CACNA1D overexpression and voltage-gated calcium channels in prostate cancer during androgen deprivation.

Prostate cancer is often treated by perturbing androgen receptor signalling. CACNA1D, encoding CaV1.3 ion channels is upregulated in prostate cancer. Here we show how hormone therapy affects CACNA1D expression and CaV1.3 function. Human prostate cells (LNCaP, VCaP, C4-2B, normal RWPE-1) and a tissue microarray were used. Cells were treated with anti-androgen drug, Enzalutamide (ENZ) or androgen-removal from media, mimicking androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT). Proliferation assays, qPCR, Western blot, immunofluorescence, Ca2+-imaging and patch-clamp electrophysiology were performed. Nifedipine, Bay K 8644 (CaV1.3 inhibitor, activator), mibefradil, Ni2+ (CaV3.2 inhibitors) and high K+ depolarising solution were employed. CACNA1D and CaV1.3 protein are overexpressed in prostate tumours and CACNA1D was overexpressed in androgen-sensitive prostate cancer cells. In LNCaP, ADT or ENZ increased CACNA1D time-dependently whereas total protein showed little change. Untreated LNCaP were unresponsive to depolarising high K+/Bay K (to activate CaV1.3); moreover, currents were rarely detected. ADT or ENZ-treated LNCaP exhibited nifedipine-sensitive Ca2+-transients; ADT-treated LNCaP exhibited mibefradil-sensitive or, occasionally, nifedipine-sensitive inward currents. CACNA1D knockdown reduced the subpopulation of treated-LNCaP with CaV1.3 activity. VCaP displayed nifedipine-sensitive high K+/Bay K transients (responding subpopulation was increased by ENZ), and Ni2+-sensitive currents. Hormone therapy enables depolarization/Bay K-evoked Ca2+-transients and detection of CaV1.3 and CaV3.2 currents. Physiological and genomic CACNA1D/CaV1.3 mechanisms are likely active during hormone therapy-their modulation may offer therapeutic advantage.

The Impact of Epigenetic Modifications in Myeloid Malignancies.

Myeloid malignancy is a broad term encapsulating myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). Initial studies into genomic profiles of these diseases have shown 2000 somatic mutations prevalent across the spectrum of myeloid blood disorders. Epigenetic mutations are emerging as critical components of disease progression, with mutations in genes controlling chromatin regulation and methylation/acetylation status. Genes such as DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A), ten eleven translocation methylcytosine dioxygenase 2 (TET2), additional sex combs-like 1 (ASXL1), enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) show functional impact in disease pathogenesis. In this review we discuss how current knowledge relating to disease progression, mutational profile and therapeutic potential is progressing and increasing understanding of myeloid malignancies.

DOC1-Dependent Recruitment of NURD Reveals Antagonism with SWI/SNF during Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Oral Cancer Cells.

The Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NURD) complex is a key regulator of cell differentiation that has also been implicated in tumorigenesis. Loss of the NURD subunit Deleted in Oral Cancer 1 (DOC1) is associated with human oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). Here, we show that restoration of DOC1 expression in OSCC cells leads to a reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This is caused by the DOC1-dependent targeting of NURD to repress key transcriptional regulators of EMT. NURD recruitment drives extensive epigenetic reprogramming, including eviction of the SWI/SNF remodeler, formation of inaccessible chromatin, H3K27 deacetylation, and binding of PRC2 and KDM1A, followed by H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation. Strikingly, depletion of SWI/SNF mimics the effects of DOC1 re-expression. Our results suggest that SWI/SNF and NURD function antagonistically to control chromatin state and transcription. We propose that disturbance of this dynamic equilibrium may lead to defects in gene expression that promote oncogenesis.

dRYBP counteracts chromatin-dependent activation and repression of transcription.

Chromatin dependent activation and repression of transcription is regulated by the histone modifying enzymatic activities of the trithorax (trxG) and Polycomb (PcG) proteins. To investigate the mechanisms underlying their mutual antagonistic activities we analyzed the function of Drosophila dRYBP, a conserved PcG- and trxG-associated protein. We show that dRYBP is itself ubiquitylated and binds ubiquitylated proteins. Additionally we show that dRYBP maintains H2A monoubiquitylation, H3K4 monomethylation and H3K36 dimethylation levels and does not affect H3K27 trimethylation levels. Further we show that dRYBP interacts with the repressive SCE and dKDM2 proteins as well as the activating dBRE1 protein. Analysis of homeotic phenotypes and post-translationally modified histones levels show that dRYBP antagonizes dKDM2 and dBRE1 functions by respectively preventing H3K36me2 demethylation and H2B monoubiquitylation. Interestingly, our results show that inactivation of dBRE1 produces trithorax-like related homeotic transformations, suggesting that dBRE1 functions in the regulation of homeotic genes expression. Our findings indicate that dRYBP regulates morphogenesis by counteracting transcriptional repression and activation. Thus, they suggest that dRYBP may participate in the epigenetic plasticity important during normal and pathological development.

