FATS is an E2-independent ubiquitin ligase that stabilizes p53 and promotes its activation in response to DNA damage

FATS inhibits the Wnt pathway and induces apoptosis through degradation of MYH9 and enhances sensitivity to paclitaxel in breast cancer

Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and diverse malignancies, and, with global cases increasing, the need for biomarkers to inform individual sensitivity to chemotherapeutics has never been greater. Our retrospective clinical analysis predicted that the expression of the fragile site-associated tumor suppressor (FATS) gene was associated with the sensitivity of breast cancer to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel. In vitro experiments subsequently demonstrated that FATS significantly increased the inhibitory effects of paclitaxel on breast cancer cells' migration, growth, and survival. An interaction screen revealed that FATS interacted with MYH9 and promoted its degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, thereby downregulating Wnt signaling. By overexpressing FATS and MYH9, we demonstrated that FATS enhanced paclitaxel-induced apoptosis in breast cancer cells by degrading MYH9 to downregulate the Wnt pathway. We also demonstrated in a mouse xenograft model that FATS significantly increased the chemosensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel in vivo. This study presents a new mechanism by which FATS interacts with MYH9 to suppress the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and induce apoptosis, thus enhancing the sensitivity of breast cancer cells to paclitaxel chemotherapy. The results also propose novel biomarkers for predicting breast cancer sensitivity to neoadjuvant chemotherapy with paclitaxel. Finally, we provide in vivo evidence that the combination of paclitaxel with IWR-1, a novel Wnt pathway inhibitor, synergistically suppresses breast cancer growth, laying the foundation for future trials with this drug combination. These results therefore provide a number of potential solutions for more precise treatment of patients with breast cancer in the future.

Novel Oncogenic Value of C10orf90 in Colon Cancer Identified as a Clinical Diagnostic and Prognostic Marker

C10orf90, a tumor suppressor, can inhibit the occurrence and development of tumors. Therefore, we investigated the gene function of C10orf90 in various tumors using multiple pan-cancer datasets. Pan-cancer analysis results reveal that the expression levels of C10orf90 vary across different tumors and hold significant value in the clinical diagnosis and prognosis of patients with various tumors. In some cancers, the expression level of C10orf90 is correlated with CNV, DNA methylation, immune subtypes, immune cell infiltration, and drug sensitivity in the tumors. In particular, in COAD, the C10orf90 gene is implicated in multiple processes associated with COAD. Cell experiments demonstrate that C10orf90 suppresses the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells while promoting apoptosis. In summary, C10orf90 plays a role in the onset and progression of various cancers and could potentially serve as an effective diagnostic and prognostic marker for cancer patients. Notably, in COAD, C10orf90 inhibits the proliferation and migration of colon cancer cells, induces apoptosis, and is linked to the advancement of colon cancer.

Association study between C10orf90 gene polymorphisms and colorectal cancer

Background

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common malignant tumor in the world. The morbidity and mortality rates in Western countries have decreased, but they are still on the rise in China. C10orf90 is associated with a variety of cancers, but the correlation between C10orf90 and CRC is not yet known.

Methods

A total of 1,339 subjects were randomly enrolled in our study. After extracting their DNA, three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of C10orf90 were genotyped to analyze the potential relationship between these variants and CRC risk. PLINK software packages (version 1.07) were used to evaluate multiple genetic models by calculating the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The best SNP-SNP interaction model was defined by the multifactor dimensionality reduction (MDR) analysis.

Results

C10orf90 rs12412320 was significantly associated with CRC risk (p = 0.006) and might be associated with the lower CRC risk (OR: 0.78; 95% CI: 0.65-0.93). The relationship of rs12412320 with lower CRC risk was found in people aged >60 years and ≤60 years, women, non-smokers, or non-drinkers. Rs11245008 in people aged ≤60 years and rs11245007 among men had a higher CRC susceptibility. Rs12412320 was related to the lower risk of advanced stages (III/IV stage), while rs11245007 might be associated with the higher risk of advanced stages (III/IV stage). Moreover, rs12412320 had the most significant relationship with the susceptibility to rectal cancer.

Conclusion

This study is the first to report between C10orf90 gene polymorphisms and CRC risk in Chinese people, which suggests that C10orf90 rs12412320 might play a crucial role in preventing CRC occurrence.

