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Wu L, Zhao Z, Shin YJ, Yin Y, Raju A, Vaiyapuri TS, Idzham K, Son M, Lee Y, Sa JK, Chua JYH, Unal B, Zhai Y, Fan W, Huang L, Hu H, Gunaratne J, Nam DH, Jiang T, Tergaonkar V. Tumour microenvironment programming by an RNA-RNA-binding protein complex creates a druggable vulnerability in IDH-wild-type glioblastoma. Nat Cell Biol 2024; 26:1003-1018. [PMID: 38858501 PMCID: PMC11178504 DOI: 10.1038/s41556-024-01428-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Patients with IDH-wild-type glioblastomas have a poor five-year survival rate along with limited treatment efficacy due to immune cell (glioma-associated microglia and macrophages) infiltration promoting tumour growth and resistance. To enhance therapeutic options, our study investigated the unique RNA-RNA-binding protein complex LOC-DHX15. This complex plays a crucial role in driving immune cell infiltration and tumour growth by establishing a feedback loop between cancer and immune cells, intensifying cancer aggressiveness. Targeting this complex with blood-brain barrier-permeable small molecules improved treatment efficacy, disrupting cell communication and impeding cancer cell survival and stem-like properties. Focusing on RNA-RNA-binding protein interactions emerges as a promising approach not only for glioblastomas without the IDH mutation but also for potential applications beyond cancer, offering new avenues for developing therapies that address intricate cellular relationships in the body.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lele Wu
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Zheng Zhao
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yong Jae Shin
- Research Institute for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yiyun Yin
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Anandhkumar Raju
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Thamil Selvan Vaiyapuri
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Khaireen Idzham
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Miseol Son
- Research Institute for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Yeri Lee
- Research Institute for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Jason K Sa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Joelle Yi Heng Chua
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Bilal Unal
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - You Zhai
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wenhua Fan
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Lijie Huang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Huimin Hu
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Jayantha Gunaratne
- Laboratory of Translational Biomedical Proteomics, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore
| | - Do-Hyun Nam
- Research Institute for Future Medicine, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Department of Neurosurgery, Samsung Medical Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Tao Jiang
- Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
- Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
| | - Vinay Tergaonkar
- Laboratory of NFκB Signalling, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB), Agency for Science Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
- Department of Pathology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
- Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore, Republic of Singapore.
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2
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Han L, Huang C, Wang X, Tong D. The RNA-binding protein GRSF1 promotes hepatocarcinogenesis via competitively binding to YY1 mRNA with miR-30e-5p. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL & CLINICAL CANCER RESEARCH : CR 2022; 41:17. [PMID: 34998399 PMCID: PMC8742353 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-021-02217-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Background Dysregulation of RNA binding protein (RBP) expression has been confirmed to be causally linked with tumorigenesis. The detailed biological effect and underlying mechanisms of the RBP GRSF1 in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain unclear. Methods HCC cells with stable knockdown of GRSF1 were established using two sh-RNA-encoding lentiviruses. The functions of GRSF1 in HCC were explored using MTT, colony formation, flow cytometry, and Transwell assays and a xenograft model. Transcriptomic sequencing in GRSF1-deficient MHCC-97H cells was carried out to identify the downstream effector of GRSF1. The regulatory mechanisms among GRSF1, YY1 and miR-30e-5p were investigated via RNA immunoprecipitation, luciferase, RNA pull-down and ChIP assays. Several in vivo assays were used to assess the selectivity of the small-molecule compound VE-821 in HCC and to confirm the absence of general toxicity in animal models. Results GRSF1 was frequently increased in HCC tissue and cells and was associated with worse clinical outcomes. GRSF1 functions as a novel oncogenic RBP by enhancing YY1 mRNA stability, and the GUUU motifs within the YY1 3`UTR 2663-2847 were the specific binding motifs for GRSF1. YY1 feedback promoted GRSF1 expression by binding to the GRSF1 promoter. In addition, YY1 was a critical target of miR-30e-5p, which was confirmed in this study to inhibit HCC hepatocarcinogenesis. GRSF1 and miR-30e-5p competitively regulated YY1 by binding to its 3`UTR 2663-2847 region. Finally, we identified that VE-821 blocked HCC progression by inhibiting the GRSF1/YY1 pathway. Conclusion This study revealed the interaction network among GRSF1, YY1 and miR-30e-5p, providing new insight into HCC pathogenesis, and indicated that VE821 may serve as a novel agent with potential for HCC treatment through inhibition of the GRSF1/YY1 axis. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-021-02217-w.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Han
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710004, Shaanxi, China.
| | - Chen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Xiaofei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
| | - Dongdong Tong
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, No.277 Yanta West Road, Xi'an, 710061, Shaanxi Province, China
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3
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Mukherjee M, Goswami S. Identification of Key Deregulated RNA-Binding Proteins in Pancreatic Cancer by Meta-Analysis and Prediction of Their Role as Modulators of Oncogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:713852. [PMID: 34912796 PMCID: PMC8667787 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.713852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) play a significant role in multiple cellular processes with their deregulations strongly associated with cancer. However, there are not adequate evidences regarding global alteration and functions of RBPs in pancreatic cancer, interrogated in a systematic manner. In this study, we have prepared an exhaustive list of RBPs from multiple sources, downloaded gene expression microarray data from a total of 241 pancreatic tumors and 124 normal pancreatic tissues, performed a meta-analysis, and obtained differentially expressed RBPs (DE-RBPs) using the Limma package of R Bioconductor. The results were validated in microarray datasets and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) RNA sequencing dataset for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD). Pathway enrichment analysis was performed using DE-RBPs, and we also constructed the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network to detect key modules and hub-RBPs. Coding and noncoding targets for top altered and hub RBPs were identified, and altered pathways modulated by these targets were also investigated. Our meta-analysis identified 45 upregulated and 15 downregulated RBPs as differentially expressed in pancreatic cancer, and pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated their important contribution in tumor development. As a result of PPI network analysis, 26 hub RBPs were detected and coding and noncoding targets for all these RBPs were categorized. Functional exploration characterized the pathways related to epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cell migration, and metastasis to emerge as major pathways interfered by the targets of these RBPs. Our study identified a unique meta-signature of 26 hub-RBPs to primarily modulate pancreatic tumor cell migration and metastasis in pancreatic cancer. IGF2BP3, ISG20, NIP7, PRDX1, RCC2, RUVBL1, SNRPD1, PAIP2B, and SIDT2 were found to play the most prominent role in the regulation of EMT in the process. The findings not only contribute to understand the biology of RBPs in pancreatic cancer but also to evaluate their candidature as possible therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Srikanta Goswami
- National Institute of Biomedical Genomics, Kalyani, India.,Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, India
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4
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Kim JH, Jeong K, Li J, Murphy JM, Vukadin L, Stone JK, Richard A, Tran J, Gillespie GY, Flemington EK, Sobol RW, Lim STS, Ahn EYE. SON drives oncogenic RNA splicing in glioblastoma by regulating PTBP1/PTBP2 switching and RBFOX2 activity. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5551. [PMID: 34548489 PMCID: PMC8455679 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-25892-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [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: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 09/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
While dysregulation of RNA splicing has been recognized as an emerging target for cancer therapy, the functional significance of RNA splicing and individual splicing factors in brain tumors is poorly understood. Here, we identify SON as a master regulator that activates PTBP1-mediated oncogenic splicing while suppressing RBFOX2-mediated non-oncogenic neuronal splicing in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). SON is overexpressed in GBM patients and SON knockdown causes failure in intron removal from the PTBP1 transcript, resulting in PTBP1 downregulation and inhibition of its downstream oncogenic splicing. Furthermore, SON forms a complex with hnRNP A2B1 and antagonizes RBFOX2, which leads to skipping of RBFOX2-targeted cassette exons, including the PTBP2 neuronal exon. SON knockdown inhibits proliferation and clonogenicity of GBM cells in vitro and significantly suppresses tumor growth in orthotopic xenografts in vivo. Collectively, our study reveals that SON-mediated RNA splicing is a GBM vulnerability, implicating SON as a potential therapeutic target in brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung-Hyun Kim
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Kyuho Jeong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Jianfeng Li
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - James M Murphy
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Lana Vukadin
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Joshua K Stone
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Alexander Richard
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Johnny Tran
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - G Yancey Gillespie
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Erik K Flemington
- Department of Pathology, Tulane University School of Medicine, Tulane Cancer Center, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Robert W Sobol
- Mitchell Cancer Institute, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA.
