus, the method may be performed, for example, on a sample comprising about 0.6 μg DNA, or 1.2 μg of chromatin (this equates to mass of DNA or chromatin in about 100,000 cells). In some embodiments, the chromatin is obtained from at least 1,000 cells.
The method can also include the step of the step of obtaining the cells from a subject. Alternately, in some embodiments, the cells may have already been obtained. Cells can be obtained from subjects for diagnosis prognosis, monitoring, or a combination thereof, or for research, or can be obtained from un-diseased individuals, as controls or for basic research.
In another embodiment, the method may comprise a step of cross-linking the chromatin before obtaining it from the cell. This may be achieved for any suitable means, for example, by addition of a suitable cross-linking agent, such as formaldehyde, preferably prior to fragmentation of the chromatin. Formaldehyde crosslinking can be used for the detection and quantification of protein-DNA interactions or the interactions between chromatin proteins. See Hoffman et al., 2015. Additional suitable protein-DNA cross-linking agents are known to those skilled in the art. Fragmentation may be carried out by sonication. However, formaldehyde may be added after fragmentation, and then followed by nuclease digestion. Alternatively, UV irradiation may be employed as an alternative cross-linking technique.
In one embodiment, cells or tissue fragments are first fixed with formaldehyde to crosslink protein-DNA complex. Cells can be incubated with formaldehyde at room temperature or at 37° C. with gentle rocking for 5-20 min, preferably for 10 min. Tissue fragments may need a longer incubation time with formaldehyde, for example 10-30 min, e.g. 15 min. The concentration of formaldehyde can be from 0.5 to 10%, e.g. 1% (v/v).
Once the crosslinking reaction is completed, an inhibitor of crosslink agents such as glycine at a molar concentration equal to crosslink agent can be used to stop the crosslinking reaction. An appropriate time for stopping the crosslinking reaction may range from 2-10 min, preferably about 5 min at room temperature. Cells can then be collected and lysed with a lyses buffer containing a sodium salt, EDTA, and detergents such as SDS. Tissue fragments can be homogenized before lysing.
Chromatin is then extracted from the preparation comprising cells to prepare a liquid sample comprising chromatin fragments. Cells or the homogenized tissue mixture can be mechanically or enzymatically sheared to yield an appropriate length of the DNA fragment. Usually, 200-1000 base pairs of sheared chromatin or DNA is required for the ChIP assay. Mechanical shearing of DNA can be performed by nebulization or sonication, preferably sonication. Enzymatic shearing of DNA can be performed by using DNAse I in the presence of Mn salt, or by using micrococcal nuclease in the presence of Mg salt to generate random DNA fragments. The conditions of crosslinked DNA shearing can be optimized based on cells, and sonicator equipment or digestion enzyme concentrations.
In some embodiments, the chromatin is obtained from the cells using sonication. The inventors have discovered that under-sonicating the preparation including the cells can increase the number of genomic regions that are identified by the method. Under-sonicating refers to sonicating the chromatin preparation for less time than one skilled in the art would normally sonicate the chromatin preparation. In some embodiments, under-sonicating refers to sonicating the chromatin preparation for less than half of the time that would normally used by one skilled in the art. In further embodiments, the chromatin preparation is sonicated for less than 30 minutes, less than 25 minutes, less then 20 minutes, less than 15 minutes, less than 10 minutes, or less than 5 minutes.
The inventors have also discovered that incubation of the sonicated chromatin in a salt buffer having a higher than normal concentration can improve the performance of the method. A variety of different buffers suitable for use in ChiP can be used. In some embodiments, the buffer includes a salt having a concentration that is at least 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, 100%, 125%, 150%, or 200% higher than the normal salt concentration used for the ChiP buffer. In some embodiments, a concentration of a salt (e.g., sodium chloride) of at least 150 mM, at least 175 mM, or at least 200 mM can be used.
In some embodiments, once DNA shearing is completed, cell debris can be removed by centrifugation, and supernatant containing DNA-protein complex is collected. The result is a liquid sample comprising chromatin fragments in which the protein is immobilized on the DNA (e.g. wherein the DNA and protein are cross-linked). In an alternative embodiment, the centrifugation step may be omitted, i.e. the following steps are performed directly after DNA shearing.
Once the proteins have been immobilized on the chromatin, the PAX3-FOXO1-DNA complex may then be immunoprecipitated. Hence, once the sample comprising chromatin has been prepared, the method includes the step of immunoprecipitating the chromatin. Preferably immunoprecipitation is carried out by addition of a suitable antibody that binds, or specifically binds, to FOXO1.
Antibodies are designed for specific binding, as a result of the affinity of complementary determining region of the antibody for the epitope of the biological analyte (in this case, FOXO1). An antibody “specifically binds” when the antibody preferentially binds a target structure, or subunit thereof, but binds to a substantially lesser degree or does not bind to a biological molecule that is not a target structure. In some embodiments, the antibody specifically binds to the target analyte with a specific affinity of between 10−8 M and 10−11 M. In some embodiments, an antibody or antibody fragment binds to the target analyte with a specific affinity of greater than 10−7 M, 10−8 M, 10−9 M, 10−10 M, or 10−11 M, between 10−8 M-10−11 M, 10−9 M-10−10 M, and 10−10 M-10−11 M. In a preferred aspect, specific activity is measured using a competitive binding assay as set forth in Ausubel FM, (1994). Current Protocols in Molecular Biology. Chichester: John Wiley and Sons (“Ausubel”), which is incorporated herein by reference.
Protocols for generating antibodies, including preparing immunogens, immunization of animals, and collection of antiserum may be found in Antibodies: A Laboratory Manual, E. Harlow and D. Lane, ed., Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1988) pp. 55-120 and A. M. Campbell, Monoclonal Antibody Technology: Laboratory Techniques in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Elsevier Science Publishers, Amsterdam, The Netherlands (1984). Monoclonal antibodies may be produced in animals such as mice and rats by immunization. B cells can be isolated from the immunized animal, for example from the spleen. The isolated B cells can be fused, for example with a myeloma cell line, to produce hybridomas that can be maintained indefinitely in in vitro cultures.
