Project description:Here, we present the first study showing race and side-specific differences in the trajectories of epigenetic aging in normal colonic mucosa. The cohort conisted of matched biopsies of left/right colon from healthy individuals (n=129). The majority of individuals were African American (n=89). Methylation arrays (Illumina EPIC) were performed on DNA extracted from fresh frozen biopsies taken at the time of colonoscopy. Our results provide novel insight of epigenetic aging underlying racial disparities in CRC. Side-specific colonic epigenetic aging may be a promising marker to guide interventions to reduce CRC burden.
Project description:In the US, the majority of cancer samples analyzed are from white people, leading to biases in racial and ethnic treatment outcomes. Colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality rates are high in Alabama African Americans (AAs) and Oklahoma American Indians (AIs). We hypothesized that differences between racial groups may partially explain these disparities. Thus, we compared transcriptomic profiles of CRCs of Alabama AAs, Oklahoma AIs, and white people from both states. Compared to CRCs of white people, CRCs of AAs showed (a) higher expression of cytokines and vesicle trafficking toward modulated antitumor-immune activity, and (b) lower expression of the ID1/BMP/SMAD axis, IL22RA1, APOBEC3, and Mucins; and AIs had (c) higher expression of PTGS2/COX2 (an NSAID target/pro-oncogenic inflammation) and splicing regulators, and (d) lower tumor suppressor activities (e.g., TOB2, PCGF2, BAP1). Therefore, targeting strategies designed for white CRC patients may be less effective for AAs/AIs. These findings illustrate needs to develop optimized interventions to overcome racial CRC disparities.
Project description:Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the U.S., with significant racial and ethnic disparities in incidence, survival, and mortality rates. The rising incidence of early-onset CRC and the frequent presentation at advanced stages of CRC among the Hispanics makes this an important ethnic group to study. A deeper understanding of the complex interplay between molecular, genetic, and environmental factors is critical for developing targeted therapies to reduce the prevalence in specific racial and ethnic groups, such as Hispanics. This study explores the role of stress-survival pathway (SSP) genes in early-onset and late-stage CRC, primarily focusing on disparities between Hispanics and Non-Hispanic Whites (NHWs). Additionally, this study investigates the role of MCM10, in contributing to CRC disparities among the Hispanic populations with an emphasis of early-onset and late-stage CRC Hispanics. Methods: One of our previous studies had identified some SSP protein coding genes associated with CRC. The expressions of these genes were validated in CRC cell lines, cDNA arrays, tissue microarrays, and tissue samples using qRT-PCR, and immunohistochemistry. The transcript-level expressions of differentially expressed SSP genes were further evaluated in Hispanic and NHWs tumor tissues, including early onset and late-stage cohorts. Additionally, we performed cellular physiological and functional assays to explore the role of MCM10 in tumor progression, before and after siRNA mediated knockdown. High-throughput transcriptomic and proteomic analyses were performed to reveal the underlying molecular mechanism. Results: We observed differential expressions of twelve SSP genes in CRC cell lines, at the transcript level; that of ten genes in early and late stages using cDNA arrays, and nine genes at the protein levels using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry. Hispanic CRC samples showed differential expression of all nine SSP genes compared to NHWs, in early-onset, and late-stage CRC, with all genes being upregulated other than CDK4 and PRDX4 in late-stage CRC and CDK4 in early-onset CRC. Our functional study demonstrated that MCM10 knockdown in CRC cell lines significantly reduced cell proliferation, growth, invasion and migration by inducing cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and reactive oxygen species pathways. The integrative RNA-sequencing and proteomics study reported that the novel gene PPFI1A could be associated with MCM10 mediated cancer progression. The role of MCM10 and PPFI1A in cancer progression has been validated using a Hispanic CRC patient derived organoid. Conclusion: This study highlights the role of SSP genes, particularly MCM10, in colorectal cancer progression and its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target to address Hispanic CRC disparities.
Project description:African Americans (AA) are 70% more likely than Caucasian Americans (CA) to die from heart failure (HF) even after adjusting for known causes. Although the causal factors responsible for this racial disparity remain unknown, it is theorized that environmental stressors This alarming health disparity represents an important challenge to U.S. healthcare as global prevalence of heart failure has already exceeded epidemic levels with a disease burden that disproportionately impacts members of ethnic and racial minorities. The current multicohort study of cardiac DNA methylation identifies the cardiac epigenome as a previously unrecognized syntax that encodes race-based environmental differences in the failing human heart.
Project description:African Americans (AA) are 70% more likely than Caucasian Americans (CA) to die from heart failure (HF) even after adjusting for known causes. Although the causal factors responsible for this racial disparity remain unknown, it is theorized that environmental stressors This alarming health disparity represents an important challenge to U.S. healthcare as global prevalence of heart failure has already exceeded epidemic levels with a disease burden that disproportionately impacts members of ethnic and racial minorities. The current multicohort study of cardiac DNA methylation identifies the cardiac epigenome as a previously unrecognized syntax that encodes race-based environmental differences in the failing human heart.