| | - Ssang-Teak Steve Lim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA.
| | - Eun-Young Erin Ahn
- Department of Pathology, Division of Molecular and Cellular Pathology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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5
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CircRNA-Protein Interactions in Muscle Development and Diseases. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22063262. [PMID: 33806945 PMCID: PMC8005172 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22063262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/19/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Circular RNA (circRNA) is a kind of novel endogenous noncoding RNA formed through back-splicing of mRNA precursor. The biogenesis, degradation, nucleus-cytoplasm transport, location, and even translation of circRNA are controlled by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Therefore, circRNAs and the chaperoned RBPs play critical roles in biological functions that significantly contribute to normal animal development and disease. In this review, we systematically characterize the possible molecular mechanism of circRNA-protein interactions, summarize the latest research on circRNA-protein interactions in muscle development and myocardial disease, and discuss the future application of circRNA in treating muscle diseases. Finally, we provide several valid prediction methods and experimental verification approaches. Our review reveals the significance of circRNAs and their protein chaperones and provides a reference for further study in this field.
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Priyadharsini JV, Paramasivam A. RNA editors: key regulators of viral response in cancer patients. Epigenomics 2021; 13:165-167. [PMID: 33499661 DOI: 10.2217/epi-2021-0001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jayaseelan Vijayashree Priyadharsini
- Biomedical Research Unit & Laboratory Animal Centre - Dental Research Cell, Saveetha Dental College & Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India
| | - Arumugam Paramasivam
- Biomedical Research Unit & Laboratory Animal Centre - Dental Research Cell, Saveetha Dental College & Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai 600077, India
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7
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Leclair NK, Brugiolo M, Urbanski L, Lawson SC, Thakar K, Yurieva M, George J, Hinson JT, Cheng A, Graveley BR, Anczuków O. Poison Exon Splicing Regulates a Coordinated Network of SR Protein Expression during Differentiation and Tumorigenesis. Mol Cell 2020; 80:648-665.e9. [PMID: 33176162 PMCID: PMC7680420 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2020.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The RNA isoform repertoire is regulated by splicing factor (SF) expression, and alterations in SF levels are associated with disease. SFs contain ultraconserved poison exon (PE) sequences that exhibit greater identity across species than nearby coding exons, but their physiological role and molecular regulation is incompletely understood. We show that PEs in serine-arginine-rich (SR) proteins, a family of 14 essential SFs, are differentially spliced during induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) differentiation and in tumors versus normal tissues. We uncover an extensive cross-regulatory network of SR proteins controlling their expression via alternative splicing coupled to nonsense-mediated decay. We define sequences that regulate PE inclusion and protein expression of the oncogenic SF TRA2β using an RNA-targeting CRISPR screen. We demonstrate location dependency of RS domain activity on regulation of TRA2β-PE using CRISPR artificial SFs. Finally, we develop splice-switching antisense oligonucleotides to reverse the increased skipping of TRA2β-PE detected in breast tumors, altering breast cancer cell viability, proliferation, and migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan K Leclair
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA; Graduate Program in Genetics and Development, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Mattia Brugiolo
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Laura Urbanski
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA; Graduate Program in Genetics and Development, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Shane C Lawson
- Graduate Program in Genetics and Development, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Ketan Thakar
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Marina Yurieva
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Joshy George
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - John Travis Hinson
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Albert Cheng
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Brenton R Graveley
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA
| | - Olga Anczuków
- The Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine, Farmington, CT, USA; Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA; Institute for Systems Genomics, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, USA.
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8
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Kang C, Jia X, Liu H. Development and validation of a RNA binding protein gene pair-associated prognostic signature for prediction of overall survival in hepatocellular carcinoma. Biomed Eng Online 2020; 19:68. [PMID: 32873282 PMCID: PMC7461748 DOI: 10.1186/s12938-020-00812-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 08/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Increasing evidence has demonstrated the correlation between hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) prognosis and RNA binding proteins (RBPs) dysregulation. Thus, we aimed to develop and validate a reliable prognostic signature that can estimate the prognosis for HCC. Methods Gene expression profiling and clinical information of 374 HCC patients were derived from the TCGA data portal. The survival-related RBP pairs were determined using univariate cox-regression analysis and the signature was built based on LASSO analysis. All patients were divided patients into high-and low-risk groups according to the optimal cut off of the signature score determined by time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. The predictive value of the signature was further validated in an independent cohort. Results A 37-RBP pairs signature consisting of 61 unique genes was constructed which was significantly associated with the survival. The RBP-related signature accurately predicted the prognosis of HCC patients, and patients in high-risk groups showed poor survival in two cohorts. The novel signature was an independent prognostic factor of HCC in two cohorts (all P < 0.001). Furthermore, the C-index of the prognostic model was 0.799, which was higher than that of many established risk models. Pathway and process enrichment analysis showed that the 61 unique genes were mainly enriched in translation, ncRNA metabolic process, RNA splicing, RNA modification, and translational termination. Conclusion The novel proposed RBP-related signature based on relative expression orderings could serve as a promising independent prognostic biomarker for patients with HCC, and could improve the individualized survival prediction in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunmiao Kang
- Department of Ultrasound, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, 710068, China
| | - Xuanhui Jia
- Department of Ultrasound, Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital, Xi'an, 710068, China
| | - Hongsheng Liu
- Department of Radiology, Xi'an Central Hospital Affiliated to Xi'an Jiaotong University, No. 161, Xiwu Road, Xincheng District, Xi'an, 710003, Shaanxi, PR China.
