E2F Target Genes Research Articles

Abstract 739: The MEK-inhibitor pimasertib in B-cell lymphomas: Evaluation of the pre-clinical activity as single agent or in combination and identification of biomarkers of response

Abstract Treatment of patients with lymphomas resistant/refractory to standard chemotherapy is challenging. Development and identification of new compounds targeting components of relevant pathways is needed. Pimasertib is a potent and highly selective ATP noncompetitive MEK1/2 inhibitor, which has been shown able to induce G1 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in different pre-clinical cancer models and potent antitumor activity in xenograft models with mainly BRAF and KRAS activating mutations. Here, we report data on the evaluation of pimasertib in a large panel of B-cell lymphoma cell lines. Methods. Cell lines from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL, n=16), mantle cell lymphoma (MCL, n=4), splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL, n=3) underwent 72 hrs exposure to increasing doses of pimasertib (EMD Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany) to assess anti-proliferative activity by MTT assay. Apoptosis was assessed by Annexin-V/7-AAD staining, gene expression profiling (GEP) with Illumina HumanHT-12 Expression BeadChips at baseline on all the cell lines. GEP/IC50 correlation was assessed by Spearman correlation. Cell lines with IC50 < 15μM were defined as sensitive; data mining included LIMMA, GSEA and Metacore. Three DLBCL cell lines were exposed to increasing doses of pimasertib in combination with other drugs, and synergy was assessed by Chou-Talalay combination index (CI). Results. The median IC50 value was 26.1 μM (range, 1.4-100 μM). The effect was largely cytostatic, with apoptosis detected in 1/5 cell lines and only at high doses (80 μM). DLBCL and SMZL cells appeared more sensitive than MCL (P=0.047 and P=0.039). No differences were observed between germinal center B-cell or activated B-cell (ABC) DLBCL. TP53 (P=0.0283) and TNFAIP3 (P=0.012) inactivation negatively affected the response to pimasertib. Transcripts significantly associated with higher sensitivity to pimasertib were enriched of MEK and RAS regulated genes, E2F target genes, genes expressed in germinal center B cells. Transcripts associated with resistance were enriched of IFN target genes (including TNFAIP3) and genes down-regulated in the presence of active MEK or RAS. Pimasertib showed synergism combined with PI3K inhibitor idelalisib (median CI=0.34), and the effect was strong in 2/3 cell lines (OCI-Ly10, CI= 0.03; TMD8, CI= 0.25). Synergism was observed with BTK-inhibitor ibrutinib in the ABC-DLBCL cell lines (OCI-Ly10, CI=0.32; TMD8, CI=0.63). Less synergistic effects were observed with pimasertib in combination with anti-CD20 moAb rituximab (CI=0.78) and with MDM2 inhibitor nutlin-3 (CI=0.67). Conclusions. Pimasertib showed promising activity in combination with PI3K and BTK inhibitors in preclinical models of mature lymphomas, worth of being further evaluated. GEP signatures associated with the response to pimasertib were identified. Citation Format: Eugenio Gaudio, Ivo Kwee, Chiara Tarantelli, Elena Bernasconi, Andrea Rinaldi, Luciano Cascione, Maurilio Ponzoni, Anastasios Stathis, Emanuele Zucca, Samantha Goodstal, Francesco Bertoni. The MEK-inhibitor pimasertib in B-cell lymphomas: Evaluation of the pre-clinical activity as single agent or in combination and identification of biomarkers of response. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 739. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-739

The Nuclear Matrix Protein, NRP/B, Acts as a Transcriptional Repressor of E2F-mediated Transcriptional Activity.

