Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment
The spatial organization of euchromatin (EC) and heterochromatin (HC) appears as a cell-type specific network, which seems to have an impact on gene regulation and cell fate. The spatial organization of cohesin should thus also be characteristic for a cell type since it is involved in a TAD (topolog...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-10-01
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| Series: | Current Issues in Molecular Biology |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/10/515 |
| _version_ | 1797574300559998976 |
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| author | Elias Ferdinand Fischer Götz Pilarczyk Michael Hausmann |
| author_facet | Elias Ferdinand Fischer Götz Pilarczyk Michael Hausmann |
| author_sort | Elias Ferdinand Fischer |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The spatial organization of euchromatin (EC) and heterochromatin (HC) appears as a cell-type specific network, which seems to have an impact on gene regulation and cell fate. The spatial organization of cohesin should thus also be characteristic for a cell type since it is involved in a TAD (topologically associating domain) formation, and thus in gene regulation or DNA repair processes. Based on the previous hypotheses and results on the general importance of heterochromatin organization on genome functions in particular, the configurations of these organizational units (EC represented by H3K4me3-positive regions, HC represented by H3K9me3-positive regions, cohesins) are investigated in the cell nuclei of different cancer and non-cancerous cell types and under different anti-cancer treatments. Confocal microscopic images of the model cell systems were used and analyzed using analytical processes of quantification created in Fiji, an imaging tool box well established in different fields of science. Human fibroblasts, breast cancer and glioblastoma cells as well as murine embryonal terato-carcinoma cells were used as these cell models and compared according to the different parameters of spatial arrangements. In addition, proliferating, quiescent and from the quiescent state reactivated fibroblasts were analyzed. In some selected cases, the cells were treated with X-rays or azacitidine. Heterogeneous results were obtained by the analyses of the configurations of the three different organizational units: granulation and a loss of H3K4me3-positive regions (EC) occurred after irradiation with 4 Gy or azacitidine treatment. While fibroblasts responded to irradiation with an increase in cohesin and granulation, in breast cancer cells, it resulted in decreases in cohesin and changes in granulation. H3K9me3-positive regions (HC) in fibroblasts experienced increased granulation, whereas in breast cancer cells, the amount of such regions increased. After azacitidine treatment, murine stem cells showed losses of cohesin and granulation and an increase in the granulation of H3K9me3-positive regions. Fibroblasts that were irradiated with 2 Gy only showed irregularities in structural amounts and granulation. Quiescent fibroblasts contained less euchromatin-related H3K4me3-positive signals and cohesin levels as well as higher heterochromatin-related H3K9me3-positive signals than non-quiescent ones. In general, fibroblasts responded more intensely to X-ray irradiation than breast cancer cells. The results indicate the usefulness of model cell systems and show that, in general, characteristic differences initially existing in chromatin and cohesin organizations result in specific responses to anti-cancer treatment. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:21:06Z |
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| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1467-3037 1467-3045 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T21:21:06Z |
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| spelling | doaj.art-d7ef0d980d3a4089a479fe68e6ad25c12023-11-19T16:06:36ZengMDPI AGCurrent Issues in Molecular Biology1467-30371467-30452023-10-0145108152817210.3390/cimb45100515Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer TreatmentElias Ferdinand Fischer0Götz Pilarczyk1Michael Hausmann2Kirchhoff-Institute for Physics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 227, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyKirchhoff-Institute for Physics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 227, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyKirchhoff-Institute for Physics, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 227, 69120 Heidelberg, GermanyThe spatial organization of euchromatin (EC) and heterochromatin (HC) appears as a cell-type specific network, which seems to have an impact on gene regulation and cell fate. The spatial organization of cohesin should thus also be characteristic for a cell type since it is involved in a TAD (topologically associating domain) formation, and thus in gene regulation or DNA repair processes. Based on the previous hypotheses and results on the general importance of heterochromatin organization on genome functions in particular, the configurations of these organizational units (EC represented by H3K4me3-positive regions, HC represented by H3K9me3-positive regions, cohesins) are investigated in the cell nuclei of different cancer and non-cancerous cell types and under different anti-cancer treatments. Confocal microscopic images of the model cell systems were used and analyzed using analytical processes of quantification created in Fiji, an imaging tool box well established in different fields of science. Human fibroblasts, breast cancer and glioblastoma cells as well as murine embryonal terato-carcinoma cells were used as these cell models and compared according to the different parameters of spatial arrangements. In addition, proliferating, quiescent and from the quiescent state reactivated fibroblasts were analyzed. In some selected cases, the cells were treated with X-rays or azacitidine. Heterogeneous results were obtained by the analyses of the configurations of the three different organizational units: granulation and a loss of H3K4me3-positive regions (EC) occurred after irradiation with 4 Gy or azacitidine treatment. While fibroblasts responded to irradiation with an increase in cohesin and granulation, in breast cancer cells, it resulted in decreases in cohesin and changes in granulation. H3K9me3-positive regions (HC) in fibroblasts experienced increased granulation, whereas in breast cancer cells, the amount of such regions increased. After azacitidine treatment, murine stem cells showed losses of cohesin and granulation and an increase in the granulation of H3K9me3-positive regions. Fibroblasts that were irradiated with 2 Gy only showed irregularities in structural amounts and granulation. Quiescent fibroblasts contained less euchromatin-related H3K4me3-positive signals and cohesin levels as well as higher heterochromatin-related H3K9me3-positive signals than non-quiescent ones. In general, fibroblasts responded more intensely to X-ray irradiation than breast cancer cells. The results indicate the usefulness of model cell systems and show that, in general, characteristic differences initially existing in chromatin and cohesin organizations result in specific responses to anti-cancer treatment.https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/10/515heterochromatin organizationeuchromatin organizationcohesin organizationconfocal microscopycancer model cell systemsradiation treatment |
| spellingShingle | Elias Ferdinand Fischer Götz Pilarczyk Michael Hausmann Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment Current Issues in Molecular Biology heterochromatin organization euchromatin organization cohesin organization confocal microscopy cancer model cell systems radiation treatment |
| title | Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment |
| title_full | Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment |
| title_fullStr | Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment |
| title_short | Microscopic Analysis of Heterochromatin, Euchromatin and Cohesin in Cancer Cell Models and under Anti-Cancer Treatment |
| title_sort | microscopic analysis of heterochromatin euchromatin and cohesin in cancer cell models and under anti cancer treatment |
| topic | heterochromatin organization euchromatin organization cohesin organization confocal microscopy cancer model cell systems radiation treatment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1467-3045/45/10/515 |
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