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9
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Abstract
RNA-binding proteins are important regulators of RNA metabolism and are of critical importance in all steps of the gene expression cascade. The role of aberrantly expressed RBPs in human disease is an exciting research field and the potential application of RBPs as a therapeutic target or a diagnostic marker represents a fast-growing area of research.Aberrant overexpression of the human RNA-binding protein La has been found in various cancer entities including lung, cervical, head and neck, and chronic myelogenous leukaemia. Cancer-associated La protein supports tumour-promoting processes such as proliferation, mobility, invasiveness and tumour growth. Moreover, the La protein maintains the survival of cancer cells by supporting an anti-apoptotic state that may cause resistance to chemotherapeutic therapy.The human La protein represents a multifunctional post-translationally modified RNA-binding protein with RNA chaperone activity that promotes processing of non-coding precursor RNAs but also stimulates the translation of selective messenger RNAs encoding tumour-promoting and anti-apoptotic factors. In our model, La facilitates the expression of those factors and helps cancer cells to cope with cellular stress. In contrast to oncogenes, able to initiate tumorigenesis, we postulate that the aberrantly elevated expression of the human La protein contributes to the non-oncogenic addiction of cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the current understanding about the implications of the RNA-binding protein La in cancer progression and therapeutic resistance. The concept of exploiting the RBP La as a cancer drug target will be discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gunhild Sommer
- Department for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Tilman Heise
- Department for Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Stem Cell Transplantation, University Hospital Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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10
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Chaudhuri A, Das S, Das B. Localization elements and zip codes in the intracellular transport and localization of messenger RNAs in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2020; 11:e1591. [PMID: 32101377 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2019] [Revised: 02/05/2020] [Accepted: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Intracellular trafficking and localization of mRNAs provide a mechanism of regulation of expression of genes with excellent spatial control. mRNA localization followed by localized translation appears to be a mechanism of targeted protein sorting to a specific cell-compartment, which is linked to the establishment of cell polarity, cell asymmetry, embryonic axis determination, and neuronal plasticity in metazoans. However, the complexity of the mechanism and the components of mRNA localization in higher organisms prompted the use of the unicellular organism Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a simplified model organism to study this vital process. Current knowledge indicates that a variety of mRNAs are asymmetrically and selectively localized to the tip of the bud of the daughter cells, to the vicinity of endoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and nucleus in this organism, which are connected to diverse cellular processes. Interestingly, specific cis-acting RNA localization elements (LEs) or RNA zip codes play a crucial role in the localization and trafficking of these localized mRNAs by providing critical binding sites for the specific RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). In this review, we present a comprehensive account of mRNA localization in S. cerevisiae, various types of localization elements influencing the mRNA localization, and the RBPs, which bind to these LEs to implement a number of vital physiological processes. Finally, we emphasize the significance of this process by highlighting their connection to several neuropathological disorders and cancers. This article is categorized under: RNA Export and Localization > RNA Localization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusha Chaudhuri
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | - Subhadeep Das
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
| | - Biswadip Das
- Department of Life Science and Biotechnology, Jadavpur University, Kolkata, India
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11
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Dong Y, Xiao Y, Shi Q, Jiang C. Dysregulated lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA Network Reveals Patient Survival-Associated Modules and RNA Binding Proteins in Invasive Breast Carcinoma. Front Genet 2020; 10:1284. [PMID: 32010179 PMCID: PMC6975227 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.01284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women, but few biomarkers are effective in clinic. Previous studies have shown the important roles of non-coding RNAs in diagnosis, prognosis, and therapy selection for breast cancer and have suggested the significance of integrating molecules at different levels to interpret the mechanism of breast cancer. Here, we collected transcriptome data including long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), microRNA (miRNA), and mRNA for ~1,200 samples, including 1079 invasive breast carcinoma samples and 104 normal samples, from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) project. We identified differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs that distinguished invasive carcinoma samples from normal samples. We further constructed an integrated dysregulated network consisting of differentially expressed lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs and found housekeeping and cancer-related functions. Moreover, 58 RNA binding proteins (RBPs) involved in biological processes that are essential to maintain cell survival were found in the dysregulated network, and 10 were correlated with overall survival. In addition, we identified two modules that stratify patients into high- and low-risk subgroups. The expression patterns of these two modules were significantly different in invasive carcinoma versus normal samples, and some molecules were high-confidence biomarkers of breast cancer. Together, these data demonstrated an important clinical application for improving outcome prediction for invasive breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
| | - Qihui Shi
- Key Laboratory of Systems Biomedicine (Ministry of Education), Shanghai Center for Systems Biomedicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunjie Jiang
- Institute for Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States.,Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States
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12
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Splicing Dysregulation as Oncogenic Driver and Passenger Factor in Brain Tumors. Cells 2019; 9:cells9010010. [PMID: 31861467 PMCID: PMC7016899 DOI: 10.3390/cells9010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2019] [Revised: 12/13/2019] [Accepted: 12/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Brain tumors are a heterogeneous group of neoplasms ranging from almost benign to highly aggressive phenotypes. The malignancy of these tumors mostly relies on gene expression reprogramming, which is frequently accompanied by the aberrant regulation of RNA processing mechanisms. In brain tumors, defects in alternative splicing result either from the dysregulation of expression and activity of splicing factors, or from mutations in the genes encoding splicing machinery components. Aberrant splicing regulation can generate dysfunctional proteins that lead to modification of fundamental physiological cellular processes, thus contributing to the development or progression of brain tumors. Herein, we summarize the current knowledge on splicing abnormalities in brain tumors and how these alterations contribute to the disease by sustaining proliferative signaling, escaping growth suppressors, or establishing a tumor microenvironment that fosters angiogenesis and intercellular communications. Lastly, we review recent efforts aimed at developing novel splicing-targeted cancer therapies, which employ oligonucleotide-based approaches or chemical modulators of alternative splicing that elicit an impact on brain tumor biology.
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Han L, Huang C, Zhang S. The RNA-binding protein SORBS2 suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma tumourigenesis and metastasis by stabilizing RORA mRNA. Liver Int 2019; 39:2190-2203. [PMID: 31365778 DOI: 10.1111/liv.14202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2019] [Revised: 07/13/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous studies have revealed that dysregulation of RNA-binding protein (RBP) expression is causally linked with human cancer tumourigenesis. However, the detailed biological effect and underlying mechanisms of most RBPs remain unclear. METHODS Expression of sorbin and SH3 domain-containing 2 (SORBS2) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was detected by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry assay and Western blot assay. Proliferation, migration, invasion and cell cycle progression of HCC cells were measured by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, colony-forming assay, Transwell assay and flow cytometry assay respectively. A xenograft model and metastatic model were established to evaluate the proliferation and metastasis of HCC cells in vivo. Western blot assays were performed to assess the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition markers. Luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation and pull-down assay elucidated the effect of SORBS2 on one of its downstream genes. RESULTS The expression of SORBS2 was significantly decreased in HCC and was associated with metastasis, advanced TNM clinical stage and poor clinical outcome of HCC patients. Furthermore, our results suggested that SORBS2 inhibited HCC cell proliferation, invasion, migration and EMT both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, we revealed that retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor (RORA) was a major target of SORBS2 and was critical to sustaining the antitumour effect of SORBS2 on HCC cells. SORBS2 reduced RORA mRNA degradation by directly binding to the 3'UTR of RORA mRNA. CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found for the first time that SORBS2 contributed to the suppression of HCC tumourigenesis and metastasis via post-transcriptional regulation of RORA expression as an RBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Han
- Department of Oncology, College of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R. China
| | - Chen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shuqun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, College of Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, P.R. China
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14
