Myocardin-related Transcription Factor A Knockdown Research Articles

An MRTF-A-Sp1-PDE5 Axis Mediates Angiotensin-II-Induced Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy.

Cardiac hypertrophy is a critical intermediate step in the pathogenesis of heart failure. A myriad of signaling networks converge on cardiomyocytes to elicit hypertrophic growth in response to various injurious stimuli. In the present study, we investigated the cardiomyocyte-specific role of myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) in angiotensin-II (Ang-II)-induced cardiac hypertrophy and the underlying mechanism. We report that conditional MRTF-A deletion in cardiomyocytes attenuated Ang-II-induced cardiac hypertrophy in mice. Similarly, MRTF-A knockdown or inhibition suppressed Ang-II-induced prohypertrophic response in cultured cardiomyocytes. Of note, Ang II treatment upregulated expression of phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5), a known mediator of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure, in cardiomyocytes, which was blocked by MRTF-A depletion or inhibition. Mechanistically, MRTF-A activated expression of specificity protein 1 (Sp1), which in turn bound to the PDE5 promoter and upregulated PDE5 transcription to promote hypertrophy of cardiomyocytes in response to Ang II stimulation. Therefore, our data unveil a novel MRTF-A–Sp1–PDE5 axis that mediates Ang-II-induced hypertrophic response in cardiomyocytes. Targeting this newly identified MRTF-A–Sp1–PDE5 axis may yield novel interventional solutions against heart failure.

Epigenetic activation of CTGF transcription by high glucose in renal tubular epithelial cells is mediated by myocardin-related transcription factor A.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most devastating complications of diabetes. Connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) levels are up-regulated in patients with DN and in renal tubular epithelial cells (RTECs) exposed to high glucose (HG). The underlying epigenetic mechanism remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we investigate the role of myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) in HG-induced CTGF transcription in RTECs. We report that in two different animal models of DN, one induced by streptozotocin (STZ) injection and the other induced by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding, MRTF-A deficiency attenuated CTGF induction in the kidneys. In cultured RTECs, MRTF-A knockdown similarly ameliorated CTGF induction by HG treatment. Upon CTGF induction, there was an increase in acetylated histone H3 (AcH3) and trimethylated H3K4 (H3K4Me3) on the CTGF promoter region accompanying a decrease in dimethylated H3K9 (H3K9Me2). MRTF-A ablation in vivo or depletion in vitro comparably dampened the accumulation of AcH3 and H3K4Me3 but restored H3K9Me2 on the CTGF promoter. Further analyses revealed that MRTF-A interacted with and recruited histone demethylase KDM3A to the CTGF promoter to activate transcription. KDM3A silencing equivalently weakened HG-induced CTGF induction in RTECs. In conclusion, MRTF-A contributes to HG-induced CTGF transcription via an epigenetic mechanism.

A cAbl-MRTF-A Feedback Loop Contributes to Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation.

Trans-differentiation of quiescent hepatic stellate cells (HSC) to myofibroblasts is a hallmark event in liver fibrosis. Previous studies have led to the discovery that myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) is a key regulator of HSC trans-differentiation or, activation. In the present study we investigated the interplay between MRTF-A and c-Abl (encoded by Abl1), a tyrosine kinase, in this process. We report that hepatic expression levels of c-Abl were down-regulated in MRTF-A knockout (KO) mice compared to wild type (WT) littermates in several different models of liver fibrosis. MRTF-A deficiency also resulted in c-Abl down-regulation in freshly isolated HSCs from the fibrotic livers of mice. MRTF-A knockdown or inhibition repressed c-Abl in cultured HSCs in vitro. Further analyses revealed that MRTF-A directly bound to the Abl1 promoter to activate transcription by interacting with Sp1. Reciprocally, pharmaceutical inhibition of c-Abl suppressed MRTF-A activity. Mechanistically, c-Abl activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), which in turn phosphorylated MRTF-A and promoted MRTF-A nuclear trans-localization. In conclusion, our data suggest that a c-Abl-MRTF-A positive feedback loop contributes to HSC activation and liver fibrosis.

