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Gandhi S, Hutchins EJ, Maruszko K, Park JH, Thomson M, Bronner ME. Bimodal function of chromatin remodeler Hmga1 in neural crest induction and Wnt-dependent emigration. eLife 2020; 9:57779. [PMID: 32965216 PMCID: PMC7591248 DOI: 10.7554/elife.57779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
During gastrulation, neural crest cells are specified at the neural plate border, as characterized by Pax7 expression. Using single-cell RNA sequencing coupled with high-resolution in situ hybridization to identify novel transcriptional regulators, we show that chromatin remodeler Hmga1 is highly expressed prior to specification and maintained in migrating chick neural crest cells. Temporally controlled CRISPR-Cas9-mediated knockouts uncovered two distinct functions of Hmga1 in neural crest development. At the neural plate border, Hmga1 regulates Pax7-dependent neural crest lineage specification. At premigratory stages, a second role manifests where Hmga1 loss reduces cranial crest emigration from the dorsal neural tube independent of Pax7. Interestingly, this is rescued by stabilized ß-catenin, thus implicating Hmga1 as a canonical Wnt activator. Together, our results show that Hmga1 functions in a bimodal manner during neural crest development to regulate specification at the neural plate border, and subsequent emigration from the neural tube via canonical Wnt signaling. The neural plate is a structure that serves as the basis for the brain and central nervous system during the development of animals with a backbone. In particular, the tissues at the border of the neural plate become the neural crest, a group of highly mobile cells that can specialize to form nerves and parts of the face. The exact molecular mechanisms that allow the crest to emerge are still unknown. The protein Hmga1 alters how genes are packaged and organized inside cells, which in turn influences how genes are switched on and off. Here, Gandhi et al. studied how Hmga1 helps to shape the neural crest in developing chicken embryos. To do so, they harnessed a genetic tool called CRISPR-Cas9, and deleted the gene that encodes Hmga1 at specific developmental stages. This manipulation highlighted two periods where Hmga1 is active. First, Hmga1 helped to define neural crest cells at the neural plate border by activating a gene called pax7. Then, at a later stage, Hmga1 allowed these cells to move to other parts of the body by triggering the Wnt communication system. Failure for the neural crest to develop properly causes birth defects and cancers such as melanoma and childhood neuroblastoma, highlighting the need to better understand how this structure is formed. In addition, a better grasp of the roles of Hmga1 in healthy development could help to appreciate how it participates in a range of adult cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shashank Gandhi
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Erica J Hutchins
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Krystyna Maruszko
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Jong H Park
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Matthew Thomson
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
| | - Marianne E Bronner
- Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, United States
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2
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Parisi S, Piscitelli S, Passaro F, Russo T. HMGA Proteins in Stemness and Differentiation of Embryonic and Adult Stem Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21010362. [PMID: 31935816 PMCID: PMC6981681 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21010362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
HMGA1 and HMGA2 are chromatin architectural proteins that do not have transcriptional activity per se, but are able to modify chromatin structure by interacting with the transcriptional machinery and thus negatively or positively regulate the transcription of several genes. They have been extensively studied in cancer where they are often found to be overexpressed but their functions under physiologic conditions have still not been completely addressed. Hmga1 and Hmga2 are expressed during the early stages of mouse development, whereas they are not detectable in most adult tissues. Hmga overexpression or knockout studies in mouse have pointed to a key function in the development of the embryo and of various tissues. HMGA proteins are expressed in embryonic stem cells and in some adult stem cells and numerous experimental data have indicated that they play a fundamental role in the maintenance of stemness and in the regulation of differentiation. In this review, we discuss available experimental data on HMGA1 and HMGA2 functions in governing embryonic and adult stem cell fate. Moreover, based on the available evidence, we will aim to outline how HMGA expression is regulated in different contexts and how these two proteins contribute to the regulation of gene expression and chromatin architecture in stem cells.