Gene losses may contribute to subterranean adaptations in naked mole-rat and blind mole-rat

Background

Naked mole-rats (Heterocephalus glaber, NMRs) and blind mole-rats (Spalax galili, BMRs) are representative subterranean rodents that have evolved many extraordinary traits, including hypoxia tolerance, longevity, and cancer resistance. Although multiple candidate loci responsible for these traits have been uncovered by genomic studies, many of them are limited to functional changes to amino acid sequence and little is known about the contributions of other genetic events. To address this issue, we focused on gene losses (unitary pseudogenes) and systematically analyzed gene losses in NMRs and BMRs, aiming to elucidate the potential roles of pseudogenes in their adaptation to subterranean lifestyle.

Results

We obtained the pseudogene repertoires in NMRs and BMRs, as well as their respective aboveground relatives, guinea pigs and rats, on a genome-wide scale. As a result, 167, 139, 341, and 112 pseudogenes were identified in NMRs, BMRs, guinea pigs, and rats, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis identified 4 shared and 2 species-specific enriched functional groups (EFGs) in subterranean lineages. Notably, the pseudogenes in these EFGs might be associated with either regressive (e.g., visual system) or adaptive (e.g., altered DNA damage response) traits. In addition, several pseudogenes including TNNI3K and PDE5A might be associated with specific cardiac features observed in subterranean lineages. Interestingly, we observed 20 convergent gene losses in NMRs and BMRs. Given that the functional investigations of these genes are generally scarce, we provided functional evidence that independent loss of TRIM17 in NMRs and BMRs might be beneficial for neuronal survival under hypoxia, supporting the positive role of eliminating TRIM17 function in hypoxia adaptation. Our results also suggested that pseudogenes, together with positively selected genes, reinforced subterranean adaptations cooperatively.

Conclusions

Our study provides new insights into the molecular underpinnings of subterranean adaptations and highlights the importance of gene losses in mammalian evolution.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01243-0.

Transcriptome Analysis of Pterygium and Pinguecula Reveals Evidence of Genomic Instability Associated with Chronic Inflammation

Solar damage due to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is implicated in the development of two proliferative lesions of the ocular surface: pterygium and pinguecula. Pterygium and pinguecula specimens were collected, along with adjacent healthy conjunctiva specimens. RNA was extracted and sequenced. Pairwise comparisons were made of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Computational methods were used for analysis. Transcripts from 18,630 genes were identified. Comparison of two subgroups of pterygium specimens uncovered evidence of genomic instability associated with inflammation and the immune response; these changes were also observed in pinguecula, but to a lesser extent. Among the top DEGs were four genes encoding tumor suppressors that were downregulated in pterygium: C10orf90, RARRES1, DMBT1 and SCGB3A1; C10orf90 and RARRES1 were also downregulated in pinguecula. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis overwhelmingly linked DEGs to cancer for both lesions; however, both lesions are clearly still benign, as evidenced by the expression of other genes indicating their well-differentiated and non-invasive character. Pathways for epithelial cell proliferation were identified that distinguish the two lesions, as well as genes encoding specific pathway components. Upregulated DEGs common to both lesions, including KRT9 and TRPV3, provide a further insight into pathophysiology. Our findings suggest that pterygium and pinguecula, while benign lesions, are both on the pathological pathway towards neoplastic transformation.

Loss of fragile site-associated tumor suppressor promotes antitumor immunity via macrophage polarization

Common fragile sites (CFSs) are specific breakage-prone genomic regions and are present frequently in cancer cells. The (E2-independent) E3 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme FATS (fragile site-associated tumor suppressor) has antitumor activity in cancer cells, but the function of FATS in immune cells is unknown. Here, we report a function of FATS in tumor development via regulation of tumor immunity. Fats^-/- mice show reduced subcutaneous B16 melanoma and H7 pancreatic tumor growth compared with WT controls. The reduced tumor growth in Fats^-/- mice is macrophage dependent and is associated with a phenotypic shift of macrophages within the tumor from tumor-promoting M2-like to antitumor M1-like macrophages. In addition, FATS deficiency promotes M1 polarization by stimulating and prolonging NF-κB activation by disrupting NF-κB/IκBα negative feedback loops and indirectly enhances both CD4⁺ T helper type 1 (Th1) and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) adaptive immune responses to promote tumor regression. Notably, transfer of Fats^-/- macrophages protects mice against B16 melanoma. Together, these data suggest that FATS functions as an immune regulator and is a potential target in cancer immunotherapy.

