151
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Mattaini KR, Sullivan MR, Vander Heiden MG. The importance of serine metabolism in cancer. J Cell Biol 2016; 214:249-57. [PMID: 27458133 PMCID: PMC4970329 DOI: 10.1083/jcb.201604085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 267] [Impact Index Per Article: 33.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/01/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine metabolism is frequently dysregulated in cancers; however, the benefit that this confers to tumors remains controversial. In many cases, extracellular serine alone is sufficient to support cancer cell proliferation, whereas some cancer cells increase serine synthesis from glucose and require de novo serine synthesis even in the presence of abundant extracellular serine. Recent studies cast new light on the role of serine metabolism in cancer, suggesting that active serine synthesis might be required to facilitate amino acid transport, nucleotide synthesis, folate metabolism, and redox homeostasis in a manner that impacts cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Mattaini
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Mark R Sullivan
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139
| | - Matthew G Vander Heiden
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215 Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139
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152
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Riscal R, Schrepfer E, Arena G, Cissé MY, Bellvert F, Heuillet M, Rambow F, Bonneil E, Sabourdy F, Vincent C, Ait-Arsa I, Levade T, Thibaut P, Marine JC, Portais JC, Sarry JE, Le Cam L, Linares LK. Chromatin-Bound MDM2 Regulates Serine Metabolism and Redox Homeostasis Independently of p53. Mol Cell 2016; 62:890-902. [PMID: 27264869 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2016.04.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2015] [Revised: 03/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) oncoprotein is recognized as a major negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor, but growing evidence indicates that its oncogenic activities extend beyond p53. Here, we show that MDM2 is recruited to chromatin independently of p53 to regulate a transcriptional program implicated in amino acid metabolism and redox homeostasis. Identification of MDM2 target genes at the whole-genome level highlights an important role for ATF3/4 transcription factors in tethering MDM2 to chromatin. MDM2 recruitment to chromatin is a tightly regulated process that occurs during oxidative stress and serine/glycine deprivation and is modulated by the pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) metabolic enzyme. Depletion of endogenous MDM2 in p53-deficient cells impairs serine/glycine metabolism, the NAD(+)/NADH ratio, and glutathione (GSH) recycling, impacting their redox state and tumorigenic potential. Collectively, our data illustrate a previously unsuspected function of chromatin-bound MDM2 in cancer cell metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Romain Riscal
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Emilie Schrepfer
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Giuseppe Arena
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Madi Y Cissé
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Floriant Bellvert
- INSA, UPS, INP, Université de Toulouse, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, 31 077 Toulouse, France; INRA, UMR792 Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, 31400 Toulouse, France; CNRS, UMR5504, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Maud Heuillet
- INSA, UPS, INP, Université de Toulouse, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, 31 077 Toulouse, France; INRA, UMR792 Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, 31400 Toulouse, France; CNRS, UMR5504, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Florian Rambow
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Center for Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Eric Bonneil
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128 Station Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Frédérique Sabourdy
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Métabolique, IFB, CHU Purpan, 31059 Toulouse, France; INSERM UMR 1037, CRCT, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse-III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Charles Vincent
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Imade Ait-Arsa
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France
| | - Thierry Levade
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Métabolique, IFB, CHU Purpan, 31059 Toulouse, France; INSERM UMR 1037, CRCT, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse-III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Pierre Thibaut
- Institute for Research in Immunology and Cancer, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128 Station Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada; Department of Chemistry, Université de Montréal, P.O. Box 6128 Station Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3J7, Canada
| | - Jean-Christophe Marine
- Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Center for the Biology of Disease, VIB, 3000 Leuven, Belgium; Laboratory for Molecular Cancer Biology, Center for Human Genetics, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jean-Charles Portais
- INSA, UPS, INP, Université de Toulouse, 135 Avenue de Rangueil, 31 077 Toulouse, France; INRA, UMR792 Ingénierie des Systèmes Biologiques et des Procédés, 31400 Toulouse, France; CNRS, UMR5504, 31400 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Emmanuel Sarry
- INSERM UMR 1037, CRCT, Université Paul Sabatier Toulouse-III, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Laurent Le Cam
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France.
| | - Laetitia K Linares
- IRCM, Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; INSERM, U1194, 34298 Montpellier, France; Université de Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France; Institut Régional du Cancer Montpellier, 34298 Montpellier, France.