Nucleotide biosynthetic enzyme GMP synthase is a TRIM21-controlled relay of p53 stabilization.

Nucleotide biosynthesis is fundamental to normal cell proliferation as well as to oncogenesis. Tumor suppressor p53, which prevents aberrant cell proliferation, is destabilized through ubiquitylation by MDM2. Ubiquitin-specific protease 7 (USP7) plays a dualistic role in p53 regulation and has been proposed to deubiquitylate either p53 or MDM2. Here, we show that guanosine 5'-monophosphate synthase (GMPS) is required for USP7-mediated stabilization of p53. Normally, most GMPS is sequestered in the cytoplasm, separated from nuclear USP7 and p53. In response to genotoxic stress or nucleotide deprivation, GMPS becomes nuclear and facilitates p53 stabilization by promoting its transfer from MDM2 to a GMPS-USP7 deubiquitylation complex. Intriguingly, cytoplasmic sequestration of GMPS requires ubiquitylation by TRIM21, a ubiquitin ligase associated with autoimmune disease. These results implicate a classic nucleotide biosynthetic enzyme and a ubiquitin ligase, better known for its role in autoimmune disease, in p53 control.

Transcription-independent function of Polycomb group protein PSC in cell cycle control.

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins control development and cell proliferation through chromatin-mediated transcriptional repression. We describe a transcription-independent function for PcG protein Posterior sex combs (PSC) in regulating the destruction of cyclin B (CYC-B). A substantial portion of PSC was found outside canonical PcG complexes, instead associated with CYC-B and the anaphase-promoting complex (APC). Cell-based experiments and reconstituted reactions established that PSC and Lemming (LMG, also called APC11) associate and ubiquitylate CYC-B cooperatively, marking it for proteosomal degradation. Thus, PSC appears to mediate both developmental gene silencing and posttranslational control of mitosis. Direct regulation of cell cycle progression might be a crucial part of the PcG system's function in development and cancer.

dKDM2 couples histone H2A ubiquitylation to histone H3 demethylation during Polycomb group silencing.

Transcription regulation involves enzyme-mediated changes in chromatin structure. Here, we describe a novel mode of histone crosstalk during gene silencing, in which histone H2A monoubiquitylation is coupled to the removal of histone H3 Lys 36 dimethylation (H3K36me2). This pathway was uncovered through the identification of dRING-associated factors (dRAF), a novel Polycomb group (PcG) silencing complex harboring the histone H2A ubiquitin ligase dRING, PSC and the F-box protein, and demethylase dKDM2. In vivo, dKDM2 shares many transcriptional targets with Polycomb and counteracts the histone methyltransferases TRX and ASH1. Importantly, cellular depletion and in vitro reconstitution assays revealed that dKDM2 not only mediates H3K36me2 demethylation but is also required for efficient H2A ubiquitylation by dRING/PSC. Thus, dRAF removes an active mark from histone H3 and adds a repressive one to H2A. These findings reveal coordinate trans-histone regulation by a PcG complex to mediate gene repression.

Architecture of a polycomb nucleoprotein complex.

Polycomb group (PcG) epigenetic silencing proteins act through cis-acting DNA sequences, named Polycomb response elements (PREs). Within PREs, Pleiohomeotic (PHO) binding sites and juxtaposed Pc binding elements (PBEs) function as an integrated DNA platform for the synergistic binding of PHO and the multisubunit Polycomb core complex (PCC). Here, we analyzed the architecture of the PHO/PCC/PRE nucleoprotein complex. DNase I footprinting revealed extensive contacts between PHO/PCC and the PRE. Scanning force microscopy (SFM) in combination with DNA topological assays suggested that PHO/PCC wraps the PRE DNA around its surface in a constrained negative supercoil. These features are difficult to reconcile with the simultaneous presence of nucleosomes at the PRE. Indeed, chromatin immunoprecipitations (ChIPs) and nuclease mapping demonstrated that PREs are nucleosome depleted in vivo. We discuss the implications of these findings for models explaining PRE function.

Synergistic recognition of an epigenetic DNA element by Pleiohomeotic and a Polycomb core complex.

