Constitutional epimutations in LTBP4, a component of the TGF-β signaling, and in BRCA1, as potential drivers of early-onset colorectal cancer

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Mariona Terradas - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CIBER - Cancer, Autonomous University of Barcelona (Author)
  • Pilar Mur - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CIBER - Cancer, Catalonian Government (Author)
  • Francisco D. Morón-Duran - , Institut Català d'Oncologia - Hospital Duran i Reynals, CIBER - Epidemiology and Public Health Management, University of Barcelona (Author)
  • Pol Mengod - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL) (Author)
  • Chiara M.L. Löffler - , Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Department of Internal Medicine I, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC) (Author)
  • Noah C. Helderman - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Diantha Terlouw - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Xavier Sanjuán - , University Hospital of Bellvitge (Author)
  • Pablo Bousquets-Muñoz - , CIBER - Cancer, University of Oviedo (Author)
  • Julen Viana-Errasti - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CIBER - Cancer, University of Barcelona (Author)
  • Xose S. Puente - , CIBER - Cancer, University of Oviedo (Author)
  • Gabriel Capellá - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CIBER - Cancer (Author)
  • Maartje Nielsen - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Tom van Wezel - , Leiden University (Author)
  • Jakob Nikolas Kather - , Else Kröner Fresenius Center for Digital Health, Department of Internal Medicine I, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg (Author)
  • Conxi Lázaro - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CIBER - Cancer (Author)
  • Victor Moreno - , Institut Català d'Oncologia - Hospital Duran i Reynals, CIBER - Epidemiology and Public Health Management, University of Barcelona (Author)
  • Laura Valle - , Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), CIBER - Cancer (Author)

Abstract

Background: Constitutional primary monoallelic promoter methylation of hereditary cancer genes, although rare, may explain early-onset cancers without family history. Also, promoter methylation of a hereditary cancer gene secondary to a genetic alteration in a methylation regulatory region can cause a hereditary cancer syndrome. This study investigates constitutional promoter methylation as mechanism of inactivation of cancer predisposition genes in genetically unsolved familial and/or early-onset colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Results: Bisulfite-treated peripheral blood DNA from 46 early-onset/familial CRC patients was analyzed using the Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC BeadChip. One early-onset CRC patient exhibited constitutional, likely monoallelic, methylation of CpG island 102 in LTBP4, a gene involved in TGF-β signaling. Somatic methylation of this CpG island is common in CRC, and correlates with LTBP4 downregulation. LTBP4 double knockout mice develop colorectal adenomas and carcinomas, supporting the role of this gene in CRC predisposition. No additional cases with constitutional LTBP4 CpG island 102 methylation or enrichment of deleterious LTBP4 variants in CRC patients compared to controls were found. Another early-onset CRC patient exhibited mosaic BRCA1 promoter methylation, typically associated with increased breast and ovarian cancer risk. No somatic second hit in BRCA1 was detected in the patient’s tumor, and homologous recombination deficiency-associated features were inconclusive. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that constitutional methylation of LTBP4 CpG island 102 may be associated with increased CRC risk. Identification of additional cases is needed to confirm the existence of a novel CRC predisposition syndrome driven by epigenetic inactivation of LTBP4, potentially also linked to other clinical phenotypes associated with LTBP4 deficiency, such as pulmonary emphysema. Whether constitutional BRCA1 methylation contributes to CRC risk remains to be determined.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number183
JournalClinical epigenetics
Volume17
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - Dec 2025
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 41194282
ORCID /0000-0002-3730-5348/work/201625046

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • BRCA1, Constitutional epimutation, Early-onset colorectal cancer, Hereditary cancer, LTBP4, Promoter methylation