Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37864244›Full record

ArticleEpigenetics & chromatin2023

Development of super-specific epigenome editing by targeted allele-specific DNA methylation.

Nivethika Rajaram, Alexandra G Kouroukli, Susanne Bens, Pavel Bashtrykov, Albert Jeltsch

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Epigenetics & chromatin, 2023. 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
2.3field-weighted citation impact, top 11% 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, 15 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Epigenetic editing: from concept to clinic.Nature reviews. Drug discovery · 2026
    Review
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Epigenomic insights into common human disease pathology.Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS · 2024
    Review
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
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

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Nivethika RajaramInstitute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
Alexandra G KouroukliInstitute of Human Genetics, University of Ulm and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Susanne BensInstitute of Human Genetics, University of Ulm and Ulm University Medical Center, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89081, Ulm, Germany.
Pavel BashtrykovInstitute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany.
Albert JeltschInstitute of Biochemistry and Technical Biochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, University of Stuttgart, Allmandring 31, 70569, Stuttgart, Germany. albert.jeltsch@ibtb.uni-stuttgart.de.
University of Stuttgart · DEUniversität Ulm · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundEpigenome editing refers to the targeted reprogramming of genomic loci using an EpiEditor which may consist of an sgRNA/dCas9 complex that recruits DNMT3A/3L to the target locus. Methylation of the locus can lead to a modulation of gene expression. Allele-specific DNA methylation (ASM) refers to the targeted methylation delivery only to one allele of a locus. In the context of diseases caused by a dominant mutation, the selective DNA methylation of the mutant allele could be used to repress its expression but retain the functionality of the normal gene.

resultsTo set up allele-specific targeted DNA methylation, target regions were selected from hypomethylated CGIs bearing a heterozygous SNP in their promoters in the HEK293 cell line. We aimed at delivering maximum DNA methylation with highest allelic specificity in the targeted regions. Placing SNPs in the PAM or seed regions of the sgRNA, we designed 24 different sgRNAs targeting single alleles in 14 different gene loci. We achieved efficient ASM in multiple cases, such as ISG15, MSH6, GPD1L, MRPL52, PDE8A, NARF, DAP3, and GSPT1, which in best cases led to five to tenfold stronger average DNA methylation at the on-target allele and absolute differences in the DNA methylation gain at on- and off-target alleles of > 50%. In general, loci with the allele discriminatory SNP positioned in the PAM region showed higher success rate of ASM and better specificity. Highest DNA methylation was observed on day 3 after transfection followed by a gradual decline. In selected cases, ASM was stable up to 11 days in HEK293 cells and it led up to a 3.6-fold change in allelic expression ratios.

conclusionsWe successfully delivered ASM at multiple genomic loci with high specificity, efficiency and stability. This form of super-specific epigenome editing could find applications in the treatment of diseases caused by dominant mutations, because it allows silencing of the mutant allele without repression of the expression of the normal allele thereby minimizing potential side-effects of the treatment.

Indexed as

DNA MethylationRNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas SystemsAllelesCRISPR-Cas SystemsEpigenesis, GeneticEpigenomeGene EditingHEK293 CellsHumansRNA, Guide, CRISPR-Cas SystemsAllele discriminationdCas9DNMT3A/3LEpigenome editingSpecificityTargeted DNA methylation

Identifiers

PMID37864244
PMCPMC10589950
OpenAlexW4387840876

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.