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3
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Zhang S, Lei R, Wu J, Shan J, Hu Z, Chen L, Ren X, Yao L, Wang J, Wang X. Role of high mobility group A1 and body mass index in the prognosis of patients with breast cancer. Oncol Lett 2017; 14:5719-5726. [PMID: 29113200 PMCID: PMC5661362 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2017.6963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) protein is associated with poor prognosis in patients with a wide range of cancers. However, the affect of HMGA1 on the risk of mortality from breast cancer (BC) has not been fully characterized. In the present retrospective multiple center study, the HMGA1 expression level was determined by performing immunohistochemistry on surgical tissue samples of 273 BC specimens from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (Zhejiang, China) and 310 BCs from the National Engineering Center for Biochip (Shanghai, China). Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox proportional hazard model were employed to analyze the survivability. HMGA1 expression was significantly associated with tumor histological degree and body mass index (BMI). However, HMGA1 expression showed no prognostic value in patients with BC. Combined evaluation of HMGA1 expression and high BMI (≥24 kg/m2) predicted worse overall survival of BC. Therefore, HMGA1 and BMI were considered to serve synergistic roles in the development and progression of BC, and combined evaluation of HMGA1 expression and high BMI may be an effective marker in predicting poor prognosis of BC patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shizhen Zhang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.,Department of Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Rui Lei
- Department of Plastic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310003, P.R. China
| | - Jingjing Wu
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Jinlan Shan
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.,Department of Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Zujian Hu
- Department of Breast Surgery, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| | - Lirong Chen
- Department of Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.,Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Xingchang Ren
- Department of Pathology, Hangzhou Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, P.R. China
| | - Lifang Yao
- Department of Pathology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Jian Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.,Department of Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
| | - Xiaochen Wang
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China.,Department of Cancer Institute, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310009, P.R. China
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4
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Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of HMGA2 overexpression in gastric cancer: a meta-analysis. Oncotarget 2017; 8:100478-100489. [PMID: 29245994 PMCID: PMC5725036 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.19001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2016] [Accepted: 06/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background High mobility group protein A2 (HMGA2) overexpression has been reported to be closely related to tumor progression [1-4] and indicate significantly worse overall survival in gastric cancer [5-8]. However, a final consensus regarding this issue has not yet been reached. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to evaluate the association between HMGA2 expression and prognosis of gastric cancer patients. Methods The Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Web of Science and China Biology Medicine databases were searched to identify eligible literature published prior to September 2016. In the included studies, the level of HMGA2 amplification was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. We performed a meta-analysis, and pooled relative risk (RRs), hazard ratio (HRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were analyzed using Review Manager 5.3. Results Six studies [5-7, 9-11] involving 712 gastric cancer patients were included and stratified by HMGA2 amplification magnitude. The results of the analysis indicated that higher HMGA2 levels were associated with several clinicopathological parameters and predicted poor prognosis in terms of overall survival (OS). Conclusions The results of the present study indicate that higher HMGA2 levels were significantly associated with TNM stage, lymph node status, vascular invasion, and poor OS in patients with gastric cancer. In conclusion, HMGA2 may serve as a promising prognostic biomarker in gastric cancer.
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5
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Sumter TF, Xian L, Huso T, Koo M, Chang YT, Almasri TN, Chia L, Inglis C, Reid D, Resar LMS. The High Mobility Group A1 (HMGA1) Transcriptome in Cancer and Development. Curr Mol Med 2016; 16:353-93. [PMID: 26980699 DOI: 10.2174/1566524016666160316152147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2015] [Revised: 02/15/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVES Chromatin structure is the single most important feature that distinguishes a cancer cell from a normal cell histologically. Chromatin remodeling proteins regulate chromatin structure and high mobility group A (HMGA1) proteins are among the most abundant, nonhistone chromatin remodeling proteins found in cancer cells. These proteins include HMGA1a/HMGA1b isoforms, which result from alternatively spliced mRNA. The HMGA1 gene is overexpressed in cancer and high levels portend a poor prognosis in diverse tumors. HMGA1 is also highly expressed during embryogenesis and postnatally in adult stem cells. Overexpression of HMGA1 drives neoplastic transformation in cultured cells, while inhibiting HMGA1 blocks oncogenic and cancer stem cell properties. Hmga1 transgenic mice succumb to aggressive tumors, demonstrating that dysregulated expression of HMGA1 causes cancer in vivo. HMGA1 is also required for reprogramming somatic cells into induced pluripotent stem cells. HMGA1 proteins function as ancillary transcription factors that bend chromatin and recruit other transcription factors to DNA. They induce oncogenic transformation by activating or repressing specific genes involved in this process and an HMGA1 "transcriptome" is emerging. Although prior studies reveal potent oncogenic properties of HMGA1, we are only beginning to understand the molecular mechanisms through which HMGA1 functions. In this review, we summarize the list of putative downstream transcriptional targets regulated by HMGA1. We also briefly discuss studies linking HMGA1 to Alzheimer's disease and type-2 diabetes. CONCLUSION Further elucidation of HMGA1 function should lead to novel therapeutic strategies for cancer and possibly for other diseases associated with aberrant HMGA1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - L M S Resar
- Department of Medicine, Faculty of the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Ross Research Building, Room 1025, Baltimore, MD 21205-2109, USA.
