Project description:The core subunit of the COMPASS-like complex, WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) has a prominent role in reprogramming and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) in different tumor types. Our evidences support a model in which WDR5 is prominent for EMT and metastasis dissemination in breast cancer patient-derived xenografts and cell lines. Moreover, WDR5 silencing abrogates TGFB pathway activation and reverts mesenchymal into epithelial phenotype, by inhibiting transcription of main master regulators of EMT (CDH2, TWIST1, SNAI1, SNAI2 and ZEB1). Our data suggest that WDR5 inhibition may be a successful approach to prevent progression of metastatic BC.
Project description:The core subunit of the COMPASS-like complex, WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) has a prominent role in reprogramming and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) in different tumor types. Our evidences support a model in which WDR5 is prominent for EMT and metastasis dissemination in breast cancer patient-derived xenografts and cell lines. Moreover, WDR5 silencing abrogates TGFB pathway activation and reverts mesenchymal into epithelial phenotype, by inhibiting transcription of main master regulators of EMT (CDH2, TWIST1, SNAI1, SNAI2 and ZEB1). Our data suggest that WDR5 inhibition may be a successful approach to prevent progression of metastatic BC.
Project description:The core subunit of the COMPASS-like complex, WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) has a prominent role in reprogramming and Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) in different tumor types. Our evidences support a model in which WDR5 is prominent for EMT and metastasis dissemination in breast cancer patient-derived xenografts and cell lines. Moreover, WDR5 silencing abrogates TGFB pathway activation and reverts mesenchymal into epithelial phenotype, by inhibiting transcription of main master regulators of EMT (CDH2, TWIST1, SNAI1, SNAI2 and ZEB1). Our data suggest that WDR5 inhibition may be a successful approach to prevent progression of metastatic BC.
Project description:EMT, Epithelial to mesenchymal transition is a developmental biology process associated with migration, known to be involved in cancer metastasis. To study this process, we used the breast epithelial cell line MCF10A that enter in EMT after treatment with the cytokine TGFB or by expression of EMT transcriptor factor SNAIL.
Project description:Epithelial-mesenchymal transition has been implicated in tumor metastasis, cancer drug resistance and cancer stem cell features. In this study, we examined gene expression profiles of three non-small cell lung cancer cell lines, before and after experimentally induced EMT. We modeled epitheial-mesenchyml transition by culturing A549, HCC827 and NCI-H358 cells in the presence of TGFb for three weeks, and compared gene expression profiles of the paretnal cells and cells after EMT.
Project description:Tumor metastasis remains the major cause of cancer-related death, but its molecular basis is still not well understood. Here we uncovered a splicing-mediated pathway that is essential for breast cancer metastasis. We show that the RNA-binding protein hnRNPM promotes breast cancer metastasis by activating the switch of alternative splicing that occurs during epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Genome-wide deep sequencing analysis suggests that hnRNPM potentiates TGFb signaling and identifies CD44 as a key downstream target of hnRNPM. hnRNPM ablation prevents TGFb-induced EMT and inhibits breast cancer metastasis in mice, whereas enforced expression of the specific CD44s splice isoform overrides the loss of hnRNPM and permits EMT and metastasis. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that the ubiquitously expressed hnRNPM acts in a mesenchymal-specific manner to precisely control CD44 splice isoform switching during EMT. This restricted cell-type activity of hnRNPM is achieved by competition with ESRP1, an epithelial-splicing regulator that binds to the same cis-regulatory RNA elements and is repressed during EMT. Importantly, hnRNPM is associated with aggressive breast cancer and correlates with increased CD44s in patient specimens. These findings demonstrate a novel molecular mechanism through which tumor metastasis is endowed by the hnRNPM-mediated splicing program. RNAseq for control, hnRNPM siRNA treated lung metastatic LM2 clonal line, derived from the mesenchymal MDA-MB-231 cells