For location studies of fusion transcription factors such as those described herein, the antibody used should be raised against the amino acid residues of the translocation partners that are preserved within the final fusion protein. Preferably, the antibody used is either against a portion of the fusion protein having a wild type having sufficiently low abundance compared to the fusion protein as a whole, or the antibody performs well for localization of the fusion protein, but not for localization of the wild type portion of the fusion protein.
The antibody used should bind, or specifically bind, to the PAX3-FOXO1 fusion protein. In some embodiments, the antibody specifically binds to the FOXO1 region of the fusion protein, while in other embodiments the antibody specifically binds to the PAX3 region of the fusion protein. In some embodiments, the antibody is the Cell Signaling Catalog #2880 antibody, which binds to wild-type FOXO1. This is a rabbit monoclonal antibody raised against a GST-fusion peptide corresponding to the carboxy-terminal residues of human FOXO1. It is a knockout-validated antibody described by Deng et al. Deng et al., 2012. It is commercially available from Cell Signaling Technology®, Danvers, MA.
PAX3-FOXO1 is an oncogenic, chimeric transcription factor. An overview of roles played by PAX-FOXO1 is provided by
The amino acid sequence of PAX3-FPXP1 in RH4 cells is provided below:
In addition to PAX3-FOXO1 fusion proteins, PAX7-FOXO1 fusions are also formed in RMS by the translocation of exon 7 in PAX7 with exon 2 in FOXO1. An additional representative amino acid sequence of a PAX7-FOXO1 fusion is:
In some embodiments, a binding domain other than PAX3 is included in a fusion protein together with FOXO1. These fusion proteins are referred to herein as DNA Binding Domain-FOXO1 fusion proteins. FOXO1 fusions preserving the C-terminal amino acid sequence have been detected in stomach adenocarcinoma (WDFY2-FOXO1), lung adenocarcinoma (SMARCA4-FOXO1), and B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia (MEIS1-FOXO1). The method of the invention is therefore generalizable to these and other FOXO1 fusions as well.
The DNA is then purified from the immunoprecipitated chromatin. Where the sample comprised crosslinked DNA-protein complexes, the crosslinking can be reversed after washing. The buffer for crosslink reversal can be optimized to maximize reversal of the crosslinks and minimize DNA degradation resulting from chemical, biochemical and thermodynamic action. For example, in one embodiment the buffer for reversal of crosslinking comprises EDTA, SDS, and proteinase K, which should efficiently degrade proteins complexed with DNA and prevent degradation of DNA by nucleases such as DNAse I. A further buffer may also be used comprising sodium and potassium salts with a high concentration, e.g. sodium chloride at 1M or potassium chloride at 0.5 M. Such buffers have been demonstrated to efficiently reduce DNA degradation from chemical and thermodynamic action (Marguet, E. Forturre, P, 1998) and increase the reversing rate of formaldehyde crosslinks. Typically reversal of crosslinking takes place at elevated temperature, e.g. 50-85° C. for 5 min-4 hours, preferably at 65-75° C. for 0.5-1.5 h.
Once reversal of the crosslinked DNA-protein complex has been completed, DNA may be captured and cleaned. This may be achieved by the standard technique of phenol-chloroform extraction, or by capturing DNA on a further solid phase (e.g. silica or nitrocellulose in the presence of high concentrations of non-chaotropic salts).
In some embodiments, rather than utilizing phenol-chloroform extraction for purification of ChIP and Input DNA samples, commercial reagents for silica gel-based spin-column purification can be used. In this method, DNA suspended in a buffer of alcohol and salts is passed through a silica gel membrane to which it binds via centrifugation. The DNA-bound membrane is washed to remove contaminants, and the DNA is finally eluted from the membrane in a low salt buffer or water. This method is efficient, convenient, and reduces exposure to harmful organic solvents.
Following the purification step, the isolated DNA fragments may then be amplified and analyzed to sequencing the DNA. This can be achieved using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). For example, the analysis step may comprise use of suitable primers, which during PCR, will result in the amplification of a length of nucleic acid. The term “PCR” includes all variants of the technique commonly known to the person skilled in the art, including allele-specific PCR, dial-out PCR, digital PCR, hot-start PCR, inverse PCR, ligation-mediated PCR, methylation-specific PCR, mini-primer PCR, multiplex PCR, nano-PCR, nested PCR, quantitative PCR (qPCR), reverse-transcription PCR, solid phase PCR, and touchdown PCR. The skilled person will appreciate that the method may be applied to detect genes or any region of the genome for which specific PCR primers may be prepared. The PCR results may be viewed, for example, on an electrophoretic gel. qPCR would provide quantitative analysis of the DNA present and is the preferred form of PCR for this method. Other techniques that could be used are direct sequencing of the DNA fragments or microarray hybridization.
Typically, there are two uses of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in the method. The first is the use of qPCR for low-throughput validation or quality control of the ChIP sample after decrosslinking/purification. This precedes the preparation of a sequencing library, and it utilizes short oligonucleotide primers to amplify specific DNA sequences representing known PAX3-FOXO1-bound and -unbound sites in the genome. The results of this use of PCR are reflected in
The second use of PCR occurs in during the preparation of ChIP and Input DNA for high-throughput sequencing in a process called library generation. There are multiple methods for library generation of ChIP and Input DNA including tagmentation, template switching, and adaptor ligation. A generalized method of the adaptor ligation process generating libraries to be analyzed on various next-generation sequencing platforms includes the following steps:
Once the DNA has been amplified and their sequences determined, the DNA is analyzed to identify the regions in the genome of the cell that bind to PAX3-FOXO1. The methods identify variably-sized sets of residues in genomes (i.e., genomic regions) that are bound by PAX-FOXO1. The genomic regions can include a range of base pairs. In some embodiments, the genomic region includes a number of base pairs ranging from 100 to 100,000, from 1000 to 100,000, from 5000 to 100,000, from 10,000 to 100,000, from 100 to 50,000, from 100 to 10,000, from 100 to 5,000, from 1000 to 50,000, or from 5,000 to 50,000. The genomic region includes genes and gene-sized polynucleotides.
The method has been demonstrated to identify more PAX3-FOXO1 binding sites than prior art methods. In some embodiments, the method can identify at least 1,000, at least 5000, at least 7500, at least 10,000, at least 12,500, or at least 15,000 genomic regions. In some embodiments, one or more of the genomic regions are a portion of a gene.
