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Shi Y, Qin B, Fan X, Li Y, Wang Y, Yuan W, Jiang Z, Zhu P, Chen J, Chen Y, Li F, Wan Y, Wu X, Zhuang J. Novel biphasic mechanism of the canonical Wnt signalling component PYGO2 promotes cardiomyocyte differentiation from hUC-MSCs. Cell Tissue Res 2023:10.1007/s00441-023-03774-6. [PMID: 37233752 DOI: 10.1007/s00441-023-03774-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hUC-MSCs) are used to regenerate the myocardium during cardiac repair after myocardial infarction. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying their ability to form mesodermal cells and differentiate into cardiomyocytes remains unclear. Here, we established a human-derived MSCs line isolated from healthy umbilical cords and established a cell model of the natural state to examine the differentiation of hUC-MSCs into cardiomyocytes. Quantitative RT-PCR, western blotting, immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, RNA Seq, and inhibitors of canonical Wnt signalling were used to detect the germ-layer markers T and MIXL1; the markers of cardiac progenitor cells MESP1, GATA4, and NKX2.5 and the cardiomyocyte-marker cTnT to identify the molecular mechanism associated with PYGO2, a key component of the canonical Wnt signalling pathway that regulates the formation of cardiomyocyte-like cells. We demonstrated that PYGO2 promotes the formation of mesodermal-like cells and their differentiation into cardiomyocytes through the hUC-MSC-dependent canonical Wnt signalling by promoting the early-stage entry of β-catenin into the nucleus. Surprisingly, PYGO2 did not alter the expression of the canonical-Wnt, NOTCH, or BMP signalling pathways during the middle-late stages. In contrast, PI3K-Akt signalling promoted hUC-MSCs formation and their differentiation into cardiomyocyte-like cells. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate that PYGO2 uses a biphasic mechanism to promote cardiomyocyte formation from hUC-MSCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Shi
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100, China
- Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and 3D Technologies for Cardiovascular Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Bin Qin
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Xiongwei Fan
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100, China
| | - Yongqing Li
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Yuequn Wang
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Wuzhou Yuan
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Zhigang Jiang
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Ping Zhu
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Jimei Chen
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100, China
| | - Yu Chen
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Li
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China
| | - Yongqi Wan
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China.
| | - Xiushan Wu
- The Center for Heart Development, State Key Laboratory of Development Biology of Freshwater Fish, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Hunan, Changsha, 410081, China.
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Targeted Prevention and Treatment of Heart Disease, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jian Zhuang
- Guangdong Cardiovascular Institute, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510100, China.
- Laboratory of Artificial Intelligence and 3D Technologies for Cardiovascular Diseases, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of South China Structural Heart Disease, Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital, Guangdong Academy of Medical Sciences, Guangzhou, 510080, People's Republic of China.
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OMICS Analyses Unraveling Related Gene and Protein-Driven Molecular Mechanisms Underlying PACAP 38-Induced Neurite Outgrowth in PC12 Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044169. [PMID: 36835581 PMCID: PMC9964364 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to understand mechanism/s of neuronal outgrowth in the rat adrenal-derived pheochromocytoma cell line (PC12) under pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP) treatment. Neurite projection elongation was suggested to be mediated via Pac1 receptor-mediated dephosphorylation of CRMP2, where GSK-3β, CDK5, and Rho/ROCK dephosphorylated CRMP2 within 3 h after addition of PACAP, but the dephosphorylation of CRMP2 by PACAP remained unclear. Thus, we attempted to identify the early factors in PACAP-induced neurite projection elongation via omics-based transcriptomic (whole genome DNA microarray) and proteomic (TMT-labeled liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) analyses of gene and protein expression profiles from 5-120 min after PACAP addition. The results revealed a number of key regulators involved in neurite outgrowth, including known ones, called 'Initial Early Factors', e.g., genes Inhba, Fst, Nr4a1,2,3, FAT4, Axin2, and proteins Mis12, Cdk13, Bcl91, CDC42, including categories of 'serotonergic synapse, neuropeptide and neurogenesis, and axon guidance'. cAMP signaling and PI3K-Akt signaling pathways and a calcium signaling pathway might be involved in CRMP2 dephosphorylation. Cross-referencing previous research, we tried to map these molecular components onto potential pathways, and we may provide important new information on molecular mechanisms of neuronal differentiation induced by PACAP. Gene and protein expression data are publicly available at NCBI GSE223333 and ProteomeXchange, identifier PXD039992.
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Nalli M, Masci D, Urbani A, La Regina G, Silvestri R. Emerging Direct Targeting β-Catenin Agents. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27227735. [PMID: 36431838 PMCID: PMC9698307 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant accumulation of β-catenin in the cell nucleus as a result of deregulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is found in various types of cancer. Direct β-catenin targeting agents are being researched despite obstacles; however, specific β-catenin drugs for clinical treatments have not been approved so far. We focused on direct β-catenin targeting of potential therapeutic value as anticancer agents. This review provides recent advances on small molecule β-catenin agents. Structure-activity relationships and biological activities of reported inhibitors are discussed. This work provides useful knowledge in the discovery of β-catenin agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianna Nalli
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy—Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Domiziana Masci
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Andrea Urbani
- Department of Basic Biotechnological Sciences, Intensivological and Perioperative Clinics, Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Largo Francesco Vito 1, 00168 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe La Regina
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy—Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Romano Silvestri
- Laboratory Affiliated with the Institute Pasteur Italy—Cenci Bolognetti Foundation, Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Piazzale Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Li J, Zuo L, Geng Z, Li Q, Cheng Y, Yang Z, Shi R, Zhou Y, Nie W, Wang Y, Zhang X, Ge S, Song X, Hu J. Pygopus2 ameliorates mesenteric adipocyte poor differentiation to alleviate Crohn's disease -like colitis via the Axin2/GSK3β pathway. Cell Prolif 2022; 55:e13292. [PMID: 35707871 PMCID: PMC9528773 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2022] [Revised: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives Crohn's disease (CD) mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) inflammation affects enteritis through the interaction between the mesentery and intestine, and we previously found that poorly differentiated mesenteric adipocytes were related to its inflammatory features. Pygopus2 (Pygo2) is a key negative regulator of adipocyte differentiation. We aimed to determine whether Pygo2 participates in CD mesenteric lesions and whether Pygo2 knockdown would be beneficial in a CD model (Il‐10−/− mice). Methods Pygo2 expression in MAT from control and CD patients and Il‐10−/− mice was measured by immunohistochemistry. Lentiviral transfection was used to regulate Pygo2 expression in Il‐10−/− mice, and the effects on mesenteric adipocyte differentiation, inflammation, and dysfunction during spontaneous colitis, as well as the possible mechanism, were investigated. Results Pygo2 expression was increased in MAT from CD patients and Il‐10−/− mice, and its expression correlated with poor adipocyte differentiation and inflammation. Pygo2 knockdown significantly ameliorated colitis in Il‐10−/− mice. Moreover, the downregulation of Pygo2 gene expression could promote adipocyte differentiation and inhibit adipocyte inflammation in vivo and in vitro, and the effects were at least partly mediated by the Axis inhibition protein 2 (Axin2)/glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3β) pathway. Conclusions The increase in Pygo2 may be related to mesenteric adipocyte poor differentiation and inflammatory features of CD, and Pygo2 inhibition could alleviate CD‐like colitis by improving mesenteric lesions by regulating the Axin2/GSK3β pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Lugen Zuo
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zhijun Geng
- Department of Central Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Qingqing Li
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Yang Cheng
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Zi Yang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Ruohan Shi
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Yueqing Zhou
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Wenhu Nie
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Yueyue Wang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- Department of Central Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Sitang Ge
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Xue Song
- Department of Central Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
| | - Jianguo Hu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China
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Wnt/β-Catenin Signalling and Its Cofactor BCL9L Have an Oncogenic Effect in Bladder Cancer Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23105319. [PMID: 35628130 PMCID: PMC9141496 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23105319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Bladder cancer (BC) is characterised by a high recurrence and progression rate. However, the molecular mechanisms of BC progression remain poorly understood. BCL9L, a coactivator of β-catenin was mutated in the 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs). We assessed the influence of UTRs mutations on BCL9L, and the role of BCL9L and Wnt/β-catenin signalling in BC cells. UTR mutations were analysed by a luciferase reporter. BCL9L protein was assessed by immunohistochemistry in BC tissues. Cell proliferation was examined by crystal violet staining and by the spheroid model. Moreover, migration and invasion were analysed in real-time using the xCelligence RTCA system. The A > T mutation at 3′ UTR of BCL9L reduces the luciferase reporter mRNA expression and activity. BCL9L is predominantly increased in dysplastic urothelial cells and muscle-invasive BC. Knockdown of BCL9L and inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signalling significantly repress the proliferation, migration and invasion of Cal29 and T24. In addition, BCL9L knockdown reduces mRNA level of Wnt/β-catenin target genes in Cal29 but not in T24 cells. BCL9L and Wnt/β-catenin signalling play an oncogenic role in bladder cancer cells and seems to be associated with BC progression. Nevertheless, the involvement of BCL9L in Wnt/β-catenin signalling is cell-line specific.
