--- title: "Coffee exposure linked to chromatin reorganization and reduced H4K16 acetylation" id: "biorxiv-15-coffee-induces-chromatin-structural-changes-associated-with-histone-h4k16" canonical_url: "https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-15-coffee-induces-chromatin-structural-changes-associated-with-histone-h4k16" content_type: "clinical_feed_article" specialty: "Pharmacology" source_name: "bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints)" source_url: "https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.758977v1?rss=1" published_at: "2026-10-20T11:07:14.000Z" evidence_level: "Verified Feed" license: "CC-BY-NC-4.0 / Informational Use" --- # Coffee exposure linked to chromatin reorganization and reduced H4K16 acetylation ## Provenance & Clinical Metadata - **Canonical URL:** https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-15-coffee-induces-chromatin-structural-changes-associated-with-histone-h4k16 - **Specialty:** [Pharmacology](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pharmacology.md) - **Primary Source:** bioRxiv (Biomedical Preprints) - **Source URL:** [Original Journal Publication](https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.13.758977v1?rss=1) - **Published At:** 2026-10-20T11:07:14.000Z - **Evidence Rating:** Verified Feed ## Executive GIST (TL;DR) - Investigators reported that prior mass spectrometry profiling detected a reduction in **H4K16ac** after coffee treatment, prompting targeted follow-up experiments. - The study team used western blotting and immunofluorescence to confirm that coffee exposure reduced **H4K16ac** levels; the effect varied by cell type. - In HCT116 cells the cohort showed a measurable decrease in H4K16ac while H3K27ac levels were not decreased by coffee treatment, indicating histone-mark specificity in that cell line. - Quantitative analysis of DAPI-stained nuclei indicated an increased coefficient of variation of nuclear fluorescence intensity after coffee exposure, interpreted as altered chromatin structure. - The authors integrated publicly available H4K16ac ChIP-seq datasets with previously generated RNA-seq data from K562 cells; data indicated transcriptional changes at H4K16ac-enriched genes following coffee exposure. - Among transcriptional changes, the study team observed downregulation of **MYC**-associated genes in the integrated K562 dataset. - The preprint notes cell type dependence, differential histone-target effects, and an association between chromatin structural change and H4K16 hypoacetylation, but does not report detailed dosing, exposure duration, or complete mechanistic pathways in this text. - Authors declared no competing interests and listed multiple funders including JSPS KAKENHI and several foundations; the work is a bioRxiv preprint and has not been peer reviewed. ## Clinical Analysis & Structured Key Points Coffee induces chromatin structural changes associated with histone H4K16 hypoacetylation | bioRxiv Skip to main content New Results Coffee induces chromatin structural changes associated with histone H4K16 hypoacetylation Yasuko Tanaka , Yangsu Cho , Yuusuke Suwabe , Sora Misaki , Ryo Uchidaya , Kazumasa Aoyama doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.13.758977 Yasuko Tanaka Division of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Yangsu Cho Division of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Yuusuke Suwabe Division of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Sora Misaki Division of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Ryo Uchidaya Division of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site Kazumasa Aoyama Division of Hygienic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Keio University Find this author on Google Scholar Find this author on PubMed Search for this author on this site For correspondence: aoyamakazumasa{at}keio.jp Abstract Info/History Metrics Preview PDF Abstract Histone acetylation plays a critical role in the regulation of chromatin structure and gene expression. Among histone acetylation marks, acetylation of histone H4 at lysine 16 (H4K16ac) is particularly important for the maintenance of chromatin organization. We previously identified a reduction in H4K16ac following coffee treatment through mass spectrometry-based histone modification profiling. In the present study, we investigated the effects of coffee on H4K16ac levels, chromatin structure, and gene expression. Western blotting and immunofluorescence analyses confirmed that coffee treatment reduced H4K16ac levels in a cell type-dependent manner. Notably, H4K16ac was reduced in HCT116 cells, in which H3K27ac was not decreased by coffee treatment. Quantitative analysis of DAPI-stained nuclei