For sequence comparison and identification, typically one sequence acts as a reference sequence, to which test sequences are compared. When using a sequence comparison algorithm, test and reference sequences are entered into a computer, subsequence coordinates are designated, if necessary, and sequence algorithm program parameters are designated. Default program parameters can be used, or alternative parameters can be designated. The sequence comparison algorithm then calculates the percent sequence identities for the test sequences relative to the reference sequence, based on the program parameters. For sequence comparison of nucleic acids and proteins, the BLAST and BLAST 2.0 algorithms and the default parameters discussed below are typically used.
A number of specific methods are available for carrying out a sequence analysis. Short read alignment tools (e.g. bowtie, bowtie2, bwa) are utilized to align DNA sequence reads generated by the high-throughput DNA sequencing platform to a reference genome (e.g. hg38, mm10) using parameters discussed in the Example, herein.
Once reads are aligned, peak-calling algorithms (e.g. MACS, MACS2) are employed to identify regions of the genome where there is an abundance of reads accumulating using parameters discussed in the Example. These are designated as PAX3-FOXO1 binding sites when the number of reads aligning to a region in the ChIP sample exceeds the number of reads expected to align to that region (based on the Input sample) at a defined statistical threshold. Those skilled in the art recognize that there are many tools and options for performing the sequence analysis.
In some embodiments, the cell is a human cell, and the DNA is analyzed by alignment with a human genome sequence, such as UCSC hg38. In some embodiments, a “spike in” strategy is used, which permits downstream analysis of ChiP specificity using concurrent ChiP assays against cells from different species. For example, in some embodiments, the cells include human cells and rodent cells, wherein the rodent cells express wild-type FOXO1.
Another aspect of the invention provides a method of treating a subject having rhabdomyosarcoma. The method includes modulating the expression of a genomic region of a cancer cell identified by the method of analysis described herein.
Rhabdomyosarcoma is an aggressive and highly malignant form of cancer that develops from skeletal (striated) muscle cells that have failed to fully differentiate. It is generally considered to be a disease of childhood, as the vast majority of cases occur in those below the age of 18. Rhabdomyosarcoma can occur in any site on the body, but is primarily found in the head, neck, orbit, genitourinary tract, genitals, and extremities. Types of rhabdomyosarcoma include embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma, and anaplastic rhabdomyosarcoma.
Rhabdomyosarcoma can be difficult to diagnose due to its similarities to other cancers and varying levels of differentiation. It is loosely classified as one of the “small, round, blue-cell cancer of childhood” due to its appearance on an H&E stain. However, the defining diagnostic trait for rhabdomyosarcoma is confirmation of malignant skeletal muscle differentiation with myogenesis under light microscopy. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasonography, and a bone scan can be used to determine the extent of local invasion and metastasis.
Treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma is a multidisciplinary practice involving the use of surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and possibly immunotherapy. Chemotherapy has been shown to be the most effective method for treating rhabdomyosarcoma. There are two main chemotherapeutic methods for the treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma. These are the VAC regimen, consisting of vincristine, actinomycin D, and cyclophosphamide, and the IVA regimen, consisting of ifosfamide, vincristine, and actinomycin D.
The present invention includes the use therapeutic targets identified by the present invention that contribute to indirect interference with PAX3-FOXO1 activity in rhabdomyosarcoma at the different molecular levels. Examples of therapeutic targets include upstream modifiers and activators, epigenetic and transcriptional co-regulators, and downstream effector targets. In some embodiments, the genomic region is at least a portion of a gene. The present invention includes a variety of methods of modulating the expression of a genomic region of a cancer cell. For examples of such methods, see Wachtel, M., and Schäfer, B., 2018. These methods can be used alone, or in combination with known methods of treating rhabdomyosarcoma such as chemotherapy. The expression of the genomic region is modulated (i.e., increased or decreased) by administering an effective amount of a nucleic acid. The nucleic acid may be included in a delivery system enabling efficient intracellular introduction. The delivery system may be preferably a vector, and both viral vector and non-viral vector may be used. The viral vector may include lentivirus, retrovirus, adenovirus, herpes virus and avipox virus vector, and the like may be used, but is not limited thereto.
In some embodiments of the method of treatment, the expression of the genomic region is decreased. Genetic methods such as the use of siRNA. ribozymes, or antisense RNA could also be used to suppress expression of a genomic region. For example, the expression can be decreased by administering an effective amount of a siRNA to the subject. siRNA is a duplex RNA which specifically cleaves target molecules to induce RNA interference (RNAi). Preferably, the siRNA of the present invention has a nucleotide sequence composed of a sense RNA strand homologous entirely or partially to a gene expressing a mutant NRF2 pathway protein nucleic acid sequence and an antisense RNA strand complementary thereto, which hybridizes with its target sequence within cells.
In other embodiments of the method of treatment, the expression of the genomic region is increased. For example, administering an effective amount of nucleic acids with sequences corresponding to mRNA or that active promoters can be used to increase the expression of a genomic region.
An example has been included to more clearly describe a particular embodiment of the invention and its associated cost and operational advantages. However, there are a wide variety of other embodiments within the scope of the present invention, which should not be limited to the particular example provided herein.
In the present study, we address the possible retention of PF activity in the PAX3-FOXO1 fusion oncoprotein at the chromatin level, as a basis for understanding its role in FP-RMS initiation. Well-established features of bona fide PFs guide our investigation: (1) binding to repressed/compact/inaccessible chromatin; (2) nucleosomal motif recognition and occupancy. Our biochemical and high-resolution genomic analyses reveal steady-state association of PAX3-FOXO1 with repressed chromatin features, whereas kinetic studies of PAX3-FOXO1 induction reveal rapid targeting of PAX3-FOXO1 to nucleosome-occupied regions where the fusion is retained often without inducing accessibility. These findings reveal an interplay between PAX3-FOXO1 and H3K9me3 domain patterning, opening new avenues for further understanding the chromatin level role of PAX3-FOXO1 in heritable transmission of oncogenic events in FP-RMS.