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153
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Rao VK, Ow JR, Shankar SR, Bharathy N, Manikandan J, Wang Y, Taneja R. G9a promotes proliferation and inhibits cell cycle exit during myogenic differentiation. Nucleic Acids Res 2016; 44:8129-43. [PMID: 27229136 PMCID: PMC5041453 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkw483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2016] [Accepted: 05/19/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Differentiation of skeletal muscle cells, like most other cell types, requires a permanent exit from the cell cycle. The epigenetic programming underlying these distinct cellular states is not fully understood. In this study, we provide evidence that the lysine methyltransferase G9a functions as a central axis to regulate proliferation and differentiation of skeletal muscle cells. Transcriptome analysis of G9a knockdown cells revealed deregulation of many cell cycle regulatory genes. We demonstrate that G9a enhances cellular proliferation by two distinct mechanisms. G9a blocks cell cycle exit via methylation-dependent transcriptional repression of the MyoD target genes p21(Cip/Waf1) and Rb1. In addition, it activates E2F1-target genes in a methyltransferase activity-independent manner. We show that G9a is present in the E2F1/PCAF complex, and enhances PCAF occupancy and histone acetylation marks at E2F1-target promoters. Interestingly, G9a preferentially associates with E2F1 at the G1/S phase and with MyoD at the G2/M phase. Our results provide evidence that G9a functions both as a co-activator and a co-repressor to enhance cellular proliferation and inhibit myogenic differentiation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay Kumar Rao
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Jin Rong Ow
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Shilpa Rani Shankar
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Narendra Bharathy
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Jayapal Manikandan
- NanoString Technologies, 530 Fairview Ave N, Suite 2000 Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Yaju Wang
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
| | - Reshma Taneja
- Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117597, Singapore
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154
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Kaur K, Yang J, Edwards JG, Eisenberg CA, Eisenberg LM. G9a histone methyltransferase inhibitor BIX01294 promotes expansion of adult cardiac progenitor cells without changing their phenotype or differentiation potential. Cell Prolif 2016; 49:373-85. [PMID: 27109896 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.12255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES As a follow-up to our previous reports showing that the G9a histone methyltransferase-specific inhibitor BIX01294 enhances bone marrow cell cardiac potential, this drug was examined for its effects on cardiomyocytes and mouse cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs). MATERIALS AND METHODS Cardiomyocytes and cardiac explants were cultured ± BIX01294, and examined for changes in cardiac function, protein and gene expression. Additionally, enriched populations of CPCs, contained in the 'phase bright cell' component of explants, were harvested from non-treated and BIX01294-treated cardiac tissue, and assayed for differences in cell phenotype and differentiation potential. Mouse CPCs were cultured with rat cardiomyocytes to allow differentiation of the progenitors to be assayed using species-specific PCR primers. RESULTS While BIX01294 had no discernible effect on myocyte function and sarcomeric organization, treatment with this drug significantly increased CPC proliferation, as indicated by enhanced MTT metabolization and BrdUrd incorporation (4.1- and 2.0-fold, respectively, P < 0.001) after 48 h labelling, and increased Ki67 expression (4.8-fold, P < 0.001) after 7 days culture. Heart explants exposed to BIX01294 generated 3.6-fold (P < 0.005) greater yields of CPCs by 2 weeks culture. Importantly, CPCs obtained from non-treated and BIX01294-treated cultures did not differ in phenotype or differentiation potential. CONCLUSIONS These data indicate that BIX01294 can expand CPCs without undermining their capacity as cardiac progenitors, and suggest that this drug may have utility for generating large numbers of CPCs for cardiac repair.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Kaur
- New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center Stem Cell Laboratory, Departments of Physiology and Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA
| | - J Yang
- New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center Stem Cell Laboratory, Departments of Physiology and Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA
- Department of Biology and Genomics, New York University, New York, New York, 10003, USA
| | - J G Edwards
- Department of Physiology and Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA
| | - C A Eisenberg
- New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center Stem Cell Laboratory, Departments of Physiology and Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA
| | - L M Eisenberg
- New York Medical College/Westchester Medical Center Stem Cell Laboratory, Departments of Physiology and Medicine, New York Medical College, Valhalla, New York, 10595, USA
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155
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Edwards B, Lesnick J, Wang J, Tang N, Peters C. Miniaturization of High-Throughput Epigenetic Methyltransferase Assays with Acoustic Liquid Handling. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 21:208-16. [DOI: 10.1177/2211068215610861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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156
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Maddocks ODK, Labuschagne CF, Adams PD, Vousden KH. Serine Metabolism Supports the Methionine Cycle and DNA/RNA Methylation through De Novo ATP Synthesis in Cancer Cells. Mol Cell 2016; 61:210-21. [PMID: 26774282 PMCID: PMC4728077 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2015.12.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 298] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 12/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Crosstalk between cellular metabolism and the epigenome regulates epigenetic and metabolic homeostasis and normal cell behavior. Changes in cancer cell metabolism can directly impact epigenetic regulation and promote transformation. Here we analyzed the contribution of methionine and serine metabolism to methylation of DNA and RNA. Serine can contribute to this pathway by providing one-carbon units to regenerate methionine from homocysteine. While we observed this contribution under methionine-depleted conditions, unexpectedly, we found that serine supported the methionine cycle in the presence and absence of methionine through de novo ATP synthesis. Serine starvation increased the methionine/S-adenosyl methionine ratio, decreasing the transfer of methyl groups to DNA and RNA. While serine starvation dramatically decreased ATP levels, this was accompanied by lower AMP and did not activate AMPK. This work highlights the difference between ATP turnover and new ATP synthesis and defines a vital function of nucleotide synthesis beyond making nucleic acids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Peter D Adams
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK; University of Glasgow Institute of Cancer Sciences, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Karen H Vousden
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Switchback Road, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK.