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Disatham J, Brennan L, Jiao X, Ma Z, Hejtmancik JF, Kantorow M. Changes in DNA methylation hallmark alterations in chromatin accessibility and gene expression for eye lens differentiation. Epigenetics Chromatin 2022; 15:8. [PMID: 35246225 PMCID: PMC8897925 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-022-00440-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Methylation at cytosines (mCG) is a well-known regulator of gene expression, but its requirements for cellular differentiation have yet to be fully elucidated. A well-studied cellular differentiation model system is the eye lens, consisting of a single anterior layer of epithelial cells that migrate laterally and differentiate into a core of fiber cells. Here, we explore the genome-wide relationships between mCG methylation, chromatin accessibility and gene expression during differentiation of eye lens epithelial cells into fiber cells. Results Whole genome bisulfite sequencing identified 7621 genomic loci exhibiting significant differences in mCG levels between lens epithelial and fiber cells. Changes in mCG levels were inversely correlated with the differentiation state-specific expression of 1285 genes preferentially expressed in either lens fiber or lens epithelial cells (Pearson correlation r = − 0.37, p < 1 × 10–42). mCG levels were inversely correlated with chromatin accessibility determined by assay for transposase-accessible sequencing (ATAC-seq) (Pearson correlation r = − 0.86, p < 1 × 10–300). Many of the genes exhibiting altered regions of DNA methylation, chromatin accessibility and gene expression levels in fiber cells relative to epithelial cells are associated with lens fiber cell structure, homeostasis and transparency. These include lens crystallins (CRYBA4, CRYBB1, CRYGN, CRYBB2), lens beaded filament proteins (BFSP1, BFSP2), transcription factors (HSF4, SOX2, HIF1A), and Notch signaling pathway members (NOTCH1, NOTCH2, HEY1, HES5). Analysis of regions exhibiting cell-type specific alterations in DNA methylation revealed an overrepresentation of consensus sequences of multiple transcription factors known to play key roles in lens cell differentiation including HIF1A, SOX2, and the MAF family of transcription factors. Conclusions Collectively, these results link DNA methylation with control of chromatin accessibility and gene expression changes required for eye lens differentiation. The results also point to a role for DNA methylation in the regulation of transcription factors previously identified to be important for lens cell differentiation. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13072-022-00440-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joshua Disatham
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Lisa Brennan
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA
| | - Xiaodong Jiao
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Zhiwei Ma
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - J Fielding Hejtmancik
- Ophthalmic Genetics and Visual Function Branch, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Marc Kantorow
- Department of Biomedical Science, Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, FL, USA.
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Orikasa S, Kawashima N, Tazawa K, Hashimoto K, Sunada-Nara K, Noda S, Fujii M, Akiyama T, Okiji T. Hypoxia-inducible factor 1α induces osteo/odontoblast differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells via Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional cofactor BCL9. Sci Rep 2022; 12:682. [PMID: 35027586 PMCID: PMC8758693 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04453-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Accelerated dental pulp mineralization is a common complication in avulsed/luxated teeth, although the mechanisms underlying this remain unclear. We hypothesized that hypoxia due to vascular severance may induce osteo/odontoblast differentiation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs). This study examined the role of B-cell CLL/lymphoma 9 (BCL9), which is downstream of hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF1α) and a Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional cofactor, in the osteo/odontoblastic differentiation of human DPSCs (hDPSCs) under hypoxic conditions. hDPSCs were isolated from extracted healthy wisdom teeth. Hypoxic conditions and HIF1α overexpression induced significant upregulation of mRNAs for osteo/odontoblast markers (RUNX2, ALP, OC), BCL9, and Wnt/β-catenin signaling target genes (AXIN2, TCF1) in hDPSCs. Overexpression and suppression of BCL9 in hDPSCs up- and downregulated, respectively, the mRNAs for AXIN2, TCF1, and the osteo/odontoblast markers. Hypoxic-cultured mouse pulp tissue explants showed the promotion of HIF1α, BCL9, and β-catenin expression and BCL9-β-catenin co-localization. In addition, BCL9 formed a complex with β-catenin in hDPSCs in vitro. This study demonstrated that hypoxia/HIF1α-induced osteo/odontoblast differentiation of hDPSCs was partially dependent on Wnt/β-catenin signaling, where BCL9 acted as a key mediator between HIF1α and Wnt/β-catenin signaling. These findings may reveal part of the mechanisms of dental pulp mineralization after traumatic dental injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shion Orikasa
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
| | - Nobuyuki Kawashima
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan.
| | - Kento Tazawa
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
| | - Kentaro Hashimoto
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
| | - Keisuke Sunada-Nara
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
| | - Sonoko Noda
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
| | - Mayuko Fujii
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
| | - Tetsu Akiyama
- Laboratory of Molecular and Genetic Information, Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, The University of Tokyo, 1-1-1 Yayoi, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-0032, Japan
| | - Takashi Okiji
- Department of Pulp Biology and Endodontics, Division of Oral Health Sciences, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8549, Japan
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Htun MW, Shibata Y, Soe K, Koji T. Nuclear Expression of Pygo2 Correlates with Poorly Differentiated State Involving c-Myc, PCNA and Bcl9 in Myanmar Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Acta Histochem Cytochem 2021; 54:195-206. [PMID: 35023882 PMCID: PMC8727843 DOI: 10.1267/ahc.21-00090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
In Myanmar, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is commonly seen in young adult and associated with poor prognosis, while the molecular mechanisms that characterize HCC in Myanmar are unknown. As co-activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and c-Myc (Myc) are reported to associate with malignancy of HCC, we immunohistochemically investigated the expression of Pygo2 and Bcl9, the co-activators of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling, Myc and PCNA in 60 cases of Myanmar HCC. Pygo2 expression was confirmed by in situ hybridization. The signal intensity was measured by image analyzer and then statistically analyzed. As a result, the expression of Pygo2 was significantly higher in HCC compared to normal liver tissue and the nuclear signal was the most intense in poorly differentiated HCC. Cytoplasmic Bcl9 was expressed in the normal liver tissue but decreased in HCC with the progression of histopathological grade. Myc was significantly higher in poorly differentiated HCC, whereas PCNA labeling index increased with the progression of histopathological grade. Nuclear Pygo2 showed strong correlation with nuclear Myc (P < 0.01) and PCNA (P < 0.001), and inversely correlated with cytoplasmic Bcl9 (P < 0.01). Our results suggested Wnt/β-catenin and Myc signaling is commonly activated in Myanmar HCC and that the correlative upregulation of nuclear Pygo2 and Myc characterizes the malignant features of HCC in Myanmar.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myo Win Htun
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Yasuaki Shibata
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | | | - Takehiko Koji
- Office for Research Initiative and Development, Nagasaki University