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Andreozzi M, Quintavalle C, Benz D, Quagliata L, Matter M, Calabrese D, Tosti N, Ruiz C, Trapani F, Tornillo L, Fusco A, Heim MH, Ng CK, Pallante P, Terracciano LM, Piscuoglio S. HMGA1 Expression in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Correlates with Poor Prognosis and Promotes Tumor Growth and Migration in in vitro Models. Neoplasia 2016; 18:724-731. [PMID: 27855356 PMCID: PMC5110473 DOI: 10.1016/j.neo.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2016] [Revised: 10/17/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND HMGA1 is a non-histone nuclear protein that regulates cellular proliferation, invasion and apoptosis and is overexpressed in many carcinomas. In this study we sought to explore the expression of HMGA1 in HCCs and cirrhotic tissues, and its effect in in vitro models. METHODS We evaluated HMGA1 expression using gene expression microarrays (59 HCCs, of which 37 were matched with their corresponding cirrhotic tissue and 5 normal liver donors) and tissue microarray (192 HCCs, 108 cirrhotic tissues and 79 normal liver samples). HMGA1 expression was correlated with clinicopathologic features and patient outcome. Four liver cancer cell lines with stable induced or knockdown expression of HMGA1 were characterized using in vitro assays, including proliferation, migration and anchorage-independent growth. RESULTS HMGA1 expression increased monotonically from normal liver tissues to cirrhotic tissue to HCC (P<.01) and was associated with Edmondson grade (P<.01). Overall, 51% and 42% of HCCs and cirrhotic tissues expressed HMGA1, respectively. Patients with HMGA1-positive HCCs had earlier disease progression and worse overall survival. Forced expression of HMGA1 in liver cancer models resulted in increased cell growth and migration, and vice versa. Soft agar assay showed that forced expression of HMGA1 led to increased foci formation, suggesting an oncogenic role of HMGA1 in hepatocarcinogenesis. CONCLUSIONS HMGA1 is frequently expressed in cirrhotic tissues and HCCs and its expression is associated with high Edmondson grade and worse prognosis in HCC. Our results suggest that HMGA1 may act as oncogenic driver of progression, implicating it in tumor growth and migration potential in liver carcinogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - David Benz
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luca Quagliata
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Matter
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Diego Calabrese
- Department of Biomedicine, Hepatology Laboratory, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nadia Tosti
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ruiz
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Francesca Trapani
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luigi Tornillo
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Alfredo Fusco
- Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), and Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology (DMMBM), University of Naples "Federico II, Naples, Italy; National Cancer Institute-INCA, Rua Andrè Cavalcanti, 37-Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Markus H Heim
- Department of Biomedicine, Hepatology Laboratory, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Charlotte Ky Ng
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pierlorenzo Pallante
- Institute of Pathology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Experimental Endocrinology and Oncology (IEOS), National Research Council (CNR), and Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology (DMMBM), University of Naples "Federico II, Naples, Italy
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7
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Abstract
The high mobility group protein A1 (HMGA1) is a master regulator of chromatin structure mediating its major gene regulatory activity by direct interactions with A/T-rich DNA sequences located in the promoter and enhancer regions of a large variety of genes. HMGA1 DNA-binding through three AT-hook motifs results in an open chromatin structure and subsequently leads to changes in gene expression. Apart from its significant expression during development, HMGA1 is over-expressed in virtually every cancer, where HMGA1 expression levels correlate with tumor malignancy. The exogenous overexpression of HMGA1 can lead to malignant cell transformation, assigning the protein a key role during cancerogenesis. Recent studies have unveiled highly specific competitive interactions of HMGA1 with cellular and viral RNAs also through an AT-hook domain of the protein, significantly impacting the HMGA1-dependent gene expression. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of HMGA1-RNA complexes during transcription and epigenomic regulation and their implications in HMGA1-related diseases.