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157
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Li J, Zhu S, Ke XX, Cui H. Role of several histone lysine methyltransferases in tumor development. Biomed Rep 2016; 4:293-299. [PMID: 26998265 PMCID: PMC4774316 DOI: 10.3892/br.2016.574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2015] [Accepted: 12/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The field of cancer epigenetics has been evolving rapidly in recent decades. Epigenetic mechanisms include DNA methylation, histone modifications and microRNAs. Histone modifications are important markers of function and chromatin state. Aberrant histone methylation frequently occurs in tumor development and progression. Multiple studies have identified that histone lysine methyltransferases regulate gene transcription through the methylation of histone, which affects cell proliferation and differentiation, cell migration and invasion, and other biological characteristics. Histones have variant lysine sites for different levels of methylation, catalyzed by different lysine methyltransferases, which have numerous effects on human cancers. The present review focused on the most recent advances, described the key function sites of histone lysine methyltransferases, integrated significant quantities of data to introduce several compelling histone lysine methyltransferases in various types of human cancers, summarized their role in tumor development and discussed their potential mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifu Li
- Cell Biology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
| | - Shunqin Zhu
- School of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
| | - Xiao-Xue Ke
- Cell Biology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- Cell Biology Laboratory, State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, P.R. China
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158
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Liu S, Ye D, Guo W, Yu W, He Y, Hu J, Wang Y, Zhang L, Liao Y, Song H, Zhong S, Xu D, Yin H, Sun B, Wang X, Liu J, Wu Y, Zhou BP, Zhang Z, Deng J. G9a is essential for EMT-mediated metastasis and maintenance of cancer stem cell-like characters in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Oncotarget 2016; 6:6887-901. [PMID: 25749385 PMCID: PMC4466657 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.3159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Accepted: 01/17/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a particularly aggressive cancer with poor prognosis, largely due to lymph node metastasis and local recurrence. Emerging evidence suggests that epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is important for cancer metastasis, and correlated with increased cancer stem cells (CSCs) characteristics. However, the mechanisms underlying metastasis to lymph nodes in HNSCC is poorly defined. In this study, we show that E-cadherin repression correlates with cancer metastasis and poor prognosis in HNSCC. We found that G9a, a histone methyltransferase, interacts with Snail and mediates Snail-induced transcriptional repression of E-cadherin and EMT, through methylation of histone H3 lysine-9 (H3K9). Moreover, G9a is required for both lymph node-related metastasis and TGF-β-induced EMT in HNSCC cells since knockdown of G9a reversed EMT, inhibited cell migration and tumorsphere formation, and suppressed the expression of CSC markers. Our study demonstrates that the G9a protein is essential for the induction of EMT and CSC-like properties in HNSCC. Thus, targeting the G9a-Snail axis may represent a novel strategy for treatment of metastatic HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuli Liu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongxia Ye
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenzheng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenwen Yu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yue He
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingzhou Hu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Yueling Liao
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Hongyong Song
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuangshuang Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongliang Xu
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Huijing Yin
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Beibei Sun
- Translation Medicine Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Translation Medicine Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingyi Liu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Yadi Wu
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Binhua P Zhou
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Markey Cancer Center, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, USA
| | - Zhiyuan Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiong Deng
- Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of Chinese Minister of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory for Tumor Microenvironment and Inflammation, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Translation Medicine Center, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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159
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Zhao E, Ding J, Xia Y, Liu M, Ye B, Choi JH, Yan C, Dong Z, Huang S, Zha Y, Yang L, Cui H, Ding HF. KDM4C and ATF4 Cooperate in Transcriptional Control of Amino Acid Metabolism. Cell Rep 2016; 14:506-519. [PMID: 26774480 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2015.12.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2015] [Revised: 11/10/2015] [Accepted: 12/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The histone lysine demethylase KDM4C is often overexpressed in cancers primarily through gene amplification. The molecular mechanisms of KDM4C action in tumorigenesis are not well defined. Here, we report that KDM4C transcriptionally activates amino acid biosynthesis and transport, leading to a significant increase in intracellular amino acid levels. Examination of the serine-glycine synthesis pathway reveals that KDM4C epigenetically activates the pathway genes under steady-state and serine deprivation conditions by removing the repressive histone modification H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) trimethylation. This action of KDM4C requires ATF4, a transcriptional master regulator of amino acid metabolism and stress responses. KDM4C activates ATF4 transcription and interacts with ATF4 to target serine pathway genes for transcriptional activation. We further present evidence for KDM4C in transcriptional coordination of amino acid metabolism and cell proliferation. These findings suggest a molecular mechanism linking KDM4C-mediated H3K9 demethylation and ATF4-mediated transactivation in reprogramming amino acid metabolism for cancer cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erhu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and System Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China; Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Jane Ding
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Yingfeng Xia
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Insititute of Translational Neuroscience and Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yichang, Three Gorges University College of Medicine, Yichang 443000, China
| | - Mengling Liu
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Insititute of Translational Neuroscience and Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yichang, Three Gorges University College of Medicine, Yichang 443000, China
| | - Bingwei Ye
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Jeong-Hyeon Choi
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Chunhong Yan
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Zheng Dong
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA
| | - Shuang Huang
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Yunhong Zha
- Insititute of Translational Neuroscience and Department of Neurology, The First Hospital of Yichang, Three Gorges University College of Medicine, Yichang 443000, China
| | - Liqun Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and System Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Institute of Sericulture and System Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
| | - Han-Fei Ding
