STRAP Promotes Stemness of Human Colorectal Cancer via Epigenetic Regulation of the NOTCH Pathway.

ABSTRACT: NOTCH signaling exerts essential roles in normal and malignant intestinal physiology and the homeostasis of cancer stem-like cells (CSC), but the basis for this latter role remains obscure. The signaling scaffold protein STRAP is upregulated in several cancers, where it promotes tumorigenicity and metastasis. Here we report a novel oncogenic function for STRAP in maintaining CSC subpopulations in a heterogeneous mixture by antagonizing formation of the chromatin modifier PRC2 and by epigenetically activating NOTCH signals in human colorectal cancer. Silencing STRAP sensitized colorectal cancer cells to chemotherapeutic drugs in vitro and in vivo STRAP depletion also contributed to a reduced stem-like phenotype of colorectal cancer cells, as indicated by reduced expression of

SUBMITTER: Jin L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5645244 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature