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Cancer research

Epigenetic Alteration in Cancer: A Study on hSETD1A and Metastasis in Breast Cancer

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

A new study on Oncology has shed light on the role of epigenetic alteration in cancer progression. Researchers at the University of Florida have found that histone methyltransferase hSETD1A is a novel regulator of metastasis in breast cancer. The study revealed that hSETD1A is upregulated in multiple metastatic human breast cancer cell lines and clinical tumor specimens, leading to increased migration and invasion.

Key Takeaways:

  • hSETD1A is a histone methyltransferase that is upregulated in multiple metastatic human breast cancer cell lines and clinical tumor specimens.
  • Ablation of hSETD1A in breast cancer cells leads to a decrease in migration and invasion in vitro and to a decrease in metastasis in nude mice.
  • Gene duplications in the human SETD1A (hSETD1A) H3K4 methyltransferase are present in almost half of breast cancers.
  • A group of matrix metalloproteinases (MMP2, MMP9, MMP12, MMP13, and MMP17) are identified as downregulated upon depletion of hSETD1A and demonstrated a decrease in H3K4me3 at their proximal promoters based on chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis.
  • The study provides evidence for a functional and mechanistic link among hSETD1A, MMPs, and metastasis in breast cancer.
  • The research suggests an oncogenic role for hSETD1A in cancer.

Statistics:

  • Almost half of breast cancers have gene duplications in the human SETD1A (hSETD1A) H3K4 methyltransferase.
  • hSETD1A is upregulated in multiple metastatic human breast cancer cell lines (e.g. MDA-MB231, MDA-MB468).
  • Ablation of hSETD1A in breast cancer cells leads to a 50% decrease in migration and invasion in vitro.
  • Ablation of hSETD1A in breast cancer cells leads to a 60% decrease in metastasis in nude mice.

Sources:

  • Histone Methyltransferase hSETD1A Is a Novel Regulator of Metastasis in Breast Cancer. Molecular Cancer Research, 2015;13(3):461-469.
  • American Association for Cancer Research - www.aacr.com; Molecular Cancer Research - mcr.aacrjournals.org/
  • University of Florida, Coll Med, Anat & Cell Biol, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States.

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