- Cancer Center, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA; Department of Pathology, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
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160
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Breitkopf SB, Yuan M, Helenius KP, Lyssiotis CA, Asara JM. Triomics Analysis of Imatinib-Treated Myeloma Cells Connects Kinase Inhibition to RNA Processing and Decreased Lipid Biosynthesis. Anal Chem 2015; 87:10995-1006. [PMID: 26434776 PMCID: PMC5585869 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.5b03040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The combination of metabolomics, lipidomics, and phosphoproteomics that incorporates triple stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) protein labeling, as well as (13)C in vivo metabolite labeling, was demonstrated on BCR-ABL-positive H929 multiple myeloma cells. From 11 880 phosphorylation sites, we confirm that H929 cells are primarily signaling through the BCR-ABL-ERK pathway, and we show that imatinib treatment not only downregulates phosphosites in this pathway but also upregulates phosphosites on proteins involved in RNA expression. Metabolomics analyses reveal that BCR-ABL-ERK signaling in H929 cells drives the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) and RNA biosynthesis, where pathway inhibition via imatinib results in marked PPP impairment and an accumulation of RNA nucleotides and negative regulation of mRNA. Lipidomics data also show an overall reduction in lipid biosynthesis and fatty acid incorporation with a significant decrease in lysophospholipids. RNA immunoprecipitation studies confirm that RNA degradation is inhibited with short imatinib treatment and transcription is inhibited upon long imatinib treatment, validating the triomics results. These data show the utility of combining mass spectrometry-based "-omics" technologies and reveals that kinase inhibitors may not only downregulate phosphorylation of their targets but also induce metabolic events via increased phosphorylation of other cellular components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne B. Breitkopf
- Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Min Yuan
- Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Katja P. Helenius
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Costas A. Lyssiotis
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology and Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - John M. Asara
- Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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161
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Casciello F, Windloch K, Gannon F, Lee JS. Functional Role of G9a Histone Methyltransferase in Cancer. Front Immunol 2015; 6:487. [PMID: 26441991 PMCID: PMC4585248 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2015.00487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 156] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2015] [Accepted: 09/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications of DNA and histones are epigenetic mechanisms, which affect the chromatin structure, ultimately leading to gene expression changes. A number of different epigenetic enzymes are actively involved in the addition or the removal of various covalent modifications, which include acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation, ubiquitination, and sumoylation. Deregulation of these processes is a hallmark of cancer. For instance, G9a, a histone methyltransferase responsible for histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) mono- and dimethylation, has been observed to be upregulated in different types of cancer and its overexpression has been associated with poor prognosis. Key roles played by these enzymes in various diseases have led to the hypothesis that these molecules represent valuable targets for future therapies. Several small molecule inhibitors have been developed to specifically block the epigenetic activity of these enzymes, representing promising therapeutic tools in the treatment of human malignancies, such as cancer. In this review, the role of one of these epigenetic enzymes, G9a, is discussed, focusing on its functional role in regulating gene expression as well as its implications in cancer initiation and progression. We also discuss important findings from recent studies using epigenetic inhibitors in cell systems in vitro as well as experimental tumor growth and metastasis assays in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Casciello
- Control of Gene Expression Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Herston, QLD , Australia ; School of Natural Sciences, Griffith University , Nathan, QLD , Australia
| | - Karolina Windloch
- Control of Gene Expression Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Herston, QLD , Australia
| | - Frank Gannon
- Control of Gene Expression Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Herston, QLD , Australia
| | - Jason S Lee
- Control of Gene Expression Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute , Herston, QLD , Australia ; Faculty of Health, School of Biomedical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology , Kelvin Grove, QLD , Australia ; School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland , Brisbane, QLD , Australia
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162
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Li F, Zeng J, Gao Y, Guan Z, Ma Z, Shi Q, Du C, Jia J, Xu S, Wang X, Chang L, He D, Guo P. G9a Inhibition Induces Autophagic Cell Death via AMPK/mTOR Pathway in Bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138390. [PMID: 26397365 PMCID: PMC4580411 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2015] [Accepted: 08/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
G9a has been reported to highly express in bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC) and G9a inhibition significantly attenuates cell proliferation, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. The present study aimed at examining the potential role of autophagy in the anti-proliferation effect of G9a inhibition on TCC T24 and UMUC-3 cell lines in vitro. We found that both pharmaceutical and genetical G9a inhibition significantly attenuated cell proliferation by MTT assay, Brdu incorporation assay and colony formation assay. G9a inhibition induced autophagy like morphology as determined by transmission electron microscope and LC-3 fluorescence assay. In addition, autophagy flux was induced by G9a inhibition in TCC cells, as determined by p62 turnover assay and LC-3 turnover assay. The autophagy induced positively contributed to the inhibition of cell proliferation because the growth attenuation capacity of G9a inhibition was reversed by autophagy inhibitors 3-MA. Mechanically, AMPK/mTOR pathway was identified to be involved in the regulation of G9a inhibition induced autophagy. Intensively activating mTOR by Rheb overexpression attenuated autophagy and autophagic cell death induced by G9a inhibition. In addition, pre-inhibiting AMPK by Compound C attenuated autophagy together with the anti-proliferation effect induced by G9a inhibition while pre-activating AMPK by AICAR enhanced them. In conclusion, our results indicate that G9a inhibition induces autophagy through activating AMPK/mTOR pathway and the autophagy induced positively contributes to the inhibition of cell proliferation in TCC cells. These findings shed some light on the functional role of G9a in cell metabolism and suggest that G9a might be a therapeutic target in bladder TCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feng Li
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin Zeng
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhenfeng Guan
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Zhenkun Ma
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qi Shi
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Chong Du
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jing Jia
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shan Xu
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinyang Wang
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Luke Chang
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Dalin He
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- * E-mail: (PG); (DH)
| | - Peng Guo
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China
- * E-mail: (PG); (DH)
