The Role of Histone Variants in the Epithelial-To-Mesenchymal Transition

Abstract

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a physiological process activated during early embryogenesis, which continues to shape tissues and organs later on. It is also hijacked by tumor cells during metastasis. The regulation of EMT has been the focus of many research groups culminating in the last few years and resulting in an elaborate transcriptional network buildup. However, the implication of epigenetic factors in the control of EMT is still in its infancy. Recent discoveries pointed out that histone variants, which are key epigenetic players, appear to be involved in EMT control. This review summarizes the available data on histone variants’ function in EMT that would contribute to a better understanding of EMT itself and EMT-related diseases.

DESP demixes cell-state profiles from dynamic bulk molecular measurements

“…H2AFX is a core histone protein variant that both contributes to chromatin remodeling and is post-translationally modified during EMT. 19 , 20 Notably, H2AFX is hyper-phosphorylated during the earliest time points of EMT, 13 suggesting a change in this protein’s functional activity during the initial intermediate cell states ( Figure 6 E).…”

DESP: Demixing Cell State Profiles from Dynamic Bulk Molecular Measurements

“…Of these eight proteins, H2AFX stands out as a marker (99th percentile) of the predicted intermediate proteomics profile yet with low abundance (9th percentile) in the corresponding scRNA profile suggesting extensive post-transcriptional regulation. H2AFX is a core histone protein variant that both contributes to chromatin remodeling and is post-translationally modified during EMT 17,18 . Notably, H2AFX is hyper-phosphorylated during the earliest timepoints of EMT 13 , suggesting a change in this protein’s functional activity during the initial intermediate cell states ( Fig.…”