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8
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Maurizio E, Wiśniewski JR, Ciani Y, Amato A, Arnoldo L, Penzo C, Pegoraro S, Giancotti V, Zambelli A, Piazza S, Manfioletti G, Sgarra R. Translating Proteomic Into Functional Data: An High Mobility Group A1 (HMGA1) Proteomic Signature Has Prognostic Value in Breast Cancer. Mol Cell Proteomics 2015; 15:109-23. [PMID: 26527623 PMCID: PMC4762532 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m115.050401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a very heterogeneous disease, and biological variability adds a further level of complexity, thus limiting the ability to identify new genes involved in cancer development. Oncogenes whose expression levels control cell aggressiveness are very useful for developing cellular models that permit differential expression screenings in isogenic contexts. HMGA1 protein has this unique property because it is a master regulator in breast cancer cells that control the transition from a nontumorigenic epithelial-like phenotype toward a highly aggressive mesenchymal-like one. The proteins extracted from HMGA1-silenced and control MDA-MB-231 cells were analyzed using label-free shotgun mass spectrometry. The differentially expressed proteins were cross-referenced with DNA microarray data obtained using the same cellular model and the overlapping genes were filtered for factors linked to poor prognosis in breast cancer gene expression meta-data sets, resulting in an HMGA1 protein signature composed of 21 members (HRS, HMGA1 reduced signature). This signature had a prognostic value (overall survival, relapse-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival) in breast cancer. qRT-PCR, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analyses validated the link of three members of this signature (KIFC1, LRRC59, and TRIP13) with HMGA1 expression levels both in vitro and in vivo and wound healing assays demonstrated that these three proteins are involved in modulating tumor cell motility. Combining proteomic and genomic data with the aid of bioinformatic tools, our results highlight the potential involvement in neoplastic transformation of a restricted list of factors with an as-yet-unexplored role in cancer. These factors are druggable targets that could be exploited for the development of new, targeted therapeutic approaches in triple-negative breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Maurizio
- From the ‡Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Jacek R Wiśniewski
- §Biochemical Proteomics Group, Department of Proteomics and Signal Transduction, Max-Planck-Institute of Biochemistry, Am Klopferspitz 18, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Yari Ciani
- ¶Laboratorio Nazionale CIB, (LNCIB), Area Science Park, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | - Angela Amato
- ¶¶Laboratory of Experimental Oncology and Pharmacogenomics IRCCS - Salvatore Maugeri Foundation, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Laura Arnoldo
- From the ‡Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Carlotta Penzo
- From the ‡Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Silvia Pegoraro
- From the ‡Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Giancotti
- From the ‡Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alberto Zambelli
- ‖Department of Medical Oncology, Hospital Papa Giovanni XXIII, 24127 Bergamo, Italy
| | - Silvano Piazza
- ¶Laboratorio Nazionale CIB, (LNCIB), Area Science Park, 34149 Trieste, Italy
| | | | - Riccardo Sgarra
- From the ‡Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy;
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9
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Zu X, Zhong J, Tan J, Tan L, Yang D, Zhang Q, Ding W, Liu W, Wen G, Liu J, Cao R, Jiang Y. TGF-β1 induces HMGA1 expression in human breast cancer cells: implications of the involvement of HMGA1 in TGF-β signaling. Int J Mol Med 2015; 35:693-701. [PMID: 25572132 PMCID: PMC4314408 DOI: 10.3892/ijmm.2015.2062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) signaling and high mobility group A (HMGA1) are known to play essential roles in the progression of breast cancer by inducing epithelial-mesenchymal transition. However, the correlation between TGF-β1 and HMGA1 in breast cancer cell is not yet well understood. In this study, we determined the effects of TGF-β1 on HMGA1 expression in breast cancer cells and examined the role of HMGA1 in breast cancer progression. Our results demonstrated that TGF-β1 induced the expression of HMGA1 in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, as shown by RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence staining; however, the TGF-β1-induced expression of HMGA was blocked by treatment of the cells with phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase (PI3K) signaling inhibitors. Moreover, the HMGA1 promoter activity was found to be activated by TGF-β1 in the MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells and we found that specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was involved in the TGF-β1-induced HMGA1 promoter activity, as shown by luciferase activity assay. Furthermore, the enforced expression of HMGA1 by transfection with a HMGA1 promoter enhanced cellular oncogenic properties, including proliferation, migration and invasion, and a tissue microarray revealed that breast tumors expressing human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) showed higher expression levels of HMGA1 (P=0.007). In addition, higher HMGA1 expression levels were also observed in the ductal breast cancer cases compared with the lobular breast cancer cases (P=0.000). These findings establish the first link between HMGA1 and TGF-β1 in breast cancer, providing further evidence of the pivotal role of HMGA1 in breast cancer progression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuyu Zu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Jing Zhong
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Jingjing Tan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Li Tan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Dong Yang
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Qinghai Zhang
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Wenjun Ding
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Wen Liu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Gebo Wen
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Jianghua Liu
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Renxian Cao
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, P.R. China
| | - Yuyang Jiang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Graduate School at Shenzhen, Tsinghua University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, P.R. China
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10