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Curry E, Green I, Chapman-Rothe N, Shamsaei E, Kandil S, Cherblanc FL, Payne L, Bell E, Ganesh T, Srimongkolpithak N, Caron J, Li F, Uren AG, Snyder JP, Vedadi M, Fuchter MJ, Brown R. Dual EZH2 and EHMT2 histone methyltransferase inhibition increases biological efficacy in breast cancer cells. Clin Epigenetics 2015; 7:84. [PMID: 26300989 PMCID: PMC4545913 DOI: 10.1186/s13148-015-0118-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Many cancers show aberrant silencing of gene expression and overexpression of histone methyltransferases. The histone methyltransferases (HKMT) EZH2 and EHMT2 maintain the repressive chromatin histone methylation marks H3K27me and H3K9me, respectively, which are associated with transcriptional silencing. Although selective HKMT inhibitors reduce levels of individual repressive marks, removal of H3K27me3 by specific EZH2 inhibitors, for instance, may not be sufficient for inducing the expression of genes with multiple repressive marks. RESULTS We report that gene expression and inhibition of triple negative breast cancer cell growth (MDA-MB-231) are markedly increased when targeting both EZH2 and EHMT2, either by siRNA knockdown or pharmacological inhibition, rather than either enzyme independently. Indeed, expression of certain genes is only induced upon dual inhibition. We sought to identify compounds which showed evidence of dual EZH2 and EHMT2 inhibition. Using a cell-based assay, based on the substrate competitive EHMT2 inhibitor BIX01294, we have identified proof-of-concept compounds that induce re-expression of a subset of genes consistent with dual HKMT inhibition. Chromatin immunoprecipitation verified a decrease in silencing marks and an increase in permissive marks at the promoter and transcription start site of re-expressed genes, while Western analysis showed reduction in global levels of H3K27me3 and H3K9me3. The compounds inhibit growth in a panel of breast cancer and lymphoma cell lines with low to sub-micromolar IC50s. Biochemically, the compounds are substrate competitive inhibitors against both EZH2 and EHMT1/2. CONCLUSIONS We have demonstrated that dual inhibition of EZH2 and EHMT2 is more effective at eliciting biological responses of gene transcription and cancer cell growth inhibition compared to inhibition of single HKMTs, and we report the first dual EZH2-EHMT1/2 substrate competitive inhibitors that are functional in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Curry
- />Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Ian Green
- />Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Nadine Chapman-Rothe
- />Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Elham Shamsaei
- />Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Sarah Kandil
- />Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Fanny L Cherblanc
- />Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Luke Payne
- />Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Emma Bell
- />Division of Cancer, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
| | - Thota Ganesh
- />Department of Pharmacology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | | | - Joachim Caron
- />Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Fengling Li
- />Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Anthony G. Uren
- />MRC Clinical Sciences Centre, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 0NN UK
| | - James P. Snyder
- />Department of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, GA 30322 USA
| | - Masoud Vedadi
- />Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Matthew J. Fuchter
- />Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ UK
| | - Robert Brown
- />Department of Surgery and Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action Research Centre, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, W12 ONN UK
- />Section of Molecular Pathology, Institute of Cancer Research, Sutton, SM2 5NG UK
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164
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Gatto F, Miess H, Schulze A, Nielsen J. Flux balance analysis predicts essential genes in clear cell renal cell carcinoma metabolism. Sci Rep 2015; 5:10738. [PMID: 26040780 PMCID: PMC4603759 DOI: 10.1038/srep10738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2015] [Accepted: 04/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Flux balance analysis is the only modelling approach that is capable of producing genome-wide predictions of gene essentiality that may aid to unveil metabolic liabilities in cancer. Nevertheless, a systemic validation of gene essentiality predictions by flux balance analysis is currently missing. Here, we critically evaluated the accuracy of flux balance analysis in two cancer types, clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) and prostate adenocarcinoma, by comparison with large-scale experiments of gene essentiality in vitro. We found that in ccRCC, but not in prostate adenocarcinoma, flux balance analysis could predict essential metabolic genes beyond random expectation. Five of the identified metabolic genes, AGPAT6, GALT, GCLC, GSS, and RRM2B, were predicted to be dispensable in normal cell metabolism. Hence, targeting these genes may selectively prevent ccRCC growth. Based on our analysis, we discuss the benefits and limitations of flux balance analysis for gene essentiality predictions in cancer metabolism, and its use for exposing metabolic liabilities in ccRCC, whose emergent metabolic network enforces outstanding anabolic requirements for cellular proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Gatto
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg 41296, Sweden
| | - Heike Miess
- Gene Expression Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London WC2A 3LY, United Kingdom
| | - Almut Schulze
- 1] Gene Expression Analysis Laboratory, Cancer Research UK London Research Institute, London WC2A 3LY, United Kingdom [2] Theodor-Boveri-Institute, Biocenter, Am Hubland, 97074 Würzburg, Germany [3] Comprehensive Cancer Center Mainfranken, Josef-Schneider-Str.6, 97080 Würzburg, Germany
| | - Jens Nielsen
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Göteborg 41296, Sweden
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165
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Mozzetta C, Pontis J, Ait-Si-Ali S. Functional Crosstalk Between Lysine Methyltransferases on Histone Substrates: The Case of G9A/GLP and Polycomb Repressive Complex 2. Antioxid Redox Signal 2015; 22:1365-81. [PMID: 25365549 PMCID: PMC4432786 DOI: 10.1089/ars.2014.6116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Methylation of histone H3 on lysine 9 and 27 (H3K9 and H3K27) are two epigenetic modifications that have been linked to several crucial biological processes, among which are transcriptional silencing and cell differentiation. RECENT ADVANCES Deposition of these marks is catalyzed by H3K9 lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) and polycomb repressive complex 2, respectively. Increasing evidence is emerging in favor of a functional crosstalk between these two major KMT families. CRITICAL ISSUES Here, we review the current knowledge on the mechanisms of action and function of these enzymes, with particular emphasis on their interplay in the regulation of chromatin states and biological processes. We outline their crucial roles played in tissue homeostasis, by controlling the fate of embryonic and tissue-specific stem cells, highlighting how their deregulation is often linked to the emergence of a number of malignancies and neurological disorders. FUTURE DIRECTIONS Histone methyltransferases are starting to be tested as drug targets. A new generation of highly selective chemical inhibitors is starting to emerge. These hold great promise for a rapid translation of targeting epigenetic drugs into clinical practice for a number of aggressive cancers and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Mozzetta
- Laboratoire Epigénétique et Destin Cellulaire, UMR7216, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique CNRS, Université Paris Diderot , Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
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166
