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Genome-wide changes accompanying knockdown of fatty acid synthase in breast cancer.

ABSTRACT: The lipogenic enzyme fatty acid synthase (FAS) is up-regulated in a wide variety of cancers, and is considered a potential metabolic oncogene by virtue of its ability to enhance tumor cell survival. Inhibition of tumor FAS causes both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, indicating FAS is a promising target for cancer treatment.Here, we used gene expression profiling to conduct a global study of the cellular processes affected by siRNA mediated knockdown of FAS in MDA-MB-435 mammary carcinoma cells. The study identified 169 up-regulated genes (> or = 1.5 fold) and 110 down-regulated genes (< or = 0.67 fold) in response to knockdown of FAS. These genes regulate several aspects of tumor function, including metabolism, cell survival/proliferation, DNA replication/transcription, and protein degradation. Quantitative pathway analysis using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis software further revealed that the most pronounced effect of FAS knockdown was down-regulation in pathways that regulate lipid metabolism, glycolysis, the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. These changes were coupled with up-regulation in genes involved in cell cycle arrest and death receptor mediated apoptotic pathways.Together these findings reveal a wide network of pathways that are influenced in response to FAS knockdown and provide new insight into the role of this enzyme in tumor cell survival and proliferation.

SUBMITTER: Knowles LM

PROVIDER: S-EPMC1913522 | biostudies-literature | 2007 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Genome-wide changes accompanying knockdown of fatty acid synthase in breast cancer.

Knowles Lynn M LM Smith Jeffrey W JW

BMC genomics 20070612

<h4>Background</h4>The lipogenic enzyme fatty acid synthase (FAS) is up-regulated in a wide variety of cancers, and is considered a potential metabolic oncogene by virtue of its ability to enhance tumor cell survival. Inhibition of tumor FAS causes both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, indicating FAS is a promising target for cancer treatment.<h4>Results</h4>Here, we used gene expression profiling to conduct a global study of the cellular processes affected by siRNA mediated knockdown of FAS in ...[more]

PMID: 17565694

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Project description:PurposePreviously we showed that epithelial cell adhesion molecule (Ep-CAM), a cell surface molecule, was highly expressed in primary retinoblastoma tumors. In the present study, we studied the genes regulated by Ep-CAM in a retinoblastoma Y79 cell line in vitro using a combination of short interference RNA and microarray technology.MethodsFlow cytometry, quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (Q-RT-PCR), and immunohistochemistry were performed to confirm the Ep-CAM re-expression in the Y79 cells treated with 5'-azacytidine (AZC). Ep-CAM expression in AZC-treated Y79 cells was silenced using synthetic anti-Ep-CAM short interference RNA, and whole genome microarray was performed to determine the gene expression changes post Ep-CAM knockdown. Ep-CAM inhibition was confirmed by Q-RT-PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence.ResultsEp-CAM expression was significantly restored in Y79 cells on day 5 of AZC treatment. Ep-CAM inhibition significantly affected Y79 cell proliferation. We identified 465 upregulated genes (>or=1.0 fold) and 205 downregulated genes (<or=0.5 fold) in response to knockdown of Ep-CAM. These genes regulate several aspects of tumor function, including cell survival/proliferation, DNA replication/transcription, apoptosis, and angiogenesis. Quantitative pathway analysis using Biointerpreter further revealed that the most pronounced effect of Ep-CAM knockdown was deregulation of pathways that include mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAP) kinase and tumor protein 53 (P53) pathways. Real-time Q-RT-PCR confirmed microarray gene expression changes for selected genes.ConclusionsEp-CAM silencing significantly decreases Y79 cell proliferation and revealed a wide network of deregulated pathways in vitro. Future studies targeting Ep-CAM gene expression in vivo will help to delineate the mechanisms associated with Ep-CAM gene function in neoplastic transformation and define the potential for Ep-CAM-based molecular intervention in retinoblastoma patients.

Project description:Fatty acid synthase (FASN), the key enzyme for endogenous synthesis of fatty acids, is overexpressed and hyperactivated in a biologically aggressive subset of sex steroid-related tumors, including breast carcinomas. Using pharmacological and genetic approaches, we assessed the molecular relationship between FASN signaling and estrogen receptor alpha (ER?) signaling in breast cancer. The small compound C75, a synthetic slow-binding inhibitor of FASN activity, induced a dramatic augmentation of estradiol (E2)-stimulated, ER?-driven transcription. FASN and ER? were both necessary for the synergistic activation of ER? transcriptional activity that occurred following co-exposure to C75 and E2: first, knockdown of FASN expression using RNAi (RNA interference) drastically lowered (>100 fold) the amount of E2 required for optimal activation of ER?-mediated transcriptional activity; second, FASN blockade synergistically increased E2-stimulated ER?-mediated transcriptional activity in ER?-negative breast cancer cells stably transfected with ER?, but not in ER?-negative parental cells. Non-genomic, E2-regulated cross-talk between the ER? and MAPK pathways participated in these phenomena. Thus, treatment with the pure antiestrogen ICI 182?780 or the potent and specific inhibitor of MEK/ERK, U0126, was sufficient to abolish the synergistic nature of the interaction between FASN blockade and E2-stimulated ER? transactivation. FASN inhibition suppressed E2-stimulated breast cancer cell proliferation and anchorage-independent colony formation while promoting the reduction of ER? protein. FASN blockade resulted in the increased expression and nuclear accumulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors p21WAF1/CIP1 and p27Kip1, two critical mediators of the therapeutic effects of antiestrogen in breast cancer, while inactivating AKT, a key mediator of E2-promoted anchorage-independent growth. The ability of FASN to regulate E2/ER? signaling may represent a promising strategy for anticancer treatment involving a new generation of FASN inhibitors.