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Han L, Zan Y, Huang C, Zhang S. NELFE promoted pancreatic cancer metastasis and the epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition by decreasing the stabilization of NDRG2 mRNA. Int J Oncol 2019; 55:1313-1323. [PMID: 31638184 PMCID: PMC6831195 DOI: 10.3892/ijo.2019.4890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Negative elongation factor E (NELFE) has been demonstrated to promote cancer progression as an RNA‑binding protein (RBP). However, the expression patterns, biological role and molecular mechanism of NELFE in pancreatic cancer (PC) remain largely unknown. The expression levels of NELFE in 120 pairs of PC tissues and adjacent non‑tumor clinical samples collected from patients with PC were examined via reverse transcription‑quantitative (RT‑q) PCR and immunohistochemistry. The mRNA expression levels of NELFE, N‑Myc downstream‑regulated gene 2 (NDRG2), c‑Myc, survivin and cyclin D1 were detected via RT‑qPCR. The protein expression levels of NELFE, NDRG2, total β‑catenin, nuclear β‑catenin, cytosolic β‑catenin, E‑cadherin, N‑cadherin and Vimentin were measured by western blotting. NELFE and NDRG2 were then knocked‑down by short hairpin (sh)RNA. PC cell proliferation was detected by MTT and colony formation assays. Invasion and migration were detected by transwell assays. The interaction between NELFE and NDRG2 was detected by luciferase reporter assays, mRNA decay assays and RNA immunoprecipitation. NELFE expression was increased in PC tissues compared with the paired non‑cancerous tissues. NELFE expression was upregulated in PC cells when compared with normal pancreatic cells (HPDE6‑C7). The present study revealed that knockdown of NELFE inhibited the proliferation, invasion and migration of PC cells. In addition, transfection of the sh‑NELFE vector inhibited the epithelial‑to‑mesenchymal transition in PC cells by suppressing the expression and nuclear accumulation of β‑catenin. Further mechanistic studies revealed that NELFE activates the Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway by decreasing the stabilization of NDRG2 mRNA in PC. To the best of our knowledge, these results revealed the promotional function of NELFE on PC tumorigenesis and metastasis for the first time, helping to provide a promising strategy for the treatment of patients with PC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lili Han
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Ying Zan
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
| | - Chen Huang
- Key Laboratory of Environment and Genes Related to Diseases, Ministry of Education of China, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710061, P.R. China
| | - Shuqun Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital, College of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710004, P.R. China
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15
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Velasco MX, Kosti A, Penalva LOF, Hernández G. The Diverse Roles of RNA-Binding Proteins in Glioma Development. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1157:29-39. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-19966-1_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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16
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Bovaird S, Patel D, Padilla JCA, Lécuyer E. Biological functions, regulatory mechanisms, and disease relevance of RNA localization pathways. FEBS Lett 2018; 592:2948-2972. [PMID: 30132838 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.13228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2018] [Revised: 08/06/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The asymmetric subcellular distribution of RNA molecules from their sites of transcription to specific compartments of the cell is an important aspect of post-transcriptional gene regulation. This involves the interplay of intrinsic cis-regulatory elements within the RNA molecules with trans-acting RNA-binding proteins and associated factors. Together, these interactions dictate the intracellular localization route of RNAs, whose downstream impacts have wide-ranging implications in cellular physiology. In this review, we examine the mechanisms underlying RNA localization and discuss their biological significance. We also review the growing body of evidence pointing to aberrant RNA localization pathways in the development and progression of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Bovaird
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), QC, Canada.,Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Dhara Patel
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), QC, Canada.,Molecular Biology Program, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Juan-Carlos Alberto Padilla
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), QC, Canada.,Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Eric Lécuyer
- Institut de recherches cliniques de Montréal (IRCM), QC, Canada.,Division of Experimental Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.,Molecular Biology Program, Faculty of Medicine, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, Université de Montréal, QC, Canada
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17
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Bisogno LS, Keene JD. RNA regulons in cancer and inflammation. Curr Opin Genet Dev 2017; 48:97-103. [PMID: 29175729 DOI: 10.1016/j.gde.2017.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 11/07/2017] [Accepted: 11/10/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Gene expression is the fundamental driving force that coordinates normal cellular processes and adapts to dysfunctional conditions such as oncogenic development and progression. While transcription is the basal process of gene expression, RNA transcripts are both the templates that encode proteins as well as perform functions that directly regulate diverse cellular processes. All levels of gene expression require coordination to optimize available resources, but how global gene expression drives cancers or responds to disrupting oncogenic mutations is not understood. Post-transcriptional coordination is controlled by RNA regulons that are governed by RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that bind and regulate multiple overlapping groups of functionally related RNAs. RNA regulons have been demonstrated to affect many biological functions and diseases, and many examples are known to regulate protein production in cancer and immune cells. In this review, we discuss RNA regulons demonstrated to coordinate global post-transcriptional mechanisms in carcinogenesis and inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Simone Bisogno
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States
| | - Jack Donald Keene
- Department of Molecular Genetics & Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, United States.
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18
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Sutherland LC, Thibault P, Durand M, Lapointe E, Knee JM, Beauvais A, Kalatskaya I, Hunt SC, Loiselle JJ, Roy JG, Tessier SJ, Ybazeta G, Stein L, Kothary R, Klinck R, Chabot B. Splicing arrays reveal novel RBM10 targets, including SMN2 pre-mRNA. BMC Mol Biol 2017; 18:19. [PMID: 28728573 PMCID: PMC5520337 DOI: 10.1186/s12867-017-0096-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background RBM10 is an RNA binding protein involved in message stabilization and alternative splicing regulation. The objective of the research described herein was to identify novel targets of RBM10-regulated splicing. To accomplish this, we downregulated RBM10 in human cell lines, using small interfering RNAs, then monitored alternative splicing, using a reverse transcription-PCR screening platform. Results RBM10 knockdown (KD) provoked alterations in splicing events in 10–20% of the pre-mRNAs, most of which had not been previously identified as RBM10 targets. Hierarchical clustering of the genes affected by RBM10 KD revealed good conservation of alternative exon inclusion or exclusion across cell lines. Pathway annotation showed RAS signaling to be most affected by RBM10 KD. Of particular interest was the finding that splicing of SMN pre-mRNA, encoding the survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein, was influenced by RBM10 KD. Inhibition of RBM10 resulted in preferential expression of the full-length, exon 7 retaining, SMN transcript in four cancer cell lines and one normal skin fibroblast cell line. SMN protein is expressed from two genes, SMN1 and SMN2, but the SMN1 gene is homozygously disrupted in people with spinal muscular atrophy; as a consequence, all of the SMN that is expressed in people with this disease is from the SMN2 gene. Expression analyses using primary fibroblasts from control, carrier and spinal muscle atrophy donors demonstrated that RBM10 KD resulted in preferential expression of the full-length, exon 7 retaining, SMN2 transcript. At the protein level, upregulation of the full-length SMN2 was also observed. Re-expression of RBM10, in a stable RBM10 KD cancer cell line, correlated with a reversion of the KD effect, demonstrating specificity. Conclusion Our work has not only expanded the number of pre-mRNA targets for RBM10, but identified RBM10 as a novel regulator of SMN2 alternative inclusion. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12867-017-0096-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie C Sutherland
- Health Sciences North Research Institute, Sudbury, ON, P3E 5J1, Canada. .,Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada. .,Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada.
| | - Philippe Thibault
- RNomics Platform of Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Mathieu Durand
- RNomics Platform of Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Elvy Lapointe
- RNomics Platform of Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jose M Knee
- Health Sciences North Research Institute, Sudbury, ON, P3E 5J1, Canada
| | - Ariane Beauvais
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada
| | - Irina Kalatskaya
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, MaRS Centre, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Sarah C Hunt
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Julie J Loiselle
- Biomolecular Sciences Program, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Justin G Roy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, P3E 2C6, Canada
| | - Sarah J Tessier
- Health Sciences North Research Institute, Sudbury, ON, P3E 5J1, Canada
| | - Gustavo Ybazeta
- Health Sciences North Research Institute, Sudbury, ON, P3E 5J1, Canada
| | - Lincoln Stein
- Ontario Institute for Cancer Research, MaRS Centre, Toronto, ON, M5G 0A3, Canada
| | - Rashmi Kothary
- Ottawa Hospital Research Institute, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8L6, Canada.,Departments of Medicine and of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, K1H 8M5, Canada
| | - Roscoe Klinck
- RNomics Platform of Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada.,Département de Microbiologie et d'infectiologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Benoit Chabot
- Département de Microbiologie et d'infectiologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
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19
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RNA processing as an alternative route to attack glioblastoma. Hum Genet 2017; 136:1129-1141. [PMID: 28608251 DOI: 10.1007/s00439-017-1819-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Genomic analyses have become an important tool to identify new avenues for therapy. This is especially true for cancer types with extremely poor outcomes, since our lack of effective therapies offers no tangible clinical starting point to build upon. The highly malignant brain tumor glioblastoma (GBM) exemplifies such a refractory cancer, with only 15 month average patient survival. Analyses of several hundred GBM samples compiled by the TCGA (The Cancer Genome Atlas) have produced an extensive transcriptomic map, identified prevalent chromosomal alterations, and defined important driver mutations. Unfortunately, clinical trials based on these results have not yet delivered an improvement on outcome. It is, therefore, necessary to characterize other regulatory routes known for playing a role in tumor relapse and response to treatment. Alternative splicing affects more than 90% of the human coding genes and it is an important source for transcript variation and gene regulation. Mutations and alterations in splicing factors are highly prevalent in multiple cancers, demonstrating the potential for splicing to act as a tumor driver. As a result, numerous genes are expressed as cancer-specific splicing isoforms that are functionally distinct from the canonical isoforms found in normal tissue. These include genes that regulate cancer-critical pathways such as apoptosis, DNA repair, cell proliferation, and migration. Splicing defects can even induce genomic instability, a common characteristic of cancer, and a driver of tumor evolution. Importantly, components of the splicing machinery are targetable; multiple drugs can inhibit splicing factors or promote changes in splicing which could be exploited to begin improving clinical outcomes. Here, we review the current literature and present a case for exploring RNA processing as therapeutic route for the treatment of GBM.