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Vafaizadeh V, Buechel D, Rubinstein N, Kalathur RKR, Bazzani L, Saxena M, Valenta T, Hausmann G, Cantù C, Basler K, Christofori G. The interactions of Bcl9/Bcl9L with β-catenin and Pygopus promote breast cancer growth, invasion, and metastasis. Oncogene 2021; 40:6195-6209. [PMID: 34545187 PMCID: PMC8553620 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-021-02016-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 08/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an established regulator of cellular state and its critical contributions to tumor initiation, malignant tumor progression and metastasis formation have been demonstrated in various cancer types. Here, we investigated how the binding of β-catenin to the transcriptional coactivators B-cell CLL/lymphoma 9 (Bcl9) and Bcl9-Like (Bcl9L) affected mammary gland carcinogenesis in the MMTV-PyMT transgenic mouse model of metastatic breast cancer. Conditional knockout of both Bcl9 and Bcl9L resulted into tumor cell death. In contrast, disrupting the interaction of Bcl9/Bcl9L with β-catenin, either by deletion of their HD2 domains or by a point mutation in the N-terminal domain of β-catenin (D164A), diminished primary tumor growth and tumor cell proliferation and reduced tumor cell invasion and lung metastasis. In comparison, the disruption of HD1 domain-mediated binding of Bcl9/Bcl9L to Pygopus had only moderate effects. Interestingly, interfering with the β-catenin-Bcl9/Bcl9L-Pygo chain of adapters only partially impaired the transcriptional response of mammary tumor cells to Wnt3a and TGFβ treatments. Together, the results indicate that Bcl9/Bcl9L modulate but are not critically required for canonical Wnt signaling in its contribution to breast cancer growth and malignant progression, a notion consistent with the “just-right” hypothesis of Wnt-driven tumor progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vida Vafaizadeh
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - David Buechel
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Natalia Rubinstein
- Instituto de Biociencias, Biotecnología y Biología Traslacional, Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ravi K R Kalathur
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Lorenzo Bazzani
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.,Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Meera Saxena
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - George Hausmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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Borrelli C, Valenta T, Handler K, Vélez K, Gurtner A, Moro G, Lafzi A, Roditi LDV, Hausmann G, Arnold IC, Moor AE, Basler K. Differential regulation of β-catenin-mediated transcription via N- and C-terminal co-factors governs identity of murine intestinal epithelial stem cells. Nat Commun 2021; 12:1368. [PMID: 33649334 PMCID: PMC7921392 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21591-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The homeostasis of the gut epithelium relies upon continuous renewal and proliferation of crypt-resident intestinal epithelial stem cells (IESCs). Wnt/β-catenin signaling is required for IESC maintenance, however, it remains unclear how this pathway selectively governs the identity and proliferative decisions of IESCs. Here, we took advantage of knock-in mice harboring transgenic β-catenin alleles with mutations that specifically impair the recruitment of N- or C-terminal transcriptional co-factors. We show that C-terminally-recruited transcriptional co-factors of β-catenin act as all-or-nothing regulators of Wnt-target gene expression. Blocking their interactions with β-catenin rapidly induces loss of IESCs and intestinal homeostasis. Conversely, N-terminally recruited co-factors fine-tune β-catenin's transcriptional output to ensure proper self-renewal and proliferative behaviour of IESCs. Impairment of N-terminal interactions triggers transient hyperproliferation of IESCs, eventually resulting in exhaustion of the self-renewing stem cell pool. IESC mis-differentiation, accompanied by unfolded protein response stress and immune infiltration, results in a process resembling aberrant "villisation" of intestinal crypts. Our data suggest that IESC-specific Wnt/β-catenin output requires selective modulation of gene expression by transcriptional co-factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Borrelli
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
- Institute of Molecular Genetics of the ASCR, v. v. i., Prague, 4, Czech Republic.
| | - Kristina Handler
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Karelia Vélez
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alessandra Gurtner
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Moro
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Atefeh Lafzi
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - George Hausmann
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Isabelle C Arnold
- Institute of Experimental Immunology, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas E Moor
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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11
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Söderholm S, Cantù C. The WNT/β‐catenin dependent transcription: A tissue‐specific business. WIREs Mech Dis 2020; 13:e1511. [PMID: 33085215 PMCID: PMC9285942 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 09/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
β‐catenin‐mediated Wnt signaling is an ancient cell‐communication pathway in which β‐catenin drives the expression of certain genes as a consequence of the trigger given by extracellular WNT molecules. The events occurring from signal to transcription are evolutionarily conserved, and their final output orchestrates countless processes during embryonic development and tissue homeostasis. Importantly, a dysfunctional Wnt/β‐catenin pathway causes developmental malformations, and its aberrant activation is the root of several types of cancer. A rich literature describes the multitude of nuclear players that cooperate with β‐catenin to generate a transcriptional program. However, a unified theory of how β‐catenin drives target gene expression is still missing. We will discuss two types of β‐catenin interactors: transcription factors that allow β‐catenin to localize at target regions on the DNA, and transcriptional co‐factors that ultimately activate gene expression. In contrast to the presumed universality of β‐catenin's action, the ensemble of available evidence suggests a view in which β‐catenin drives a complex system of responses in different cells and tissues. A malleable armamentarium of players might interact with β‐catenin in order to activate the right “canonical” targets in each tissue, developmental stage, or disease context. Discovering the mechanism by which each tissue‐specific β‐catenin response is executed will be crucial to comprehend how a seemingly universal pathway fosters a wide spectrum of processes during development and homeostasis. Perhaps more importantly, this could ultimately inform us about which are the tumor‐specific components that need to be targeted to dampen the activity of oncogenic β‐catenin. This article is categorized under:Cancer > Molecular and Cellular Physiology Cancer > Genetics/Genomics/Epigenetics Cancer > Stem Cells and Development
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Söderholm
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine Linköping University Linköping Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Faculty of Health Science Linköping University Linköping Sweden
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine Linköping University Linköping Sweden
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology, Faculty of Health Science Linköping University Linköping Sweden
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12
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Structure and function of Pygo in organ development dependent and independent Wnt signalling. Biochem Soc Trans 2020; 48:1781-1794. [PMID: 32677664 DOI: 10.1042/bst20200393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Pygo is a nuclear protein containing two conserved domains, NHD and PHD, which play important roles in embryonic development and carcinogenesis. Pygo was first identified as a core component of the Wnt/β-catenin signalling pathway. However, it has also been reported that the function of Pygo is not always Wnt/β-catenin signalling dependent. In this review, we summarise the functions of both domains of Pygo and show that their functions are synergetic. The PHD domain mainly combines with transcription co-factors, including histone 3 and Bcl9/9l. The NHD domain mainly recruits histone methyltransferase/acetyltransferase (HMT/HAT) to modify lysine 4 of the histone 3 tail (H3K4) and interacts with Chip/LIM-domain DNA-binding proteins (ChiLS) to form enhanceosomes to regulate transcriptional activity. Furthermore, we summarised chromatin modification differences of Pygo in Drosophila (dPygo) and vertebrates, and found that Pygo displayes a chromatin silencing function in Drosophila, while in vertebates, Pygo has a chromatin-activating function due to the two substitution of two amino acid residues. Next, we confirmed the relationship between Pygo and Bcl9/9l and found that Pygo-Bcl/9l are specifically partnered both in the nucleus and in the cytoplasm. Finally, we discuss whether transcriptional activity of Pygo is Wnt/β-catenin dependent during embryonic development. Available information indications that the transcriptional activity of Pygo in embryonic development is either Wnt/β-catenin dependent or independent in both tissue-specific and cell-specific-modes.
