Members of bromodomain and extra-C terminal (BET) domain family and the histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzyme family efficiently regulate the expression of important oncogenes and tumor suppressors. HDACs induce histone hypoacetylation meanwhile BET proteins bind to acetylated lysines on histones to regulate gene transcription. Here we show that the BET inhibitor JQ1 inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of both triple negative and estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells. Consistent with the critical role of histone acetylation in the regulation of gene expression, microarray analysis revealed broad transcriptional changes after JQ1 or HDAC inhibitor treatment. By examining the molecular pathways affected by the epigenetic inhibitors we found that both BET and HDAC inhibitors are suppressing similar genes that were involved in cell cycle regulation. Combining JQ1 with HDAC inhibitors, we found that the combination significantly decreased cell viability. This effect was partly mediated by the more efficient suppression of genes essential for cell-cycle progression. Furthermore, we detected a dramatic increase in the expression of several members of the USP17 family of deubiquitinating enzymes in response to the single agent treatment, which further increased by the combination treatment. Since constitutive expression of USP17 has been reported to block the Ras/MAPK pathway, our data also suggest that the blockade of the Ras/MAPK pathway might also be involved in the synergistic effect of the combination treatment. In conclusion, this study suggests that co-treatment with BET inhibitors and HDAC inhibitors could be an effective treatment regime in future breast cancer therapy.
Induction of USP17 by combining BET and HDAC inhibitors in breast cancer cells.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Estrogen Receptor α Promotes Breast Cancer by Reprogramming Choline Metabolism.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesEstrogen receptor (ER) is a key regulator of breast growth and breast cancer development. However, the role of ER in metabolic reprogramming, a hallmark of cancer, is not well documented. In this study, using an integrated approach combining genome-wide mapping of chromatin bound ER with estrogen induced transcript and metabolic profiling, we demonstrate that ER reprograms metabolism upon estrogen stimulation, including changes in aerobic glycolysis, nucleotide and amino acid synthesis, and choline metabolism. We show, for the first time, that the ER target gene choline phosphotransferase 1 (CHPT1) plays an essential role in estrogen induced increases in phosphatidylcholine (PtdCho) levels and that CHPT1 promotes tumorigenesis and proliferation. Furthermore, we show that CHPT1 is overexpressed in tumors compared to normal breast. We also demonstrate that ER promotes aerobic glycolysis through increased expression of glycolytic genes. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of ER for metabolic alterations in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, overexpression of the ER target CHPT1 in breast cancer supports its potential as a therapeutic target.
Estrogen Receptor α Promotes Breast Cancer by Reprogramming Choline Metabolism.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesCancer cells have abnormal gene expression profiles, however, the transcription factors and the architecture of the regulatory network that drive cancer specific gene expression is often not known. Here we studied a model of Ras-driven invasive tumorigenesis in Drosophila epithelial tissues and combined in vivo genetics with high-throughput sequencing and computational modeling to decipher the regulatory logic of tumor cells. Surprisingly, we discovered that the bulk of the tumor specific gene expression is driven by an ectopic network of a few transcription factors that are overexpressed and/or hyperactivated in tumor cells. These factors are Stat, AP-1, the bHLH proteins Myc and AP-4, the nuclear hormone receptor Ftz-f1, the nuclear receptor coactivator Taiman/AIB1, and Mef2. Notably, many of these transcription factors are also hyperactivated in human tumors. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that these factors directly regulate the majority of the tumor specific gene expression, that they are interconnected by extensive cross-regulation, and that they show a high degree of co-regulation of target genes. Indeed, the factors of this network were required in multiple epithelia for tumor growth and invasiveness and knock-down of individual factors caused a reversion of the tumor specific expression profile, but had no observable effect on normal tissues. We further found that the Hippo pathway effector Yki/Sd was strongly activated in tumor cells and initiated cellular reprogramming by activating several transcription factors of this network. Thus, modeling regulatory networks identified an ectopic yet highly ordered network of master regulators that control tumor cell specific gene expression. Overall design: RNA-seq gene expression profiling across Drosophila 3rd instar larval wild type wing discs and genetic perturbations of wts.
An Ectopic Network of Transcription Factors Regulated by Hippo Signaling Drives Growth and Invasion of a Malignant Tumor Model.
