1. Academic Validation
  2. A specific G9a inhibitor unveils BGLT3 lncRNA as a universal mediator of chemically induced fetal globin gene expression

A specific G9a inhibitor unveils BGLT3 lncRNA as a universal mediator of chemically induced fetal globin gene expression

  • Nat Commun. 2023 Jan 12;14(1):23. doi: 10.1038/s41467-022-35404-0.
Shohei Takase 1 Takashi Hiroyama 2 Fumiyuki Shirai 3 Yuki Maemoto 1 Akiko Nakata 4 Mayumi Arata 5 Seiji Matsuoka 4 Takeshi Sonoda 4 Hideaki Niwa 6 Shin Sato 6 Takashi Umehara 6 Mikako Shirouzu 6 Yosuke Nishigaya 7 Tatsunobu Sumiya 7 Noriaki Hashimoto 7 Ryosuke Namie 7 Masaya Usui 8 Tomokazu Ohishi 9 Shun-Ichi Ohba 9 Manabu Kawada 9 Yoshihiro Hayashi 10 Hironori Harada 10 Tokio Yamaguchi 11 Yoichi Shinkai 12 Yukio Nakamura 2 Minoru Yoshida 13 14 15 Akihiro Ito 16 17
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Laboratory of Cell Signaling, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan.
  • 2 Cell Engineering Division, RIKEN BioResource Research Center, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0074, Japan.
  • 3 Drug Discovery Chemistry Platform Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
  • 4 Drug Discovery Seed Compounds Exploratory Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
  • 5 Chemical Genomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
  • 6 Drug Discovery Structural Biology Platform Unit, RIKEN Center for Biosystems Dynamics Research, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
  • 7 Watarase Research Center, Discovery Research Headquarters, Kyorin Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Shimotsuga-gun, Tochigi, 329-0114, Japan.
  • 8 Support Unit for Bio-Material Analysis, Research Resources Division, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
  • 9 Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN), Numazu, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, Numazu, Shizuoka, 410-0301, Japan.
  • 10 Laboratory of Oncology, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan.
  • 11 RIKEN Program for Drug Discovery and Medical Technology Platforms, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan.
  • 12 Cellular Memory Laboratory, Cluster for Pioneering Research, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan.
  • 13 Drug Discovery Seed Compounds Exploratory Unit, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan. yoshidam@riken.jp.
  • 14 Chemical Genomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan. yoshidam@riken.jp.
  • 15 Department of Biotechnology, the University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan. yoshidam@riken.jp.
  • 16 Laboratory of Cell Signaling, School of Life Sciences, Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences, Hachioji, Tokyo, 192-0392, Japan. aito@toyaku.ac.jp.
  • 17 Chemical Genomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, Wako, Saitama, 351-0198, Japan. aito@toyaku.ac.jp.
Abstract

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a heritable disorder caused by β-globin gene mutations. Induction of fetal γ-globin is an established therapeutic strategy. Recently, epigenetic modulators, including G9a inhibitors, have been proposed as therapeutic agents. However, the molecular mechanisms whereby these small molecules reactivate γ-globin remain unclear. Here we report the development of a highly selective and non-genotoxic G9a inhibitor, RK-701. RK-701 treatment induces fetal globin expression both in human erythroid cells and in mice. Using RK-701, we find that BGLT3 long non-coding RNA plays an essential role in γ-globin induction. RK-701 selectively upregulates BGLT3 by inhibiting the recruitment of two major γ-globin repressors in complex with G9a onto the BGLT3 gene locus through CHD4, a component of the NuRD complex. Remarkably, BGLT3 is indispensable for γ-globin induction by not only RK-701 but also hydroxyurea and Other inducers. The universal role of BGLT3 in γ-globin induction suggests its importance in SCD treatment.

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