Proto-oncogene histone methyl-transferases are misregulated under toxic and carcinogenic stress

BIOL 238

Subhrangsu S. Mandal, smandal@uta.edu, Khairul I Ansari, kansari@uta.edu, Getachew A Woldemariam, and Vinh Phan. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas at Arlington, 700 Planetarium Place, Arlington, TX 76019
Histone methyl-transferases (HMT) are key enzymes that catalyze the methylation of lysine in histone proteins and play critical roles in human gene expression, epigenetic regulation and cancer. MLL (mixed lineage leukemia) family of genes that are often rearranged and over expressed in leukemia and solid tumors, are recently discovered to have HMT activities and regulate the homeotic (Hox) genes. Herein, we demonstrated that MLL genes are highly miss-regulated under toxic (mycotoxin and cis-platin) and carcinogenic stress. Interestingly, exposure to toxins, induced changes in histone modification pattern in promoters of MLL target Hox genes affecting its level of expression. Our studies demonstrated the novel functions of proto-oncogenes, MLLs, under toxic stress that may have implication in understanding the mechanism of MLL associated gene regulation and cancer.
 

Frontiers in Chemical Biology
5:00 PM-7:00 PM, Wednesday, August 22, 2007 BCEC -- Exhibit Hall - B2, Poster

Division of Biological Chemistry

The 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 19-23, 2007