Background:NRP/B, a family member of the BTB/Kelch repeat proteins, is implicated in neuronal and cancer development, as well as the regulation of oxidative stress responses in breast and brain cancer. Our previous studies indicate that the NRP/B-BTB/POZ domain is involved in the dimerization of NRP/B and in a complex formation with the tumor suppressor, retinoblastoma protein. Although much evidence supports the potential role of NRP/B as a tumor suppressor, the molecular mechanisms of NRP/B action on E2F transcription factors have not been elucidated.Methods:Three-dimensional modeling of NRP/B was used to generate point mutations in the BTB/Kelch domains. Tet-on inducible NRP/B expression was established. The NRP/B deficient breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, was generated using lentiviral shNRP/B to evaluate the effect of NRP/B on cell proliferation, invasion and migration. Immunoprecipitation was performed to verify the interaction of NRP/B with E2F and histone deacetylase (HDAC-1), and the expression level of NRP/B protein was analyzed by Western blot analysis. Changes in cell cycle were determined by flow cytometry. Transcriptional activities of E2F transcription factors were measured by chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) activity.Results:Ectopic overexpression of NRP/B demonstrated that the NRP/B-BTB/POZ domain plays a critical role in E2F-mediated transcriptional activity. Point mutations within the BTB/POZ domain restored E2-promoter activity inhibited by NRP/B. Loss of NRP/B enhanced the proliferation and migration of breast cancer cells. Endogenous NRP/B interacted with E2F and HDAC1. Treatement with an HDAC inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), abolished the NRP/B-mediated suppression of E2-promoter activity. Gain or loss of NRP/B in HeLa cells confirmed the transcriptional repressive capability of NRP/B on the E2F target genes, Cyclin E and HsORC (Homo sapiens Origin Recognition Complex).Conclusions:The present study shows that NRP/B acts as a transcriptional repressor by interacting with the co-repressors, HDAC1, providing new insight into the molecular mechanisms of NRP/B on tumor suppression.

Abstract LB-136: Mechanistic exploration of combined CDK4/6 and ER inhibition in ER-positive breast cancer

Abstract The de-regulation of the Retinoblastoma tumor suppressor is widespread in cancers occurring through the direct mutation or loss of RB1, or enhanced signaling through the Cyclin dependent kinases CDK4 and CDK6 via amplification and/or over expression of D-type cyclins, or loss of p16 (CDKN2A) function. Tumors retaining intact RB1 functions therefore rely on the activity of CyclinD-CDK4/6 complexes to inactivate RB1 and promote progression through the G1 restriction point into S phase. Hormone receptor positive breast cancers are one tumor type where RB1 remains intact in most tumors and deregulation of CDK4/6-Cyclin D signaling is common. As such, dependence on CDK4/6 signaling in ER positive breast cancers has been demonstrated using the specific CDK4/6 inhibitor, PD-0332991 (palbociclib), and the combination of palbociclib and letrozole has been shown to provide significant clinical activity in ER+ breast cancer patients. To determine the mechanism of action for this combination, we investigated the effects of palbociclib with anti-estrogen therapeutics such as letrozole, fulvestrant and tamoxifen on ER+ breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, CAMA1, and T47D). Mechanistic analyses reveal that the combination of palbociclib with fulvestrant or letrozole enhanced inhibition of Rb phosphorylation leading to significantly greater loss of E2F1, FoxM1 and downstream target genes such as PLK1, SKP2 and CCNE2, leading to greater inhibition of cell proliferation. The enhanced growth arrest of the ER+ breast cell lines treated with palbociclib and ER antagonists is accompanied by increased hallmarks of cell senescence, cell enlargement and SA-β-Galactosidase staining, significantly greater than either single agent inhibitor treatment. Also, the arrest of cells following drug removal is maintained significantly longer for cells treated with the combination. To explore these activities in vivo, an ER+ breast patient derived xenograft (PDX) model was studied using the combination of palbociclib and letrozole (aromatase inhibitor). These studies recapitulate in vitro model systems, showing greater tumor growth inhibition with combination therapy, enhanced dephosphorylation of RB1 and accompanied inhibition of downstream signaling. PDX tumors treated with the combination of palbociclib and letrozole displayed reduced KI67 staining compared to single agent treatments and β-galactosidase staining revealed that cell senescence is also a component of the functional response of ER+ breast tumors to the combined inhibition of CDK4/6 and ER signaling in vivo. As apoptotic cell death was not clearly evident in any of these model systems, the mechanism of combined CDK4/6 inhibition and ER antagonism is likely driven by cellular senescence and accompanying long term arrest of tumor cells to prevent disease progression. Citation Format: Nathan V. Lee, Jing Yuan, Koleen Eisele, Joan Q. Cao, Cory L. Painter, John Chionis, Chaoting Liu, David J. Shields, Julie L.C. Kan, Kim Arndt, Todd VanArsdale. Mechanistic exploration of combined CDK4/6 and ER inhibition in ER-positive breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-136. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-LB-136

Characterization of functional domains in the Merkel cell polyoma virus Large T antigen.

