Profile

Contact Details

Phone: +64 3 479 9190
Email: jisha.antony@otago.ac.nz

University Links

Position: Senior Research Fellow
Department: Department of Pathology (Dunedin)
Research summary: Chromatin organisation in cancer

Research

My research focuses on understanding how leukaemia associated mutations in chromatin organisers such as cohesin, impacts chromatin folding or causes translocations such as RUNX1-RUNX1T1. Our work has identified enhancer dysfunction as the major effect of cohesin mutation.

We have also shown that the impact of aberrant enhancer activity is most profound and causes gene expression dysregulation when cells have to respond to differentiation or external signalling cues.

We are currently working on determining whether enhancer dysfunction can be combated using enhancer blocking drugs or by individual targeting of enhancers using CRISPR-Cas9 technology. I am also using genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screens in cohesin mutant leukaemia cells to identify synthetic lethal targets that could be therapeutically targeted.

To study the impact of cohesin mutation on signalling events we are using induced pluripotent stem cells and differentiating them to haematopoietic cells to examine chromatin organisation and gene expression. The work is funded by Cancer Society and Health Research Council grants.

Publications

Labudina, A. A., Meier, M., Gimenez, G., Tatarakis, D., Ketharnathan, S., Mackie, B., … Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2024). Cohesin composition and dosage independently affect early development in zebrafish. Development, 202593. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1242/dev.202593 Journal - Research Article

Banerjee, R., Ajithkumar, P., Keestra, N., Smith, J., Gimenez, G., Rodger, E. J., Eccles, M. R., Antony, J., Weeks, R. J., & Chatterjee, A. (2024). Targeted DNA methylation editing using an all-in-one system establishes paradoxical activation of EBF3. Cancers, 16, 898. doi: 10.3390/cancers16050898 Journal - Research Article

Lynch, D. M., Meier, M., Labudina, A., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2023). How STAG proteins influence cohesins role in cell fate determination. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium & Workshops. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Labudina, A. A., Gimenez, G., Meier, M., Ketharnathan, S., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2023). Using a zebrafish stem cell model to understand the molecular basis of cohesinopathies. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium & Workshops. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Labudina, A. A., Gimenez, G., Meier, M., Ketharnathan, S., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2023). Using a zebrafish stem cell model to understand the molecular basis of cohesinopathies. In T. Milne, M. Anwar, L. Burga, H. Harcombe, M. Garelja, A. Middleton, D. C. Ribeiro, N. Fleming, K. Ogbuehi & A. Bahn (Eds.), Proceedings of the 267th Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: PhD Student Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839 Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

2024

Journal - Research Article

2023

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Labudina, A. A., Gimenez, G., Meier, M., Ketharnathan, S., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2023). Using a zebrafish stem cell model to understand the molecular basis of cohesinopathies. In T. Milne, M. Anwar, L. Burga, H. Harcombe, M. Garelja, A. Middleton, D. C. Ribeiro, N. Fleming, K. Ogbuehi & A. Bahn (Eds.), Proceedings of the 267th Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: PhD Student Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839

2022

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Labudina, A. A., Gimenez, G., Ketharnathan, S., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2022). Using a zebrafish stem cell model to understand the molecular basis of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. In L. Wilson, H. Harcombe, P. Jayakaran, L. Burga, J. Antony, K. Morgaine, M. Garelja, A. Middleton, M. Anwar & T. Milne (Eds.), Proceedings of the 263rd Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: PhD Student Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839

Siemonek, A., Van Huffel, S., Gimenez, G., Weeks, R., Horsfield, J. A., Antony, J., & Dunbier, A. (2022). Unraveling the mechanisms involved in the co-regulation of breast cancer associated genes at the 6q25.1 locus. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go

Conference Contribution - Edited volume of conference proceedings

Wilson, L., Harcombe, H., Jayakaran, P., Burga, L., Antony, J., Morgaine, K., Garelja, M., Middleton, A., Anwar, M., & Milne, T. (Eds.). (2022). Proceedings of the 264th Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: Masters/Honours Student Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839

Wilson, L., Harcombe, H., Jayakaran, P., Burga, L., Antony, J., Morgaine, K., Garelja, M., Middleton, A., Anwar, M., & Milne, T. (Eds.). (2022). Proceedings of the 263rd Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: PhD Student Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839

