Abstract
Objective
To investigate the effects and mechanisms of genistein on the gene expression in the Wnt pathway in acute leukemia (AL) cells.
Methods
The expression of Wnt pathway genes and cell cycle-related genes were analyzed in two AL cell lines. Pyrophosphate sequencing was performed to determine the methylation degree. Then, the enrichment of H4K20me1 and H3K9ac was determined using ChIP-qPCR. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the cell cycle.
Results
The IC50 of genistein in the two AL cell lines was lower than that for the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell line. Genistein upregulated H4K20me1, KMT5A and Wnt suppressor genes, including Wnt5a, and downregulated the downstream target genes of Wnt, such as c-myc and β-catenin. The methylation degree and H3K9ac enrichment in the Wnt5a promoter region remained unchanged. However, the enrichment of H4K20me1 in the Wnt5a promoter and coding regions increased. In addition, genistein upregulated Phospho-cdc2, Myt1, Cyclin A, Cyclin E2, p21 and Phospho-histone H3, but downregulated Phospho-wee1. Cell cycle arrest was induced in the G2/M phase.
Conclusion
Genistein inhibits the activation of the Wnt pathway by promoting the expression of Wnt5a through the activation of KMT5A and enrichment of H4K20me1 in the Wnt5a gene promoter and coding regions, rather than demethylation. Genistein also blocks the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. Therefore, genistein is a potential anti-leukemia drug.
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18 April 2022
An Erratum to this paper has been published: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2478-z
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This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 81800167), the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province (No. 2017J05132), the Fujian Provincial Health Technology Project (No. 2018- ZQN-40), the Start-up Fund Project of Fujian Medical University (No. 2016QH020), the Construction Project of Fujian Medical Center of Hematology (No. Min201704), the National and Fujian Provincial Key Clinical Specialty Discipline Construction Program, China, and Clinical Research Center for Hematological Malignancies of Fujian Province.
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Zhou, Hr., Shen, Jz., Fu, Hy. et al. Genistein-induced Anticancer Effects on Acute Leukemia Cells Involve the Regulation of Wnt Signaling Pathway Through H4K20me1 Rather Than DNA Demethylation. CURR MED SCI 41, 869–879 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2445-8
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11596-021-2445-8