Subject, Time
View SamplesThe homeodomain transcription factor, Pdx-1, has important roles in pancreatic development and -cell function and survival. In the present study, we demonstrate that adenovirus-mediated overexpression of Pdx-1 in rat or human islets also stimulates cell replication. Moreover, co-overexpression of Pdx-1 with another homeodomain transcription factor, Nkx6.1, has an additive effect on proliferation compared to either factor alone, implying discrete activating mechanisms. Consistent with this, Nkx6.1 stimulates mainly -cell proliferation, whereas Pdx-1 stimulates both - and -cell proliferation. Furthermore, cyclins D1/D2 are upregulated by Pdx-1 but not by Nkx6.1, and inhibition of cdk4 blocks Pdx-1- but not Nkx6.1-stimulated islet cell proliferation. Genes regulated by Pdx-1 and not Nkx6.1 were identified by microarray analysis. Two members of the transient receptor potential cation (TRPC) channel family, TRPC3 and TRPC6, are upregulated by Pdx-1 overexpression, and siRNA-mediated knockdown of TRPC3/6 or TRPC6 alone inhibits Pdx-1-induced but not Nkx6.1-induced islet cell proliferation. Pdx-1 also stimulates ERK1/2 phosphorylation, an effect partially blocked by knockdown of TRPC3/6, and blockade of ERK1/2 activation with a MEK1/2 inhibitor partially impairs Pdx-1-stimulated proliferation. These studies define a pathway by which overexpression of Pdx-1 activates islet cell proliferation that is distinct from and additive to a pathway activated by Nkx6.1.
Pdx-1 activates islet α- and β-cell proliferation via a mechanism regulated by transient receptor potential cation channels 3 and 6 and extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2.
Sex, Age, Specimen part
View SamplesThis includes bulk RNA-seq samples for sorted LT-HSCs, ST-HSCs, and MPPs stimulated (or not) with LPS+PAM. Samples taken at various time points. Overall design: sorted LT-HSCs, ST-HSCs, and MPPs stimulated (or not) with LPS+PAM at various time points
Heterogeneous Responses of Hematopoietic Stem Cells to Inflammatory Stimuli Are Altered with Age.
Specimen part, Treatment, Subject
View SamplesWe identified the Hippo pathway and its effector YAP as a key pathway that controls stellate cell activation. YAP is a transcriptional co-activator and we found that it drives the earliest changes in gene expression during stellate cell activation.
The Hippo pathway effector YAP controls mouse hepatic stellate cell activation.
Specimen part, Treatment
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Promoter-proximal transcription factor binding is transcriptionally active when coupled with nucleosome repositioning in immediate vicinity.
Specimen part, Disease, Cell line
View SamplesNon-metastatic 2 (NME2) is an established metastases suppressor in multiple human cancer types. However, the molecular mechanisms of NME2 action remain insufficiently resolved. We recently validated the transcription regulatory activity of NME2 with respect to control of proto-oncogene c-MYC expression. We hypothesized that large scale transcriptional potential of NME2 may be at the core of metastases suppression by NME2. Using a combination of high throughput genomic assays such as chromatin immunoprecipitation coupled to promoter array hybridization (ChIP-chip) and gene expression profiling, we characterized the transcriptional roles of NME2. Specifically, we found a set of NME2 target genes which changed expression upon selective depletion of NME2 in a lung cancer cell line, A549. The analysis of gene expression suggested control of various biological pathways esp. cell adhesion and apoptosis by NME2 target genes which could be important in regulation of metastases.
Promoter-proximal transcription factor binding is transcriptionally active when coupled with nucleosome repositioning in immediate vicinity.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesIt is widely believed that reorganization of nucleosomes result in availability of binding sites that engage transcription factors during eukaryotic gene regulation. Recent findings, on the other hand, suggest that transcription factors induced as a result of physiological perturbations directly (or in association with chromatin modifiers) may alter nucleosome occupancy to facilitate DNA binding. Although, together these suggest a close relationship between transcription factor binding and nucleosome reorganization, the nature of the inter-dependency, or to what extent it influences regulatory transcription is not clear. Moreover, since most studies used physiolgical pertubations that induced multiple transcription factor chromatin modifiers, the relatively local (or direct) effect of transcription factor binding on nucleosome occupancy remains unclear. With these in mind, we used a single transcription factor to induce physiological changes, representing metastatic (aggressive cancer) and the corresponding non-metastatic state, in human cancer cells. Following characterization of the two states (before and after induction of the transcription factor) we determined: (a) genome wide binding sites of the transcription factor, (b) promoter nucleosome occupancy and (c) transcriptome profiles, independently in both conditions. Interestingly, we find only ~20% of TF binding results from nucleosome reorganization - however, almost all corresponding genes were transcriptionally altered. Whereas, in cases where TF-occupancy was independent of nucleosome repositioning (in close vicinity), or co-occurred with nucleosomes, only a small fraction of the corresponding genes were expressed/repressed. Together, these indicate a model where TF occupancy only when coupled with nucleosome repositioning in close proximity is transcriptionally active. This, to our knowledge, for the first time also helps explain why genome wide TF occupancy (e.g., from ChIP-seq) is typically associated with only a small fraction of genes that change expression.
Promoter-proximal transcription factor binding is transcriptionally active when coupled with nucleosome repositioning in immediate vicinity.
Specimen part, Cell line
View Samples