Merkel cell polyomavirus (MCPyV)--positive Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) tumor cell growth is dependent on the expression of a viral Large T antigen (LT) with an intact retinoblastoma protein (RB)-binding site. This RB-binding domain in MCPyV-LT is--in contrast to other polyomavirus LTs (e.g., SV40)--embedded between two large MCPyV unique regions (MUR1 and MUR2). To identify elements of the MCPyV-LT necessary for tumor cell growth, we analyzed the rescue activity of LT variants following knockdown of the endogenous LT in MCC cells. These experiments demonstrate that nuclear localization is essential for LT function, but that a motif previously described to be a nuclear localization sequence is neither required for nuclear accumulation of truncated MCPyV-LT nor for promotion of MCC cell proliferation. Furthermore, large parts of the MURs distal to the RB binding domain as well as ALTO--a second protein encoded by an alternative reading frame in the MCPyV-LT mRNA--are completely dispensable for MCPyV-driven tumor cell proliferation. Notably, even MCPyV-LTs in which the entire MURs have been removed are still able to promote MCC cellular growth although rescue activity is reduced which may be due to MUR1 being required for stable LT expression in MCC cells. Finally, we provide evidence implying that--while binding to Vam6p is not essential--HSC-70 interaction is significantly involved in mediating MCPyV-LT function in MCC cells including growth promotion and induction of E2F target genes.

Epithelial cell-derived periostin functions as a tumor suppressor in gastric cancer through stabilizing p53 and E-cadherin proteins via the Rb/E2F1/p14ARF/Mdm2 signaling pathway

Periostin is usually considered as an oncogene in diverse human cancers, including breast, prostate, colon, esophagus, and pancreas cancers, whereas it acts as a tumor suppressor in bladder cancer. In gastric cancer, it has been demonstrated that periglandular periostin expression is decreased whereas stromal periostin expression is significantly increased as compared with normal gastric tissues. Moreover, periostin produced by stromal myofibroblasts markedly promotes gastric cancer cell growth. These observations suggest that periostin derived from different types of cells may play distinct biological roles in gastric tumorigenesis. The aim of this study was to explore the biological functions and related molecular mechanisms of epithelial cell-derived periostin in gastric cancer. Our data showed that periglandular periostin was significantly down-regulated in gastric cancer tissues as compared with matched normal gastric mucosa. In addition, its expression in metastatic lymph nodes was significantly lower than that in their primary cancer tissues. Our data also demonstrated that periglandular periostin expression was negatively associated with tumor stage. More importantly, restoration of periostin expression in gastric cancer cells dramatically suppressed cell growth and invasiveness. Elucidation of the mechanisms involved revealed that periostin restoration enhanced Rb phosphorylation and sequentially activated the transcription of E2F1 target gene p14ARF, leading to Mdm2 inactivation and the stabilization of p53 and E-cadherin proteins. Strikingly, these effects of periostin were abolished upon Rb deletion. Collectively, we have for the first time demonstrated that epithelial cell-derived periostin exerts tumor-suppressor activities in gastric cancer through stabilizing p53 and E-cadherin proteins via the Rb/E2F1/p14ARF/Mdm2 signaling pathway.

RB family tumor suppressor activity may not relate to active silencing of E2F target genes.