We asked whether the fused PFs in rhabdomyosarcoma exhibited fundamental properties of known pioneers. Homology analysis of PAX3 and FOXO1 amino acid sequences revealed that evolutionarily conserved residues within the PAX3 paired domain and homeobox domain are completely retained in the fusion TF (
We were first motivated to address the enigmatic question of how a driver oncogene like PAX3-FOXO1 can initiate chromatin reprogramming, as it has only been previously observed to bind active, accessible chromatin. Thus, we tested whether PAX3-FOXO1 genomic localization is distinct from non-pioneer TFs and whether it has the capacity to bind regions with lower levels of accessibility. We conducted a genome-wide correlation analysis between various chromatin factors and PAX3-FOXO1 using chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) datasets from the FP-RMS cell line RH4, available publicly or generated for this study (Cao et al., 2010; Gryder et al., 2017). Our results revealed remarkable dissimilarity between PAX3-FOXO1 binding and localization of FP-RMS core regulatory TFs (CRTFs; MYCN, MYOG, MYOD1), chromatin structural components (CTCF, RAD21), enhancer binding/regulatory factors (MED1, BRD4, p300), active histone modifications (H3K27ac, H3K9ac, H3K4me1), accessibility (ATACseq), and SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex subunits (BRD9, DPF2). Remarkably, genome-wide PAX3-FOXO1 signal showed the second strongest correlation with the heterochromatic histone modification, H3K9me3, behind the repressive H3K27me3 modification. This observation revealed a unique genomic binding preference for PAX3-FOXO1 compared with other CRTFs in FP-RMS cells and suggested PAX3-FOXO1 may substantially reside in inactive regions of the genome.
To determine whether the pattern of PAX3-FOXO1 occupancy we observed could be attributed to its localization outside the active, euchromatic nuclear compartment, we employed a stringent, sequential fractionation protocol. We aimed at distinguishing cellular components associated with increasingly insoluble compartments of the nucleus in a panel of RMS cells, including PAX3-FOXO1 fusion-negative cell lines (RD, SMS-CTR) and fusion-positive cell lines (RH4, RH30). We found that the euchromatic SWI/SNF subunit BAF155 and the CRTF, MYCN, were readily extracted from the chromatin fiber in all cells when exposed to 500 mM NaCl extraction buffer (soluble nucleus;
To further delineate the unique chromatin binding features of PAX3-FOXO1 in FP-RMS, we next sought to define its genome-wide occupancy profile by optimizing high-specificity, spike-in normalized ChIP-seq conditions in RH4 cells using a C-terminal FOXO1 antibody. Our method, which we have called per-cell ChIP-seq (pc-ChIP-seq), addresses global changes in ChIP signal resulting from differential chromatin content or output between cell lines and treatment conditions, by introducing known ratios of mouse spike-in cells prior to sonication (Gryder et al., 2020). We justified this methodology by analyzing input sequencing libraries to reveal vastly different relative genome sizes across RMS cell lines (range, 5.25-10.02 Gb). Upon sequencing, we benchmarked our data against previously published PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP-seq generated with a non-commercial antibody, pFM2 (epitope spanning the fusion breakpoint) (Cao et al., 2010). We found that our ChIP-seq conditions identified 69% of reported binding events, and with improved signal, we revealed 7,341 additional high-strength PAX3-FOXO1 sites. Employing identical ChIP conditions in additional RMS cell lines, integrated analysis of our spike-in normalized anti-FOXO1 ChIP-seq revealed reproducible binding profiles that were concordant between FP-RMS cell lines (
We further investigated the quality and specificity of our PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP-seq by performing motif analysis. Among known motifs curated by HOMER, a PAX3:FKHR motif derived from previously published PAX3-FOXO1 ChlPseq was the top enriched sequence (p-value=101625) (
Having identified thousands of novel P3F binding sites in the FP-RMS genome, we were motivated to understand the genomic context and characteristic epigenetic state at these regions. As previously described, we found that P3F mainly occupies non-promoter, predominantly distal intergenic regions. Linking each P3F peak to nearby transcription start sites (TSS) with GREAT, we found that the limited number of promoter and promoter-proximal P3F binding sites were associated with general cellular and metabolic pathways. Interestingly, more distal P3F binding sites up to 500 kilobases from a TSS were strongly linked to genes with neurogenic differentiation processes However, these neurogenic genes show similarly high expression across FP-RMS, FN-RMS, neuroblastoma, and glioma cell lines relative to all other models in the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia (CCLE). Thus, although our discovery of new P3F-binding sites reveals associations of this fusion oncoprotein with gene pathways beyond the myogenic transcriptional circuitry, we find that P3F expression and binding alone cannot predict high expression of these genes. Further investigation of the functional consequences of P3F chromatin binding may reveal an order of events, providing clues regarding a cell of origin.