Project description:The identification of clinically important molecular mechanisms driving endocrine resistance is a priority in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. Although both genomic and non-genomic cross-talk between the ER and growth factor receptors such as human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) has frequently been associated with both experimental and clinical endocrine therapy resistance, combined targeting of ER and HER2 has failed to improve overall survival in endocrine non-responsive disease. Herein, we questioned the role of fatty acid synthase (FASN), a lipogenic enzyme linked to HER2-driven breast cancer aggressiveness, in the development and maintenance of hormone-independent growth and resistance to anti-estrogens in ER/HER2-positive (ER+/HER2+) breast cancer. The stimulatory effects of estradiol on FASN gene promoter activity and protein expression were blunted by anti-estrogens in endocrine-responsive breast cancer cells. Conversely, an AKT/MAPK-related constitutive hyperactivation of FASN gene promoter activity was unaltered in response to estradiol in non-endocrine responsive ER+/HER2+ breast cancer cells, and could be further enhanced by tamoxifen. Pharmacological blockade with structurally and mechanistically unrelated FASN inhibitors fully impeded the strong stimulatory activity of tamoxifen on the soft-agar colony forming capacity-an in vitro metric of tumorigenicity-of ER+/HER2+ breast cancer cells. In vivo treatment with a FASN inhibitor completely prevented the agonistic tumor-promoting activity of tamoxifen and fully restored its estrogen antagonist properties against ER/HER2-positive xenograft tumors in mice. Functional cancer proteomic data from The Cancer Proteome Atlas (TCPA) revealed that the ER+/HER2+ subtype was the highest FASN protein expressor compared to basal-like, HER2-enriched, and ER+/HER2-negative breast cancer groups. FASN is a biological determinant of HER2-driven endocrine resistance in ER+ breast cancer. Next-generation, clinical-grade FASN inhibitors may be therapeutically relevant to countering resistance to tamoxifen in FASN-overexpressing ER+/HER2+ breast carcinomas.

Project description:IntroductionThe human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) is a validated therapeutic target in breast cancer. Heterodimerization of HER2 with other HER family members results in enhanced tyrosine phosphorylation and activation of signal transduction pathways. HER2 overexpression increases the translation of fatty acid synthase (FASN), and FASN overexpression markedly increases HER2 signaling, which results in enhanced cell growth. However, the molecular mechanism and regulation of HER2 and FASN interaction are not well defined. Lapatinib is a small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor that blocks phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor and HER2 in breast cancer cells, resulting in apoptosis. We hypothesized that FASN is directly phosphorylated by HER2, resulting in enhanced signaling and tumor progression in breast cancer cells.MethodsUsing mass spectrometry, we identified FASN as one of the proteins that is dephosphorylated by lapatinib in SKBR3 breast cancer cells. Immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, Western blotting, a kinase assay, a FASN enzymatic activity assay, an invasion assay, a cell viability assay and zymography were used to determine the role of FASN phosphorylation in invasion of SKBR3 and BT474 cells. The FASN inhibitor C75 and small interfering RNA were used to downregulate FASN expression and/or activity.ResultsOur data demonstrated that FASN is phosphorylated when it is in complex with HER2. FASN phosphorylation was induced by heregulin in HER2-overexpressing SKBR3 and BT474 breast cancer cells. Heregulin-induced FASN phosphorylation resulted in increased FASN enzymatic activity, which was inhibited by lapatinib. The FASN inhibitor C75 suppressed FASN activity by directly inhibiting HER2 and FASN phosphorylation. Blocking FASN phosphorylation and activity by lapatinib or C75 suppressed the activity of matrix metallopeptidase 9 and inhibited invasion of SKBR3 and BT474 cells.ConclusionsFASN phosphorylation by HER2 plays an important role in breast cancer progression and may be a novel therapeutic target in HER2-overexpressing breast cancer cells.

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Genome-wide changes accompanying knockdown of fatty acid synthase in breast cancer.

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Genome-wide changes accompanying knockdown of fatty acid synthase in breast cancer.

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