Transforming growth factor-β-induced CUX1 isoforms are associated with fibrosis in systemic sclerosis lung fibroblasts

Genomic studies controvert the existence of the CUX1 p75 isoform

CUX1, encoding a homeodomain-containing transcription factor, is recurrently deleted or mutated in multiple tumor types. In myeloid neoplasms, CUX1 deletion or mutation carries a poor prognosis. We have previously established that CUX1 functions as a tumor suppressor in hematopoietic cells across multiple organisms. Others, however, have described oncogenic functions of CUX1 in solid tumors, often attributed to truncated CUX1 isoforms, p75 and p110, generated by an alternative transcriptional start site or post-translational cleavage, respectively. Given the clinical relevance, it is imperative to clarify these discrepant activities. Herein, we sought to determine the CUX1 isoforms expressed in hematopoietic cells and find that they express the full-length p200 isoform. Through the course of this analysis, we found no evidence of the p75 alternative transcript in any cell type examined. Using an array of orthogonal approaches, including biochemistry, proteomics, CRISPR/Cas9 genomic editing, and analysis of functional genomics datasets across a spectrum of normal and malignant tissue types, we found no data to support the existence of the CUX1 p75 isoform as previously described. Based on these results, prior studies of p75 require reevaluation, including the interpretation of oncogenic roles attributed to CUX1.

Data on CUX1 isoforms in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis lung and systemic sclerosis skin tissue sections

This data article contains complementary figures related to the research article entitled, “Transforming growth factor-β-induced CUX1 isoforms are associated with fibrosis in systemic sclerosis lung fibroblasts” (Ikeda et al. (2016) [2], http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrep.2016.06.022), which presents that TGF-β increased CUX1 binding in the proximal promoter and enhancer of the COL1A2 and regulated COL1. Further, in the scleroderma (SSc) lung and diffuse alveolar damage lung sections, CUX1 localized within the α- smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) positive cells (Fragiadaki et al., 2011) [1], “High doses of TGF-beta potently suppress type I collagen via the transcription factor CUX1” (Ikeda et al., 2016) [2]. Here we show that CUX1 isoforms are localized within α-smooth muscle actin-positive cells in SSc skin and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) lung tissue sections. In particular, at the granular and prickle cell layers in the SSc skin sections, CUX1 and α-SMA are co-localized. In addition, at the fibrotic loci in the IPF lung tissue sections, CUX1 localized within the α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) positive cells.