MRTF-A controls myofibroblastic differentiation of human multipotent stromal cells and their tumour-supporting function in xenograft models

Tumour growth and metastatic colonization is strongly influenced by the tumour stroma, including cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF). Multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) are a possible source of CAF following myofibroblastic differentiation, and we have previously shown that MSC support tumour growth. Triggered by tumour cell-derived factors like transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), myofibroblastic MSC differentiation is associated with the increased expression of markers including alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Here we show that myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) plays an important role in myofibroblastic differentiation of primary human MSC in vitro and their tumour-supporting function in vivo. Recombinant TGF-β1 or tumour cell conditioned medium (TCM) elevated α-SMA, calponin 1 and collagen 1 A1 (COL1A1) amount on mRNA and protein level in MSC. This correlated with increased MRTF-A activity during MSC differentiation. MRTF-A knockdown by siRNA or shRNA impaired TGF-β1 and TCM induction of α-SMA and calponin 1, but not of COL1A1. Mixed xenograft experiments using HCT8 colorectal carcinoma cells and primary MSC of different donors revealed a significant reduction in tumour weight and volume upon MRTF-A knockdown in MSC. Our study suggests that MRTF-A is involved in the functional differentiation of MSC towards a tumour-promoting CAF phenotype in vivo.

CK2α promotes advanced glycation end products-induced expressions of fibronectin and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 via activating MRTF-A in glomerular mesangial cells

Advanced glycation end products’ (AGEs) modification of extracellular matrix proteins induces crosslinking, which results in thickening of the basement membrane and activating several intracellular signaling cascades, eventually promoting the pathological progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We have previously confirmed that casein kinase 2α (CK2α) activates the nuclear factor of kappaB (NF-κB) signaling pathway to enhance high glucose-induced expressions of fibronectin (FN) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) in glomerular mesangial cells (GMCs). However, to date, the mechanism by which CK2α regulates diabetic renal fibrosis is not fully understood. In view of the regulation of inflammation and fibrosis by myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A), we are highly concerned whether CK2α promotes AGEs-induced expressions of FN and ICAM-1 in glomerular mesangial cells via activation of MRTF-A, thus affecting the pathogenesis of DN. We found that CK2α and MRTF-A proteins were overexpressed in AGEs-induced diabetic kidneys. Inhibition of CK2α kinase activity or knockdown of CK2α protein expression suppressed the upregulation of FN and ICAM-1 expressions in GMCs induced by AGEs. MRTF-A knockdown compromised the expressions of FN and ICAM-1 in GMCs induced by AGEs. Moreover, inhibition of CK2α kinase activity or knockdown of CK2α protein expression restrained the protein expression and nuclear aggregation of MRTF-A. CK2α interacted with MRTF-A. Furthermore, knockdown of MRTF-A while overexpression of CK2α blocked the upregulation effect of CK2α on the protein expressions of FN and ICAM-1. These findings suggest that CK2α promotes diabetic renal fibrosis via activation of MRTF-A and upregulation of inflammatory genes.

MiR-219a-5p inhibits breast cancer cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition by targeting myocardin-related transcription factor A.

Although many miRNAs are reported to be involved in tumor formation and progression, the effect of miR-219a-5p on breast cancer metastasis is not well-known. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of miR-219a-5p on the migratory ability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of breast cancer cells. First, miR-219a-5p was found to be highly expressed in low-invasive breast cancer MCF-7 cells, but lowly expressed in high-invasive breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Wound scratch assay and transwell assay showed that miR-219a-5p inhibited the migratory ability of MDA-MB-231 cells. miR-219a-5p also suppressed the cellular EMT, confirmed by suppressing the expression of mesenchymal markers vimentin and N-cadherin and increasing the expression of epithelial marker E-cadherin. Using the epithelial-mesenchymal-epithelial model in MCF-7 cells, we confirmed that the level of miR-219a-5p was highly expressed in epithelial-type cells and lowly expressed in mesenchymal-type cells. Importantly, we identified myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) as a novel potential target gene of miR-219a-5p. Overexpression of miR-219a-5p in MDA-MB-231 cells could inhibit the expression of MRTF-A as revealed by real-time PCR and western blot analysis. miR-219a-5p inhibited the transcription of MRTF-A by targeting the 3'UTR of MRTF-A, which was confirmed by wild-type or mutant MRTF-A 3'UTR luciferase reporter system. Furthermore, knockdown of MRTF-A using siRNA for MRTF-A could depress breast cell migration. In conclusion, our present study revealed the tumor suppressive role of miR-219a-5p in regulating breast cancer migration by targeting MRTF-A, suggesting that miR-219a-5p might be a therapeutic target in breast cancer through regulating EMT.