Genome-wide association study of resistance to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection identifies a locus at 10q26.2 in three distinct populations

The natural history of tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by a large inter-individual outcome variability after exposure to Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Specifically, some highly exposed individuals remain resistant to M. tuberculosis infection, as inferred by tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs). We performed a genome-wide association study of resistance to M. tuberculosis infection in an endemic region of Southern Vietnam. We enrolled household contacts (HHC) of pulmonary TB cases and compared subjects who were negative for both TST and IGRA (n = 185) with infected individuals (n = 353) who were either positive for both TST and IGRA or had a diagnosis of TB. We found a genome-wide significant locus on chromosome 10q26.2 with a cluster of variants associated with strong protection against M. tuberculosis infection (OR = 0.42, 95%CI 0.35–0.49, P = 3.71×10⁻⁸, for the genotyped variant rs17155120). The locus was replicated in a French multi-ethnic HHC cohort and a familial admixed cohort from a hyper-endemic area of South Africa, with an overall OR for rs17155120 estimated at 0.50 (95%CI 0.45–0.55, P = 1.26×10⁻⁹). The variants are located in intronic regions and upstream of C10orf90, a tumor suppressor gene which encodes an ubiquitin ligase activating the transcription factor p53. In silico analysis showed that the protective alleles were associated with a decreased expression in monocytes of the nearby gene ADAM12 which could lead to an enhanced response of Th17 lymphocytes. Our results reveal a novel locus controlling resistance to M. tuberculosis infection across different populations.

There is strong epidemiological evidence that a proportion of highly exposed individuals remain resistant to M. tuberculosis infection, as shown by a negative result for Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) or IFN-γ Release Assays (IGRAs). We performed a genome-wide association study between resistant and infected individuals, which were carefully selected employing a household contact design to maximize exposure by infectious index patients. We employed stringently defined concordant results for both TST and IGRA assays to avoid misclassifications. We discovered a locus at 10q26.2 associated with resistance to M. tuberculosis infection in a Vietnamese discovery cohort. This locus could be replicated in two independent cohorts from different epidemiological settings and of diverse ancestries enrolled in France and South Africa.

FATS regulates polyamine biosynthesis by promoting ODC degradation in an ERβ-dependent manner in non-small-cell lung cancer

Polyamine biosynthesis is an essential metabolic pathway for cell growth and differentiation in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Fragile-site associated tumour suppressor (FATS) is a novel gene involved in cancer. The results of our previous study showed that FATS-mediated polyubiquitination of p53 promotes the activation of p53 in response to DNA damage; however, little is known about the role of FATS in metabolic reprogramming in NSCLC. In the present study, FATS was observed to be significantly downregulated in NSCLC tissues compared with paired adjacent normal tissues and was associated with the survival of NSCLC patients. We further showed that the presence of the tumour suppressor FATS in NSCLC cells led to apoptosis by inducing pro-death autophagy. In addition, FATS was shown to function as a suppressor of polyamine biosynthesis by inhibiting ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) at the protein and mRNA levels, which was partially dependent on oestrogen receptor (ER). Furthermore, FATS was observed to bind to ERβ and translocate to the cytosol, leading to ODC degradation. The findings of our study demonstrate that FATS plays important roles in polyamine metabolism in NSCLC and provides a new perspective for NSCLC progression.

F-Box Proteins and Cancer

Controlled protein degradation is essential for the operation of a variety of cellular processes including cell division, growth, and differentiation. Identification of the relations between ubiquitin ligases and their substrates is key to understanding the molecular basis of cancer development and to the discovery of novel targets for cancer therapeutics. F-box proteins function as the substrate recognition subunits of S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 (SKP1)−Cullin1 (CUL1)−F-box protein (SCF) ubiquitin ligase complexes. Here, we summarize the roles of specific F-box proteins that have been shown to function as tumor promoters or suppressors. We also highlight proto-oncoproteins that are targeted for ubiquitylation by multiple F-box proteins, and discuss how these F-box proteins are deployed to regulate their cognate substrates in various situations.