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20
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Analysis of post-transcriptional regulation during cancer progression using a donor-derived isogenic model of tumorigenesis. Methods 2017; 126:193-200. [PMID: 28529064 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2017.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression by RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and non-coding RNAs plays an important role in global gene expression. Many post-transcriptional regulators are misexpressed and misregulated in cancers, resulting in altered programs of protein biosynthesis that can drive tumor progression. While comparative studies of several RBPs and microRNAs expressed in various cancer types have been reported, a model system that can be used to quantify RBP regulation and functional outcomes during the initiation and early stages of tumorigenesis is lacking. It was previously demonstrated that oncogenic transformation of normal human cells can be induced by expressing hTERT, p53DD, cyclin D1, CDK4R24C, C-MYCT58A and H-RASG12V. Here we describe a user-friendly method for generating this genetically defined model of step-wise tumorigenesis beginning with normal donor-derived human cells. This method immortalizes a donor's normal cells in about a week, reducing the chances of senescence. The entire stable system can be established in less than 12weeks. We then demonstrate the utility of such a system in elucidating the expression of multiple RBPs at an early step of tumor formation. We identify significant changes in the expression levels of transcripts encoding RBPs prior to transformation, suggesting that our described donor-derived isogenic system can provide insight about post-transcriptional regulation during the earliest stages of tumorigenesis in the context of diverse genetic backgrounds.
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21
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Li T, Li S, Chen D, Chen B, Yu T, Zhao F, Wang Q, Yao M, Huang S, Chen Z, He X. Transcriptomic analyses of RNA-binding proteins reveal eIF3c promotes cell proliferation in hepatocellular carcinoma. Cancer Sci 2017; 108:877-885. [PMID: 28231410 PMCID: PMC5448617 DOI: 10.1111/cas.13209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/15/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA‐binding proteins (RBPs) play fundamental roles in the RNA life cycle. The aberrant expression of RBPs is often observed in human disease, including cancer. In this study, we screened for the expression levels of 1542 human RBPs in The Cancer Genome Atlas liver hepatocellular carcinoma samples and found 92 consistently upregulated RBP genes in HCC compared with normal samples. Additionally, we undertook a Kaplan–Meier analysis and found that high expression of 15 RBP genes was associated with poor prognosis in patients with HCC. Furthermore, we found that eIF3c promotes HCC cell proliferation in vitro as well as tumorigenicity in vivo. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis showed that high eIF3c expression is positively associated with KRAS, vascular endothelial growth factor, and Hedgehog signaling pathways, all of which are closely associated with specific cancer‐related gene sets. Our study provides the basis for further investigation of the molecular mechanism by which eIF3c promotes the development and progression of HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tangjian Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shengli Li
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bing Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Tao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Fangyu Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Qifeng Wang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ming Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Shanghai Cancer Institute, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Shenglin Huang
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhiao Chen
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xianghuo He
- Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center and Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
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22
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Correa BR, de Araujo PR, Qiao M, Burns SC, Chen C, Schlegel R, Agarwal S, Galante PAF, Penalva LOF. Functional genomics analyses of RNA-binding proteins reveal the splicing regulator SNRPB as an oncogenic candidate in glioblastoma. Genome Biol 2016; 17:125. [PMID: 27287018 PMCID: PMC4901439 DOI: 10.1186/s13059-016-0990-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor. Currently, GBM has an extremely poor outcome and there is no effective treatment. In this context, genomic and transcriptomic analyses have become important tools to identify new avenues for therapies. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are master regulators of co- and post-transcriptional events; however, their role in GBM remains poorly understood. To further our knowledge of novel regulatory pathways that could contribute to gliomagenesis, we have conducted a systematic study of RBPs in GBM. RESULTS By measuring expression levels of 1542 human RBPs in GBM samples and glioma stem cell samples, we identified 58 consistently upregulated RBPs. Survival analysis revealed that increased expression of 21 RBPs was also associated with a poor prognosis. To assess the functional impact of those RBPs, we modulated their expression in GBM cell lines and performed viability, proliferation, and apoptosis assays. Combined results revealed a prominent oncogenic candidate, SNRPB, which encodes core spliceosome machinery components. To reveal the impact of SNRPB on splicing and gene expression, we performed its knockdown in a GBM cell line followed by RNA sequencing. We found that the affected genes were involved in RNA processing, DNA repair, and chromatin remodeling. Additionally, genes and pathways already associated with gliomagenesis, as well as a set of general cancer genes, also presented with splicing and expression alterations. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides new insights into how RBPs, and specifically SNRPB, regulate gene expression and directly impact GBM development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna R Correa
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | | | - Mei Qiao
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Suzanne C Burns
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Chen Chen
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | | | - Seema Agarwal
- Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Pedro A F Galante
- Centro de Oncologia Molecular, Hospital Sírio-Libanês, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Luiz O F Penalva
- Children's Cancer Research Institute, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, UTHSCSA, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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23
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Msi1 promotes tumor growth and cell proliferation by targeting cell cycle checkpoint proteins p21, p27 and p53 in cervical carcinomas. Oncotarget 2015; 5:10870-85. [PMID: 25362645 PMCID: PMC4279416 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.2539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2014] [Accepted: 09/28/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Musashi RNA-binding protein1 (Msi1), a member of the RNA-binding protein family, has been reported to be a diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target in some cancers, its function in cervical cancer remains unknown. In this study, we found Msi1 was highly expressed in cervical cancer tissues, and over-expressing Msi1 in cervical cancer cells enhanced tumor formation and cell proliferation and accelerated cells into the S phase. Whereas, down-regulating Msi1 by shRNA in cervical cancer cells inhibited tumor formation and cell proliferation and slowed cell into the S phase, suggesting that Msi1 might act as cell cycle regulator. Immunohistochemistry assay showed the negative correlation between Msi1 and p21, p27 and p53, suggesting that Msi1 might regulate these cycle regulators in cervical cancer. Moreover, the expression of the p21, p27 and p53 proteins were down-regulated in Msi1 overexpressing cervical cancer cells and up-regulated in shMsi1 cervical cancer cells. Luciferase assays and RNA-protein binding assays confirmed that Msi1 could bind to the mRNA 3′UTRs of p21, p27 and p53 and suppress the translation of these proteins. Our findings provide new evidence that Msi1 might promote cell proliferation by accelerating the cell cycle by directly targeting p21, p27 and p53.
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RNA-Binding Protein Musashi1 Is a Central Regulator of Adhesion Pathways in Glioblastoma. Mol Cell Biol 2015; 35:2965-78. [PMID: 26100017 DOI: 10.1128/mcb.00410-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/10/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The conserved RNA-binding protein Musashi1 (MSI1) has emerged as a key oncogenic factor in numerous solid tumors, including glioblastoma. However, its mechanism of action has not yet been established comprehensively. To identify its target genes comprehensively and determine the main routes by which it influences glioblastoma phenotypes, we conducted individual-nucleotide resolution cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (iCLIP) experiments. We confirmed that MSI1 has a preference for UAG sequences contained in a particular structural context, especially in 3' untranslated regions. Although numerous binding sites were also identified in intronic sequences, our RNA transcriptome sequencing analysis does not favor the idea that MSI1 is a major regulator of splicing in glioblastoma cells. MSI1 target mRNAs encode proteins that function in multiple pathways of cell proliferation and cell adhesion. Since these associations indicate potentially new roles for MSI1, we investigated its impact on glioblastoma cell adhesion, morphology, migration, and invasion. These processes are known to underpin the spread and relapse of glioblastoma, in contrast to other tumors where metastasis is the main driver of recurrence and progression.
