Project description:We studied the effects of acute activation of the melanoma oncogene RAC1 P29S using a tamoxifen-inducible ER-fusion protein system in mouse melanocytes
Project description:We studied the effects of long-term endogenous expression of the melanoma oncogene RAC1 P29S using melanocyte cultures isolated from transgenic mice
Project description:Metastasis is the key cause of failure of cancer therapy or mortality, but targeting metastatic seeding and colonization remains an unresolved challenge. Here, we report a novel molecular event in cancer metastasis mediated by NSD2/Rac1 signaling and provide a detailed mechanistic investigation of cancer metastasis. We found that NSD2, a histone methyltransferase responsible for di-methylating histone 3 at lysine 36, was overexpressed in metastatic tumors, and overexpressed NSD2 enhanced tumor metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. We further investigated that NSD2 promoted tumor metastasis by activating the Rac1 signaling pathway. Mechanistically, NSD2 methylated Tiam1, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that facilitates GDP-Rac1 to GTP-Rac1 transition at K724. We demonstrated that Tiam1 K724 methylation plays a crucial role in Tiam1 activation and GDP-Rac1 to GTP-Rac1 transition. Specifically, we identified that Tiam1 K724 methylation could be a predictive factor in cancer prognosis, and we demonstrated that pharmacological blocking of Tiam1 K724 methylation by employing a transmembrane peptide inhibited tumor metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, NSD2-methylated Tiam1 promoted Rac1 signaling activation and cancer metastasis, which might provide novel insights into tumor metastasis inhibition.
Project description:Metastasis is the key cause of failure of cancer therapy or mortality, but targeting metastatic seeding and colonization remains an unresolved challenge. Here, we report a novel molecular event in cancer metastasis mediated by NSD2/Rac1 signaling and provide a detailed mechanistic investigation of cancer metastasis. We found that NSD2, a histone methyltransferase responsible for di-methylating histone 3 at lysine 36, was overexpressed in metastatic tumors, and overexpressed NSD2 enhanced tumor metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. We further investigated that NSD2 promoted tumor metastasis by activating the Rac1 signaling pathway. Mechanistically, NSD2 methylated Tiam1, a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that facilitates GDP-Rac1 to GTP-Rac1 transition at K724. We demonstrated that Tiam1 K724 methylation plays a crucial role in Tiam1 activation and GDP-Rac1 to GTP-Rac1 transition. Specifically, we identified that Tiam1 K724 methylation could be a predictive factor in cancer prognosis, and we demonstrated that pharmacological blocking of Tiam1 K724 methylation by employing a transmembrane peptide inhibited tumor metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Thus, NSD2-methylated Tiam1 promoted Rac1 signaling activation and cancer metastasis, which might provide novel insights into tumor metastasis inhibition.
Project description:We identified a small GTPase protein RAC1 as an intrinsic cofactor in the estrogen receptor alpha (ER) complex that is required for the function of ER.
Project description:We identified a small GTPase protein RAC1 as an intrinsic cofactor in the estrogen receptor alpha (ER) complex that is required for the function of ER.
Project description:We identified a small GTPase protein RAC1 as an intrinsic cofactor in the estrogen receptor alpha (ER) complex that is required for the function of ER.
Project description:Purpose: Determine the mechanism of particulate matter-induced signaling in melanocytes. Method: Primary human epidermal melanocytes were treated with particulate matter (5 μg/cm2) and incubated for 24 h. Total RNA (1 ug) from melanocytes were extracted and subjected to library synthesis. Results: Particulate matter-treated melanocytes exhibited upregulation of ER stress, unfolded protein response, and melanogenesis-related molecules. Conclusion: Particulate matter-induced melanocyte signaling was well evaluated using RNA sequencing.
Project description:Wholeskin from transgenic mice overexpressing epidermal specific (K14) activated mutant (V12) Rac1 analyzed with Illumina MouseRef8 v2 Gene Expression arrays Three V12 Rac1 7 day old pups compared to three 7 day old litter-mate controls