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13
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Zimmerli D, Borrelli C, Jauregi-Miguel A, Söderholm S, Brütsch S, Doumpas N, Reichmuth J, Murphy-Seiler F, Aguet MI, Basler K, Moor AE, Cantù C. TBX3 acts as tissue-specific component of the Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional complex. eLife 2020; 9:58123. [PMID: 32808927 PMCID: PMC7434441 DOI: 10.7554/elife.58123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BCL9 and PYGO are β-catenin cofactors that enhance the transcription of Wnt target genes. They have been proposed as therapeutic targets to diminish Wnt signaling output in intestinal malignancies. Here we find that, in colorectal cancer cells and in developing mouse forelimbs, BCL9 proteins sustain the action of β-catenin in a largely PYGO-independent manner. Our genetic analyses implied that BCL9 necessitates other interaction partners in mediating its transcriptional output. We identified the transcription factor TBX3 as a candidate tissue-specific member of the β-catenin transcriptional complex. In developing forelimbs, both TBX3 and BCL9 occupy a large number of Wnt-responsive regulatory elements, genome-wide. Moreover, mutations in Bcl9 affect the expression of TBX3 targets in vivo, and modulation of TBX3 abundance impacts on Wnt target genes transcription in a β-catenin- and TCF/LEF-dependent manner. Finally, TBX3 overexpression exacerbates the metastatic potential of Wnt-dependent human colorectal cancer cells. Our work implicates TBX3 as context-dependent component of the Wnt/β-catenin-dependent transcriptional complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Zimmerli
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Costanza Borrelli
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amaia Jauregi-Miguel
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Simon Söderholm
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Salome Brütsch
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nikolaos Doumpas
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jan Reichmuth
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Fabienne Murphy-Seiler
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - MIchel Aguet
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Basler
- Department of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas E Moor
- Department of Biosystems Science and Engineering, ETH Zürich, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.,Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Division of Molecular Medicine and Virology; Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences; Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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14
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Saxena M, Kalathur RKR, Rubinstein N, Vettiger A, Sugiyama N, Neutzner M, Coto-Llerena M, Kancherla V, Ercan C, Piscuoglio S, Fischer J, Fagiani E, Cantù C, Basler K, Christofori G. A Pygopus 2-Histone Interaction Is Critical for Cancer Cell Dedifferentiation and Progression in Malignant Breast Cancer. Cancer Res 2020; 80:3631-3648. [PMID: 32586983 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-19-2910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Pygopus 2 (Pygo2) is a coactivator of Wnt/β-catenin signaling that can bind bi- or trimethylated lysine 4 of histone-3 (H3K4me2/3) and participate in chromatin reading and writing. It remains unknown whether the Pygo2-H3K4me2/3 association has a functional relevance in breast cancer progression in vivo. To investigate the functional relevance of histone-binding activity of Pygo2 in malignant progression of breast cancer, we generated a knock-in mouse model where binding of Pygo2 to H3K4me2/3 was rendered ineffective. Loss of Pygo2-histone interaction resulted in smaller, differentiated, and less metastatic tumors, due, in part, to decreased canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling. RNA- and ATAC-sequencing analyses of tumor-derived cell lines revealed downregulation of TGFβ signaling and upregulation of differentiation pathways such as PDGFR signaling. Increased differentiation correlated with a luminal cell fate that could be reversed by inhibition of PDGFR activity. Mechanistically, the Pygo2-histone interaction potentiated Wnt/β-catenin signaling, in part, by repressing the expression of Wnt signaling antagonists. Furthermore, Pygo2 and β-catenin regulated the expression of miR-29 family members, which, in turn, repressed PDGFR expression to promote dedifferentiation of wild-type Pygo2 mammary epithelial tumor cells. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the histone binding function of Pygo2 is important for driving dedifferentiation and malignancy of breast tumors, and loss of this binding activates various differentiation pathways that attenuate primary tumor growth and metastasis formation. Interfering with the Pygo2-H3K4me2/3 interaction may therefore serve as an attractive therapeutic target for metastatic breast cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: Pygo2 represents a potential therapeutic target in metastatic breast cancer, as its histone-binding capability promotes β-catenin-mediated Wnt signaling and transcriptional control in breast cancer cell dedifferentiation, EMT, and metastasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meera Saxena
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
| | | | | | - Andrea Vettiger
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nami Sugiyama
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melanie Neutzner
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Caner Ercan
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Jonas Fischer
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ernesta Fagiani
- Department of Biomedicine, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine Linköping; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health Science, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
| | - Konrad Basler
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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15
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Jiang M, Kang Y, Sewastianik T, Wang J, Tanton H, Alder K, Dennis P, Xin Y, Wang Z, Liu R, Zhang M, Huang Y, Loda M, Srivastava A, Chen R, Liu M, Carrasco RD. BCL9 provides multi-cellular communication properties in colorectal cancer by interacting with paraspeckle proteins. Nat Commun 2020; 11:19. [PMID: 31911584 PMCID: PMC6946813 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13842-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer, which despite recent advances in treatment, remains incurable due to molecular heterogeneity of tumor cells. The B-cell lymphoma 9 (BCL9) oncogene functions as a transcriptional co-activator of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway, which plays critical roles in CRC pathogenesis. Here we have identified a β-catenin-independent function of BCL9 in a poor-prognosis subtype of CRC tumors characterized by expression of stromal and neural associated genes. In response to spontaneous calcium transients or cellular stress, BCL9 is recruited adjacent to the interchromosomal regions, where it stabilizes the mRNA of calcium signaling and neural associated genes by interacting with paraspeckle proteins. BCL9 subsequently promotes tumor progression and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment (TME) by sustaining the calcium transients and neurotransmitter-dependent communication among CRC cells. These data provide additional insights into the role of BCL9 in tumor pathogenesis and point towards additional avenues for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng Jiang
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of General Surgery, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Yue Kang
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Tomasz Sewastianik
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Transfusion Medicine, Warsaw, 02776, Poland
| | - Jiao Wang
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Helen Tanton
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Keith Alder
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Peter Dennis
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Yu Xin
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Zhongqiu Wang
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Depatment of Radiation Oncology and Cyberknife Center, Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Therapy, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Ruiyang Liu
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mengyun Zhang
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Ying Huang
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Massimo Loda
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Amitabh Srivastava
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Runsheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of RNA Biology, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Ming Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin Medical University, Harbin, 150001, China
| | - Ruben D Carrasco
- Department of Oncologic Pathology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA. .,Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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16
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Huge N, Sandbothe M, Schröder AK, Stalke A, Eilers M, Schäffer V, Schlegelberger B, Illig T, Vajen B, Skawran B. Wnt status-dependent oncogenic role of BCL9 and BCL9L in hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatol Int 2019; 14:373-384. [PMID: 31440992 PMCID: PMC7220899 DOI: 10.1007/s12072-019-09977-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Background Activation of Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a frequent event in hepatocellular carcinoma and is associated with enhanced cell survival and proliferation. Therefore, targeting this signaling pathway is discussed as an attractive therapeutic approach for HCC treatment. BCL9 and BCL9L, two homologous coactivators of the β-catenin transcription factor complex, have not yet been comprehensively characterized in HCC. We aimed to elucidate the roles of BCL9 and BCL9L, especially regarding Wnt/β-catenin signaling and their prognostic value in HCC. Methods Expression of BCL9/BCL9L was determined in HCC cell lines (HLE, HLF, Huh7, HepG2, Hep3B, and Huh6) and normal liver cell lines (THLE-2 and THLE-3). To analyze proliferation and apoptosis, BCL9 and/or BCL9L were knocked down in Wnt-inactive HLE and Wnt-active HepG2 and Huh6 cells using siRNA. Subsequently, Wnt reporter assays were performed in HepG2 and Huh6 cells. BCL9 and BCL9L expression, clinicopathological and survival data of public HCC datasets were analyzed, taking the Wnt signaling status into account. Results Knockdown of BCL9L, but not of BCL9, reduced Wnt signaling activity. Knockdown of BCL9 and/or BCL9L reduced cell viability and increased apoptosis of Wnt-inactive HCC cells, but had no effect in Wnt-active cells. Expression of BCL9 and BCL9L was upregulated in human HCC and increased with progressing dedifferentiation. For BCL9L, higher expression was observed in tumors of larger size. Overexpression of BCL9 and BCL9L correlated with poor overall survival, especially in HCC without activated Wnt signaling. Conclusion Oncogenic BCL9 proteins represent promising targets for cancer therapy and inhibiting them may be particularly beneficial in Wnt-inactive HCCs. Graphic abstract ![]()
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s12072-019-09977-w) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Huge
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Maria Sandbothe
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Anna K Schröder
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Amelie Stalke
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Marlies Eilers
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Vera Schäffer
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Brigitte Schlegelberger
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Thomas Illig
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Beate Vajen
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany
| | - Britta Skawran
- Department of Human Genetics, Hannover Medical School, Carl-Neuberg-Straße 1, Hannover, 30625, Germany.