As in previous studies (Cao et al., 2010; Gryder et al., 2017, 2019), we confirmed that P3F shows enriched occupancy of gene-regulatory enhancers compared with promoters, including 1,520 individual binding sites within 932 TSS-distal, high-intensity H3K27ac clusters stitched together by ROSE (
We next evaluated expression changes of genes linked to each type of P3F site, including non-enhancer regions. Through integrative meta-analyses of our P3F-bound sites with publicly available gene expression data, we did not observe substantial changes in the expression of genes proximal to P3F-binding sites associated with altered P3F expression (Gryder et al., 2017). This result was robust across conditions of P3F knockdown or add-back, as well as when comparing FP-RMS versus FN-RMS cell lines. On subsequent analyses of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) profiles from a cohort of PAX3-FOXO1 +FP-RMS versus FN-RMS (embryonal, ERMS, subtype) patients (Downing et al., 2012), we once again found that relatively few genes associated with PAX3-FOXO1 binding were differentially expressed in patients based on PAX3-FOXO1 fusion status. Across P3Fbinding site categories, less than 30% of proximal genes were differentially expressed in patient samples (average 23.7%, fold change >2, adjusted p value <0.05), and these genes showed similar likelihood of being up- or down-regulated in P3F+ patients. These data indicate that P3F binding alone may be a poor predictor of gene activation in FP-RMS tumors and model systems, suggesting that additional inputs are required to initiate gene expression reprogramming in a context-dependent manner
We then asked whether the genomic occupancy profile of P3F related to our finding that the fusion oncoprotein is readily localized to the insoluble chromatin pellet in cell fractionation assays (
Although binding to inactive chromatin is a feature differentiating PFs from traditional TFs, another rigorous definition of nucleosomal motif binding may be applied to understand how a TF with transforming potential is capable of invading repressed sites (Fernandez Garcia et al., 2019). However, this function cannot be fully addressed at equilibrium, in which pioneer binding may in certain cases result in rapid nucleosome destabilization or eviction upon recruitment of additional factors (Yan et al., 2018). Observing this phenomenon requires kinetic regulation of PAX3-FOXO1 to monitor chromatin state changes over short timescales. To address the limitations of studying FP-RMS cells at steady state, we employed a model system of immortalized human myoblasts (Dbt), engineered with a doxycycline-inducible PAX3-FOXO1 construct (Dbt/iP3F) (Pandey et al., 2017). With kinetic control of P3F expression, we set out to establish the immediate-early targets of P3F binding and assess its capacity to recognize and occupy inaccessible, nucleosomal motifs. We first performed spike-in normalized P3F ChIP-seq in Dbt/iP3F cells with 0 (t0), 8 (t8), and 24 (t24) hours of doxycycline treatment. At t8, we identified 28,740 high-confidence P3F binding sites enriched primarily with bZIP and bHLH motifs, whereas the PAX3:FKHR motif ranked 14th among overrepresented sequences (
ATAC-seq suggested that P3F sites in Dbt/iP3F cells universally exhibited increases in accessibility over the doxycycline treatment period, although we noted that many induced P3F sites begin with relatively high accessibility at t0. To understand if accessibility changes were limited to sites with low versus high initial accessibility, we distinguished P3F-binding sites in Dbt/iP3F cells according to their baseline accessibility signal. We defined P3F-binding site Groups 1, 2, and 3 with high, medium, and low initial accessibility at t0, respectively (
Finally, we applied the NucleoATAC pipeline to determine if nucleosome positioning is affected over the time course of P3F induction and genomic occupancy. At t0 we observed strong evidence for nucleosome occupancy in Cluster 1, 2, and 3 sites. Aligning nucleosome positions with respect to P3F peaks centers, we found that Cluster 1 and 2 regions, exhibiting clear accessibility, had evidence of a pre-established nucleosome-depleted region (NDR) flanked by up- and downstream nucleosomes prior to P3F induction (
We have critically evaluated the PAX3-FOXO1 fusion oncoprotein with respect to categorical properties intrinsic to the pioneer class of transcription factors. Advances in recent years have catalyzed integrations across fields including pediatric oncology, genomics, and the biophysics of pioneer transcription factors (Fernandez Garcia et al., 2019; Nacev et al., 2020). Our studies have revealed that, for two pioneer factors fused as a chimeric oncoprotein in a rare childhood tumor, chromatin recognition is consistent with PF function across the genome, including steady-state association with inactive and H3K9me3-marked domains and kinetic recognition of nucleosomal motifs. In developing quantitative per-cell normalization for our genome-wide binding studies (pc-ChIP-seq; STAR Methods), we are able to infer nucleosome-targeting for PAX3-FOXO1, while accounting for sequencing bias resulting from the non-diploid genome structure of rhabdomyosarcoma models (Chen et al., 2015). We have demonstrated pioneer activity of the most common driver alteration in fusion-positive rhabdomyosarcoma (Galili et al., 1993), which had previously uncharacterized function outside of active chromatin (Cao et al., 2010; Gryder et al., 2017, 2019). Future efforts will be important to understand the kinetic rate constants of PAX3-FOXO1 dissociation from nucleosomes containing its motif, as well as focused chromatin sequencing of sonication-resistant binding sites within and adjacent to heterochromatin domains (Becker et al., 2017). These efforts will be necessary to understand the role of PAX3-FOXO1 in heritable transmission of FP-RMS phenotypes through the establishment and maintenance of stable epigenetic states. In the coming years we anticipate continued convergence of fields, with emerging evidence to understand and predict the logic of pioneer activity in development and disease.
Cell lines used in this study include mouse C2C12 myoblasts (female), PAX3-FOXO1+ FP-RMS cells RH4 (human, female) and RH30 (human, male), FN-RMS cells SMS-CTR (human, male) and RD (human, female), and immortalized human myoblast cells Dbt and Dbt/iP3F (male).
RH4 (FP-RMS), RH30 (FP-RMS), RD (FN-RMS), and SMS-CTR (FN-RMS) cells, a gift from Dr. Peter Houghton (UTHSCSA), were cultured in high-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS, Glutamax, and penicillin/streptomycin Immortalized Dbt myoblasts engineered with doxycycline-inducible PAX3-FOXO1 (Dbt/iP3F), engineered in the lab of Dr. Frederic Barr (NIH/NCI) (1), were cultured in Ham' s/F-10 supplemented with 15% FBS, glutamine, sodium pyruvate, creatine monohydrate, uridine, and penicillin/streptomycin. Mouse C2C12 myoblasts were purchased from ATCC and cultured in high-glucose DMEM supplemented with 10% FBS, Glutamax, and penicillin/streptomycin. For PAX3-FOXO1 induction studies, Dbt/iP3F cells were seeded in normal culture media and grown to approximately 70% confluence before exchange with media containing 500 ng/mL doxycycline hyclate for the desired time period (8 or 24 hrs).
Cells were collected from 15 cm plates and washed with ice-cold PBS containing protease inhibitor cocktail. Cell pellets were resuspended in Fractionation Buffer 1 (20 mM HEPES, 10 mM KCl, 0.2 mM EDTA) with protease inhibitor cocktail and incubated for 10 minutes on ice. NP-40 was added to a final concentration of 0.5% and the samples was vortexed on high for 15 seconds. Samples were incubated on ice for 1 minute, vortexed at high speed for 15 seconds, and pelleted at 14,000 rpm for 1 minutes at 4° C. The supernatant (cytoplasmic fraction) was transferred to a clean Eppendorf tube, and the nuclei pellet was resuspended in Fractionation Buffer 2 (10 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0, 1 mM EDTA, 0.1% NP-40, 500 mM NaCl) with protease inhibitor cocktail and incubated at 4° C. for 45-60 minutes with overhead rotation. The sample was centrifuged at 14,000 rpm for 10 minutes and the supernatant (soluble nuclear fraction) was transferred to a clean Eppendorf tube. The remaining chromatin pellet was resuspended in IP Buffer (50 mM Tris-HCl pH 8.0, 300 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 1% Triton X-100) with protease inhibitor cocktail and sonicated with an Active Motif EpiShear probe sonicator equipped with a cooled sonication platform for 5 minutes at 30% amplitude cycling from 30 seconds ON to 30 seconds OFF. The sample was centrifuged at 14,000 rpm for 10 minutes at 4° C. and the supernatant (soluble chromatin fraction) was transferred to a clean Eppendorf tube. The remaining chromatin pellet was resuspended in 2×SDS protein sample buffer with 10% v/v 2-mercaptoethanol and heated at 95° C. for 10 minutes. The other cell fractions were quantified with the Pierce Rapid Gold BCA Protein Assay Kit. Samples were resolved by SDS-PAGE using 2.5 μg of the cytoplasmic, soluble nuclear, and soluble chromatin fractions or 10 μL of the chromatin pellet fractions on a NuPAGE 4-12% Bis-Tris gel.
