Single-cell epigenetics - Chromatin modification atlas unveiled by mass cytometry

Peggie Cheung; Francesco Vallania; Mai Dvorak; Sarah E Chang; Steven Schaffert; Michele Donato; Aditya M Rao; Rong Mao; Paul J Utz; Purvesh Khatri; Alex J Kuo

doi:10.1016/j.clim.2018.06.009

Single-cell epigenetics - Chromatin modification atlas unveiled by mass cytometry

Clin Immunol. 2018 Nov:196:40-48. doi: 10.1016/j.clim.2018.06.009. Epub 2018 Jun 28.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
² Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Informatics Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA.
³ Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. Electronic address: pjutz@stanford.edu.
⁴ Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Biomedical Informatics Research, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. Electronic address: pkhatri@stanford.edu.
⁵ Institute for Immunity, Transplantation and Infection, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA; Department of Medicine, Division of Immunology and Rheumatology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, USA. Electronic address: alex0229@stanford.edu.

Abstract

Modifications of histone proteins are fundamental to the regulation of epigenetic phenotypes. Dysregulations of histone modifications have been linked to the pathogenesis of diverse human diseases. However, identifying differential histone modifications in patients with immune-mediated diseases has been challenging, in part due to the lack of a powerful analytic platform to study histone modifications in the complex human immune system. We recently developed a highly multiplexed platform, Epigenetic landscape profiling using cytometry by Time-Of-Flight (EpiTOF), to analyze the global levels of a broad array of histone modifications in single cells using mass cytometry. In this review, we summarize the development of EpiTOF and discuss its potential applications in biomedical research. We anticipate that this platform will provide new insights into the roles of epigenetic regulation in hematopoiesis, immune cell functions, and immune system aging, and reveal aberrant epigenetic patterns associated with immune-mediated diseases.

Keywords: Chromatin; EpiTOF; Epigenetics; Histone post-translational modifications; Immune system; Mass cytometry.

Publication types

Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Chromatin / metabolism*
Epigenesis, Genetic*
Flow Cytometry
Histone Code*
Histones / metabolism*
Humans
Mass Spectrometry
Protein Processing, Post-Translational
Single-Cell Analysis / methods*

Substances

Chromatin
Histones

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

Grants and funding