ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5998-015X
Date of Award
8-4-2023
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Degree Type
Dissertation
Abstract
In vertebrate, transposable elements (TEs) contributes 40% of the genome. Most TEs remain inactive by accumulating mutation or by repressed by epigenetic mechanisms. However, in the past decade, many studies revealed that some TEs function as regulatory elements of adjacent genes, termed exaptation. During my dissertation, I studied TEs as promoters in human cancer cells and zebrafish normal tissues. In human cancer, I investigated transcription initiated from TEs as a source of cancer antigens as a function of epigenetic treatment or across cancer types. In normal zebrafish, I studied the epigenetic dynamics of TEs and their promoter activities across 11 tissues. The cornerstone of my dissertation, including epigenetic regulations, transposable elements, and immunotherapy, was discussed in Chapter 1. In Chapter 2, using human lung cancer cells as an example, we showed long-read data as an optimal solution to study TE promoter and their contribution to immunopeptidome. Chapter 3 focused on epigenetic drugs as a means to induce tumor-specific antigens from TE transcripts in glioblastoma (GBM). In Chapter 4, we showed a prevalence of cancer antigens from TE transcripts in patient samples across various cancer types. Chapter 5, we examined TEs' promoter-like epigenetic landscape across 11 normal tissues in zebrafish. Collectively, our projects focused on studying TEs as promoters, their contribution to immunopeptidome in human cancer, and their epigenetic dynamics across tissues in zebrafish.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Ting Wang
Recommended Citation
Maeng, Ju Heon, "TRANSPOSABLE ELEMENTS AS PROMOTERS IN CANCER AND NORMAL CELLS" (2023). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3126.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/3126