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Mattaini KR, Brignole EJ, Kini M, Davidson SM, Fiske BP, Drennan CL, Vander Heiden MG. An epitope tag alters phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase structure and impairs ability to support cell proliferation. Cancer Metab 2015; 3:5. [PMID: 25926973 PMCID: PMC4414297 DOI: 10.1186/s40170-015-0131-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2014] [Accepted: 03/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The gene encoding the serine biosynthesis pathway enzyme PHGDH is located in a region of focal genomic copy number gain in human cancers. Cells with PHGDH amplification are dependent on enzyme expression for proliferation. However, dependence on increased PHGDH expression extends beyond production of serine alone, and further studies of PHGDH function are necessary to elucidate its role in cancer cells. These studies will require a physiologically relevant form of the enzyme for experiments using engineered cell lines and recombinant protein. Results The addition of an N-terminal epitope tag to PHGDH abolished the ability to support proliferation of PHGDH-amplified cells despite retention of some activity to convert 3-PG to PHP. Introducing an R236E mutation into PHGDH eliminates enzyme activity, and this catalytically inactive enzyme cannot support proliferation of PHGDH-dependent cells, arguing that canonical enzyme activity is required. Tagged and untagged PHGDH exhibit the same intracellular localization and ability to produce D-2-hydroxyglutarate (D-2HG), an error product of PHGDH, arguing that neither mislocalization nor loss of D-2HG production explains the inability of epitope-tagged PHGDH to support proliferation. To enable studies of PHGDH function, we report a method to purify recombinant PHGDH and found that untagged enzyme activity was greater than N-terminally tagged enzyme. Analysis of tagged and untagged PHGDH using size exclusion chromatography and electron microscopy found that an N-terminal epitope tag alters enzyme structure. Conclusions Purification of untagged recombinant PHGDH eliminates the need to use an epitope tag for enzyme studies. Furthermore, while tagged PHGDH retains some ability to convert 3PG to PHP, the structural alterations caused by including an epitope tag disrupts the ability of PHGDH to sustain cancer cell proliferation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s40170-015-0131-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Mattaini
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Edward J Brignole
- Department of Chemistry Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Mitali Kini
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Shawn M Davidson
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Brian P Fiske
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Catherine L Drennan
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Department of Chemistry Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Howard Hughes Medical Institute Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Matthew G Vander Heiden
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215 USA ; Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
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167
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Sun L, Song L, Wan Q, Wu G, Li X, Wang Y, Wang J, Liu Z, Zhong X, He X, Shen S, Pan X, Li A, Wang Y, Gao P, Tang H, Zhang H. cMyc-mediated activation of serine biosynthesis pathway is critical for cancer progression under nutrient deprivation conditions. Cell Res 2015; 25:429-44. [PMID: 25793315 DOI: 10.1038/cr.2015.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 216] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2014] [Revised: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 01/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells are known to undergo metabolic reprogramming to sustain survival and rapid proliferation, however, it remains to be fully elucidated how oncogenic lesions coordinate the metabolic switch under various stressed conditions. Here we show that deprivation of glucose or glutamine, two major nutrition sources for cancer cells, dramatically activated serine biosynthesis pathway (SSP) that was accompanied by elevated cMyc expression. We further identified that cMyc stimulated SSP activation by transcriptionally upregulating expression of multiple SSP enzymes. Moreover, we demonstrated that SSP activation facilitated by cMyc led to elevated glutathione (GSH) production, cell cycle progression and nucleic acid synthesis, which are essential for cell survival and proliferation especially under nutrient-deprived conditions. We further uncovered that phosphoserine phosphatase (PSPH), the final rate-limiting enzyme of the SSP pathway, is critical for cMyc-driven cancer progression both in vitro and in vivo, and importantly, aberrant expression of PSPH is highly correlated with mortality in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients, suggesting a potential causal relation between this cMyc-regulated enzyme, or SSP activation in general, and cancer development. Taken together, our results reveal that aberrant expression of cMyc leads to the enhanced SSP activation, an essential part of metabolic switch, to facilitate cancer progression under nutrient-deprived conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linchong Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Libing Song
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China and Departments of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Qianfen Wan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Gongwei Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Xinghua Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in Southern China and Departments of Experimental Research, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510060, China
| | - Yinghui Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Jin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China
| | - Zhaoji Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Xiuying Zhong
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Xiaoping He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Shengqi Shen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Xin Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, China National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Ailing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Proteomics, China National Center of Biomedical Analysis, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Yulan Wang
- 1] CAS Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China [2] Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310058, China
| | - Ping Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Huiru Tang
- 1] CAS Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430071, China [2] State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Collaborative Innovation Center for Genetics and Development, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Huafeng Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Innate Immunity and Chronic Disease, Innovation Center for Cell Signaling Network, School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
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168
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BIX-01294-induced autophagy regulates elongation of primary cilia. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 460:428-33. [PMID: 25796328 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.03.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2015] [Accepted: 03/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Previously, we showed that BIX-01294 treatment strongly activates autophagy. Although, the interplay between autophagy and ciliogenesis has been suggested, the role of autophagy in ciliogenesis is controversial and largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effects of autophagy induced by BIX-01294 on the formation of primary cilia in human retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells. Treatment of RPE cells with BIX-01294 caused strong elongation of the primary cilium and increased the number of ciliated cells, as well as autophagy activation. The elongated cilia in serum starved cultured cells were gradually decreased by re-feeding the cells with normal growth medium. However, the disassembly of cilia was blocked in the BIX-01294-treated cells. In addition, both genetic and chemical inhibition of autophagy suppressed BIX-01294-mediated ciliogenesis in RPE cells. Taken together, these results suggest that autophagy induced by BIX-01294 positively regulates the elongation of primary cilium.