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17
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Zhao Y, Zheng D, Cvekl A. Profiling of chromatin accessibility and identification of general cis-regulatory mechanisms that control two ocular lens differentiation pathways. Epigenetics Chromatin 2019; 12:27. [PMID: 31053165 PMCID: PMC6498704 DOI: 10.1186/s13072-019-0272-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Promoters and enhancers are cis-regulatory DNA sequences that control specificity and quantity of transcription. Both are rich on clusters of cis-acting sites that interact with sequence-specific DNA-binding transcription factors (TFs). At the level of chromatin, these regions display increased nuclease sensitivity, reduced nucleosome density, including nucleosome-free regions, and specific combinations of posttranslational modifications of core histone proteins. Together, "open" and "closed" chromatins represent transcriptionally active and repressed states of individual genes, respectively. Cellular differentiation is marked by changes in local chromatin structure. Lens morphogenesis, regulated by TF Pax6, includes differentiation of epithelial precursor cells into lens fibers in parallel with differentiation of epithelial precursors into the mature lens epithelium. RESULTS Using ATAC-seq, we investigated dynamics of chromatin changes during mouse lens fibers and epithelium differentiation. Tissue-specific features of these processes are demonstrated via comparative studies of embryonic stem cells, forebrain, and liver chromatins. Unbiased analysis reveals cis-regulatory logic of lens differentiation through known (e.g., AP-1, Ets, Hsf4, Maf, and Pax6 sites) and novel (e.g., CTCF, Tead, and NF1) motifs. Twenty-six DNA-binding TFs, recognizing these cis-motifs, are markedly up-regulated in differentiating lens fibers. As specific examples, our ATAC-seq data uncovered both the regulatory regions and TF binding motifs in Foxe3, Prox1, and Mip loci that are consistent with previous, though incomplete, experimental data. A cross-examination of Pax6 binding with ATAC-seq data demonstrated that Pax6 bound to both open (H3K27ac and P300-enriched) and closed chromatin domains in lens and forebrain. CONCLUSIONS Our study has generated the first lens chromatin accessibility maps that support a general model of stage-specific chromatin changes associated with transcriptional activities of batteries of genes required for lens fiber cell formation. Analysis of active (or open) promoters and enhancers reveals important cis-DNA motifs that establish the molecular foundation for temporally and spatially regulated gene expression in lens. Together, our data and models open new avenues for the field to conduct mechanistic studies of transcriptional control regions, reconstruction of gene regulatory networks that govern lens morphogenesis, and identification of cataract-causing mutations in noncoding sequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yilin Zhao
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - Deyou Zheng
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
- Neurology and Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - Ales Cvekl
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
- Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
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18
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Soe MT, Shibata Y, Win Htun M, Abe K, Soe K, Win Than N, Lwin T, Phone Kyaw M, Koji T. Immunohistochemical Mapping of Bcl9 Using Two Antibodies that Recognize Different Epitopes Is Useful to Characterize Juvenile Development of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Myanmar. Acta Histochem Cytochem 2019; 52:9-17. [PMID: 30923411 PMCID: PMC6434316 DOI: 10.1267/ahc.18045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
B-cell lymphoma 9 (Bcl9) is the core component of Wnt/β-catenin signaling and overexpressed in nuclei of various tumors, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the extent of Bcl9 expression relative to HCC differentiation stage and its functional aspects are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the expression pattern of Bcl9 immunohistochemically, using two anti-Bcl9 antibodies; one was a conventional polyclonal-antibody (anti-Bcl9ABC) against amino acid no.800-900 of human-Bcl9, while the other (anti-Bcl9BIO) was against amino acid no.50-200, covering Pygopus-binding sites of Bcl9. Immunohistochemistry using anti-Bcl9BIO demonstrated distinctive staining in the cytoplasm, while the anti-Bcl9ABC signal was detected in both cytoplasm and nuclei of HCC cells, reflecting different states of Bcl9 function because Pygopus-binding to Bcl9 is essential to exert its function together with β-catenin in nucleus. Quantitative analysis revealed a significantly higher immunohistochemical-score by anti-Bcl9BIO in normal liver comparing various differentiation grades of HCC (P < 0.004), whereas no significant difference was noted with anti-Bcl9ABC. Interestingly, immunohistochemical-score of anti-Bcl9BIO in patients aged < 40 years was significantly lower than that of ≥ 40 years group (P < 0.01). The results indicated that anti-Bcl9BIO detected cytoplasmic Bcl9, which does not bind to Pygopus suggesting it could be a useful indicator for development of HCC in young Myanmar patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myat Thu Soe
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Yasuaki Shibata
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Myo Win Htun
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
| | - Kuniko Abe
- Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Hospital
| | | | - Nay Win Than
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Yangon Specialty Hospital
| | - Thann Lwin
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Yangon Specialty Hospital
| | | | - Takehiko Koji
- Department of Histology and Cell Biology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences
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19
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Cantù C, Felker A, Zimmerli D, Prummel KD, Cabello EM, Chiavacci E, Méndez-Acevedo KM, Kirchgeorg L, Burger S, Ripoll J, Valenta T, Hausmann G, Vilain N, Aguet M, Burger A, Panáková D, Basler K, Mosimann C. Mutations in Bcl9 and Pygo genes cause congenital heart defects by tissue-specific perturbation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Genes Dev 2018; 32:1443-1458. [PMID: 30366904 PMCID: PMC6217730 DOI: 10.1101/gad.315531.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Bcl9 and Pygopus (Pygo) are obligate Wnt/β-catenin cofactors in Drosophila, yet their contribution to Wnt signaling during vertebrate development remains unresolved. Combining zebrafish and mouse genetics, we document a conserved, β-catenin-associated function for BCL9 and Pygo proteins during vertebrate heart development. Disrupting the β-catenin-BCL9-Pygo complex results in a broadly maintained canonical Wnt response yet perturbs heart development and proper expression of key cardiac regulators. Our work highlights BCL9 and Pygo as selective β-catenin cofactors in a subset of canonical Wnt responses during vertebrate development. Moreover, our results implicate alterations in BCL9 and BCL9L in human congenital heart defects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Cantù
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Anastasia Felker
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Zimmerli
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Karin D Prummel
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elena M Cabello
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Elena Chiavacci
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Kevin M Méndez-Acevedo
- Electrochemical Signaling in Development and Disease, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
| | - Lucia Kirchgeorg
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sibylle Burger
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Jorge Ripoll
- Department of Bioengineering and Aerospace Engineering, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, 28911 Madrid, Spain
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - George Hausmann
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Vilain
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Michel Aguet
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), School of Life Sciences, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Alexa Burger
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Panáková
- Electrochemical Signaling in Development and Disease, Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine in the Helmholtz Association, 13125 Berlin-Buch, Germany
- Deutsches Zentrum für Herz-Kreislauf-Forschung (DZHK), partner site Berlin, 10115 Berlin, Germany
| | - Konrad Basler
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Mosimann
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, 8057 Zürich, Switzerland
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Abstract
Heart failure places an enormous burden on health and economic systems worldwide. It is a complex disease that is profoundly influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Neither the molecular mechanisms underlying heart failure nor effective prevention strategies are fully understood. Fortunately, relevant aspects of human heart failure can be experimentally studied in tractable model animals, including the fruit fly, Drosophila, allowing the in vivo application of powerful and sophisticated molecular genetic and physiological approaches. Heart failure in Drosophila, as in humans, can be classified into dilated cardiomyopathies and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. Critically, many genes and cellular pathways directing heart development and function are evolutionarily conserved from Drosophila to humans. Studies of molecular mechanisms linking aging with heart failure have revealed that genes involved in aging-associated energy homeostasis and oxidative stress resistance influence cardiac dysfunction through perturbation of IGF and TOR pathways. Importantly, ion channel proteins, cytoskeletal proteins, and integrins implicated in aging of the mammalian heart have been shown to play significant roles in heart failure. A number of genes previously described having roles in development of the Drosophila heart, such as genes involved in Wnt signaling pathways, have recently been shown to play important roles in the adult fly heart. Moreover, the fly model presents opportunities for innovative studies that cannot currently be pursued in the mammalian heart because of technical limitations. In this review, we discuss progress in our understanding of genes, proteins, and molecular mechanisms that affect the Drosophila adult heart and heart failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Zhu
- The Center for Heart Development, Key Lab of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China
| | - Zhe Han
- Center for Cancer and Immunology Research, Children's National Medical Center, 111 Michigan Ave. NW, Washington, DC, 20010, USA
| | - Yan Luo
- The Center for Heart Development, Key Lab of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China
| | - Yulin Chen
- The Center for Heart Development, Key Lab of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China
| | - Qun Zeng
- The Center for Heart Development, Key Lab of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China
| | - Xiushan Wu
- The Center for Heart Development, Key Lab of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China.
