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A novel aspartic proteinase-like gene expressed in stratified epithelia and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

ABSTRACT: Homeostasis of stratified epithelia, such as the epidermis of the skin, is a sophisticated process that represents a tightly controlled balance between proliferation and differentiation. Alterations of this balance are associated with common human diseases including cancer. Here, we report the cloning of a novel cDNA sequence, from mouse back skin, that is induced by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and codes for a hitherto unknown aspartic proteinase-like protein (Taps). Taps represents a potential AP-1 target gene because TPA-induced expression in epidermal keratinocytes critically depends on c-Fos, and co-treatment with dexamethasone, a potent inhibitor of AP-1-mediated gene regulation, resulted in impaired activation of Taps expression. Taps mRNA and protein are restricted to stratified epithelia in mouse embryos and adult tissues, implicating a crucial role for this aspartic proteinase-like gene in differentiation and homeostasis of multilayered epithelia. During chemically induced carcinogenesis, transient elevation of Taps mRNA and protein levels was detected in benign skin tumors. However, its expression is negatively associated with dedifferentiation and malignant progression in squamous cell carcinomas of the skin. Similar expression was observed in squamous skin tumors of patients, suggesting that detection of Taps levels represents a novel strategy to discriminate the progression state of squamous skin cancers.

SUBMITTER: Rhiemeier V

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1606566 | biostudies-literature | 2006 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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A novel aspartic proteinase-like gene expressed in stratified epithelia and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Rhiemeier Verena V Breitenbach Ute U Richter Karl Hartmut KH Gebhardt Christoffer C Vogt Ingeborg I Hartenstein Bettina B Fürstenberger Gerhard G Mauch Cornelia C Hess Jochen J Angel Peter P

The American journal of pathology 20060401 4

Homeostasis of stratified epithelia, such as the epidermis of the skin, is a sophisticated process that represents a tightly controlled balance between proliferation and differentiation. Alterations of this balance are associated with common human diseases including cancer. Here, we report the cloning of a novel cDNA sequence, from mouse back skin, that is induced by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) and codes for a hitherto unknown aspartic proteinase-like protein (Ta ...[more]

PMID: 16565508

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Project description:BACKGROUND: Phytophthora species are oomycete plant pathogens with such major social and economic impact that genome sequences have been determined for Phytophthora infestans, P. sojae and P. ramorum. Pepsin-like aspartic proteinases (APs) are produced in a wide variety of species (from bacteria to humans) and contain conserved motifs and landmark residues. APs fulfil critical roles in infectious organisms and their host cells. Annotation of Phytophthora APs would provide invaluable information for studies into their roles in the physiology of Phytophthora species and interactions with their hosts. RESULTS: Genomes of Phytophthora infestans, P. sojae and P. ramorum contain 11-12 genes encoding APs. Nine of the original gene models in the P. infestans database and several in P. sojae and P. ramorum (three and four, respectively) were erroneous. Gene models were corrected on the basis of EST data, consistent positioning of introns between orthologues and conservation of hallmark motifs. Phylogenetic analysis resolved the Phytophthora APs into 5 clades. Of the 12 sub-families, several contained an unconventional architecture, as they either lacked a signal peptide or a propart region. Remarkably, almost all APs are predicted to be membrane-bound. CONCLUSIONS: One of the twelve Phytophthora APs is an unprecedented fusion protein with a putative G-protein coupled receptor as the C-terminal partner. The others appear to be related to well-documented enzymes from other species, including a vacuolar enzyme that is encoded in every fungal genome sequenced to date. Unexpectedly, however, the oomycetes were found to have both active and probably-inactive forms of an AP similar to vertebrate BACE, the enzyme responsible for initiating the processing cascade that generates the A? peptide central to Alzheimer's Disease. The oomycetes also encode enzymes similar to plasmepsin V, a membrane-bound AP that cleaves effector proteins of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum during their translocation into the host red blood cell. Since the translocation of Phytophthora effector proteins is currently a topic of intense research activity, the identification in Phytophthora of potential functional homologues of plasmepsin V would appear worthy of investigation. Indeed, elucidation of the physiological roles of the APs identified here offers areas for future study. The significant revision of gene models and detailed annotation presented here should significantly facilitate experimental design.

Project description:Esophageal cancer occurs as either squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) or adenocarcinoma. ESCCs comprise almost 90% of cases worldwide, and recur with a less than 15% five-year survival rate despite available treatments. The identification of new ESCC drivers and therapeutic targets is critical for improving outcomes. Here we report that expression of the human DEK oncogene is strongly upregulated in esophageal SCC based on data in the cancer genome atlas (TCGA). DEK is a chromatin-associated protein with important roles in several nuclear processes including gene transcription, epigenetics, and DNA repair. Our previous data have utilized a murine knockout model to demonstrate that Dek expression is required for oral and esophageal SCC growth. Also, DEK overexpression in human keratinocytes, the cell of origin for SCC, was sufficient to cause hyperplasia in 3D organotypic raft cultures that mimic human skin, thus linking high DEK expression in keratinocytes to oncogenic phenotypes. However, the role of DEK over-expression in ESCC development remains unknown in human cells or genetic mouse models. To define the consequences of Dek overexpression in vivo, we generated and validated a tetracycline responsive Dek transgenic mouse model referred to as Bi-L-Dek. Dek overexpression was induced in the basal keratinocytes of stratified squamous epithelium by crossing Bi-L-Dek mice to keratin 5 tetracycline transactivator (K5-tTA) mice. Conditional transgene expression was validated in the resulting Bi-L-Dek_K5-tTA mice and was suppressed with doxycycline treatment in the tetracycline-off system. The mice were subjected to an established HNSCC and esophageal carcinogenesis protocol using the chemical carcinogen 4-nitroquinoline 1-oxide (4NQO). Dek overexpression stimulated gross esophageal tumor development, when compared to doxycycline treated control mice. Furthermore, high Dek expression caused a trend toward esophageal hyperplasia in 4NQO treated mice. Taken together, these data demonstrate that Dek overexpression in the cell of origin for SCC is sufficient to promote esophageal SCC development in vivo.

Dataset Information

A novel aspartic proteinase-like gene expressed in stratified epithelia and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Publications

A novel aspartic proteinase-like gene expressed in stratified epithelia and squamous cell carcinoma of the skin.

Similar Datasets

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