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Weiler SME, Pinna F, Wolf T, Lutz T, Geldiyev A, Sticht C, Knaub M, Thomann S, Bissinger M, Wan S, Rössler S, Becker D, Gretz N, Lang H, Bergmann F, Ustiyan V, Kalin TV, Singer S, Lee JS, Marquardt JU, Schirmacher P, Kalinichenko VV, Breuhahn K. Induction of Chromosome Instability by Activation of Yes-Associated Protein and Forkhead Box M1 in Liver Cancer. Gastroenterology 2017; 152:2037-2051.e22. [PMID: 28249813 DOI: 10.1053/j.gastro.2017.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & AIMS Many different types of cancer cells have chromosome instability. The hippo pathway leads to phosphorylation of the transcriptional activator yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1, YAP), which regulates proliferation and has been associated with the development of liver cancer. We investigated the effects of hippo signaling via YAP on chromosome stability and hepatocarcinogenesis in humans and mice. METHODS We analyzed transcriptome data from 242 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to search for gene signatures associated with chromosomal instability (CIN); we investigated associations with overall survival time and cancer recurrence using Kaplan-Meier curves. We analyzed changes in expression of these signature genes, at mRNA and protein levels, after small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of YAP in Sk-Hep1, SNU182, HepG2, or pancreatic cancer cells, as well as incubation with thiostrepton (an inhibitor of forkhead box M1 [FOXM1]) or verteporfin (inhibitor of the interaction between YAP and TEA domain transcription factor 4 [TEAD4]). We performed co-immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments. We collected liver tissues from mice that express a constitutively active form of YAP (YAPS127A) and analyzed gene expression signatures and histomorphologic parameters associated with chromosomal instability. Mice were given injections of thiostrepton and livers were collected and analyzed by immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, histology, and real-time polymerase chain reaction. We performed immunohistochemical analyses on tissue microarrays of 105 HCCs and 7 nontumor liver tissues. RESULTS Gene expression patterns associated with chromosome instability, called CIN25 and CIN70, were detected in HCCs from patients with shorter survival time or early cancer recurrence. TEAD4 and YAP were required for CIN25 and CIN70 signature expression via induction and binding of FOXM1. Disrupting the interaction between YAP and TEAD4 with verteporfin, or inhibiting FOXM1 with thiostrepton, reduced the chromosome instability gene expression patterns. Hyperplastic livers and tumors from YAPS127A mice had increased CIN25 and CIN70 gene expression patterns, aneuploidy, and defects in mitosis. Injection of YAPS127A mice with thiostrepton reduced liver overgrowth and signs of chromosomal instability. In human HCC tissues, high levels of nuclear YAP correlated with increased chromosome instability gene expression patterns and aneuploidy. CONCLUSIONS By analyzing cell lines, genetically modified mice, and HCC tissues, we found that YAP cooperates with FOXM1 to contribute to chromosome instability. Agents that disrupt this pathway might be developed as treatments for liver cancer. Transcriptome data are available in the Gene Expression Omnibus public database (accession numbers: GSE32597 and GSE73396).
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia M E Weiler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Federico Pinna
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Thomas Wolf
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Teresa Lutz
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Aman Geldiyev
- International Educational-Scientific Center, Ashgabat City, Turkmenistan
| | - Carsten Sticht
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Medical Research Center, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Maria Knaub
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Thomann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Bissinger
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Shan Wan
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stephanie Rössler
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Diana Becker
- Department of Medicine I, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Norbert Gretz
- Medical Faculty Mannheim, Medical Research Center, University of Heidelberg, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Hauke Lang
- Department of Medicine I, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Frank Bergmann
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vladimir Ustiyan
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Tatiana V Kalin
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Stephan Singer
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ju-Seog Lee
- Department of Systems Biology, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas
| | - Jens U Marquardt
- Department of Medicine I, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Peter Schirmacher
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Vladimir V Kalinichenko
- Division of Pulmonary Biology, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio
| | - Kai Breuhahn
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
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