| | - Wuzhou Yuan
- The Center for Heart Development, Key Lab of MOE for Development Biology and Protein Chemistry, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, 410081, China.
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21
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Sannino G, Armbruster N, Bodenhöfer M, Haerle U, Behrens D, Buchholz M, Rothbauer U, Sipos B, Schmees C. Role of BCL9L in transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced epithelial-to-mesenchymal-transition (EMT) and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Oncotarget 2018; 7:73725-73738. [PMID: 27713160 PMCID: PMC5342010 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.12455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2015] [Accepted: 09/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a low overall survival rate, which is approximately 20% during the first year and decreases to less than 6% within five years of the disease. This is due to premature dissemination accompanied by a lack of disease-specific symptoms during the initial stages. Additionally, to date there are no biomarkers for an early prognosis available.A growing number of studies indicate that epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), triggered by WNT-, TGF-β- and other signaling pathways is crucial for the initiation of the metastatic process in PDAC. Here we show, that BCL9L is up-regulated in PDAC cell lines and patient tissue compared to non-cancer controls. RNAi-induced BCL9L knockdown negatively affected proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. On a molecular basis, BCL9L depletion provoked an increment of E-cadherin protein levels, with concomitant increase of β-catenin retention at the plasma membrane. This is linked to the induction of a strong epithelial phenotype in pancreatic cancer cells upon BCL9L knockdown even in the presence of the EMT-inducer TGF-β. Finally, xenograft mouse models of pancreatic cancer revealed a highly significant reduction in the number of liver metastases upon BCL9L knockdown. Taken together, our findings underline the key importance of BCL9L for EMT and thus progression and metastasis of pancreatic cancer cells. Direct targeting of this protein might be a valuable approach to effectively antagonize invasion and metastasis of PDAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina Sannino
- Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Tumor Biology Group, Reutlingen, Germany.,Current address: Institute of Pathology, Laboratory of Pediatric Sarcoma Biology, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Nicole Armbruster
- Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Tumor Biology Group, Reutlingen, Germany.,Current address: Department of Internal Medicine II, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Mona Bodenhöfer
- Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Tumor Biology Group, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Ursula Haerle
- Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Tumor Biology Group, Reutlingen, Germany
| | - Diana Behrens
- Experimental Pharmacology and Oncology GmbH, Berlin, Germany
| | - Malte Buchholz
- Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Endocrinology and Metabolism, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Ulrich Rothbauer
- Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Bence Sipos
- Institute of Pathology, University of Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Christian Schmees
- Natural and Medical Sciences Institute (NMI) at the University of Tuebingen, Tumor Biology Group, Reutlingen, Germany
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22
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The role of Pygo2 for Wnt/ß-catenin signaling activity during intestinal tumor initiation and progression. Oncotarget 2018; 7:80612-80632. [PMID: 27811361 PMCID: PMC5348345 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.13016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Pygo2 acts as a co-activator of Wnt signaling in a nuclear complex with ß-catenin/BCL9/BCL9-2 to increase target gene transcription. Previous studies showed that Pygo2 is upregulated in murine intestinal tumors and human colon cancer, but is apparently dispensable for normal intestinal homeostasis. Here, we have evaluated the in vivo role of Pygo2 during intestinal tumorigenesis using Pygo2 deficient mice. We analyzed chemically induced colon tumor development and conditional intestine specific mouse models harboring either Apc loss-of-function (LOF) or Ctnnb1 gain-of-function (ß-catenin GOF). Remarkably, the number and size of chemically induced tumors was significantly reduced in Pygo2 deficient mice, suggesting that Pygo2 has a tumor promoting function. Furthermore, loss of Pygo2 rescued early tumorigenesis of Ctnnb1 GOF mutants. In contrast, Pygo2 ablation was not sufficient to prevent tumor development of Apc LOF mice. The effect on tumor formation by Pygo2 knockout was linked to the repression of specific deregulated Wnt target genes, in particular of c-Myc. Moreover, the role of Pygo2 appears to be associated with the signaling output of deregulated Wnt signaling in the different tumor models. Thus, targeting Pygo2 might provide a novel strategy to suppress tumor formation in a context dependent manner.
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23
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Ceroni F, Aguilera-Garcia D, Chassaing N, Bax DA, Blanco-Kelly F, Ramos P, Tarilonte M, Villaverde C, da Silva LRJ, Ballesta-Martínez MJ, Sanchez-Soler MJ, Holt RJ, Cooper-Charles L, Bruty J, Wallis Y, McMullan D, Hoffman J, Bunyan D, Stewart A, Stewart H, Lachlan K, Fryer A, McKay V, Roume J, Dureau P, Saggar A, Griffiths M, Calvas P, Ayuso C, Corton M, Ragge NK. New GJA8 variants and phenotypes highlight its critical role in a broad spectrum of eye anomalies. Hum Genet 2018; 138:1027-1042. [PMID: 29464339 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-018-1875-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
GJA8 encodes connexin 50 (Cx50), a transmembrane protein involved in the formation of lens gap junctions. GJA8 mutations have been linked to early onset cataracts in humans and animal models. In mice, missense mutations and homozygous Gja8 deletions lead to smaller lenses and microphthalmia in addition to cataract, suggesting that Gja8 may play a role in both lens development and ocular growth. Following screening of GJA8 in a cohort of 426 individuals with severe congenital eye anomalies, primarily anophthalmia, microphthalmia and coloboma, we identified four known [p.(Thr39Arg), p.(Trp45Leu), p.(Asp51Asn), and p.(Gly94Arg)] and two novel [p.(Phe70Leu) and p.(Val97Gly)] likely pathogenic variants in seven families. Five of these co-segregated with cataracts and microphthalmia, whereas the variant p.(Gly94Arg) was identified in an individual with congenital aphakia, sclerocornea, microphthalmia and coloboma. Four missense variants of unknown or unlikely clinical significance were also identified. Furthermore, the screening of GJA8 structural variants in a subgroup of 188 individuals identified heterozygous 1q21 microdeletions in five families with coloboma and other ocular and/or extraocular findings. However, the exact genotype-phenotype correlation of these structural variants remains to be established. Our data expand the spectrum of GJA8 variants and associated phenotypes, confirming the importance of this gene in early eye development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Ceroni
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Domingo Aguilera-Garcia
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicolas Chassaing
- Service de Génétique Médicale, Hôpital Purpan, CHU Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- UMR 1056 Inserm, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Dorine Arjanne Bax
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Fiona Blanco-Kelly
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
- Oxford Centre for Genomic Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
- Institute of Ophthalmology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Patricia Ramos
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria Tarilonte
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Cristina Villaverde
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Luciana Rodrigues Jacy da Silva
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Richard James Holt
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
| | - Lisa Cooper-Charles
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jonathan Bruty
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Yvonne Wallis
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Dominic McMullan
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Jonathan Hoffman
- West Midlands Regional Clinical Genetics Service and Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham, B15 2TG, UK
| | - David Bunyan
- Wessex Regional Genetics Laboratory, Salisbury NHS Foundation Trust, Salisbury, UK
| | - Alison Stewart
- Sheffield Clinical Genetics Department, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, UK
| | - Helen Stewart
- Oxford Centre for Genomic Medicine, Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford, UK
| | - Katherine Lachlan
- Wessex Clinical Genetics Service, Princess Anne Hospital, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, Southampton, UK
- Human Genetics and Genomic Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Alan Fryer
- Cheshire and Merseyside Genetics Service, Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Victoria McKay
- Cheshire and Merseyside Genetics Service, Liverpool Women's NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joëlle Roume
- Department of Clinical Genetics, Centre de Référence "AnDDI Rares", Poissy Hospital GHU PIFO, Poissy, France
| | - Pascal Dureau
- Fondation Ophtalmologique Adolphe-de-Rothschild, Paris, France
| | - Anand Saggar
- Clinical Genetics Unit, St Georges University of London, London, UK
| | - Michael Griffiths
- West Midlands Regional Genetics Laboratory, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK
| | - Patrick Calvas
- Service de Génétique Médicale, Hôpital Purpan, CHU Toulouse, Toulouse, France
- UMR 1056 Inserm, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France
| | - Carmen Ayuso
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta Corton
- Genetics Service, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria-Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (IIS-FJD, UAM), Madrid, Spain
- Centre for Biomedical Network Research on Rare Diseases (CIBERER), ISCIII, Madrid, Spain
| | - Nicola K Ragge
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Gipsy Lane, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.