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169
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Cui J, Sun W, Hao X, Wei M, Su X, Zhang Y, Su L, Liu X. EHMT2 inhibitor BIX-01294 induces apoptosis through PMAIP1-USP9X-MCL1 axis in human bladder cancer cells. Cancer Cell Int 2015; 15:4. [PMID: 25685062 PMCID: PMC4326523 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-014-0149-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BIX-01294, an euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2) inhibitor, has been reported to induce apoptosis in human neuroblastoma cells and inhibit the proliferation of bladder cancer cells. However, the definite mechanism of the apoptosis mediated by BIX-01294 in bladder cancer cells remains unclear. In the present study, we found that BIX-01294 induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in human bladder cancer cells. Moreover, our data show BIX-01294 stimulates endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress) and up-regulated expression of PMAIP1 through DDIT3 up-regulation. Furthermore, down-regulation of the deubiquitinase USP9X by BIX-01294 results in downstream reduction of MCL1 expression, leading to apoptosis eventually. Thus, our findings demonstrate PMAIP1-USP9X-MCL1 axis may contribute to BIX-01294-induced apoptosis in human bladder cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Cui
- Shandong University School of Life Sciences, Room 103, South Building, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan, 250100 China
| | - Wendong Sun
- The Second Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Xuexi Hao
- The Second Hospital, Shandong University, Jinan, China
| | - Minli Wei
- Shandong University School of Life Sciences, Room 103, South Building, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan, 250100 China
| | - Xiaonan Su
- Shandong University School of Life Sciences, Room 103, South Building, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan, 250100 China
| | - Yajing Zhang
- Shandong University School of Life Sciences, Room 103, South Building, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan, 250100 China
| | - Ling Su
- Shandong University School of Life Sciences, Room 103, South Building, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan, 250100 China
| | - Xiangguo Liu
- Shandong University School of Life Sciences, Room 103, South Building, 27 Shanda South Road, Jinan, 250100 China
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170
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Ren A, Qiu Y, Cui H, Fu G. Inhibition of H3K9 methyltransferase G9a induces autophagy and apoptosis in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2015; 459:10-7. [PMID: 25634693 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2015.01.068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2015] [Accepted: 01/16/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To explore whether inhibition of H3K9 Methyltransferase G9a could exert an antitumoral effect in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS First we checked G9a expression in two OSCC cell lines Tca8113 and KB. Next we used a special G9a inhibitor BIX01294 (BIX) to explore the effect of inhibition of G9a on OSCC in vitro. Cell growth was tested by typlan blue staining, MTT assay and Brdu immunofluorescence staining. Cell autophagy was examined by monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining, LC3-II immunofluorescence staining and LC3-II western blot assay. Cell apoptosis was checked by FITC Annexin-V and PI labeling, tunnel staining and caspase 3 western blot assay. Finally, the effect of inhibition of G9a on clonogenesis and tumorigenesis capacity of OSCC was analyzed by soft agar growth and xenograft model. RESULTS Here we showed that G9a was expressed in both Tca8113 and KB cells. Inhibition of G9a using BIX significantly reduced cell growth and proliferation in Tca8113 and KB. Inhibition of G9a induced cell autophagy with conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II and cell apoptosis with the expression of cleaved caspase 3. We also found that inhibition of G9a reduced colony formation in soft agar and repressed tumor growth in mouse xenograph model. CONCLUSION Our results suggested that G9a might be a potential epigenetic target for OSCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aishu Ren
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, PR China; Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, PR China
| | - Yu Qiu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, PR China; Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, PR China
| | - Hongjuan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400716, PR China
| | - Gang Fu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory for Oral Diseases and Biomedical Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, PR China; Affiliated Hospital of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 401147, PR China.
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171
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McGrath J, Trojer P. Targeting histone lysine methylation in cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2015; 150:1-22. [PMID: 25578037 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2015.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 12/03/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Within the vast landscape of histone modifications lysine methylation has gained increasing attention because of its profound regulatory potential. The methylation of lysine residues on histone proteins modulates chromatin structure and thereby contributes to the regulation of DNA-based nuclear processes such as transcription, replication and repair. Protein families with opposing catalytic activities, lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) and demethylases (KDMs), dynamically control levels of histone lysine methylation and individual enzymes within these families have become candidate oncology targets in recent years. A number of high quality small molecule inhibitors of these enzymes have been identified. Several of these compounds elicit selective cancer cell killing in vitro and robust efficacy in vivo, suggesting that targeting 'histone lysine methylation pathways' may be a relevant, emerging cancer therapeutic strategy. Here, we discuss individual histone lysine methylation pathway targets, the properties of currently available small molecule inhibitors and their application in the context of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- John McGrath
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, 215 1st Street Suite 200, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Patrick Trojer
- Constellation Pharmaceuticals, 215 1st Street Suite 200, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA.
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172
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SHMT1 knockdown induces apoptosis in lung cancer cells by causing uracil misincorporation. Cell Death Dis 2014; 5:e1525. [PMID: 25412303 PMCID: PMC4260740 DOI: 10.1038/cddis.2014.482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 10/03/2014] [Accepted: 10/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Reprogramming of cellular metabolism towards de novo serine production fuels the growth of cancer cells, providing essential precursors such as amino acids and nucleotides and controlling the antioxidant and methylation capacities of the cell. The enzyme serine hydroxymethyltransferase (SHMT) has a key role in this metabolic shift, and directs serine carbons to one-carbon units metabolism and thymidilate synthesis. While the mitochondrial isoform of SHMT (SHMT2) has recently been identified as an important player in the control of cell proliferation in several cancer types and as a hot target for anticancer therapies, the role of the cytoplasmic isoform (SHMT1) in cancerogenesis is currently less defined. In this paper we show that SHMT1 is overexpressed in tissue samples from lung cancer patients and lung cancer cell lines, suggesting that, in this widespread type of tumor, SHMT1 plays a relevant role. We show that SHMT1 knockdown in lung cancer cells leads to cell cycle arrest and, more importantly, to p53-dependent apoptosis. Our data demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis does not depend on serine or glycine starvation, but is because of the increased uracil accumulation during DNA replication.
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173
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Srimongkolpithak N, Sundriyal S, Li F, Vedadi M, Fuchter MJ. Identification of 2,4-diamino-6,7-dimethoxyquinoline derivatives as G9a inhibitors†Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4md00274a. MEDCHEMCOMM 2014; 5:1821-1828. [PMID: 25750706 PMCID: PMC4349132 DOI: 10.1039/c4md00274a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 08/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
With the aim of discovering novel G9a inhibitory chemotypes, we have identified a new quinoline inhibitor scaffold and better defined the pharmacophoric features of the central heterocycle.