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25
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Bahrami-Samani E, Vo DT, de Araujo PR, Vogel C, Smith AD, Penalva LOF, Uren PJ. Computational challenges, tools, and resources for analyzing co- and post-transcriptional events in high throughput. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2015; 6:291-310. [PMID: 25515586 PMCID: PMC4397117 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2014] [Revised: 10/24/2014] [Accepted: 10/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Co- and post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression is complex and multifaceted, spanning the complete RNA lifecycle from genesis to decay. High-throughput profiling of the constituent events and processes is achieved through a range of technologies that continue to expand and evolve. Fully leveraging the resulting data is nontrivial, and requires the use of computational methods and tools carefully crafted for specific data sources and often intended to probe particular biological processes. Drawing upon databases of information pre-compiled by other researchers can further elevate analyses. Within this review, we describe the major co- and post-transcriptional events in the RNA lifecycle that are amenable to high-throughput profiling. We place specific emphasis on the analysis of the resulting data, in particular the computational tools and resources available, as well as looking toward future challenges that remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emad Bahrami-Samani
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Dat T. Vo
- Children’s Cancer Research Institute and Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
| | - Patricia Rosa de Araujo
- Children’s Cancer Research Institute and Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
| | - Christine Vogel
- Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, Department of Biology, New York University, New York, NY
| | - Andrew D. Smith
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
| | - Luiz O. F. Penalva
- Children’s Cancer Research Institute and Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX
| | - Philip J. Uren
- Molecular and Computational Biology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
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Abstract
Post-transcriptional gene regulation (PTGR) concerns processes involved in the maturation, transport, stability and translation of coding and non-coding RNAs. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and ribonucleoproteins coordinate RNA processing and PTGR. The introduction of large-scale quantitative methods, such as next-generation sequencing and modern protein mass spectrometry, has renewed interest in the investigation of PTGR and the protein factors involved at a systems-biology level. Here, we present a census of 1,542 manually curated RBPs that we have analysed for their interactions with different classes of RNA, their evolutionary conservation, their abundance and their tissue-specific expression. Our analysis is a critical step towards the comprehensive characterization of proteins involved in human RNA metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Gerstberger
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York 10065, USA
| | - Markus Hafner
- Laboratory of Muscle Stem Cells and Gene Regulation, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA
| | - Thomas Tuschl
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute and Laboratory for RNA Molecular Biology, The Rockefeller University, 1230 York Ave, New York 10065, USA
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A profile of transcriptomic changes in the rd10 mouse model of retinitis pigmentosa. Mol Vis 2014; 20:1612-28. [PMID: 25489233 PMCID: PMC4235044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2014] [Accepted: 11/12/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) is a photoreceptor disease that affects approximately 100,000 people in the United States. Treatment options are limited, and the prognosis for most patients is progressive vision loss. Unfortunately, understanding of the molecular underpinnings of RP initiation and progression is still limited. However, the development of animal models of RP, coupled with high-throughput sequencing, has provided an opportunity to study the underlying cellular and molecular changes in this disease. METHODS Using RNA-Seq, we present the first retinal transcriptome analysis of the rd10 murine model of retinal degeneration. RESULTS Our data confirm the loss of rod-specific transcripts and the increased relative expression of Müller-specific transcripts, emphasizing the important role of reactive gliosis and innate immune activation in RP. Moreover, we report substantial changes in relative isoform usage among neuronal differentiation and morphogenesis genes, including a marked shift to shorter transcripts. CONCLUSIONS Our analyses implicate remodeling of the inner retina and possible Müller cell dedifferentiation.
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Bish R, Vogel C. RNA binding protein-mediated post-transcriptional gene regulation in medulloblastoma. Mol Cells 2014; 37:357-64. [PMID: 24608801 PMCID: PMC4044306 DOI: 10.14348/molcells.2014.0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2014] [Accepted: 05/02/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Medulloblastoma, the most common malignant brain tumor in children, is a disease whose mechanisms are now beginning to be uncovered by high-throughput studies of somatic mutations, mRNA expression patterns, and epigenetic profiles of patient tumors. One emerging theme from studies that sequenced the tumor genomes of large cohorts of medulloblastoma patients is frequent mutation of RNA binding proteins. Proteins which bind multiple RNA targets can act as master regulators of gene expression at the post-transcriptional level to co-ordinate cellular processes and alter the phenotype of the cell. Identification of the target genes of RNA binding proteins may highlight essential pathways of medulloblastomagenesis that cannot be detected by study of transcriptomics alone. Furthermore, a subset of RNA binding proteins are attractive drug targets. For example, compounds that are under development as anti-viral targets due to their ability to inhibit RNA helicases could also be tested in novel approaches to medulloblastoma therapy by targeting key RNA binding proteins. In this review, we discuss a number of RNA binding proteins, including Musashi1 (MSI1), DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box helicase 3 X-linked (DDX3X), DDX31, and cell division cycle and apoptosis regulator 1 (CCAR1), which play potentially critical roles in the growth and/or maintenance of medulloblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Bish
- New York University, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York, NY,
USA
| | - Christine Vogel
- New York University, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York, NY,
USA
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29
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Zhao H, Yang Y, Janga SC, Kao CC, Zhou Y. Prediction and validation of the unexplored RNA-binding protein atlas of the human proteome. Proteins 2014; 82:640-7. [PMID: 24123256 PMCID: PMC3949140 DOI: 10.1002/prot.24441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2013] [Revised: 09/13/2013] [Accepted: 09/26/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Detecting protein-RNA interactions is challenging both experimentally and computationally because RNAs are large in number, diverse in cellular location and function, and flexible in structure. As a result, many RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) remain to be identified. Here, a template-based, function-prediction technique SPOT-Seq for RBPs is applied to human proteome and its result is validated by a recent proteomic experimental discovery of 860 mRNA-binding proteins (mRBPs). The coverage (or sensitivity) is 42.6% for 1217 known RBPs annotated in the Gene Ontology and 43.6% for 860 newly discovered human mRBPs. Consistent sensitivity indicates the robust performance of SPOT-Seq for predicting RBPs. More importantly, SPOT-Seq detects 2418 novel RBPs in human proteome, 291 of which were validated by the newly discovered mRBP set. Among 291 validated novel RBPs, 61 are not homologous to any known RBPs. Successful validation of predicted novel RBPs permits us to further analysis of their phenotypic roles in disease pathways. The dataset of 2418 predicted novel RBPs along with confidence levels and complex structures is available at http://sparks-lab.org (in publications) for experimental confirmations and hypothesis generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Zhao
- School of Informatics, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
| | - Yuedong Yang
- School of Informatics, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
- Institute for Glycomics and School of Informatics and Communication Technology, Griffith University, Parklands Dr., Southport, QLD4215, Australia
| | - Sarath Chandra Janga
- School of Informatics, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
| | - C. Cheng Kao
- Department of Molecular & Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, 47405, USA
| | - Yaoqi Zhou
- School of Informatics, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA
- Institute for Glycomics and School of Informatics and Communication Technology, Griffith University, Parklands Dr., Southport, QLD4215, Australia
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30
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Wang XY, Yu H, Linnoila RI, Li L, Li D, Mo B, Okano H, Penalva LOF, Glazer RI. Musashi1 as a potential therapeutic target and diagnostic marker for lung cancer. Oncotarget 2014; 4:739-50. [PMID: 23715514 PMCID: PMC3742834 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer remains one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide with a 5-year survival rate of less than 20%. One approach to improving survival is the identification of biomarkers to detect early stage disease. In this study, we investigated the potential of the stem cell and progenitor cell marker, Musashi1 (Msi1), as a diagnostic marker and potential therapeutic target for lung cancer. Functional studies in A549 bronchioalveolar carcinoma and NCI-H520 squamous cell carcinoma cells revealed that Msi1 was enriched in spheroid cultures of tumor cells and in the CD133+ cell population. Downregulation of Msi1 by lentivirus-mediated expression of an Msi1 shRNA reduced spheroid colony proliferation. Growth inhibition was associated with reduced nuclear localization of β-catenin and inhibition of the processing of intracellular Notch. In primary lung cancer, Msi1 protein expression was elevated in 86% of 202 tissue microarray specimens, and Msi1 mRNA was increased in 80% of 118 bronchoscopic biopsies, including metastatic disease, but was rarely detected in adjacent normal lung tissue and in non-malignant diseased tissue. Msi1 was expressed in a diffuse pattern in most tumor subtypes, except in squamous cell carcinomas, where it appeared in a focal pattern in 50% of specimens. Thus, Msi1 is a sensitive and specific diagnostic marker for all lung cancer subtypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Yang Wang
- Cell and Cancer Biology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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31
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Evolutionary conservation and expression of human RNA-binding proteins and their role in human genetic disease. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2014; 825:1-55. [PMID: 25201102 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4939-1221-6_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are effectors and regulators of posttranscriptional gene regulation (PTGR). RBPs regulate stability, maturation, and turnover of all RNAs, often binding thousands of targets at many sites. The importance of RBPs is underscored by their dysregulation or mutations causing a variety of developmental and neurological diseases. This chapter globally discusses human RBPs and provides a brief introduction to their identification and RNA targets. We review RBPs based on common structural RNA-binding domains, study their evolutionary conservation and expression, and summarize disease associations of different RBP classes.