The retinoblastoma protein pRB and its two homologs p130 and p107 form the family of pocket proteins and play a major role in cell-cycle regulation and suppression of human and mouse tumorigenesis. Pocket proteins regulate the activity of E2F transcription factors during G1-S transition. Two mechanisms have been described: (i) pocket protein binding blocks the transactivation domain of activator E2Fs, inhibiting E2F-dependent transcription and (ii) E2F-bound pocket proteins can recruit chromatin remodeling proteins containing an LxCxE motif (x encoding any amino acid), resulting in active repression of E2F target genes. To investigate the importance of pRB's LxCxE-interacting motif in cell-cycle control and tumor suppression, we generated mouse embryonic fibroblasts and mice expressing a mutant pRB protein carrying an asparagine for phenylalanine substitution at position 750, abrogating LxCxE binding. Because p130 may compensate for loss of pRB, we studied pRB(N750F) activity in the presence and absence of p130. The pRB-LxCxE interaction was not required for cell-cycle arrest upon mitogen deprivation and cell-cell contact, but did contribute to RAS(V12)- and radiation-induced cell-cycle arrest. Remarkably, the pRB-LxCxE interaction was not required for suppression of in vitro and in vivo transformation, even in the absence of p130. These results indicate that pRB's tumor suppressor activity is not effectuated by active silencing of E2F target genes, but rather by regulation of activator E2Fs or another unidentified mechanism. Furthermore, the in vitro response of pocket protein-perturbed cells to mitogen deprivation and cell-cell contact seems a better predictor of tumor development than the response to ectopic RAS(V12) expression. Cancer Res; 74(18); 5266-76. ©2014 AACR.

The E2F transcription factors regulate tumor development and metastasis in a mouse model of metastatic breast cancer.

While the E2F transcription factors (E2Fs) have a clearly defined role in cell cycle control, recent work has uncovered new functions. Using genomic signature methods, we predicted a role for the activator E2F transcription factors in the mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV)-polyomavirus middle T oncoprotein (PyMT) mouse model of metastatic breast cancer. To genetically test the hypothesis that the E2Fs function to regulate tumor development and metastasis, we interbred MMTV-PyMT mice with E2F1, E2F2, or E2F3 knockout mice. With the ablation of individual E2Fs, we noted alterations of tumor latency, histology, and vasculature. Interestingly, we noted striking reductions in metastatic capacity and in the number of circulating tumor cells in both the E2F1 and E2F2 knockout backgrounds. Investigating E2F target genes that mediate metastasis, we found that E2F loss led to decreased levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (Vegfa), Bmp4, Cyr61, Nupr1, Plod 2, P4ha1, Adamts1, Lgals3, and Angpt2. These gene expression changes indicate that the E2Fs control the expression of genes critical to angiogenesis, the remodeling of the extracellular matrix, tumor cell survival, and tumor cell interactions with vascular endothelial cells that facilitate metastasis to the lungs. Taken together, these results reveal that the E2F transcription factors play key roles in mediating tumor development and metastasis in addition to their well-characterized roles in cell cycle control.

Next-generation sequencing of colorectal cancers in chinese: identification of a recurrent frame-shift and gain-of-function Indel mutation in the TFDP1 gene.

Abstract Re-sequencing of target genes is a highly effective approach for identifying mutations in cancers. Mutations, including indels (insertions, deletions, and the combination of the two), play important roles in carcinogenesis. Combining genomic DNA capture using high-density oligonucleotide microarrays (NimbleGen, Inc.) with next-generation high-throughput sequencing, we identified approximately 1600 indels for colorectal cancers in the Chinese population. Among them, 5 indels were localized to exonic regions of genes, including the TFDP1 (transcription factor Dp-1) gene. TFDP1 is an important transcription factor that coordinates with E2F proteins, thereby promoting transcription of E2F target genes and regulating the cell cycle and differentiation. We report here the identification of a recurrent frame-shift indel mutation (named indel84) in the TFDP1 gene in colorectal cancers by next-generation sequencing. We found in a validation set that TFDP1 indel84 is present in 70% of colorectal cancer (CRC) tissues. Wild-type TFDP1 encodes a protein of 410 amino acids with a potential DNA binding site at its N-terminal followed by several functional protein domains. The TFDP1 indel cDNA would generate an alternative TFDP1 protein missing the first 120 amino acids and potentially affecting the DNA binding domain. We further demonstrated that the TFDP1 indel84 mutation generated a gain-of-function phenotype by increasing cell proliferation, migration, and invasion of CRC cells. Our study identified a key molecular event for CRC that might have great diagnostic and therapeutic potentials.

Inactivation of Rb and E2f8 synergizes to trigger stressed DNA replication during erythroid terminal differentiation.