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Pegoraro S, Ros G, Piazza S, Sommaggio R, Ciani Y, Rosato A, Sgarra R, Del Sal G, Manfioletti G. HMGA1 promotes metastatic processes in basal-like breast cancer regulating EMT and stemness. Oncotarget 2014; 4:1293-308. [PMID: 23945276 PMCID: PMC3787158 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.1136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that progresses to the critical hallmark of metastasis. In the present study, we show that the High Mobility Group A1 (HMGA1) protein plays a fundamental role in this process in basal-like breast cancer subtype. HMGA1 knockdown induces the mesenchymal to epithelial transition and dramatically decreases stemness and self-renewal. Notably, HMGA1 depletion in basal-like breast cancer cell lines reduced migration and invasion in vitro and the formation of metastases in vivo. Mechanistically, HMGA1 activated stemness and key migration-associated genes which were linked to the Wnt/beta-catenin, Notch and Pin1/mutant p53 signalling pathways. Moreover, we identified a specific HMGA1 gene expression signature that was activated in a large subset of human primary breast tumours and was associated with poor prognosis. Taken together, these data provide new insights into the role of HMGA1 in the acquisition of aggressive features in breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Pegoraro
- Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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11
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Federico A, Forzati F, Esposito F, Arra C, Palma G, Barbieri A, Palmieri D, Fedele M, Pierantoni GM, De Martino I, Fusco A. Hmga1/Hmga2 double knock-out mice display a "superpygmy" phenotype. Biol Open 2014; 3:372-8. [PMID: 24728959 PMCID: PMC4021359 DOI: 10.1242/bio.20146759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The HMGA1 and HMGA2 genes code for proteins belonging to the High Mobility Group A family. Several genes are negatively or positively regulated by both these proteins, but a number of genes are specifically regulated by only one of them. Indeed, knock-out of the Hmga1 and Hmga2 genes leads to different phenotypes: cardiac hypertrophy and type 2 diabetes in the former case, and a large reduction in body size and amount of fat tissue in the latter case. Therefore, to better elucidate the functions of the Hmga genes, we crossed Hmga1-null mice with mice null for Hmga2. The Hmga1(-/-)/Hmga2(-/-) mice showed reduced vitality and a very small size (75% smaller than the wild-type mice); they were even smaller than pygmy Hmga2-null mice. The drastic reduction in E2F1 activity, and consequently in the expression of the E2F-dependent genes involved in cell cycle regulation, likely accounts for some phenotypic features of the Hmga1(-/-)/Hmga2(-/-) mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Federico
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Floriana Forzati
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Esposito
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Claudio Arra
- Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Fondazione Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Palma
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Fondazione Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Barbieri
- Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Fondazione Pascale, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Dario Palmieri
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Monica Fedele
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanna Maria Pierantoni
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Ivana De Martino
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Alfredo Fusco
- Istituto di Endocrinologia ed Oncologia Sperimentale del CNR c/o Dipartimento di Medicina Molecolare e Biotecnologie Mediche, Facoltà di Medicina e Chirurgia di Napoli, Università degli Studi di Napoli "Federico II", via Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Huso TH, Resar LMS. The high mobility group A1 molecular switch: turning on cancer - can we turn it off? Expert Opin Ther Targets 2014; 18:541-53. [PMID: 24684280 DOI: 10.1517/14728222.2014.900045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Emerging evidence demonstrates that the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) chromatin remodeling protein is a key molecular switch required by cancer cells for tumor progression and a poorly differentiated, stem-like state. Because the HMGA1 gene and proteins are expressed at high levels in all aggressive tumors studied to date, research is needed to determine how to 'turn off' this master regulatory switch in cancer. AREAS COVERED In this review, we describe prior studies that underscore the central role of HMGA1 in refractory cancers and we discuss approaches to target HMGA1 in cancer therapy. EXPERT OPINION Given the widespread overexpression of HMGA1 in diverse, aggressive tumors, further research to develop technology to target HMGA1 holds immense promise as potent anticancer therapy. Previous work in preclinical models indicates that delivery of short hairpin RNA or interfering RNA molecules to 'switch off' HMGA1 expression dramatically impairs cancer cell growth and tumor progression. The advent of nanoparticle technology to systemically deliver DNA or RNA molecules to tumors brings this approach even closer to clinical applications, although further efforts are needed to translate these advances into therapies for cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tait H Huso
- The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Hematology Division , Ross Research Building, Room 1015, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore MD 21205 , USA
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13
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Overexpression of high mobility group A1 protein in human uveal melanomas: implication for prognosis. PLoS One 2013; 8:e68724. [PMID: 23935884 PMCID: PMC3720810 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0068724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 06/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) protein, which functions as a transcriptional master regulator, plays critical roles in tumor progression. We evaluated HMGA1 expression in 89 primary uveal melanomas (UM) by immunohistochemistry to determine the clinicopathological and prognostic value of HMGA1 in UM after adjusting for other prognostic variables. Nuclear expression of HMGA1 was detected in 44% UMs. High expression levels of HMGA1 were more frequent in UMs with high levels of epithelioid cell pattern, mitoses count, and Ki67 labeling index (P = 0.025, P<0.0001, P = 0.0018; respectively), and HMGA1 expression levels were directly correlated with Ki67 labeling indexes and mitoses counts (R = 0.31, P <0.0001; R = 0.27, P<0.0068; respectively). High expression of HMGA1 was also independently associated with an increased risk of distant metastases as determined using the Cox proportional hazards regression model (multivariate hazard ratio: 3.44; 95% confidence interval: 1.56–7.60; log rank P = 0.0022). Moreover, high HMGA1 expression was associated with shorter UM-specific survival (multivariate hazard ratio: 2.41; 95% confidence interval: 1.10–5.53; log rank P = 0.041). These findings suggest that high levels of HMGA1 are associated with adverse clinical outcomes in UM patients and that further evaluation of HMGA1 as a potential therapeutic target in UM is warranted.
