Published online Dec 21, 2016. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v22.i47.10325
Peer-review started: June 24, 2016
First decision: August 22, 2016
Revised: September 20, 2016
Accepted: November 13, 2016
Article in press: November 13, 2016
Published online: December 21, 2016
Processing time: 180 Days and 3 Hours
To analyze colorectal carcinogenesis and age-related DNA methylation alterations of gene sequences associated with epigenetic clock CpG sites.
In silico DNA methylation analysis of 353 epigenetic clock CpG sites published by Steve Horvath was performed using methylation array data for a set of 123 colonic tissue samples [64 colorectal cancer (CRC), 42 adenoma, 17 normal; GEO accession number: GSE48684]. Among the differentially methylated age-related genes, secreted frizzled related protein 1 (SFRP1) promoter methylation was further investigated in colonic tissue from 8 healthy adults, 19 normal children, 20 adenoma and 8 CRC patients using bisulfite-specific PCR followed by methylation-specific high resolution melting (MS-HRM) analysis. mRNA expression of age-related “epigenetic clock” genes was studied using Affymetrix HGU133 Plus2.0 whole transcriptome data of 153 colonic biopsy samples (49 healthy adult, 49 adenoma, 49 CRC, 6 healthy children) (GEO accession numbers: GSE37364, GSE10714, GSE4183, GSE37267). Whole promoter methylation analysis of genes showing inverse DNA methylation-gene expression data was performed on 30 colonic samples using methyl capture sequencing.
Fifty-seven age-related CpG sites including hypermethylated PPP1R16B, SFRP1, SYNE1 and hypomethylated MGP, PIPOX were differentially methylated between CRC and normal tissues (P < 0.05, Δβ≥ 10%). In the adenoma vs normal comparison, 70 CpG sites differed significantly, including hypermethylated DKK3, SDC2, SFRP1, SYNE1 and hypomethylated CEMIP, SPATA18 (P < 0.05, Δβ≥ 10%). In MS-HRM analysis, the SFRP1 promoter region was significantly hypermethylated in CRC (55.0% ± 8.4 %) and adenoma tissue samples (49.9% ± 18.1%) compared to normal adult (5.2% ± 2.7%) and young (2.2% ± 0.7%) colonic tissue (P < 0.0001). DNA methylation of SFRP1 promoter was slightly, but significantly increased in healthy adults compared to normal young samples (P < 0.02). This correlated with significantly increased SFRP1 mRNA levels in children compared to normal adult samples (P < 0.05). In CRC tissue the mRNA expression of 117 age-related genes were changed, while in adenoma samples 102 genes showed differential expression compared with normal colonic tissue (P < 0.05, logFC > 0.5). The change of expression for several genes including SYNE1, CLEC3B, LTBP3 and SFRP1, followed the same pattern in aging and carcinogenesis, though not for all genes (e.g., MGP).
Several age-related DNA methylation alterations can be observed during CRC development and progression affecting the mRNA expression of certain CRC- and adenoma-related key control genes.
Core tip: Several age-related DNA methylation alterations could be observed during colorectal cancer (CRC) formation and progression affecting the mRNA expression of certain CRC- and adenoma-related key control genes such as hypermethylated secreted frizzled related protein 1 (SFRP1), spectrin repeat containing nuclear envelope protein 1 and hypomethylated cell migration-inducing protein. For the first time significantly lower SFRP1 methylation levels were demonstrated in colonic tissue from children (under 18 years) compared to healthy adults. The main CRC-associated signal transduction pathways, such as WNT signaling and PI3K/Akt pathways are also influenced during aging.