Rb is critical for promoting cell cycle exit in cells undergoing terminal differentiation. Here we show that during erythroid terminal differentiation, Rb plays a previously unappreciated and unorthodox role in promoting DNA replication and cell cycle progression. Specifically, inactivation of Rb in erythroid cells led to stressed DNA replication, increased DNA damage, and impaired cell cycle progression, culminating in defective terminal differentiation and anemia. Importantly, all of these defects associated with Rb loss were exacerbated by the concomitant inactivation of E2f8. Gene expression profiling and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) revealed that Rb and E2F8 cosuppressed a large array of E2F target genes that are critical for DNA replication and cell cycle progression. Remarkably, inactivation of E2f2 rescued the erythropoietic defects resulting from Rb and E2f8 deficiencies. Interestingly, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) on E2F2 ChIPs indicated that inactivation of Rb and E2f8 synergizes to increase E2F2 binding to its target gene promoters. Taken together, we propose that Rb and E2F8 collaborate to promote DNA replication and erythroid terminal differentiation by preventing E2F2-mediated aberrant transcriptional activation through the ability of Rb to bind and sequester E2F2 and the ability of E2F8 to compete with E2F2 for E2f-binding sites on target gene promoters.

RORα binds to E2F1 to inhibit cell proliferation and regulate mammary gland branching morphogenesis.

Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor alpha (RORα) is a potent tumor suppressor that reduces cell proliferation and inhibits tumor growth. However, the molecular mechanism by which it inhibits cell proliferation remains unknown. We demonstrate a noncanonical nuclear receptor pathway in which RORα binds to E2F1 to inhibit cell cycle progression. We showed that RORα bound to the heptad repeat and marked box region of E2F1 and suppressed E2F1-regulated transcription in epithelial cells. Binding of RORα inhibited E2F1 acetylation and its DNA-binding activity by recruiting histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) to the protein complexes. Knockdown of HDAC1 or inhibition of HDAC activity at least partially rescued transcription factor activity of E2F1 that was repressed by RORα. Importantly, RORα levels were increased in mammary ducts compared to terminal end buds and inversely correlated with expression of E2F1 target genes and cell proliferation. Silencing RORα in mammary epithelial cells significantly enhanced cell proliferation in the ductal epithelial cells and promoted side branching of the mammary ducts. These results reveal a novel link between RORα and E2F1 in regulating cell cycle progression and mammary tissue morphogenesis.

E2F1 responds to ultraviolet radiation by directly stimulating DNA repair and suppressing carcinogenesis.

In response to DNA damage, the E2F1 transcription factor is phosphorylated at serine 31 (serine 29 in mouse) by the ATM or ATR kinases, which promotes E2F1 protein stabilization. Phosphorylation of E2F1 also leads to the recruitment of E2F1 to sites of DNA damage, where it functions to enhance DNA repair. To study the role of this E2F1 phosphorylation event in vivo, a knock-in mouse model was generated, in which serine 29 was mutated to alanine. The S29A mutation impairs E2F1 stabilization in response to ultraviolet (UV) radiation and doxorubicin treatment, but has little effect on the expression of E2F target genes. The apoptotic and proliferative responses to acute UV radiation exposure are also similar between wild-type and E2f1(S29A/) (S29A) mice. As expected, the S29A mutation prevents E2F1 association with damaged DNA and reduces DNA repair efficiency. Moreover, E2f1(S29A/) (S29A) mice display increased sensitivity to UV-induced skin carcinogenesis. This knock-in mouse model thus links the ability of E2F1 to directly promote DNA repair with the suppression of tumor development.

A Retinoblastoma Allele That Is Mutated at Its Common E2F Interaction Site Inhibits Cell Proliferation in Gene-Targeted Mice

The retinoblastoma protein (pRB) is best known for regulating cell proliferation through E2F transcription factors. In this report, we investigate the properties of a targeted mutation that disrupts pRB interactions with the transactivation domain of E2Fs. Mice that carry this mutation endogenously (Rb1(ΔG)) are defective for pRB-dependent repression of E2F target genes. Except for an accelerated entry into S phase in response to serum stimulation, cell cycle regulation in Rb1(ΔG/ΔG) mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) strongly resembles that of the wild type. In a serum deprivation-induced cell cycle exit, Rb1(ΔG/ΔG) MEFs display a magnitude of E2F target gene derepression similar to that of Rb1(-/-) cells, even though Rb1(ΔG/ΔG) cells exit the cell cycle normally. Interestingly, cell cycle arrest in Rb1(ΔG/ΔG) MEFs is responsive to p16 expression and gamma irradiation, indicating that alternate mechanisms can be activated in G1 to arrest proliferation. Some Rb1(ΔG/ΔG) mice die neonatally with a muscle degeneration phenotype, while the others live a normal life span with no evidence of spontaneous tumor formation. Most tissues appear histologically normal while being accompanied by derepression of pRB-regulated E2F targets. This suggests that non-E2F-, pRB-dependent pathways may have a more relevant role in proliferative control than previously identified.