Polycomb response elements (PREs) are cis-acting DNA elements that mediate epigenetic gene silencing by Polycomb group (PcG) proteins. Here, we report that Pleiohomeotic (PHO) and a multiprotein Polycomb core complex (PCC) bind highly cooperatively to PREs. We identified a conserved sequence motif, named PCC-binding element (PBE), which is required for PcG silencing in vivo. PHO sites and PBEs function as an integrated DNA platform for the synergistic assembly of a repressive PHO/PCC complex. We termed this nucleoprotein complex silenceosome to reflect that the molecular principles underpinning its assemblage are surprisingly similar to those that make an enhanceosome.

P16INK4a is required for hSNF5 chromatin remodeler-induced cellular senescence in malignant rhabdoid tumor cells.

The hSNF5 chromatin-remodeling factor is a tumor suppressor that is inactivated in malignant rhabdoid tumors (MRTs). A number of studies have shown that hSNF5 re-expression blocks MRT cell proliferation. However, the pathway through which hSNF5 acts remains unknown. To address this question, we generated MRT-derived cell lines in which restoration of hSNF5 expression leads to an accumulation in G(0)/G(1), induces cellular senescence and increased apoptosis. Following hSNF5 expression, we observed transcriptional activation of the tumor suppressor p16(INK4a) but not of p14(ARF), repression of several cyclins and CD44, a cell surface glycoprotein implicated in metastasis. Chromatin immunoprecipitations indicated that hSNF5 activates p16(INK4a) transcription and CD44 down-regulation by mediating recruitment of the SWI/SNF complex. Thus, hSNF5 acts as a dualistic co-regulator that, depending on the promoter context, can either mediate activation or repression. Three lines of evidence established that p16(INK4a) is an essential effector of hSNF5-induced cell cycle arrest. 1) Overexpression of p16(INK4a) mimics the effect of hSNF5 induction and leads to cellular senescence. 2) Expression of a p16(INK4a)-insensitive form of CDK4 obstructs hSNF5-induced cell cycle arrest. 3) Inhibition of p16(INK4a) activation by siRNA blocks hSNF5-mediated cellular senescence. Collectively, these results indicate that in human MRT cells, the p16(INK4a)/pRb, rather than the p14(ARF)/p53 pathway, mediates hSNF5-induced cellular senescence.

GAGA facilitates binding of Pleiohomeotic to a chromatinized Polycomb response element.

Polycomb response elements (PREs) are chromosomal elements, typically comprising thousands of base pairs of poorly defined sequences that confer the maintenance of gene expression patterns by Polycomb group (PcG) repressors and trithorax group (trxG) activators. Genetic studies have indicated a synergistic requirement for the trxG protein GAGA and the PcG protein Pleiohomeotic (PHO) in silencing at several PREs. However, the molecular basis of this cooperation remains unknown. Here, using DNaseI footprinting analysis, we provide a high-resolution map of sites for the sequence- specific DNA-binding PcG protein PHO, trxG proteins GAGA and Zeste and the gap protein Hunchback (HB) on the 1.6 kb Ultrabithorax (Ubx) PRE. Although these binding elements are present throughout the PRE, they display clear patterns of clustering, suggestive of functional collaboration at the level of PRE binding. We found that while GAGA could efficiently bind to a chromatinized PRE, PHO alone was incapable of binding to chromatin. However, PHO binding to chromatin, but not naked DNA, was strongly facilitated by GAGA, indicating interdependence between GAGA and PHO already at the level of PRE binding. These results provide a biochemical explanation for the in vivo cooperation between GAGA and PHO and suggest that PRE function involves the integrated activities of genetically antagonistic trxG and PcG proteins.

Pleiohomeotic can link polycomb to DNA and mediate transcriptional repression.

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins function through cis-acting DNA elements called PcG response elements (PREs) to stably silence developmental regulators, including the homeotic genes. However, the mechanism by which they are targeted to PREs remains largely unclear. Pleiohomeotic (PHO) is a sequence-specific DNA-binding PcG protein and therefore may function to tether other PcG proteins to the DNA. Here, we show that PHO can directly bind to a Polycomb (PC)-containing complex as well as the Brahma (BRM) chromatin-remodeling complex. PHO contacts the BRM complex through its zinc finger DNA-binding domain and a short N-terminal region. A distinct domain of PHO containing a conserved motif contacts the PcG proteins PC and Polyhomeotic (PH). With mobility shift assays and DNA pulldown experiments, we demonstrated that PHO is able to link PC, which lacks sequence-specific DNA-binding activity, to the DNA. Importantly, we found that the PC-binding domain of PHO can mediate transcriptional repression in transfected Drosophila Schneider cells. Concomitant overexpression of PC resulted in stronger PHO-directed repression that was dependent on its PC-binding domain. Together, these results suggest that PHO can contribute to PRE-mediated silencing by direct recruitment of a PC complex to repress transcription.