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32
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Zhao H, Yang Y, Zhou Y. Prediction of RNA binding proteins comes of age from low resolution to high resolution. MOLECULAR BIOSYSTEMS 2013; 9:2417-25. [PMID: 23872922 PMCID: PMC3870025 DOI: 10.1039/c3mb70167k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Networks of protein-RNA interactions is likely to be larger than protein-protein and protein-DNA interaction networks because RNA transcripts are encoded tens of times more than proteins (e.g. only 3% of human genome coded for proteins), have diverse function and localization, and are controlled by proteins from birth (transcription) to death (degradation). This massive network is evidenced by several recent experimental discoveries of large numbers of previously unknown RNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Meanwhile, more than 400 non-redundant protein-RNA complex structures (at 25% sequence identity or less) have been deposited into the protein databank. These sequences and structural resources for RBPs provide ample data for the development of computational techniques dedicated to RBP prediction, as experimentally determining RNA-binding functions is time-consuming and expensive. This review compares traditional machine-learning based approaches with emerging template-based methods at several levels of prediction resolution ranging from two-state binding/non-binding prediction, to binding residue prediction and protein-RNA complex structure prediction. The analysis indicates that the two approaches are complementary and their combinations may lead to further improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiying Zhao
- School of Informatics, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
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33
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Kuersten S, Radek A, Vogel C, Penalva LOF. Translation regulation gets its 'omics' moment. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2013; 4:617-30. [PMID: 23677826 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 04/23/2013] [Accepted: 04/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
The fate of cellular RNA is largely determined by complex networks of protein-RNA interactions through ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes. Despite their relatively short half-life, transcripts associate with many different proteins that process, modify, translate, and degrade the RNA. Following biogenesis some mRNPs are immediately directed to translation and produce proteins, but many are diverted and regulated by processes including miRNA-mediated mechanisms, transport and localization, as well as turnover. Because of this complex interplay estimates of steady-state expression by methods such as RNAseq alone cannot capture critical aspects of cellular fate, environmental response, tumorigenesis, or gene expression regulation. More selective and integrative tools are needed to measure protein-RNA complexes and the regulatory processes involved. One focus area is measurements of the transcriptome associated with ribosomes and translation. These so-called polysome or ribosome profiling techniques can evaluate translation efficiency as well as the interplay between translation initiation, elongation, and termination-subject areas not well understood at a systems biology level. Ribosome profiling is a highly promising technique that provides mRNA positional information of ribosome occupancy, potentially bridging the gap between gene expression (i.e., RNAseq and microarray analysis) and protein quantification (i.e., mass spectrometry). In combination with methods such as RNA immunoprecipitation, miRNA profiling, or proteomics, we obtain a fresh view of global post-transcriptional and translational gene regulation. In addition, these techniques also provide new insight into new regulatory elements, such as alternative open reading frames, and translation regulation under different conditions.
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Revil T, Jerome-Majewska LA. During embryogenesis, esrp1 expression is restricted to a subset of epithelial cells and is associated with splicing of a number of developmentally important genes. Dev Dyn 2013; 242:281-90. [PMID: 23233200 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.23918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Development of a mature organism from a single cell requires a series of important morphological changes, which is in part regulated by alternative splicing. In this article, we report the expression of Esrp1 during early mouse embryogenesis, a splicing factor implicated in epithelial to mesenchymal transitions. RESULTS By qRT-PCR, we find higher expression of Esrp1 and Esrp2 in placenta compared to the embryos. We also find a correlation between the expression of Esrp1 and alternative splicing of several known target exons. Using in situ RNA hybridization we show that while Esrp1 expression is ubiquitous in embryonic day (E)6.5 mouse embryos, expression becomes restricted to the chorion and definitive endoderm starting at E7.5. Esrp1 expression was consistently restricted to a subset of epithelial cell types in developing embryos from E9.5 to E13.5. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that Esrp1 could play an important role in the morphological changes underlying embryogenesis of the placenta and embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothée Revil
- Department of Human Genetics, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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35
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Janga SC. From specific to global analysis of posttranscriptional regulation in eukaryotes: posttranscriptional regulatory networks. Brief Funct Genomics 2012; 11:505-21. [PMID: 23124862 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/els046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression occurs at several levels in eukaryotic organisms and is a highly controlled process. Although RNAs have been traditionally viewed as passive molecules in the pathway from transcription to translation, there is mounting evidence that their metabolism is controlled by a class of proteins called RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), as well as a number of small RNAs. In this review, I provide an overview of the recent developments in our understanding of the repertoire of RBPs across diverse model systems, and discuss the computational and experimental approaches currently available for the construction of posttranscriptional networks governed by them. I also present an overview of the different roles played by RBPs in the cellular context, based on their cis-regulatory modules identified in the literature and discuss how their interplay can result in the dynamic, spatial and tissue-specific expression maps of RNAs. I finally present the concept of posttranscriptional network of RBPs and their cognate RNA targets and discuss their cross-talk with other important posttranscriptional regulatory molecules such as microRNAs s, resulting in diverse functional network motifs. I argue that with rapid developments in the genome-wide elucidation of posttranscriptional networks it would not only be possible to gain a deeper understanding of regulation at a level that has been under-appreciated in the past, but would also allow us to use the newly developed high-throughput approaches to interrogate the prevalence of these phenomena in different states, and thereby study their relevance to physiology and disease across organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarath Chandra Janga
- School of Informatics, Indiana University Purdue University, Indianapolis, Indiana, Center for Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Indiana University School of Medicine, 719 Indiana Ave Ste 319, Walker Plaza Building, IN 46202, USA.