Structural insights into a HECT-type E3 ligase AREL1 and its ubiquitination activities in vitro

The HECT E3 ligase family comprises three subfamilies: NEDD4 E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (NEDD4), HECT and RLD domain-containing E3 ubiquitin protein ligase (HERC), and "other." Most previous studies have focused on the NEDD4 subfamily. Apoptosis-resistant E3 ligase 1 (AREL1) belongs to "other" subfamily HECT that inhibits apoptosis by ubiquitinating and degrading proapoptotic proteins. Here, we report the crystal structure of the extended HECT domain of AREL1 (amino acids (aa) 436-823) at 2.4 Å resolution and its ubiquitination of the proapoptotic protein second mitochondria-derived activator of caspase (SMAC). We found that the extended HECT domain adopts an inverted, T-shaped, bilobed conformation and harbors an additional loop (aa 567-573) absent in all other HECT members. We also show that the N-terminal extended region (aa 436-482) preceding the HECT domain is indispensable for its stability and activity and that without this region, the HECT domain becomes inactive. AREL1 ubiquitinated SMAC, primarily on Lys⁶² and Lys¹⁹¹ We solved the crystal structure of the tetrameric form of SMAC to 2.8 Å resolution, revealing the Lys⁶² and Lys¹⁹¹ locations. The AREL1 HECT domain assembled Lys³³-, Lys⁴⁸-, and Lys⁶³-linked polyubiquitin chains. Moreover, E701A substitution in the AREL1 HECT domain substantially increased its autopolyubiquitination and SMAC ubiquitination activity, whereas deletion of the last three amino acids at the C terminus completely abrogated AREL1 autoubiquitination and reduced SMAC ubiquitination. Finally, an AREL1-specific ubiquitin variant inhibited SMAC ubiquitination in vitro Our findings may assist in the development of AREL1 inhibitors that block its anti-apoptotic activity in cancer.

DNA methylation modifier LSH inhibits p53 ubiquitination and transactivates p53 to promote lipid metabolism

BACKGROUND

The stability of p53 is mainly controlled by ubiquitin-dependent degradation, which is triggered by the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. The chromatin modifier lymphoid-specific helicase (LSH) is essential for DNA methylation and cancer progression as a transcriptional repressor. The potential interplay between chromatin modifiers and transcription factors remains largely unknown.

RESULTS

Here, we present data suggesting that LSH regulates p53 in cis through two pathways: prevention proteasomal degradation through its deubiquitination, which is achieved by reducing the lysine 11-linked, lysine 48-linked polyubiquitin chains (K11 and K48) on p53; and revival of the transcriptional activity of p53 by forming a complex with PKM2 (pyruvate kinase 2). Furthermore, we confirmed that the LSH-PKM2 interaction occurred at the intersubunit interface region of the PKM2 C-terminal region and the coiled-coil domains (CC) and ATP-binding domains of LSH, and this interaction regulated p53-mediated transactivation in cis in lipid metabolism, especially lipid catabolism.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that LSH is a novel regulator of p53 through the proteasomal pathway, thereby providing an alternative mechanism of p53 involvement in lipid metabolism in cancer.

Depletion of Gram-Positive Bacteria Impacts Hepatic Biological Functions During the Light Phase

Living organisms display internal biological rhythms, which are an evolutionarily conserved adaptation to the environment that drives their rhythmic behavioral and physiological activities. The gut microbiota has been proposed, in association with diet, to regulate the intestinal peripheral clock. However, the effect of gut dysbiosis on liver remains elusive, despite that germfree mice show alterations in liver metabolic functions and the hepatic daily rhythm. We analyzed whether the disruption of gut microbial populations with various antibiotics would differentially impact liver functions in mice. Our results support the notion of an impact on the hepatic biological rhythm by gram-positive bacteria. In addition, we provide evidence for differential roles of gut microbiota spectra in xenobiotic metabolism that could protect against the harmful pharmacological effects of drugs. Our results underscore a possible link between liver cell proliferation and gram-positive bacteria.