Highlights from Recent Cancer Literature

Highlights from Recent Cancer Literature

Skp2 suppresses apoptosis in Rb1-deficient tumours by limiting E2F1 activity

One mechanism of tumor suppression by pRb is repressing E2F1. Hence, E2f1 deletion diminishes tumorigenesis following Rb1 loss. However, E2F1 promotes both proliferation and apoptosis. It therefore remains unclear how de-repressed E2F1 promotes tumorigenesis. Another mechanism of pRb function is repressing Skp2 to elevate p27 to arrest proliferation. However, Skp2 deletion induced apoptosis, not proliferation arrest, in Rb1 deficient pituitary tumorigenesis. Here, we show that Rb1 deletion induces higher expression of E2F1 target genes in the absence of Skp2. E2F1 binds less cyclin A but more target promoters when Rb1 is deleted with Skp2 knockout or p27T187A knockin, suggesting that stabilized p27 prevents cyclin A from binding and inhibiting E2F1. In Rb1 deficient pituitary tumorigenesis, Skp2 deletion or p27T187A mutation converts E2F1’s role from proliferative to apoptotic. These findings delineate a pRb-Skp2-p27-cyclin A-E2F1 pathway that determines whether E2F1 is proliferative or apoptotic in Rb1 deficient tumorigenesis.

LIMD1 antagonizes E2F1 activity and cell cycle progression by enhancing Rb function in cancer cells

Tumour suppressor genes restrain inappropriate cell growth and division, as well as stimulate cell death to maintain tissue homeostasis. Loss of function leads to abnormal cellular behaviour, including hyperproliferation of cell and perturbation of cell cycle regulation. LIMD1 is a tumour suppressor gene located at chromosome 3p21.3, a region commonly deleted in many solid malignancies. LIMD1 interacts with retinoblastoma (Rb) and is involved in Rb-mediated downregulation of E2F1-target genes. However, the role of LIMD1 in cell cycle regulation remains unclear. We propose that LIMD1 induces cell cycle arrest, utilising Rb-E2F1 axis, and show that ectopic expression of LIMD1 in A549 cells results in hypo-phosphorylation that potentiates Rb function, which correlates with downregulation of E2F1. In agreement with these observations, LIMD1 overexpression retards cell cycle progression and blocks S-phase entry, as cells accumulate in G0/G1 phase and have reduced incorporation of BrdU. Most significantly, LIMD1-dependent effects on Rb function and cell cycle are reversed on depletion of endogenous LIMD1, underscoring its centrality in Rb-mediated cell cycle regulation. Hence, our findings provide new insight into cell cycle control by Rb-LIMD1 nexus.

Transduction of Fetal Mice With a Feline Lentiviral Vector Induces Liver Tumors Which Exhibit an E2F Activation Signature

Lentiviral vectors are widely used in basic research and clinical applications for gene transfer and long-term expression; however, safety issues have not yet been completely resolved. In this study, we characterized hepatocarcinomas that developed in mice 1 year after in utero administration of a feline-derived lentiviral vector. Mapped viral integration sites differed among tumors and did not coincide with the regions of chromosomal aberrations. Furthermore, gene expression profiling revealed that no known cancer-associated genes were deregulated in the vicinity of viral integrations. Nevertheless, five of the six tumors exhibited highly significant upregulation of E2F target genes, of which a majority are associated with oncogenesis, DNA damage response, and chromosomal instability. We further show in vivo and in vitro that E2F activation occurs early on following transduction of both fetal mice and cultured human hepatocytes. On the basis of the similarities in E2F target gene expression patterns among tumors and the lack of evidence implicating insertional mutagenesis, we propose that transduction of fetal mice with a feline lentiviral vector induces E2F-mediated major cellular processes that drive hepatocytes toward uncontrolled proliferation culminating in tumorigenesis.

