Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28040729›Full record

ArticleHuman molecular genetics2017

Polycomb repressive complex 1 provides a molecular explanation for repeat copy number dependency in FSHD muscular dystrophy.

Valentina Casa, Valeria Runfola, Stefano Micheloni, Arif Aziz, F Jeffrey Dilworth, Davide Gabellini

Open access · hybridAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Human molecular genetics, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact, top 93% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. IncreasedInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Valentina CasaGene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy.
Valeria RunfolaGene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy.
Stefano MicheloniGene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy.
Arif AzizThe Sprott Center for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada.
F Jeffrey DilworthThe Sprott Center for Stem Cell Research, Regenerative Medicine Program, Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON K1Y 4E9, Canada.
Davide GabelliniGene Expression and Muscular Dystrophy Unit, Division of Regenerative Medicine, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Milan 20132, Italy.
Istituti di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico · ITOttawa Hospital Research InstituteIstituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico San RaffaeleVita-Salute San Raffaele University · IT

Funding

Telethon TCR13001
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Repression of repetitive elements is crucial to preserve genome integrity and has been traditionally ascribed to constitutive heterochromatin pathways. FacioScapuloHumeral Muscular Dystrophy (FSHD), one of the most common myopathies, is characterized by a complex interplay of genetic and epigenetic events. The main FSHD form is linked to a reduced copy number of the D4Z4 macrosatellite repeat on 4q35, causing loss of silencing and aberrant expression of the D4Z4-embedded DUX4 gene leading to disease. By an unknown mechanism, D4Z4 copy-number correlates with FSHD phenotype. Here we show that the DUX4 proximal promoter (DUX4p) is sufficient to nucleate the enrichment of both constitutive and facultative heterochromatin components and to mediate a copy-number dependent gene silencing. We found that both the CpG/GC dense DNA content and the repetitive nature of DUX4p arrays are important for their repressive ability. We showed that DUX4p mediates a copy number-dependent Polycomb Repressive Complex 1 (PRC1) recruitment, which is responsible for the copy-number dependent gene repression. Overall, we directly link genetic and epigenetic defects in FSHD by proposing a novel molecular explanation for the copy number-dependency in FSHD pathogenesis, and offer insight into the molecular functions of repeats in chromatin regulation.

Indexed as

DNA Copy Number VariationsHomeodomain ProteinsMicrosatellite RepeatsMuscular Dystrophy, FacioscapulohumeralPolycomb Repressive Complex 1Cell LineHumansDUX4L1 protein, humanHomeodomain ProteinsPolycomb Repressive Complex 1

Identifiers

PMID28040729
PMCPMC5409123
OpenAlexW2562111216

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.