G9a is a histone lysine methyltransferase (HKMT) involved in epigenetic regulation via the installation of histone methylation marks. 6,7-Dimethoxyquinazoline analogues, such as BIX-01294, are established as potent, substrate competitive inhibitors of G9a. With an objective to identify novel chemotypes for substrate competitive inhibitors of G9a, we have designed and synthesised a range of heterocyclic scaffolds, and investigated their ability to inhibit G9a. These studies have led to improved understanding of the key pharmacophoric features of BIX-01294 and the identification of a new core quinoline inhibitory scaffold, which retains excellent potency and high selectivity. Molecular docking was carried out to explain the observed in vitro data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nitipol Srimongkolpithak
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , London SW7 2AZ , UK . m. ; ; Tel: +44 (0)2075945815 ; Institute of Chemical Biology , Imperial College London , London SW7 2AZ , UK
| | - Sandeep Sundriyal
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , London SW7 2AZ , UK . m. ; ; Tel: +44 (0)2075945815
| | - Fengling Li
- Structural Genomics Consortium , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5G 1L7 , Canada
| | - Masoud Vedadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium , University of Toronto , Toronto , Ontario M5G 1L7 , Canada
| | - Matthew J Fuchter
- Department of Chemistry , Imperial College London , London SW7 2AZ , UK . m. ; ; Tel: +44 (0)2075945815
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174
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Hua KT, Wang MY, Chen MW, Wei LH, Chen CK, Ko CH, Jeng YM, Sung PL, Jan YH, Hsiao M, Kuo ML, Yen ML. The H3K9 methyltransferase G9a is a marker of aggressive ovarian cancer that promotes peritoneal metastasis. Mol Cancer 2014; 13:189. [PMID: 25115793 PMCID: PMC4260797 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 107] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ovarian cancer (OCa) peritoneal metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women with limited therapeutic options available for treating it and poor prognosis, as the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. METHOD The clinicopathological correlation of G9a expression was assessed in tumor specimens of ovarian cancer patients. Knockdown or overexpression of G9a in ovarian cancer cell lines was analysed with regard to its effect on adhesion, migration, invasion and anoikis-resistance. In vivo biological functions of G9a were tested by i.p. xenograft ovarian cancer models. Microarray and quantitative RT-PCR were used to analyze G9a-regulated downstream target genes. RESULTS We found that the expression of histone methyltransferase G9a was highly correlated with late stage, high grade, and serous-type OCa. Higher G9a expression predicted a shorter survival in ovarian cancer patients. Furthermore, G9a expression was higher in metastatic lesions compared with their corresponding ovarian primary tumors. Knockdown of G9a expression suppressed prometastatic cellular activities including adhesion, migration, invasion and anoikis-resistance of ovarian cancer cell lines, while G9a over-expression promoted these cellular properties. G9a depletion significantly attenuated the development of ascites and tumor nodules in a peritoneal dissemination model. Importantly, microarray and quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that G9a regulates a cohort of tumor suppressor genes including CDH1, DUSP5, SPRY4, and PPP1R15A in ovarian cancer. Expression of these genes was also inversely correlated with G9a expression in OCa specimens. CONCLUSION We propose that G9a contributes to multiple steps of ovarian cancer metastasis and represents a novel target to combat this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Min-Liang Kuo
- Graduate Institute of Toxicology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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175
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Li KC, Hua KT, Lin YS, Su CY, Ko JY, Hsiao M, Kuo ML, Tan CT. Inhibition of G9a induces DUSP4-dependent autophagic cell death in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Mol Cancer 2014; 13:172. [PMID: 25027955 PMCID: PMC4107555 DOI: 10.1186/1476-4598-13-172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common cancer worldwide. Emerging evidence indicates that alteration of epigenetics might be a key event in HNSCC progression. Abnormal expression of histone methyltransferase G9a, which contributes to transcriptional repression of tumor suppressors, has been implicated in promoting cancerous malignancies. However, its role in HNSCC has not been previously characterized. In this study, we elucidate the function of G9a and its downstream mechanism in HNSCC. METHODS We investigated the clinical relevance of G9a in HNSCC using immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. In vitro cell proliferation and tumorigenesis ability of G9a-manipulated HNSCC cells were examined with MTT assays, clonogenic assays, and soft agar assays. We examined different routes of cell death in HNSCC cells induced by G9a-depletion or enzymatic inhibition by immunoblot, flow cytometry, fluorescent and transmission electron microscopy analysis. Specific targets of G9a were identified by affymetrix microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Lastly, functions of G9a in vivo were confirmed with a xenograft tumor model. RESULTS G9a expression is positively correlated to proliferation marker Ki-67 and to poor prognosis in HNSCC patients. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of G9a reduced cell proliferation without inducing necrosis or apoptosis. Instead, autophagic cell death was the major consequence, and our investigation of mechanisms suggested it is mediated via the dual specificity phosphatase-4 (DUSP4) dependent ERK inactivation pathway. An orthotopic tumor model further confirmed the growth inhibiting effect and induction of autophagy that followed suppression of G9a. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we provide evidence that G9a confers the survival advantage of HNSCC. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of G9a induces autophagic cell death; this finding provides a basis for new therapeutic targets for treating HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ching-Ting Tan
- Department of Otolaryngology, National Taiwan University Hospital and National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
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176
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Benoit YD, Guezguez B, Boyd AL, Bhatia M. Molecular pathways: epigenetic modulation of Wnt-glycogen synthase kinase-3 signaling to target human cancer stem cells. Clin Cancer Res 2014; 20:5372-8. [PMID: 25006223 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-13-2491] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Aberrant regulation of the canonical Wnt signaling pathway (Wnt-β-catenin-GSK3 axis) has been a prevalent theme in cancer biology since earlier observations until recent genetic discoveries gleaned from tumor genome sequencing. During the last few decades, a large body of work demonstrated the involvement of the Wnt-β-catenin-GSK3 signaling axis in the formation and maintenance of cancer stem cells (CSC) responsible for tumor growth in several types of human malignancies. Recent studies have elucidated epigenetic mechanisms that control pluripotency and stemness, and allow a first assessment on how embryonic and normal tissue stem cells are dysregulated in cancer to give rise to CSCs, and how canonical Wnt signaling might be involved. Here, we review emerging concepts highlighting the critical role of epigenetics in CSC development through abnormal canonical Wnt signaling. Finally, we refer to the characterization of novel and powerful inhibitors of chromatin organization machinery that, in turn, restore the Wnt-β-catenin-GSK3 signaling axis in malignant cells, and describe attempts/relevance to bring these compounds into preclinical and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yannick D Benoit
- Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Borhane Guezguez
- Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Allison L Boyd
- Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Department of Biochemistry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Mickie Bhatia
- Stem Cell and Cancer Research Institute, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Department of Biochemistry, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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