Proteins were transferred overnight at 4° C./30V to nitrocellulose membranes. Membranes were blocked at room temperature in 5% w/v milk solution in TBST (0.1% v/v Tween-20) for 1 hour before incubation for 2 hours at room temperature with primary antibodies detecting: MYCN (Cell Signaling, 51705S), BAF155 (Cell Signaling, 11956S), FOXO1 (Cell Signaling, 2880S), HP1a (Cell Signaling, 2616S), H3K9me3 (Active Motif, 39062), H4K20me1 (Active Motif, 39727), or TBP (Cell Signaling, 44059S). Following 1 hour incubation with HRP-linked secondary antibodies, immunoblots were incubated with SuperSignal West Pico PLUS Chemiluminescent Substrate, images were acquired with a LI-COR C-DiGit Blot Scanner running Image Studio v5.2.
Human PAX3 (Uniprot ID: P23760) and FOXO1 (Uniprot ID: Q12778) amino acid sequence conservation was analyzed on the ConSurf Server using default parameters (Berezin et al., 2004). ConSurf output files were used to project evolutionary conservation estimates, buried/exposed residue classifiers, and functional/structural residue classifiers onto the primary protein structure in
To facilitate quantitative normalization across ChIP-seq samples not only from different treatment conditions but also from distinct cell lines, we employed a spike-in ChIP strategy using known numbers of cells of human origin mixed in defined ratios with cells of mouse origin. This approach is similar in theory and in practice to the recently reported quantitative HiChIP method, known as AQuA-HiChIP (Gryder et al., 2020). Our spike-in strategy addresses technical confounders introduced at two key points in the ChIP-seq protocol. Firstly, we introduce formaldehyde fixed mouse C2C12 cells to fixed human RMS or myoblast cells prior to sonication. In this study, the ratio of humanmouse cells is fixed at 3:1 for all experiments. This strategy ensures subsequent normalization steps retain read depth information on the basis of starting cell number. Failure to do so may obscure differences in chromatin output per cell across different cell types and treatment conditions. The assumption of equal chromatin produced per cell by sonication of any cell type implicit in commercial spike-in normalization reagents may be frequently violated when conducting experiments comparing aneuploid cancer cell lines, or in our case, RMS cells in which genome duplication may be a frequent event. Secondly, as in previous ChIP-Rx and commercial spike-in strategies (Egan et al., 2016), we assume an equal number of mouse DNA fragments comprise the final sequencing libraries for input samples and for ChIP samples that will be directly compared. This permits us to properly correct for differences in sequencing depth across samples based on an internal and constant reference.
Our strategy utilizes one antibody, which we ideally expect to react with specific, conserved epitopes on human and mouse chromatin (e.g. histone modifications). In this ideal case, reliable and stable ChIP efficiency against epitopes on mouse chromatin ensures adequate and reproducible read numbers mapping to the spike-in mouse genome across all samples, while distinct human cell lines (e.g. RMS cells vs. myoblasts) under various treatment conditions (e.g. doxycycline induction) may produce a variable number of reads mapping to the human genome. In the case that an antibody has exquisite species-specific reactivity, or the desired epitope is not expressed in C2C12 cells (e.g. lineage restricted transcription factors), we leverage the inherently low signal-to-noise ratio of ChIP assays to our advantage. Here the number of non-specific reads mapping to the mouse genome is anticipated to remain constant across all ChIP samples, as even in highly efficient ChIP assays, background reads are present in relatively high proportions. Therefore, a single antibody approach is sufficient to produce ChIP samples with a constant number of spike-in reads mapping to the mouse genome for a given antibody, regardless of the reactivity of that antibody with mouse epitopes.
In addition to developing a novel, per-cell ChIP (pc-ChIP) approach, we tested two variables to optimize conditions for PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP using a FOXO1 antibody: 1) sonication time and 2) salt concentration in the ChIP buffer. The detailed pc-ChIP optimization strategy follows:
FP-RMS, FN-RMS, Dbt/iP3F, or C2C12 cells were cultured in 15 cm plates, dissociated with trypsin, pelleted, and washed with PBS. Cell pellets were resuspended in Fixing Buffer (50 mM HEPES pH 7.3, 1 mM EDTA, 0.5 mM EDTA, 100 mM NaCl) and fresh, methanol-free formaldehyde was added to a final concentration of 1%. After 10 minutes of incubation at room temperature, the fixation was quenched by the addition of glycine to a final concentration of 125 mM and the cell suspension was placed on ice for 5 minutes. Fixed cells were pelleted at 1,200×g for 5 minutes at 4° C. and resuspended in ice-cold PBS containing a protease inhibitor cocktail. Fixed FP-RMS, FN-RMS, and Dbt/iP3F cells were aliquoted at 6×106 cells/tube, and fixed C2C12 cells were aliquoted at 2×106 cells/tube. Cells were pelleted at 3,000 rpm for 5 minutes at 4° C., the supernatant was removed, and pellets were snap frozen and stored at −80° C. until further use.