Wilson, L., Harcombe, H., Jayakaran, P., Burga, L., Antony, J., Morgaine, K., Garelja, M., Middleton, A., Anwar, M., & Milne, T. (Eds.). (2022). Proceedings of the 262nd Otago Medical School Research Society (OMSRS) Meeting: Research Staff Speaker Awards. Dunedin, New Zealand: OMSRS. Retrieved from https://ourarchive.otago.ac.nz/handle/10523/12839

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Labudina, A. A., Gimenez, G., Ketharnathan, S., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2022, September). Using a zebrafish stem cell model to understand the molecular basis of Cornelia de Lange Syndrome. Verbal presentation at the Postgraduate & Early Career Researchers Committee (PERC) & Division of Health Sciences Early & Mid-Career Researcher (EMCR) Joint Research Symposium, Dunedin, New Zealand.

Antony, J., Gimenez, G., Weth, F., & Horsfield, J. A. (2022, August). Exploring the role of cohesin mutation and Wnt signalling in acute myeloid leukaemia. Verbal presentation at the Cancer Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Banerjee, R., Smith, J., Eccles, M. R., Weeks, R. J., Antony, J., & Chatterjee, A. (2022, August). Investigating DNA methylation as a mechanism for paradoxical gene activation using targeted epigenetic editing. Verbal presentation at the CRISPR Technologies Satellite Meeting: Queenstown Research Week, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Other Research Output

Antony, J. (2022, November). Cohesin mutation in leukaemia. UOC Research Seminar Series, University of Otago, Christchurch, New Zealand. [Research Presentation].

2021

Journal - Research Article

Thomas, A. L., Marsman, J., Antony, J., Schierding, W., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2021). Transcriptional regulation of RUNX1: An informatics analysis. Gene, 12(8), 1175. doi: 10.3390/genes12081175

Antony, J., Chin, C. V., & Horsfield, J. A. (2021). Cohesin mutations in cancer: Emerging therapeutic targets. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(13), 6788. doi: 10.3390/ijms22136788

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Labudina, A., Antony, J., Meier, M., & Horsfield, J. (2021). Cohesin and pioneer factors act independently in zygotic genome activation in zebrafish. Proceedings of the 16th Congress of the Federation of Asian & Oceanic Biochemists & Molecular Biologists (FAOBMB). (pp. 58). Retrieved from https://www.faobmb2021.org

Siemonek, A., Van Huffel, S., Gimenez, G., Horsfield, J. A., Antony, J., & Dunbier, A. (2021). Unraveling the mechanisms involved in the co-regulation of breast cancer associated genes at the 6q25.1 locus. Proceedings of the Genetics Otago (GO) Annual Symposium. Retrieved from https://blogs.otago.ac.nz/go

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Banerjee, R., Smith, J., Waly, R., Antony, J., Eccles, M., Weeks, R., & Chatterjee, A. (2021, September). Investigating DNA methylation as a mechanism for paradoxical gene activation using targeted epigenetic editing. Poster session presented at the Achieving Health Equity from Research Conference [Otago Spotlight Series], Wellington, New Zealand.

2020

Journal - Research Article

Chin, C. V., Antony, J., Ketharnathan, S., Labudina, A., Gimenez, G., Parsons, K. M., … Braithwaite, A., Guilford, P., … Horsfield, J. A. (2020). Cohesin mutations are synthetic lethal with stimulation of WNT signaling. eLIFE, 9, e61405. doi: 10.7554/eLife.61405

Journal - Research Other

Antony, J., Gimenez, G., Taylor, T., Khatoon, U., Day, R., Morison, I. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2020). BET inhibition prevents aberrant RUNX1 and ERG transcription in STAG2 mutant leukaemia cells. Journal of Molecular Cell Biology, 12(5), 397-399. doi: 10.1093/jmcb/mjz114

2019

Journal - Research Article

Leask, M., Dowdle, A., Salvesen, H., Topless, R., Fadason, T., Wei, W., … Marsman, J., Antony, J., … Merriman, T. R., & Horsfield, J. A. (2019). Functional urate-associated genetic variants influence expression of lincRNAs LINC01229 and MAFTRR. Frontiers in Genetics, 9, 733. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2018.00733

