Altered chromatin landscape and enhancer engagement underlie transcriptional dysregulation in MED12 mutant uterine leiomyomas

Nat Commun. 2020 Feb 24;11(1):1019. doi: 10.1038/s41467-020-14701-6.

Abstract

Uterine leiomyomas (fibroids) are a major source of gynecologic morbidity in reproductive age women and are characterized by the excessive deposition of a disorganized extracellular matrix, resulting in rigid benign tumors. Although down regulation of the transcription factor AP-1 is highly prevalent in leiomyomas, the functional consequence of AP-1 loss on gene transcription in uterine fibroids remains poorly understood. Using high-resolution ChIP-sequencing, promoter capture Hi-C, and RNA-sequencing of matched normal and leiomyoma tissues, here we show that modified enhancer architecture is a major driver of transcriptional dysregulation in MED12 mutant uterine leiomyomas. Furthermore, modifications in enhancer architecture are driven by the depletion of AP-1 occupancy on chromatin. Silencing of AP-1 subunits in primary myometrium cells leads to transcriptional dysregulation of extracellular matrix associated genes and partly recapitulates transcriptional and epigenetic changes observed in leiomyomas. These findings establish AP-1 driven aberrant enhancer regulation as an important mechanism of leiomyoma disease pathogenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Amino Acid Substitution
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromatin / genetics*
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation Sequencing
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8 / metabolism
  • Enhancer Elements, Genetic / genetics
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Exons / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Genetic Predisposition to Disease
  • Humans
  • Hysterectomy
  • Leiomyoma / genetics*
  • Leiomyoma / pathology
  • Leiomyoma / surgery
  • Mediator Complex / genetics*
  • Mediator Complex / metabolism
  • Middle Aged
  • Mutation
  • Myometrium / cytology
  • Myometrium / pathology
  • Myometrium / surgery
  • Primary Cell Culture
  • RNA-Seq
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / genetics
  • Transcription Factor AP-1 / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Uterine Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Uterine Neoplasms / pathology
  • Uterine Neoplasms / surgery

Substances

  • Chromatin
  • MED12 protein, human
  • Mediator Complex
  • Transcription Factor AP-1
  • CDK8 protein, human
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 8