For initial optimization in RH4 cells, thawed aliquots of 6×106 RH4 cells were combined with thawed aliquots of 2×106 C2C12 cells in 800 uL of TE buffer pH 8.0 containing protease inhibitor cocktail and transferred to polystyrene sonication tubes. Samples were sonicated with an Active Motif EpiShear probe sonicator equipped with a cooled sonication platform for either 27 minutes or 13.5 minutes at 30% amplitude cycling from 30 seconds ON to 30 seconds OFF. After sonication, a 5 uL volume was aliquoted from each sample (input) and combined with 20 uL TE, 1 uL 10% SDS, and 1 uL 20 mg/mL Proteinase K for overnight decrosslinking at 65° C. The remaining sonicated chromatin was stored at 4° C. Input samples were purified using Qiagen MinElute PCR Purification columns and chromatin fragmentation was assessed by gel electrophoresis on an E-Gel 2% EX agarose gel.
After evaluating fragmentation, sonicated chromatin in TE buffer was adjusted to ChIP Buffer by the addition of Triton X-100 (to 1% final concentration), SDS (to 0.1% final concentration), and sodium deoxycholate (to 0.1% final concentration). For initial optimization, we added sodium chloride to a final concentration of either 140 mM or 200 mM. Chromatin in ChIP Buffer was incubated on ice for 5 minutes and insoluble material was removed by centrifuging the sample at 13,000 rpm for 10 minutes at 4° C. and transferring the supernatant to a new 1.5 mL tube. 5 uL of FOXO1 antibody (Cell Signaling Technology, #2880) was added, and samples were incubated at 4° C. for 1 hour with overhead rotation. For each sample, 40 uL of Protein A Dynabeads were buffer exchanged with ChIP buffer containing either 140 mM or 200 mM NaCl before addition to the antibody:chromatin mixture, and the samples were incubated overnight at 4° C. with overhead rotation. The beads were then washed twice with Low Salt Wash Buffer (0.1% SDS, 0.1% sodium deoxycholate, and 1% Triton X-100 in TE buffer pH 8.0), twice with ChIP Buffer (containing either 140 mM or 200 mM NaCl), twice with LiCl Wash Buffer (250 mM LiCl, 0.5% NP-40, 0.5% sodium deoxycholate in TE buffer pH 8.0), and twice with TE buffer pH 8.0. The beads were then resuspended in 100 uL TE buffer pH 8.0 with 2.5 uL 10% SDS and 5 uL 20 mg/mL Proteinase K, and ChIP samples were decrosslinked at 65° C. overnight. ChIP DNA was purified with Qiagen MinElute PCR Purification columns.
Efficiency and specificity of our PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP conditions were first assessed by real-time PCR with primers designed against known PAX3-FOXO1 binding sites within the MYOD1, SOX8, QKI, RAD51B, and FGFR4 loci (primer sequences listed in Table 1 below) (Cao et al., 2010). A negative control region in the SOX18 promoter was also tested (Yohe et al.). This analysis revealed specific and robust ChIP enrichment within known PAX3-FOXO1 binding sites compared to the negative control region.
This optimization strategy revealed that 13.5 minutes of sonication followed by ChIP in buffer containing 200 mM NaCl was suitable for robust PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP enrichment using a FOXO1 antibody with limited background signal. All subsequent PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP assays in RH4, RH30, RD, SMS-CTR, and Dbt/iP3F cells were performed in an identical fashion.
Additional ChIP assays performed for this study were conducted in RH4 cells (with C2C12 spike-in) sonicated for 27 minutes, with immunoprecipitation performed in ChIP buffer with 200 mM NaCl using antibodies against DPF2 (Abcam, ab134942), BRD9 (Abcam, ab137245), H3K27ac (Active Motif, 39133), and H3K27me3 (Active Motif, 39155). H3K9me3 (Active Motif, 39062) and H3K9ac (EpiCypher, 13-0020) ChIPs were performed in RH4 cells (with C2C12 spike-in) sonicated for 12 minutes.
We perform our pc-ChIP-seq spike-in and normalization on a “per cell” basis to retain information regarding the chromatin output across cell lines tested under various treatment conditions. Conversely, commercially available spike-in reagents recommend an equal starting amount of chromatin for each sample, regardless of starting cell number. For direct, quantitative comparison to be performed between distinct cell lines and treatments, the condition of equal chromatin produced per cell in all groups must be satisfied when normalizing on the basis of starting chromatin amount. In RMS cell lines and other aneuploid cancer cell lines, this condition is grossly violated. These cell lines generally contain variably sized genomes, and therefore they release different amounts of chromatin per cell that can globally influence the signal output from a standard ChIP assay. Using human/mouse read ratios in our input sequencing libraries, we can demonstrate the need to account for this by inferring the relative genome size for each cell line in this study. We used tetraploid C2C12 mouse cells for spike-in (estimated genome size, 5.4×109 bp) at a 3 to 1 ratio of human to mouse cells. We can therefore calculate the inferred genome sizes as:
Inferred Genome Size=(Observed Ratio×5.4×109)/3
These figures reveal vastly different relative genome sizes across cell lines tested and showed consistent results across RH4 replicates (7.72 and 7.92×109 bp, respectively). This is consistent with the scenario where chromatin output differs globally, and therefore relative read depth across both input and ChIP samples differ. Under these conditions, a spike-in and normalization procedure based on the starting amount of chromatin instead of the starting number of cells would obscure the differences between different biological samples. This prevents qualitative comparison of peak calls as wells as quantitative comparison of signal strength observed. Therefore, we needed a new strategy where the difference of amount of chromatin released by each cell is taken into consideration, and we developed pc-ChIP-seq to correct this bias. While the focus here is on chromosome ploidy resulting in differential chromatin output per cell, epigenetic repression and de-repression as well as cell cycle stage are examples of other conditions that may globally influence chromatin output per cell owing to differences in sonication sensitivity.
To justify the assumption that a one-antibody strategy is sufficient for a spike-in ChIP-seq normalization approach, even in the event that the chosen antibody does not recognize epitopes on mouse chromatin to produce high quality ChIP-seq data in the spike-in genome, we first analyzed our anti-FOXO1 ChIP-seq data from RH4/C2C12 cells with the ENCODE pipeline, aligning only to mm10. This analysis, prior to down-sampling, revealed just 135 FOXO1 peaks in the mouse genome. More importantly, just 0.18% of all reads aligning to the mouse genome mapped to these peaks. Second, in replicate PAX3-FOXO1 ChlPseq datasets produced in RH4 cells, the ratio of human to mouse reads in the ChIP samples were 4.57 and 4.52. Together, these findings suggest even when non-specific mouse reads are not informative for peak calling in the mouse genome, they comprise a substantial and reproducible portion of a ChIP sample that can be leveraged for normalization. This reflects the inherently low signal-to-noise ratio of ChIP assays, where a typical transcription factor ChIP will often have a relatively low Fraction of Reads in Peaks (FRiP) value.