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Shah SN, Cope L, Poh W, Belton A, Roy S, Talbot CC, Sukumar S, Huso DL, Resar LMS. HMGA1: a master regulator of tumor progression in triple-negative breast cancer cells. PLoS One 2013; 8:e63419. [PMID: 23658826 PMCID: PMC3642138 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0063419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 99] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2013] [Accepted: 04/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that tumor cells metastasize by co-opting stem cell transcriptional networks, although the molecular underpinnings of this process are poorly understood. Here, we show for the first time that the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene drives metastatic progression in triple negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231, Hs578T) by reprogramming cancer cells to a stem-like state. Silencing HMGA1 expression in invasive, aggressive breast cancer cells dramatically halts cell growth and results in striking morphologic changes from mesenchymal-like, spindle-shaped cells to cuboidal, epithelial-like cells. Mesenchymal genes (Vimentin, Snail) are repressed, while E-cadherin is induced in the knock-down cells. Silencing HMGA1 also blocks oncogenic properties, including proliferation, migration, invasion, and orthotopic tumorigenesis. Metastatic progression following mammary implantation is almost completely abrogated in the HMGA1 knock-down cells. Moreover, silencing HMGA1 inhibits the stem cell property of three-dimensional mammosphere formation, including primary, secondary, and tertiary spheres. In addition, knock-down of HMGA1 depletes cancer initiator/cancer stem cells and prevents tumorigenesis at limiting dilutions. We also discovered an HMGA1 signature in triple negative breast cancer cells that is highly enriched in embryonic stem cells. Together, these findings indicate that HMGA1 is a master regulator of tumor progression in breast cancer by reprogramming cancer cells through stem cell transcriptional networks. Future studies are needed to determine how to target HMGA1 in therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep N Shah
- Hematology Division, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Di Cello F, Shin J, Harbom K, Brayton C. Knockdown of HMGA1 inhibits human breast cancer cell growth and metastasis in immunodeficient mice. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2013; 434:70-4. [PMID: 23545254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2013.03.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2013] [Accepted: 03/21/2013] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
The high mobility group A1 gene (HMGA1) has been previously implicated in breast carcinogenesis, and is considered an attractive target for therapeutic intervention because its expression is virtually absent in normal adult tissue. Other studies have shown that knockdown of HMGA1 reduces the tumorigenic potential of breast cancer cells in vitro. Therefore, we sought to determine if silencing HMGA1 can affect breast cancer development and metastatic progression in vivo. We silenced HMGA1 expression in the human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 using an RNA interference vector, and observed a significant reduction in anchorage-independent growth and tumorsphere formation, which respectively indicate loss of tumorigenesis and self-renewal ability. Moreover, silencing HMGA1 significantly impaired xenograft growth in immunodeficient mice, and while control cells metastasized extensively to the lungs and lymph nodes, HMGA1-silenced cells generated only a few small metastases. Thus, our results show that interfering with HMGA1 expression reduces the tumorigenic and metastatic potential of breast cancer cells in vivo, and lend further support to investigations into targeting HMGA1 as a potential treatment for breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francescopaolo Di Cello
- Department of Oncology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
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Shah SN, Kerr C, Cope L, Zambidis E, Liu C, Hillion J, Belton A, Huso DL, Resar LMS. HMGA1 reprograms somatic cells into pluripotent stem cells by inducing stem cell transcriptional networks. PLoS One 2012; 7:e48533. [PMID: 23166588 PMCID: PMC3499526 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0048533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2012] [Accepted: 09/26/2012] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although recent studies have identified genes expressed in human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) that induce pluripotency, the molecular underpinnings of normal stem cell function remain poorly understood. The high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene is highly expressed in hESCs and poorly differentiated, stem-like cancers; however, its role in these settings has been unclear. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We show that HMGA1 is highly expressed in fully reprogrammed iPSCs and hESCs, with intermediate levels in ECCs and low levels in fibroblasts. When hESCs are induced to differentiate, HMGA1 decreases and parallels that of other pluripotency factors. Conversely, forced expression of HMGA1 blocks differentiation of hESCs. We also discovered that HMGA1 enhances cellular reprogramming of somatic cells to iPSCs together with the Yamanaka factors (OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, cMYC - OSKM). HMGA1 increases the number and size of iPSC colonies compared to OSKM controls. Surprisingly, there was normal differentiation in vitro and benign teratoma formation in vivo of the HMGA1-derived iPSCs. During the reprogramming process, HMGA1 induces the expression of pluripotency genes, including SOX2, LIN28, and cMYC, while knockdown of HMGA1 in hESCs results in the repression of these genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation shows that HMGA1 binds to the promoters of these pluripotency genes in vivo. In addition, interfering with HMGA1 function using a short hairpin RNA or a dominant-negative construct blocks cellular reprogramming to a pluripotent state. CONCLUSIONS Our findings demonstrate for the first time that HMGA1 enhances cellular reprogramming from a somatic cell to a fully pluripotent stem cell. These findings identify a novel role for HMGA1 as a key regulator of the stem cell state by inducing transcriptional networks that drive pluripotency. Although further studies are needed, these HMGA1 pathways could be exploited in regenerative medicine or as novel therapeutic targets for poorly differentiated, stem-like cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep N. Shah
