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Abstract Remodelling of mitochondrial metabolism is a hallmark of cancer. Mutations in the genes encoding succinate dehydrogenase (SDH), a key Krebs cycle component, are associated with hereditary predisposition to pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma, through mechanisms which are largely unknown. Recently, the jumonji-domain histone demethylases have emerged as a novel family of 2-oxoglutarate-dependent chromatin modifiers with credible functions in tumourigenesis. Using pharmacological and siRNA methodologies we show that increased methylation of histone H3 is a general consequence of SDH loss-of-function in cultured mammalian cells and can be reversed by overexpression of the JMJD3 histone demethylase. ChIP analysis revealed that the core promoter of IGFBP7, which encodes a secreted protein upregulated after loss of SDHB, showed decreased occupancy by H3K27me3 in the absence of SDH. Finally, we provide the first evidence that the chief (type I) cell is the major methylated histone-immunoreactive constituent of paraganglioma. These results support the notion that loss of mitochondrial function alters epigenetic processes and might provide a signature methylation mark for paraganglioma.

Recently, enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle have emerged as novel tumor suppressors. In particular, mutations in the nuclear-encoded subunits of succinate dehydrogenase (SDHB, SDHC, and SDHD) cause paragangliomas and pheochromocytomas. Although the mechanism(s) by which disruption of mitochondrial metabolism leads to neoplasia is largely unknown, increasing evidence points to an activation of pseudohypoxia. In this study, we have shown that silencing of SDHB using DNA-based small interfering RNA resulted in major impairments in cellular proliferation, respiration, and a corresponding shift to glycolysis. The levels of reactive oxygen species, however, were unchanged. As expected, hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1 alpha) and HIF-2alpha were up-regulated in chronically silenced cells, suggesting that a pseudohypoxic state was attained. In addition, the c-Jun amino-terminal kinase and p38 kinase stress signaling proteins were hyperphosphorylated in SDHB-silenced cells. Microarray analysis showed that >400 genes were influenced (6-fold or more up-regulation or down-regulation) by silencing of SDHB, confirming the importance of the TCA cycle in cellular metabolism. Examples of dysregulated genes included those involved in proliferation, adhesion, and the hypoxia pathway. Of interest, SDHB-silenced cells had a greater capacity to adhere to extracellular matrix components, including fibronectin and laminin, than control cells, thus suggesting a possible mechanism of tumor initiation. Although transient silencing of the HIF-1 alpha transcription factor in SDHB-silenced cells had little effect on the expression of a subset of up-regulated genes, it partially reversed the adhesion phenotype to fibronectin, pointing to a potentially important role for HIF-1 in this process.

Galactose-alpha1,3-galactose (alpha1,3Gal) is the major xenoantigen causing hyperacute rejection in pig-to-human xenotransplantation. Disruption of the gene encoding pig alpha1,3-galactosyltransferase (alpha1,3GT) by homologous recombination is a means to completely remove the alpha1,3Gal epitopes from xenografts. Here we report the disruption of one allele of the pig alpha1,3GT gene in both male and female porcine primary fetal fibroblasts. Targeting was confirmed in 17 colonies by Southern blot analysis, and 7 of them were used for nuclear transfer. Using cells from one colony, we produced six cloned female piglets, of which five were of normal weight and apparently healthy. Southern blot analysis confirmed that these five piglets contain one disrupted pig alpha1,3GT allele.