ALMS1 and Alström syndrome: a recessive form of metabolic, neurosensory and cardiac deficits

Alström syndrome (AS) is characterised by metabolic deficits, retinal dystrophy, sensorineural hearing loss, dilated cardiomyopathy and multi-organ fibrosis. Elucidating the function of the mutated gene, ALMS1, is critical for the development of specific treatments and may uncover pathways relevant to a range of other disorders including common forms of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Interest in ALMS1 is heightened by the recent discovery of its involvement in neonatal cardiomyocyte cell cycle arrest, a process with potential relevance to regenerative medicine. ALMS1 encodes a ~ 0.5 megadalton protein that localises to the base of centrioles. Some studies have suggested a role for this protein in maintaining centriole-nucleated sensory organelles termed primary cilia, and AS is now considered to belong to the growing class of human genetic disorders linked to ciliary dysfunction (ciliopathies). However, mechanistic details are lacking, and recent studies have implicated ALMS1 in several processes including endosomal trafficking, actin organisation, maintenance of centrosome cohesion and transcription. In line with a more complex picture, multiple isoforms of the protein likely exist and non-centrosomal sites of localisation have been reported. This review outlines the evidence for both ciliary and extra-ciliary functions of ALMS1.

A functional genetic variant in fragile-site gene FATS modulates the risk of breast cancer in triparous women

Background

The fragile-site associated tumor suppressor (FATS, formerly known as C10orf90), a regulator of p53-p21 pathway has been involved in the onset of breast cancer. Recent data support the idea that the crosstalk between FATS and p53 may be of physiological importance for reproduction during evolution. The aim of the current study was to test the hypothesis that FATS genetic polymorphism can influence the risk of breast cancer.

Methods

We conducted population-based studies in two independent cohorts comprising 1 532 cases and 1 573 controls in Tianjin of North China, and 804 cases and 835 controls in Guangzhou of South China, coupled with functional validation methods, to investigate the role of FATS genetic variant in breast cancer risk.

Results

We identified a functional variant rs11245007 (905C > T, 262D/N) in fragile-site gene FATS that modulates p53 activation. FATS-262 N exhibited stronger E3 activity to polyubiquitinate p53 than did FATS-262D, leading to the stronger transcriptional activity of p53 and more pronounced stabilization of p53 protein and its activation in response to DNA damage. Case–control studies found that CT or TT genotype was significantly associated with a protective effect on breast cancer risk in women with parity ≥ 3, which was not affected by family history.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest the role of FATS-p53 signaling cascade in suppressing pregnancy-related carcinogenesis and potential application of FATS genotyping in breast cancer prevention.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12885-015-1570-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

NKX3.1 Suppresses TMPRSS2-ERG Gene Rearrangement and Mediates Repair of Androgen Receptor-Induced DNA Damage

TMPRSS2 gene rearrangements occur at DNA breaks formed during androgen receptor-mediated transcription and activate expression of ETS transcription factors at the early stages of more than half of prostate cancers. NKX3.1, a prostate tumor suppressor that accelerates the DNA repair response, binds to androgen receptor at the ERG gene breakpoint and inhibits both the juxtaposition of the TMPRSS2 and ERG gene loci and also their recombination. NKX3.1 acts by accelerating DNA repair after androgen-induced transcriptional activation. NKX3.1 influences the recruitment of proteins that promote homology-directed DNA repair. Loss of NKX3.1 favors recruitment to the ERG gene breakpoint of proteins that promote error-prone nonhomologous end-joining. Analysis of prostate cancer tissues showed that the presence of a TMPRSS2-ERG rearrangement was highly correlated with lower levels of NKX3.1 expression consistent with the role of NKX3.1 as a suppressor of the pathogenic gene rearrangement.

Common fragile sites: genomic hotspots of DNA damage and carcinogenesis

Genomic instability, a hallmark of cancer, occurs preferentially at specific genomic regions known as common fragile sites (CFSs). CFSs are evolutionarily conserved and late replicating regions with AT-rich sequences, and CFS instability is correlated with cancer. In the last decade, much progress has been made toward understanding the mechanisms of chromosomal instability at CFSs. However, despite tremendous efforts, identifying a cancer-associated CFS gene (CACG) remains a challenge and little is known about the function of CACGs at most CFS loci. Recent studies of FATS (for Fragile-site Associated Tumor Suppressor), a new CACG at FRA10F, reveal an active role of this CACG in regulating DNA damage checkpoints and suppressing tumorigenesis. The identification of FATS may inspire more discoveries of other uncharacterized CACGs. Further elucidation of the biological functions and clinical significance of CACGs may be exploited for cancer biomarkers and therapeutic benefits.