Histone acetyltransferase p300 promotes MRTF-A-mediates transactivation of VE-cadherin gene in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

Vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin) is the major determinant of endothelial cell contact integrity and is required in vascular development and angiogenesis. Serum response factor (SRF) plays essential roles in postnatal retinal angiogenesis and adult neovascularization. It is unclear whether transcription of VE-cadherin is mediated by a SRF co-activator, myocardin-related transcription factor-A (MRTF-A). Here we have demonstrated that MRTF-A is a key regulatory factor to activate the transcription of VE-cadherin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). siRNA-mediated knockdown of MRTF-A decreased the level of VE-cadherin in HUVECs. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) induced MRTF-A binding to the SRF-binding site (CArG box) within VE-cadherin promoter. Histone acetyltransferase p300 and MRTF-A could synergistically augment the expression of VE-cadherin by enhancing acetylation of histone3K9 (H3K9Ac), histone3K14 (H3K14Ac) and histone4 at the SRF-binding site within VE-cadherin promoter. Taken together, these data identified a detailed regulatory mechanism of VE-cadherin gene expression.

Myocardin-related transcription factor A is up-regulated by 17β-estradiol and promotes migration of MCF-7 breast cancer cells via transactivation of <italic>MYL9</italic> and <italic>CYR61</italic>

Many lines of evidence have suggested that estrogen plays important roles not only in the initiation and proliferation of breast cancer, but also in cancer metastasis. However, the mechanistic basis of the latter events is poorly understood. In addition, recent studies have suggested that myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A) might be related to cancer metastasis. However, as reports are contradictory, certain of its roles still remain confusing. In the present study, we showed that excessive 17β-estradiol could promote the migration of MCF-7 breast cancer cells and up-regulate the expression of MRTF-A, myosin regulatory light chain 9 (MYL9), and cysteine-rich angiogenic inducer 61 (CYR61). Overexpression of MRTF-A significantly promoted the migration of MCF-7 cells through its transactivation effects on MYL9 and CYR61 genes, while RNA interference-mediated knockdown of MRTF-A strongly inhibited transcription and expression of the target genes and reduced the migration ability of MCF-7 cells. These results provided novel evidence supporting the metastasis-promoting functions of MRTF-A, and implied that MRTF-A might be a switch for the estrogen pathway to change its proliferation-promoting roles into migration-stimulating roles in breast cancer.

Myocardin-Related Transcription Factor A Is a Common Mediator of Mechanical Stress- and Neurohumoral Stimulation-Induced Cardiac Hypertrophic Signaling Leading to Activation of Brain Natriuretic Peptide Gene Expression

Subjecting cardiomyocytes to mechanical stress or neurohumoral stimulation causes cardiac hypertrophy characterized in part by reactivation of the fetal cardiac gene program. Here we demonstrate a new common mechanism by which these stimuli are transduced to a signal activating the hypertrophic gene program. Mechanically stretching cardiomyocytes induced nuclear accumulation of myocardin-related transcription factor A (MRTF-A), a coactivator of serum response factor (SRF), in a Rho- and actin dynamics-dependent manner. Expression of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and other SRF-dependent fetal cardiac genes in response to acute mechanical stress was blunted in mice lacking MRTF-A. Hypertrophic responses to chronic pressure overload were also significantly attenuated in mice lacking MRTF-A. Mutation of a newly identified, conserved and functional SRF-binding site within the BNP promoter, or knockdown of MRTF-A, reduced the responsiveness of the BNP promoter to mechanical stretch. Nuclear translocation of MRTF-A was also involved in endothelin-1- and angiotensin-II-induced activation of the BNP promoter. Moreover, mice lacking MRTF-A showed significantly weaker hypertrophic responses to chronic angiotensin II infusion than wild-type mice. Collectively, these findings point to nuclear translocation of MRTF-A as a novel signaling mechanism mediating both mechanical stretch- and neurohumoral stimulation-induced BNP gene expression and hypertrophic responses in cardiac myocytes.