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Ketharnathan, S., Labudina, A., Lee, S., Antony, J., Morison, I., & Horsfield, J. (2019). Subfunctionalization of cohesin STAG1/2 in zebrafish development and disease. Proceedings of the 16th Asian Conference on Transcription. (pp. 73). Retrieved from https://act2019.p.events4you.currinda.com/days/2019-12-02

Chin, C. V., Antony, J., He, J., Parsons, K. M., George, A. J., Hannan, R. D., & Horsfield, J. (2019). A synthetic lethal drug screen identifies exploitable vulnerabilities in cohesin-deficient cells. Proceedings of the 16th Asian Conference on Transcription. (pp. 66-67). Retrieved from https://act2019.p.events4you.currinda.com/days/2019-12-02

Antony, J., Gimenez, G., Taylor, T., Khatoon, U., Day, R., Morison, I. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2019). Dysregulated transcriptional response to differentiation signals in cohesin-mutant leukemia cells. Proceedings of the 16th Asian Conference on Transcription. (pp. 65). Retrieved from https://act2019.p.events4you.currinda.com/days/2019-12-02

2018

Journal - Research Article

Ketharnathan, S., Leask, M., Boocock, J., Phipps-Green, A. J., Antony, J., O'Sullivan, J. M., Merriman, T. R., & Horsfield, J. A. (2018). A non-coding genetic variant maximally associated with serum urate levels is functionally linked to HNF4A-dependent PDZK1 expression. Human Molecular Genetics, 27(22), 3964-3973. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddy295

Mehta, S. Y., Morten, B. C., Antony, J., Henderson, L., Lasham, A., Campbell, H., Cunliffe, H., Horsfield, J. A., … Braithwaite, A. W. (2018). Regulation of the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) pathway by p63 and Δ133p53 isoform in different breast cancer subtypes. Oncotarget, 9(49), 29146-29161. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.25635

Schierding, W., Antony, J., Karhunen, V., Vääräsmäki, M., Franks, S., Elliott, P., … Horsfield, J. A., … Cutfield, W. S. (2018). GWAS on prolonged gestation (post-term birth): Analysis of successive Finnish birth cohorts. Journal of Medical Genetics, 55(1), 55-63. doi: 10.1136/jmedgenet-2017-104880

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Antony, J., Giminez, G., Khatoon, U., Day, R., Morison, I., & Horsfield, J. (2018). Targeted disruption of the cohesin subunit STAG2 leads to loss of insulation and inappropriate gene activation in response to differentiation signals. Blood, 132(Suppl. 1), (pp. 878). doi: 10.1182/blood-2018-99-117965

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Chin, C. V., Antony, J., He, J., Parsons, K. M., George, A. J., Hannan, R. D., & Horsfield, J. (2018, August). Identifying synthetic lethal vulnerabilities in cohesin-haploinsufficient MCF10A. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Antony, J., Gimenez, G., & Horsfield, J. A. (2018, August). Chromatin disruption and abnormal cell signalling in cohesin-mutant leukaemia. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2017

Journal - Research Article

Wei, J., Antony, J., Meng, F., MacLean, P., Rhind, R., Laible, G., & Oback, B. (2017). KDM4B-mediated reduction of H3K9me3 and H3K36me3 levels improves somatic cell reprogramming into pluripotency. Scientific Reports, 7, 7514. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-06569-2

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

Chin, A., Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. (2017). Identifying synthetic lethal drugs for cohesin mutant AML. Proceedings of the 38th Annual Lorne Genome Conference. Retrieved from http://genome-2017.m.asnevents.com.au/

Merriman, T. R., Ketharnathan, S., Boocock, J., Phipps-Green, A., Antony, J., Leask, M., … Horsfield, J. (2017). A non-coding genetic variant maximally associated with serum urate levels is functionally linked to HNF4A-dependent PDZK1 expression. Arthritis & Rheumatology, 69(Suppl. 10), 2897. doi: 10.1002/art.40321

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Antony, J. (2017, July). Role of cohesin mutations in myeloid leukemia. Poster session presented at the Genome Engineering: The CRISPR-Cas Revolution, Cold Spring Harbour, NY.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Antony, J., Morison, I. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2017, September). Dysregulated transcriptional response to differentiation signals in cohesin-mutant myeloid cells. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

