A HIF-1/Wnt signaling-dependent control of gene transcription regulates neuronal differentiation of glioblastoma stem cells

HIF-1 plays a crucial role in sustaining glioblastoma (GBM) cell growth and the maintenance of their undifferentiated phenotype. However, HIF-1 has been suggested to interplay with Wnt signaling components, thus activating a neuronal differentiation process in both GBM and normal brain. Here, we show that a -catenin/TCF1/HIF-1 complex directly controls the transcription of neuronal differentiation genes in hypoxia. Conversely, at higher oxygen levels, the increased expression of TCF4 exerts a transcriptional inhibitory function on the same genomic regions, thus counteracting differentiation. Moreover, we demonstrate the existence of a positive correlation between HIF-1, TCF1 and neuronal phenotype in GBM tumors, accompanied by the over-expression of several Wnt signaling components, finally impacting on patient prognosis. In conclusion, we unveil a mechanism by which TCF1 and HIF-1 induce a reminiscent neuronal differentiation of hypoxic GBM cells, which is hampered, in normoxia, by high levels of TCF4, thus de facto sustaining cell aggressiveness.

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Boso D, Rampazzo E, Zanon C, Bresolin S, Maule F, Porcù E, Cani A, Della Puppa A, Trentin L, Basso G, Persano L