- Hematology Division, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Candace Kerr
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Leslie Cope
- Oncology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Biostatistics, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Elias Zambidis
- Oncology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Comparative Molecular & Pathobiology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Cyndi Liu
- Obstetrics & Gynecology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joelle Hillion
- Hematology Division, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Amy Belton
- Hematology Division, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - David L. Huso
- Oncology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Comparative Molecular & Pathobiology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Pathology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Linda M. S. Resar
- Hematology Division, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Department of Medicine, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Oncology, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
- Pediatrics, the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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Bush BM, Brock AT, Deng JA, Nelson RA, Sumter TF. The Wnt/β-catenin/T-cell factor 4 pathway up-regulates high-mobility group A1 expression in colon cancer. Cell Biochem Funct 2012; 31:228-36. [PMID: 22961697 DOI: 10.1002/cbf.2876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2012] [Revised: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/08/2012] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
High-mobility group A1 (HMGA1) encodes proteins that act as mediators in viral integration, modification of chromatin structure, neoplastic transformation and metastatic progression. Because HMGA1 is overexpressed in most cancers and has transcriptional relationships with several Wnt-responsive genes, we explored the involvement of HMGA1 in Wnt/β-catenin/TCF-4 signalling. In adenomatous polyposis coli (APC(Min/+)) mice, we observed significant up-regulation of HMGA1 mRNA and protein in intestinal tumours when compared with normal intestinal mucosa. Conversely, restoration of Wnt signalling by the zinc induction of wild-type APC resulted in HMGA1 down-regulation in HT-29 cells. Because APC mutations are associated with mobilization of the β-catenin/TCF-4 transcriptional complex and subsequent activation of downstream oncogenic targets, we analyzed the 5'-flanking sequence of HMGA1 for putative TCF-4 binding elements. We identified two regions that specifically bind the β-catenin/TCF-4 complex in vitro and in vivo, identifying HMGA1 as an immediate target of the β-catenin/TCF-4 signalling pathway in colon cancer. Collectively, these findings strongly implicate Wnt/β-catenin/TCF-4 signalling in regulating HMGA1 to further expand the extensive regulatory network affected by Wnt/β-catenin/TCF-4 signalling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bethany M Bush
- Department of Chemistry, Physics, and Geology, Winthrop University, Rock Hill, SC 29733, USA
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Schuldenfrei A, Belton A, Kowalski J, Talbot CC, Di Cello F, Poh W, Tsai HL, Shah SN, Huso TH, Huso DL, Resar LMS. HMGA1 drives stem cell, inflammatory pathway, and cell cycle progression genes during lymphoid tumorigenesis. BMC Genomics 2011; 12:549. [PMID: 22053823 PMCID: PMC3245506 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-12-549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 11/04/2011] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although the high mobility group A1 (HMGA1) gene is widely overexpressed in diverse cancers and portends a poor prognosis in some tumors, the molecular mechanisms that mediate its role in transformation have remained elusive. HMGA1 functions as a potent oncogene in cultured cells and induces aggressive lymphoid tumors in transgenic mice. Because HMGA1 chromatin remodeling proteins regulate transcription, HMGA1 is thought to drive malignant transformation by modulating expression of specific genes. Genome-wide studies to define HMGA1 transcriptional networks during tumorigenesis, however, are lacking. To define the HMGA1 transcriptome, we analyzed gene expression profiles in lymphoid cells from HMGA1a transgenic mice at different stages in tumorigenesis. RESULTS RNA from lymphoid samples at 2 months (before tumors develop) and 12 months (after tumors are well-established) was screened for differential expression of > 20,000 unique genes by microarray analysis (Affymetrix) using a parametric and nonparametric approach. Differential expression was confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR in a subset of genes. Differentially expressed genes were analyzed for cellular pathways and functions using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. Early in tumorigenesis, HMGA1 induced inflammatory pathways with NFkappaB identified as a major node. In established tumors, HMGA1 induced pathways involved in cell cycle progression, cell-mediated