revealed a significant increase in the coefficient of variation of nuclear fluorescence intensity following coffee treatment, indicating alterations in chromatin structure. Furthermore, integrative analysis of publicly available H4K16ac chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data and previously generated RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data revealed that H4K16ac-enriched genes exhibited transcriptional changes following coffee treatment in K562 cells, including the downregulation of MYC-associated genes. Together, these findings demonstrate that coffee treatment induces alterations in chromatin structure accompanied by H4K16 hypoacetylation and suggest a potential association between these epigenetic changes and transcriptional regulation. Competing Interest Statement The authors have declared no competing interest. Funder Information Declared JSPS KAKENHI , 23K07851 the Kobayashi Foundation　, ;0 the Friends of Leukemia Research Fund (Takaku Fumimaro Award)　, ;0 The Japanese Society of Hematology, https://ror.org/00qembr49 the Keio University Academic Development Fund the Keio University Fukuzawa Fund　, ;0 the Chemo-Sero-Therapeutic Research Institute (Kaketsuken)　, ;0 the Suzuken Memorial Foundation　, ;0 Mochida Memorial Foundation For Medical And Pharmaceutical Research, https://ror.org/050rsje66 The Takeda Foundation, https://ror.org/05xs52z55 Copyright The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license . Back to top Previous Next Posted October 20, 2026. Download PDF Email Thank you for your interest in spreading the word about bioRxiv. NOTE: Your email address is requested solely to identify you as the sender of this article. 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Share Coffee induces chromatin structural changes associated with histone H4K16 hypoacetylation Yasuko Tanaka , Yangsu Cho , Yuusuke Suwabe , Sora Misaki , Ryo Uchidaya , Kazumasa Aoyama bioRxiv 2026.10.13.758977; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.13.758977 Share This Article: Copy Citation Tools Coffee induces chromatin structural changes associated with histone H4K16 hypoacetylation Yasuko Tanaka , Yangsu Cho , Yuusuke Suwabe , Sora Misaki , Ryo Uchidaya , Kazumasa Aoyama bioRxiv 2026.10.13.758977; doi: https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.10.13.758977 Citation Manager Formats BibTeX Bookends EasyBib EndNote (tagged) EndNote 8 (xml) Medlars Mendeley Papers RefWorks Tagged Ref Manager RIS Zotero Tweet Widget Facebook Like Google Plus One Subject Areas All Articles Animal Behavior and Cognition (8160) Biochemistry (19010) Bioengineering (15148) Bioinformatics (45222) Biophysics (22948) Cancer Biology (20061) Cell Biology (27263) Clinical Trials (138) Developmental Biology (14121) Ecology (21364) Epidemiology (2067) Evolutionary Biology (25751) Genetics (16317) Genomics (23795) Immunology (18988) Microbiology (43125) Molecular Biology (18300) Neuroscience (94898) Paleontology (711) Pathology (3027) Pharmacology and Toxicology (5181) Physiology (8259) Plant Biology (16241) Scientific Communication and Education (2113) Synthetic Biology (4635) Systems Biology (10367) Zoology (2420) ## Related Clinical Research - [Amino-Acid-Derived Analogues Targeting PP2A: Lead Compound XML-3D Shows Enhanced Cytotoxicity](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-7-design-amino-acid-derived-analogues-of-fty-720-and-osu-2s-as-pp2a-activators.md) - [Intravenous drip G-CSF shortens neutropenia and lowers febrile neutropenia in pediatric oncology](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pubmed-42827181.md) (DOI: 10.1007/s00280-026-04966-x) - [Cell death screen reveals macrophage-depleting agents with potential therapeutic use](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/biorxiv-17-a-cell-death-screen-identifies-macrophage-depleting-agents-with-therapeutic.md) - [Minor histocompatibility antigen TCR-T: MiHA-directed T-cell therapy in allo-HCT](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pubmed-42392183.md) (DOI: 10.1182/bloodadvances.2025018015) - [CRISPR correction of AS-NMD in splicing-factor mutant cancer: article unavailable — synthesis and](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/frontiers-in-immunology-12-crispr-mediated-correction-of-oncogenic-as-nmd-in-splicing-factor-mutant-cancer.md) ## Navigation - [← Back to Pharmacology Feed](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed/pharmacology.md) - [← All Clinical Specialties](https://medichelpline.com/clinical-feed.md) ## Medical & Regulatory Disclaimer > [!CAUTION] > MedicHelpline content is structured for research, educational, and professional discovery purposes. 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