The retinoblastoma protein and PML collaborate to organize heterochromatin and silence E2F-responsive genes during senescence

Cellular senescence is characterized by silencing of genes involved in DNA replication and cell cycle progression. Stable repression is crucial for preventing inappropriate DNA synthesis and the maintenance of a prolonged senescent state. Many of these genes are targets for E2F transcription factors. The pRB pathway plays a major role in senescence by directly repressing E2Fs and also by regulating chromatin at the promoters of E2F target genes using its LXCXE cleft-dependent interactions. In this study, we sought to investigate the mechanisms by which pRB stably silences E2F target gene transcription during cellular senescence. We report that in mouse embryonic fibroblasts, endogenous promyelocytic leukemia protein (PML) associates with E2F target genes in a pRB LXCXE-dependent manner during HrasV12-induced senescence. Furthermore, using a PML-IV-induced senescence model, we show that the pRB LXCXE binding cleft is essential for PML association with gene promoters, silencing of E2F target genes, and stable cell cycle exit. Binding assays show that pRB can interact with PML specifically during senescence, suggesting that signaling events in senescence regulate assembly of PML and pRB to establish heterochromatin and create a permanent cell cycle arrest.

Abstract P5-07-06: Kinase-independent role of cyclin D1 in chromosomal instability and mammary tumorigenesis

Abstract Cyclin D1 is an important molecular driver of human breast cancer but better understanding of its oncogenic mechanisms is needed, especially to enhance efforts in targeted therapeutics. Activation of the cyclin D1 oncogene, often by amplification or rearrangement, is a major driver of multiple types of human tumors including breast and squamous cell cancers, B-cell lymphoma, myeloma, and parathyroid adenoma. The cyclin D1 gene is amplified or overexpressed in up to half of human breast cancers and its mammary-targeted overexpression induces mammary tumorigenesis in mice. Cyclin D1 encodes the regulatory subunit of the cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) holoenzyme that phosphorylates several substrates including the retinoblastoma protein (pRb) to advance the G1S cell cycle checkpoint, promote DNA synthesis and regulate NRF-1 to inhibit mitochondrial biogenesis thereby coordinating nuclear and mitochondrial functions. In addition to cyclin D1's function as a regulatory subunit of a CDK holoenzyme, several CDK-independent functions have been identified. Tumors overexpressing cyclin D1 tend to display normal levels of proliferation and expression of E2F target genes, which contrasts with tumors overexpressing cyclin E or an activator for pRb. Breast cancers overexpressing cyclin D1 that are wild type for pRb have relatively normal proliferation rates, in contrast to those caused by genetic inactivation of pRb, which show significantly increased proliferation rates. Furthermore, the alternate splice form of cyclin D1, (cyclin D1b), has potent transforming ability, which does not correlate with the ability to phosphorylate the pRb protein. Several other properties of cyclin D1 have been identified including the induction of cellular migration and enhanced angiogenesis, inhibition of mitochondrial biogenesis, and mediating DNA-damage repair signaling. Cyclin D1 binding proteins participating in these putatively CDK-independent functions include PACSIN2, NRF1, and p27KIP1; binding to p27KIP1 and PACSIN2 contribute to the pro-migratory function of cyclin D1. Currently, pharmaceutical initiatives to inhibit cyclin D1 are focused on the catalytic component since the transforming capacity is thought to reside in the cyclin D1/CDK activity. We initiated the following study to directly test the oncogenic potential of catalytically inactive cyclin D1 in an in vivo mouse model that is relevant to breast cancer. Herein, transduction of cyclin D1-/- mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) with the kinase dead KE mutant of cyclin D1 led to aneuploidy, abnormalities in mitotic spindle formation, autosome amplification, and chromosomal instability (CIN) by gene expression profiling. Acute transgenic expression of either cyclin D1WT or cyclin D1KE in the mammary gland was sufficient to induce the CIN signature within 7 days. Sustained expression of cyclin D1KE induced mammary adenocarcinoma with similar kinetics to that of the wild-type cyclin D1. ChIP-Seq studies demonstrated recruitment of cyclin D1WT and cyclin D1KE to the genes governing CIN. We conclude that the CDK-activating function of cyclin D1 is not necessary to induce either chromosomal instability or mammary tumorigenesis. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P5-07-06.