immune response, and cancer. At both stages in tumorigenesis, HMGA1 induced pathways involved in cellular development, hematopoiesis, and hematologic development. Gene set enrichment analysis showed that stem cell and immature T cell genes are enriched in the established tumors. To determine if these results are relevant to human tumors, we knocked-down HMGA1 in human T-cell leukemia cells and identified a subset of genes dysregulated in both the transgenic and human lymphoid tumors. CONCLUSIONS We found that HMGA1 induces inflammatory pathways early in lymphoid tumorigenesis and pathways involved in stem cells, cell cycle progression, and cancer in established tumors. HMGA1 also dyregulates genes and pathways involved in stem cells, cellular development and hematopoiesis at both early and late stages of tumorigenesis. These results provide insight into HMGA1 function during tumor development and point to cellular pathways that could serve as therapeutic targets in lymphoid and other human cancers with aberrant HMGA1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Schuldenfrei
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Amy Belton
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Jeanne Kowalski
- Department of Oncology, Division of Oncology Biostatistics, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, 550 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - C Conover Talbot
- Institute for Basic Biomedical Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Francescopaolo Di Cello
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Weijie Poh
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Pathobiology Graduate Program, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Hua-Ling Tsai
- Department of Oncology, Division of Oncology Biostatistics, Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins, 550 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Sandeep N Shah
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Tait H Huso
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - David L Huso
- Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 733 North Broadway, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Linda MS Resar
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
- Department of Oncology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 720 Rutland Avenue, Baltimore, Maryland 21205
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Zhang Y, Ma T, Yang S, Xia M, Xu J, An H, Yang Y, Li S. High-mobility group A1 proteins enhance the expression of the oncogenic miR-222 in lung cancer cells. Mol Cell Biochem 2011; 357:363-71. [PMID: 21656127 DOI: 10.1007/s11010-011-0907-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2011] [Accepted: 05/28/2011] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
High-mobility group A1 (HMGA1) is a non-histone chromatin protein that has the ability to regulate the transcriptional activity of many genes. Overexpression of HMGA1 is associated with malignant cellular behavior in a range of human cancers but the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. Here we showed that in a cohort of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumors, HMGA1 overexpression was immediately associated with enhanced expression of an oncogenic miRNA, namely, miR-222. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP) assay revealed that HMGA1 directly binds to the proximal promoter of miR-222 in NSCLC cells. We further showed that HMGA1 silencing reduced miR-222 transcriptional activity, whereas forced HMGA1 expression increased it, indicating that miR-222 is directly regulated by HMGA1. Based on in silico prediction, one of the putative targets of miR-222 is phosphatase 2A subunit B (PPP2R2A) which inhibits Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt). We demonstrated that miR-222 inhibited protein expression of PPP2R2A in NSCLC cells by directly interacting with its 3'-UTR region, leading to an obvious increase of p-Akt. HMGA1 silencing augmented PPP2R2A protein expression and inhibited Akt signaling, resulting in significantly retarded cell growth response to IGF-I. These results suggested that HMGA1 is a positive regulator of miR-222, and HMGA1 overexpression might contribute to dysregulation of Akt signaling in NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunzhi Zhang
- Department of Infectious Disease, Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center Affiliated to Fudan University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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Zhang Q, Wang Y. High mobility group proteins and their post-translational modifications. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2008; 1784:1159-66. [PMID: 18513496 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2008.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2008] [Revised: 04/14/2008] [Accepted: 04/30/2008] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The high mobility group (HMG) proteins, including HMGA, HMGB and HMGN, are abundant and ubiquitous nuclear proteins that bind to DNA, nucleosome and other multi-protein complexes in a dynamic and reversible fashion to regulate DNA processing in the context of chromatin. All HMG proteins, like histone proteins, are subjected to extensive post-translational modifications (PTMs), such as lysine acetylation, arginine/lysine methylation and serine/threonine phosphorylation, to modulate their interactions with DNA and other proteins. There is a growing appreciation for the complex relationship between the PTMs of HMG proteins and their diverse biological activities. Here, we reviewed the identified covalent modifications of HMG proteins, and highlighted how these PTMs affect the functions of HMG proteins in a variety of cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingchun Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0403, USA
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