- West Midlands Regional Clinical Genetics Service and Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Foundation Trust, Mindelsohn Way, Birmingham, B15 2TG, UK.
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24
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Mitsiadis TA, Pagella P, Cantù C. Early Determination of the Periodontal Domain by the Wnt-Antagonist Frzb/Sfrp3. Front Physiol 2017; 8:936. [PMID: 29209231 PMCID: PMC5702314 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2017.00936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Odontogenesis results from the continuous and reciprocal interaction between cells of the oral epithelium and cranial neural crest-derived mesenchyme. The canonical Wnt signaling pathway plays a fundamental role in mediating these interactions from the earliest stages of tooth development. Here we analyze by in situ hybridization the expression patterns of the extracellular Wnt antagonist Frzb/Sfrp3. Although Frzb is expressed in dental mesenchymal cells from the earliest stages of odontogenesis, its expression is absent from a tiny population of mesenchymal cells immediately adjacent to the invaginating dental epithelium. Cell proliferation studies using BrdU showed that the Frzb expressing and Frzb non-expressing cell populations display different proliferative behavior during the initial stages of odontogenesis. DiI-mediated cell-fate tracing studies demonstrated that the Frzb expressing cells contribute to the formation of the dental follicle, the future periodontium. In contrast, the Frzb non-expressing cells give rise to the dental pulp. The present results indicate that Frzb is discriminating the presumptive periodontal territory from the rest of the dental mesenchyme from the very beginning of odontogenesis, where it might act as a barrier for the diffusion of Wnt molecules, thus regulating the activation of Wnt-dependent transcription within dental tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thimios A Mitsiadis
- Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Institute of Oral Biology, Centre for Dental Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pierfrancesco Pagella
- Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Institute of Oral Biology, Centre for Dental Medicine, Medical Faculty, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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25
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Wang W, Zhang Y, Yuan Y, Yuan R, Yang Y, Zhang X, Wen D, Huang F, Wang J. Opposing roles of ICAT and Wnt/β-catenin signaling in NSC67657-induced monocytic differentiation. Oncotarget 2017; 8:69924-69933. [PMID: 29050252 PMCID: PMC5642527 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
NSC67657 is a new steroid drug that induces monocytic differentiation of acute myeloid leukemia cells. Here, we demonstrate that NSC67657 has opposing effects on expression of downstream targets of inhibitor of β-catenin and TCF (ICAT) and Wnt signaling in HL60 cells. ICAT binds to β-catenin, and this interaction is further increased in NSC67657-differentiated cells. ICAT overexpression decreases expression of Wnt downstream targets and increases sensitivity of HL60 cells to NSC67657, while ICAT silencing increases Wnt signaling and delays the NSC67657-induced cell differentiation. In addition, pharmacological inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling increases the NSC67657-induced cell differentiation, while activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibits the differentiation, indicating Wnt/β-catenin signaling inhibits NSC67657-induced monocytic differentiation of HL60 cells. Our data demonstrate the opposing roles of ICAT and Wnt signaling in the NSC67657-induced monocytic differentiation, and suggest that ICAT and Wnt signaling may serve as therapeutic targets for leukemia chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijia Wang
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine Designated by The Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
| | - Yong Yuan
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Runqiang Yuan
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Youye Yang
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Xiuming Zhang
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Dongmei Wen
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Fuda Huang
- Department of Laboratory Diagnosis, Sun Yat-Sen University Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhongshan 528403, PR China
| | - Jinshu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Diagnostic Medicine Designated by The Chinese Ministry of Education, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, PR China
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26
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Zimmerli D, Hausmann G, Cantù C, Basler K. Pharmacological interventions in the Wnt pathway: inhibition of Wnt secretion versus disrupting the protein-protein interfaces of nuclear factors. Br J Pharmacol 2017; 174:4600-4610. [PMID: 28521071 DOI: 10.1111/bph.13864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2017] [Revised: 05/04/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations in components of the Wnt pathways are a frequent cause of many human diseases, particularly cancer. Despite the fact that a causative link between aberrant Wnt signalling and many types of human cancers was established more than a decade ago, no Wnt signalling inhibitors have made it into the clinic so far. One reason for this is that no pathway-specific kinase is known. Additionally, targeting the protein-protein interactions needed to transduce the signal has not met with success so far. Complicating the search for and use of inhibitors is the complexity of the cascades triggered by the Wnts and their paramount biological importance. Wnt/β-catenin signalling is involved in virtually all aspects of embryonic development and in the control of the homeostasis of adult tissues. Encouragingly, however, in recent years, first successes with Wnt-pathway inhibitors have been reported in mouse models of disease. In this review, we summarize possible roads to follow during the quest to pharmacologically modulate the Wnt signalling pathway in cancer. LINKED ARTICLES This article is part of a themed section on WNT Signalling: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.24/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Zimmerli
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - George Hausmann
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Claudio Cantù
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Basler
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
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27
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Cantù C, Pagella P, Shajiei TD, Zimmerli D, Valenta T, Hausmann G, Basler K, Mitsiadis TA. A cytoplasmic role of Wnt/β-catenin transcriptional cofactors Bcl9, Bcl9l, and Pygopus in tooth enamel formation. Sci Signal 2017; 10:10/465/eaah4598. [PMID: 28174279 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.aah4598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Wnt-stimulated β-catenin transcriptional regulation is necessary for the development of most organs, including teeth. Bcl9 and Bcl9l are tissue-specific transcriptional cofactors that cooperate with β-catenin. In the nucleus, Bcl9 and Bcl9l simultaneously bind β-catenin and the transcriptional activator Pygo2 to promote the transcription of a subset of Wnt target genes. We showed that Bcl9 and Bcl9l function in the cytoplasm during tooth enamel formation in a manner that is independent of Wnt-stimulated β-catenin-dependent transcription. Bcl9, Bcl9l, and Pygo2 localized mainly to the cytoplasm of the epithelial-derived ameloblasts, the cells responsible for enamel production. In ameloblasts, Bcl9 interacted with proteins involved in enamel formation and proteins involved in exocytosis and vesicular trafficking. Conditional deletion of both Bcl9 and Bcl9l or both Pygo1 and Pygo2 in mice produced teeth with defective enamel that was bright white and deficient in iron, which is reminiscent of human tooth enamel pathologies. Overall, our data revealed that these proteins, originally defined through their function as β-catenin transcriptional cofactors, function in odontogenesis through a previously uncharacterized cytoplasmic mechanism, revealing that they have roles beyond that of transcriptional cofactors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio Cantù
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pierfrancesco Pagella
- Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Institute of Oral Biology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tania D Shajiei
- Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Institute of Oral Biology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Zimmerli
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Tomas Valenta
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - George Hausmann
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Konrad Basler
- Institute of Molecular Life Sciences, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Thimios A Mitsiadis
- Orofacial Development and Regeneration, Institute of Oral Biology, Center of Dental Medicine, University of Zurich, 8032 Zurich, Switzerland.
