JMJD6 licenses estrogen receptor alpha-dependent enhancer RNA and coding gene activation by modulating CARM1/MED12 co-activator complex in breast cancer [Gro-Seq]

ABSTRACT: Enhancers are genomic regulatory elements shown to play key roles in controlling cell type-specific gene expression, regulated by signal-dependent transcription factors and co-factors. Distinct classes of enhancers can specify distinct gene expression profiles and biological outcomes. Recent studies suggested that bidirectional non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), referred as enhancer RNA (eRNAs), are transcribed on enhancers, which are tightly associated with enhancer activity. However, the protein factors which govern the activation of enhancers remain poorly characterized. Here we reported that a Jumonji C (JmjC) domain-containing protein demethylase, JMJD6, is a determinant for estrogen/estrogen receptor (ER)-induced enhancer activation, coding gene transcription, breast cancer cell growth and tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, JMJD6 was found to be specifically recruited onto ER-bound active enhancers in response to estrogen stimulation, which was required for RNA Pol II recruitment and eRNA production of enhancers, leading to transcriptional activation of cognate estrogen target genes. Furthermore, JMJD6 was found to be physically and functionally associated with MED12 in the mediator complex to regulate estrogen-induced transcriptional activation, with JMJD6 was required for MED12 recruitment onto active enhancers. Specifically, JMJD6 was essential for MED12 to interact with CARM1, an arginine methyltransferase well known to be implicated in estrogen-induced transcriptional activation, which methylated MED12 at its c-terminus at multiple arginine methylation sites and was required for MED12 binding with chromatin. Collectively, our data uncovered a critical regulator of estrogen/estrogen receptor-induced enhancer activation and coding gene transcription, providing a potential drug candidate for developing novel strategies targeting ER-positive breast cancers.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE101560 | GEO | 2018/04/16

REPOSITORIES: GEO