ChIP and input DNA from each sample were prepared for sequencing as before (Kidder and Zhao, 2014) by blunt end repair using the Lucigen End-It DNA End-Repair Kit, 3′ A-tailing by Klenow fragment (3′-5′ exo-), adaptor ligation by T4 DNA ligase, and size selection on an E-Gel 2% EX agarose gel. Libraries were amplified with barcoded primers for 14 cycles and isolated from unreacted primers by gel purification. Pooled libraries were sequenced at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Institute for Genomic Medicine, Genomic Services Laboratory on a HiSeq4000 running in paired-end, 150 bp mode.
As the pc-ChIP protocol rigorously controls for the starting number of cells and the ratio of human to mouse cells across all samples in each experimental group, read depth bias correction is achieved through normalization using mouse spike-in reads across all input and ChIP samples for a given comparison. We carried out normalization prior to peak calling and generation of signal files in order to perform quantitative comparisons across cell lines or test samples. In detail, our approach for random down-sampling of sequencing reads across samples is as follows:
BCL converted paired end fastq files were aligned to hg38 and mm10 reference genomes, separately, utilizing bowtie2 (Langmead and Salzberg, 2012) and following ENCODE best practices. The resulting mouse BAMs were analyzed by samtools to calculate the number of reads aligned to each genome. The minimum number of mouse aligned reads (m) was identified across all samples, and was divided by the number of aligned mouse reads for each sample(s) to calculate the scaling factor (f), f=m/s. This scaling factor was subsequently used to normalize the hg38 aligned BAMs through subsampling with samtools view -s, which retains read pair information. Picard SamToFastq converted the resulting SAM files to paired end fastq files.
Normalized pc-ChIP-seq fastq files from this study as well as publicly available PAX3-FOXO1 ChIP-seq fastq files for RH4 cells (GSE19063, (Cao et al., 2010)) were processed with the ENCODE ChIP-seq pipeline with chip.xcor_exclusion_range_max set at 30. Normalized, paired-end fastqs were aligned with bowtie2 (version 2.3.4.3) to hg38, with parameters bowtie2-X2000-mm. Next, blacklisted region, unmapped, mate unmapped, not primary alignment, multi-mapped, low mapping quality (MAPQ<30), duplicate reads and PCR duplicates were removed. Peaks were called with MACS2 (version 2.2.4), with parameters-p 1e-2-nomodel-shift 0-extsize $[FRAGLEN]-keep-dup all-B-SPMR, where FRAGLEN is the estimated fragment length. IDR analyses were performed on peaks from replicate samples or pseudo-replicates, with threshold 0.05. Motif analysis with HOMER (version 4.11.1) (Heinz et al., 2010) was then carried out on conservative IDR peaks. For visualization, bedGraph files were generated with MACS2 bdgcmp from the pile-up, and then converted to bigwig format with bedGraphToBigWig. Heatmaps were generated with deeptools (version 3.3.1). k-means classification from deeptools was used to generate peak clusters for
ATAC-seq was performed as previously described (Buenrostro et al., 2013) with only minor modifications. 5×104 cells per experiment were first washed with RSB buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl pH 8, 10 mM NaCl, 3 mM MgCl2) and gently permeabilized with RSB lysis buffer (10 mM Tris-HCl pH 8, 10 mM NaCl, 3 mM MgCl2, 0.1% NP-40) on ice. Cells were suspended in 50 uL of tagmentation master mix prepared from Illumina Tagment DNA TDE1 Enzyme and Buffer Kit components (#20034197), and transposition was performed for 30 minutes at 37° C. Tagmented DNA fragments were isolated using Qiagen MinElute PCR Purification columns prior to library amplification. ATAC-seq libraries were amplified with barcoded Nextera primers for 14 cycles, and excess primers were removed by size selection with AMPure XP beads. Libraries were sequenced on the HiSeq4000 platform running in PEx150bp mode.
The ENCODE ATAC-seq pipeline with default parameters was used to process ATAC-seq data. First, reads are scanned for adaptor sequences and trimmed with cutadapt (version 2.3). Reads are then mapped to hg38 with bowtie2 (version 2.3.4.3). Properly aligned, non-mitochondrial read pairs were retained for peak calling with MACS2 (version 2.2.4). After peaks are called, heatmaps are generated with deeptools (version 3.3.1) (Ramierez et al., 2016). Fragment length distributions were generated with plot2DO v1.0 (Beati and Chereji, 2020). Local signal vs background enrichment is calculated with localEnrichmentBed. Nucleosome position, nucleosome occupancy and tn5 insertion density are estimated using NucleoATAC (version 0.3.4) (Schep et al., 2015). Transcription factor foot printing/motif protection was assessed by identifying PAX3-FKHR or FOXO1 motif positions within PAX3-FOXO1 binding sites using FIMO (Grant et al., 2011). Insertion rates were subsequently plotted over aligned motif positions using deeptools (version 3.3.1).
Tumor tissue expression data (in bam format) from pediatric patients diagnosed with Alveolar Rhabdomyosarcoma (ARMS) and Embryonal Rhabdomyosarcoma (ERMS) were obtained from the St. Jude Cloud Genomics Platform (Downing et al., 2012). Reads were converted to gene level expression using featureCount (Rsubread package, version 2.4.3) with the Rsubread package built-in annotation (NCBI RefSeq annotation for hg38, build 38.2). Differential expression analyses were carried out between ARMS with PAX3-FOXO1 fusion biomarker (n=21) and ERMS (n=43) using DESeq2 (version 1.28.1). All analyses done in R version 4.0.0.
The complete disclosure of all patents, patent applications, and publications, and electronically available material cited herein are incorporated by reference. The foregoing detailed description and examples have been given for clarity of understanding only. No unnecessary limitations are to be understood there from. The invention is not limited to the exact details shown and described, for variations obvious to one skilled in the art will be included within the invention defined by the claims.
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/084,098, filed Sep. 28, 2020, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US21/52330 | 9/28/2021 | WO |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63084098 | Sep 2020 | US |
