RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Analysis of promoter-associated chromatin interactions reveals biologically relevant candidate target genes at endometrial cancer risk loci
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 751081
DO 10.1101/751081
A1 Tracy A. O’Mara
A1 Endometrial Cancer Association Consortium
A1 Amanda B. Spurdle
A1 Dylan M. Glubb
YR 2019
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2019/08/31/751081.abstract
AB The identification of target genes at genome-wide association study (GWAS) loci is a major obstacle for GWAS follow-up. To identify candidate target genes at the 16 known endometrial cancer GWAS risk loci, we performed HiChIP chromatin looping analysis of endometrial cell lines. To enrich for enhancer-promoter interactions, a mechanism through which GWAS variation may target genes, we captured loops associated with H3K27Ac histone, characteristic of promoters and enhancers. Analysis of HiChIP loops contacting promoters revealed enrichment for endometrial cancer GWAS heritability and intersection with endometrial cancer risk variation identified 103 HiChIP target genes at 13 risk loci. Expression of four HiChIP target genes (SNX11, SRP14, HOXB2 and BCL11A) was associated with risk variation, providing further evidence for their regulation. Network analysis functionally prioritized a set of proteins that interact with those encoded by HiChIP target genes, and this set was enriched for pan-cancer and endometrial cancer drivers. Lastly, HiChIP target genes and prioritized interacting proteins were over-represented in pathways related to endometrial cancer development. In summary, we have generated the first global chromatin looping data from endometrial cells, enabling analysis of all known endometrial cancer risk loci and identifying biologically relevant candidate target genes.