2016

Journal - Research Article

Schierding, W., Antony, J., Cutfield, W. S., Horsfield, J. A., & O'Sullivan, J. M. (2016). Intergenic GWAS SNPs are key components of the spatial and regulatory network for human growth. Human Molecular Genetics, 25(15), 3372-3382. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddw165

Dasgupta, T., Antony, J., Braithwaite, A. W., & Horsfield, J. A. (2016). HDAC8 inhibition blocks SMC3 deacetylation and delays cell cycle progression without affecting cohesin-dependent transcription in MCF7 cancer cells. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 291(24), 12761-12770. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M115.704627

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

van Huffel, S., Day, R. C., Antony, J., Marsman, J., Horsfield, J. A., & Dunbier, A. K. (2016). 4CSeq analysis of a breast cancer susceptibility locus on 6q25.1. Cancer Research, 76(14, Suppl.), 4518. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2016-4518

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Fleming, N. I., Henderson, L. E., Campbell, H. G., Antony, J., Print, C. G., Baird, M., & Braithwaite, A. W. (2016, August-September). A common variation within the IL6 promoter may alter its control by the p53 protein family and influence cancer progression. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Nelson, New Zealand.

Antony, J., & Horsfield, J. A. (2016, August-September). Targeting cohesin mutant myeloid leukaemias. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Nelson, New Zealand.

Wei, J., Antony, J., Green, A., Stamms, K., Bennewitz, R., MacLean, P., … Oback, B. (2016, August-September). Trimethylation barriers to epigenetic reprogramming in mouse and cattle. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Nelson, New Zealand.

2015

Journal - Research Article

Antony, J., Dasgupta, T., Rhodes, J. M., McEwan, M. V., Print, C. G., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2015). Cohesin modulates transcription of estrogen-responsive genes. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1849(3), 257-269. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2014.12.011

2014

Journal - Research Article

O'Sullivan, J. M., Doynova, M. D., Antony, J., Pichlmuller, F., & Horsfield, J. A. (2014). Insights from space: Potential role of diet in the spatial organization of chromosomes. Nutrients, 6(12), 5724-5739. doi: 10.3390/nu6125724

Marsman, J., O'Neill, A. C., Kao, B. R.-Y., Rhodes, J. M., Meier, M., Antony, J., Mönnich, M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2014). Cohesin and CTCF differentially regulate spatiotemporal runx1 expression during zebrafish development. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta: Gene Regulatory Mechanisms, 1839(1), 50-61. doi: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2013.11.007

Conference Contribution - Published proceedings: Abstract

White, J., van Huffel, S., Antony, J., Horsfield, J. A., & Dunbier, A. K. (2014). Expression of genes spanning a breast cancer susceptibility locus on 6q25.1 is modulated by epigenetic modification. Cancer Research, 74(19, Suppl.), 403. doi: 10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-403

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Horsfield, J., McEwan, M., Antony, J., Meier, M., & Rhodes, J. (2014, January). A role for cohesin in pluripotency and zygotic genome activation during zebrafish embryogenesis. Verbal presentation at the 6th Asia Oceania Zebrafish Meeting, Hongkong.

2013

Journal - Research Article

Antony, J., Oback, F., Chamley, L. W., Oback, B., & Laible, G. (2013). Transient JMJD2B-mediated reduction of H3K9me3 levels improves reprogramming of embryonic stem cells into cloned embryos. Molecular & Cellular Biology, 33(5), 974-983. doi: 10.1128/MCB.01014-12

Conference Contribution - Poster Presentation (not in published proceedings)

Antony, J., O'Sullivan, J. M., & Horsfield, J. A. (2013, August). Cohesin influences ERα regulation of the TFF locus in breast cancer cells. Poster session presented at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Conference Contribution - Verbal presentation and other Conference outputs

Horsfield, J., McEwan, M., Antony, J., Meier, M., & Rhodes, J. (2013, August). A role for cohesin in pluripotency and zygotic genome activation during zebrafish embryogenesis. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.

Oback, B., Antony, J., Oback, F., Wei, J., Chamley, L. W., & Laible, G. (2013, August). KDM4B-mediated reduction of H3K9me3 levels improves epigenetic reprogramming into pluripotency. Verbal presentation at the Queenstown Molecular Biology (QMB) Meetings, Queenstown, New Zealand.