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36
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Plateroti M, de Araujo PR, da Silva AE, Penalva LOF. The RNA-Binding Protein Musashi1: A Major Player in Intestinal Epithelium Renewal and Colon Cancer Development. CURRENT COLORECTAL CANCER REPORTS 2012; 8:290-297. [PMID: 23914149 DOI: 10.1007/s11888-012-0141-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant gene expression is the cause and the consequence of tumorigenesis. A major component of gene expression is translation regulation; a process whose main players are RNA-binding-proteins (RBPs). More than 800 RBPs have been identified in the human genome and several of them have been shown to control gene networks associated with relevant cancer processes. A more systematic characterization of RBPs starts to reveal that similar to transcription factors, they can function as tumor suppressors or oncogenes. A relevant example is Musashi1 (Msi1), which is emerging as a critical regulator of tumorigenesis in multiple cancer types, including colon cancer. Msi1 is a stem marker in several tissues and is critical in maintaining the balance between self-renewal and differentiation. However, a boost in Msi1 expression can most likely lead cells towards an oncogenic pathway. In this article, we discuss the parallels between Msi1 function in normal renewal of intestinal epithelium and in colon cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelina Plateroti
- Centre de Génétique et de Physiologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France. 16 Rue Raphael Dubois, 69622 Villeurbanne, Cedex France
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37
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Vo DT, Subramaniam D, Remke M, Burton TL, Uren PJ, Gelfond JA, de Sousa Abreu R, Burns SC, Qiao M, Suresh U, Korshunov A, Dubuc AM, Northcott PA, Smith AD, Pfister SM, Taylor MD, Janga SC, Anant S, Vogel C, Penalva LOF. The RNA-binding protein Musashi1 affects medulloblastoma growth via a network of cancer-related genes and is an indicator of poor prognosis. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY 2012; 181:1762-72. [PMID: 22985791 DOI: 10.1016/j.ajpath.2012.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Revised: 07/01/2012] [Accepted: 07/11/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Musashi1 (Msi1) is a highly conserved RNA-binding protein that is required during the development of the nervous system. Msi1 has been characterized as a stem cell marker, controlling the balance between self-renewal and differentiation, and has also been implicated in tumorigenesis, being highly expressed in multiple tumor types. We analyzed Msi1 expression in a large cohort of medulloblastoma samples and found that Msi1 is highly expressed in tumor tissue compared with normal cerebellum. Notably, high Msi1 expression levels proved to be a sign of poor prognosis. Msi1 expression was determined to be particularly high in molecular subgroups 3 and 4 of medulloblastoma. We determined that Msi1 is required for tumorigenesis because inhibition of Msi1 expression by small-interfering RNAs reduced the growth of Daoy medulloblastoma cells in xenografts. To characterize the participation of Msi1 in medulloblastoma, we conducted different high-throughput analyses. Ribonucleoprotein immunoprecipitation followed by microarray analysis (RIP-chip) was used to identify mRNA species preferentially associated with Msi1 protein in Daoy cells. We also used cluster analysis to identify genes with similar or opposite expression patterns to Msi1 in our medulloblastoma cohort. A network study identified RAC1, CTGF, SDCBP, SRC, PRL, and SHC1 as major nodes of an Msi1-associated network. Our results suggest that Msi1 functions as a regulator of multiple processes in medulloblastoma formation and could become an important therapeutic target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dat T Vo
- Greehey Children's Cancer Research Institute, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, USA
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38
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Fogel BL, Wexler E, Wahnich A, Friedrich T, Vijayendran C, Gao F, Parikshak N, Konopka G, Geschwind DH. RBFOX1 regulates both splicing and transcriptional networks in human neuronal development. Hum Mol Genet 2012; 21:4171-86. [PMID: 22730494 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/dds240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 149] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA splicing plays a critical role in the programming of neuronal differentiation and, consequently, normal human neurodevelopment, and its disruption may underlie neurodevelopmental and neuropsychiatric disorders. The RNA-binding protein, fox-1 homolog (RBFOX1; also termed A2BP1 or FOX1), is a neuron-specific splicing factor predicted to regulate neuronal splicing networks clinically implicated in neurodevelopmental disease, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but only a few targets have been experimentally identified. We used RNA sequencing to identify the RBFOX1 splicing network at a genome-wide level in primary human neural stem cells during differentiation. We observe that RBFOX1 regulates a wide range of alternative splicing events implicated in neuronal development and maturation, including transcription factors, other splicing factors and synaptic proteins. Downstream alterations in gene expression define an additional transcriptional network regulated by RBFOX1 involved in neurodevelopmental pathways remarkably parallel to those affected by splicing. Several of these differentially expressed genes are further implicated in ASD and related neurodevelopmental diseases. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis demonstrates a high degree of connectivity among these disease-related genes, highlighting RBFOX1 as a key factor coordinating the regulation of both neurodevelopmentally important alternative splicing events and clinically relevant neuronal transcriptional programs in the development of human neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent L Fogel
- Program in Neurogenetics, Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
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Turner M, Hodson DJ. An emerging role of RNA-binding proteins as multifunctional regulators of lymphocyte development and function. Adv Immunol 2012; 115:161-85. [PMID: 22608259 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394299-9.00006-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Sequence-specific RNA-binding proteins (RBP) and the regulation of RNA decay have long been recognized as important regulators of the inflammatory response. RBP influence gene expression throughout the lifespan of the mRNA by regulating splicing, polyadenylation, cellular localization, translation, and decay. Increasing evidence now indicates that these proteins, together with the RNA decay machinery that they recruit, also regulate the development and activation of lymphocytes. The activity of RBP is regulated by the same signal transduction pathways that govern lymphocyte development and differentiation in response to antigen and cytokine receptor engagement. Roles for these proteins in regulating the diverse functions of lymphocytes are becoming increasingly apparent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Turner
- Laboratory of Lymphocyte Signalling and Development, The Babraham Institute, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, United Kingdom
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40
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Turner M. Is transcription the dominant force during dynamic changes in gene expression? ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 780:1-13. [PMID: 21842360 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4419-5632-3_1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/09/2022]
Abstract
Dynamic changes in gene expression punctuate lymphocyte development and are a characteristic of lymphocyte activation. A prevailing view has been that these changes are driven by DNA transcription factors, which are the dominant force in gene expression. Accumulating evidence is challenging this DNA centric view and has highlighted the prevalence and dynamic nature of RNA handling mechanisms. Alternative splicing and differential polyadenylation appear to be more widespread than first thought. Changes in mRNA decay rates also affect the abundance of transcripts and this mechanism may contribute significantly to gene expression. Additional RNA handling mechanisms that control the intracellular localization of mRNA and association with translating ribosomes are also important. Thus, gene expression is regulated through the coordination of transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. Developing a more "RNA centric" view of gene expression will allow a more systematic understanding of how gene expression and cell function are integrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Turner
- The Babraham Institute, Babraham, Cambridge, CB22 3AT, UK.
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Construction, Structure and Dynamics of Post-Transcriptional Regulatory Network Directed by RNA-Binding Proteins. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2011; 722:103-17. [DOI: 10.1007/978-1-4614-0332-6_7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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42
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CD22 EXON 12 deletion as a pathogenic mechanism of human B-precursor leukemia. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2010; 107:16852-7. [PMID: 20841423 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1007896107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Here, we report that primary leukemic cells from infants with newly diagnosed B-precursor leukemia express a truncated and functionally defective CD22 coreceptor protein that is unable to transmit apoptotic signals because it lacks most of the intracellular domain, including the key regulatory signal transduction elements and all of the cytoplasmic tyrosine residues. Expression of this structurally and functionally abnormal CD22 protein is associated with a very aggressive in vivo growth of patients' primary leukemia cells causing disseminated overt leukemia in SCID mice. The abnormal CD22 coreceptor is encoded by a profoundly aberrant mRNA arising from a splicing defect that causes the deletion of exon 12 (c.2208-c.2327) (CD22ΔE12) and results in a truncating frameshift mutation. The splicing defect is associated with multiple homozygous mutations within a 132-bp segment of the intronic sequence between exons 12 and 13. These mutations cause marked changes in the predicted secondary structures of the mutant CD22 pre-mRNA sequences that affect the target motifs for the splicing factors hnRNP-L, PTB, and PCBP that are up-regulated in infant leukemia cells. Forced expression of the mutant CD22ΔE12 protein in transgenic mice perturbs B-cell development, as evidenced by B-precursor/B-cell hyperplasia, and corrupts the regulation of gene expression, causing reduced expression levels of several genes with a tumor suppressor function. We further show that CD22ΔE12-associated unique gene expression signature is a discriminating feature of newly diagnosed infant leukemia patients. These striking findings implicate CD22ΔE12 as a previously undescribed pathogenic mechanism in human B-precursor leukemia.
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Deletion of the RNA-binding proteins ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 leads to perturbed thymic development and T lymphoblastic leukemia. Nat Immunol 2010; 11:717-24. [PMID: 20622884 DOI: 10.1038/ni.1901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2010] [Accepted: 06/11/2010] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 are RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) that interact with AU-rich elements in the 3' untranslated region of mRNA, which leads to mRNA degradation and translational repression. Here we show that mice that lacked ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 during thymopoiesis developed a T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) dependent on the oncogenic transcription factor Notch1. Before the onset of T-ALL, thymic development was perturbed, with accumulation of cells that had passed through the beta-selection checkpoint without first expressing the T cell antigen receptor beta-chain (TCRbeta). Notch1 expression was higher in untransformed thymocytes in the absence of ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2. Both RBPs interacted with evolutionarily conserved AU-rich elements in the 3' untranslated region of Notch1 and suppressed its expression. Our data establish a role for ZFP36L1 and ZFP36L2 during thymocyte development and in the prevention of malignant transformation.
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