Human herpesvirus 6 (HHV-6) alters E2F1/Rb pathways and utilizes the E2F1 transcription factor to express viral genes

E2F transcription factors play pivotal roles in controlling the expression of genes involved in cell-cycle progression. Different viruses affect E2F1/retinoblastoma (Rb) interactions by diverse mechanisms releasing E2F1 from its suppressor Rb, enabling viral replication. We show that in T cells infected with human herpesvirus 6A (HHV-6A), the E2F1 protein and its cofactor DP1 increased, whereas the Rb protein underwent massive degradation without hyperphosphorylation at three sites known to control E2F/Rb association. Although E2F1 and DP1 increased without Rb suppression, the E2F1 target genes-including cyclin A, cyclin E, and dihydrofolate reductase-were not up-regulated. To test whether the E2F1/DP1 complexes were used for viral transcription, we scanned the viral genome for genes containing the E2F binding site in their promoters. In the present work, we concentrated on the U27 and U79 genes known to act in viral DNA synthesis. We constructed amplicon-6 vectors containing a GFP reporter gene driven by WT viral promoter or by promoter mutated in the E2F binding site. We found that the expression of the fusion U27 promoter was dependent on the presence of the E2F binding site. Test of the WT U79 promoter yielded >10-fold higher expression of the GFP reporter gene than the mutant U79 promoter with abrogated E2F binding site. Moreover, by using siRNA to E2F1, we found that E2F1 was essential for the activity of the U79 promoter. These findings revealed a unique pathway in HHV-6 replication: The virus causes Rb degradation and uses the increased E2F1 and DP1 factors to transcribe viral genes.

H3K9me3-Governed Senescence In Tumor Development and Lymphoma Treatment

IntroductionPremature senescence, a terminal cell-cycle arrest condition of viable cells in response to acute cellular stresses such as oncogenic activation or DNA-damaging anticancer therapy, is characterized by S-phase entry-controlling histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation (H3K9me3). Previously, we reported an essential, tumor-suppressive role for the H3K9 histone methyltransferase Suv39h1 in oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) as a barrier to lymphoma development in vivo (Braig-M et al., Nature, 2005). In the current study, we focused, in addition to Suv39h1, on the H3K9-active demethylases LSD1 and JMJD2C in both OIS and therapy-induced senescence (TIS). MethodsHuman diploid fibroblasts (HDFs) and mouse embryo fibroblasts (MEFs) were stably transfected with H-RasG12V to induce OIS. S-phase-promoting E2F target gene control by H3K9me3 was analyzed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Transformation was assessed by anchorage-independent colony formation in vitro and tumor development in nude mice. To establish TIS, primary Eµ-myc transgenic mouse lymphoma cells, retrovirally transduced with bcl2 to block apoptosis, were exposed to adriamycin in vitro or cyclophosphamide in vivo. Senescence was analyzed by staining for senescence-associated b-galactosidase activity (SA-b-gal), Ki67 and BrdU incorporation. Lymphoma formation and treatment in vivo were monitored by luciferase and GFP imaging, SA-b-gal/Ki67 staining in situ, and overall survival was assessed by Kaplan Meier analysis. ResultsH3K9-active demethylases – like overexpression of a dysfunctional H3R9 mutant – blocked cellular senescence, and permitted direct transformation under oncogenic Ras. In Myc-driven lymphomas, either loss of Suv39h1 or overexpression of LSD1 or JMJD2C cancelled TIS in vitro and in vivo. Notably, H3K9me3-impaired lymphomas resembled control lymphomas in their proliferation rate and sensitivity to drug-induced apoptosis, but displayed significantly shorter progression-free and overall survival after chemotherapy. Extended data sets on LSD1 and JMJD2C expression in human diffuse large B-cell lymphoma samples and their correlation to treatment outcome will be presented at the meeting. ConclusionThe data underscore the essential albeit dynamic role of the H3K9me3 mark in OIS and TIS, and unveil the oncogenic potential of H3K9 demethylases, thereby providing a mechanistic basis for JMJD2C- or LSD1-targeting strategies in lymphoma therapy. Disclosures:No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.