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López-García C, Sansregret L, Domingo E, McGranahan N, Hobor S, Birkbak NJ, Horswell S, Grönroos E, Favero F, Rowan AJ, Matthews N, Begum S, Phillimore B, Burrell R, Oukrif D, Spencer-Dene B, Kovac M, Stamp G, Stewart A, Danielsen H, Novelli M, Tomlinson I, Swanton C. BCL9L Dysfunction Impairs Caspase-2 Expression Permitting Aneuploidy Tolerance in Colorectal Cancer. Cancer Cell 2017; 31:79-93. [PMID: 28073006 PMCID: PMC5225404 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2016.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2016] [Revised: 08/05/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Chromosomal instability (CIN) contributes to cancer evolution, intratumor heterogeneity, and drug resistance. CIN is driven by chromosome segregation errors and a tolerance phenotype that permits the propagation of aneuploid genomes. Through genomic analysis of colorectal cancers and cell lines, we find frequent loss of heterozygosity and mutations in BCL9L in aneuploid tumors. BCL9L deficiency promoted tolerance of chromosome missegregation events, propagation of aneuploidy, and genetic heterogeneity in xenograft models likely through modulation of Wnt signaling. We find that BCL9L dysfunction contributes to aneuploidy tolerance in both TP53-WT and mutant cells by reducing basal caspase-2 levels and preventing cleavage of MDM2 and BID. Efforts to exploit aneuploidy tolerance mechanisms and the BCL9L/caspase-2/BID axis may limit cancer diversity and evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos López-García
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Laurent Sansregret
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Enric Domingo
- Oxford Centre for Cancer Gene Research, The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK; Department of Oncology, University of Oxford, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK
| | - Nicholas McGranahan
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London WC2E 6DD, UK
| | - Sebastijan Hobor
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Nicolai Juul Birkbak
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London WC2E 6DD, UK
| | - Stuart Horswell
- Bioinformatics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Eva Grönroos
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Francesco Favero
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Cancer System Biology, Centre for Biological Sequence Analysis, Department of Systems Biology, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby 2800, Denmark
| | - Andrew J Rowan
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Nicholas Matthews
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Sharmin Begum
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Benjamin Phillimore
- Advanced Sequencing Facility, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Rebecca Burrell
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Dahmane Oukrif
- Research Department of Pathology, University College London Medical School, University Street, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
| | - Bradley Spencer-Dene
- Experimental Histopathology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Michal Kovac
- Oxford Centre for Cancer Gene Research, The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Gordon Stamp
- Experimental Histopathology Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Aengus Stewart
- Bioinformatics Science Technology Platform, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK
| | - Havard Danielsen
- Institute for Cancer Genetics and Informatics, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo University Hospital, Ullernchausseen 70, 0379 Oslo, Norway
| | - Marco Novelli
- Research Department of Pathology, University College London Medical School, University Street, London WC1E 6JJ, UK
| | - Ian Tomlinson
- Oxford Centre for Cancer Gene Research, The Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford, OX3 7BN UK
| | - Charles Swanton
- Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, 1 Midland Road, London NW1 1AT, UK; Translational Cancer Therapeutics Laboratory, University College London Cancer Institute, Paul O'Gorman Building, 72 Huntley Street, London WC2E 6DD, UK.
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BCL9/9L-β-catenin Signaling is Associated With Poor Outcome in Colorectal Cancer. EBioMedicine 2015; 2:1932-43. [PMID: 26844272 PMCID: PMC4703711 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2015.10.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2015] [Revised: 10/28/2015] [Accepted: 10/29/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BCL9/9L proteins enhance the transcriptional output of the β-catenin/TCF transcriptional complex and contribute critically to upholding the high WNT signaling level required for stemness maintenance in the intestinal epithelium. Here we show that a BCL9/9L-dependent gene signature derived from independent mouse colorectal cancer (CRC) models unprecedentedly separates patient subgroups with regard to progression free and overall survival. We found that this effect was by and large attributable to stemness related gene sets. Remarkably, this signature proved associated with recently described poor prognosis CRC subtypes exhibiting high stemness and/or epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) traits. Consistent with the notion that high WNT signaling is required for stemness maintenance, ablating Bcl9/9l-β-catenin in murine oncogenic intestinal organoids provoked their differentiation and completely abrogated their tumorigenicity, while not affecting their proliferation. Therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting WNT responses may be limited by intestinal toxicity. Our findings suggest that attenuating WNT signaling to an extent that affects stemness maintenance without disturbing intestinal renewal might be well tolerated and prove sufficient to reduce CRC recurrence and dramatically improve disease outcome. Inhibiting BCL9/9L-β-catenin in CRC models reduces stemness and boosts differentiation traits CRC patients with low expression of BCL9/9L-β-catenin regulated genes have a better prognosis Tempering WNT signaling without affecting intestinal self renewal might be an attractive therapeutic strategy in CRC
Mutational activation of the WNT pathway is a key oncogenic event in colorectal cancer (CRC). Targeting the WNT pathway therefore appears as an attractive strategy, but the therapeutic window might be limited due to intestinal toxicity. Maximum WNT signaling strength is required for upholding stemness traits, which are linked to poor prognosis in CRC. Our data suggest that tempering WNT signaling through abrogating BCL9/9L-β-catenin signaling in CRC models is tolerable for intestinal homeostasis yet strongly diminishes stemness traits and may have a vast impact on CRC patient outcome.
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Sun J, Rockowitz S, Xie Q, Ashery-Padan R, Zheng D, Cvekl A. Identification of in vivo DNA-binding mechanisms of Pax6 and reconstruction of Pax6-dependent gene regulatory networks during forebrain and lens development. Nucleic Acids Res 2015; 43:6827-46. [PMID: 26138486 PMCID: PMC4538810 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkv589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2015] [Accepted: 05/23/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The transcription factor Pax6 is comprised of the paired domain (PD) and homeodomain (HD). In the developing forebrain, Pax6 is expressed in ventricular zone precursor cells and in specific subpopulations of neurons; absence of Pax6 results in disrupted cell proliferation and cell fate specification. Pax6 also regulates the entire lens developmental program. To reconstruct Pax6-dependent gene regulatory networks (GRNs), ChIP-seq studies were performed using forebrain and lens chromatin from mice. A total of 3514 (forebrain) and 3723 (lens) Pax6-containing peaks were identified, with ∼70% of them found in both tissues and thereafter called 'common' peaks. Analysis of Pax6-bound peaks identified motifs that closely resemble Pax6-PD, Pax6-PD/HD and Pax6-HD established binding sequences. Mapping of H3K4me1, H3K4me3, H3K27ac, H3K27me3 and RNA polymerase II revealed distinct types of tissue-specific enhancers bound by Pax6. Pax6 directly regulates cortical neurogenesis through activation (e.g. Dmrta1 and Ngn2) and repression (e.g. Ascl1, Fezf2, and Gsx2) of transcription factors. In lens, Pax6 directly regulates cell cycle exit via components of FGF (Fgfr2, Prox1 and Ccnd1) and Wnt (Dkk3, Wnt7a, Lrp6, Bcl9l, and Ccnd1) signaling pathways. Collectively, these studies provide genome-wide analysis of Pax6-dependent GRNs in lens and forebrain and establish novel roles of Pax6 in organogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Sun
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Shira Rockowitz
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Qing Xie
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ruth Ashery-Padan
- Sackler School of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel-Aviv University, 69978 Ramat Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Deyou Zheng
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA Neurology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA Neuroscience, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Ales Cvekl
- The Departments of Genetics, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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