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Structure-function studies of the bHLH phosphorylation domain of TWIST1 in prostate cancer cells.

ABSTRACT: The TWIST1 gene has diverse roles in development and pathologic diseases such as cancer. TWIST1 is a dimeric basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor existing as TWIST1-TWIST1 or TWIST1-E12/47. TWIST1 partner choice and DNA binding can be influenced during development by phosphorylation of Thr125 and Ser127 of the Thr-Gln-Ser (TQS) motif within the bHLH of TWIST1. The significance of these TWIST1 phosphorylation sites for metastasis is unknown. We created stable isogenic prostate cancer cell lines overexpressing TWIST1 wild-type, phospho-mutants, and tethered versions. We assessed these isogenic lines using assays that mimic stages of cancer metastasis. In vitro assays suggested the phospho-mimetic Twist1-DQD mutation could confer cellular properties associated with pro-metastatic behavior. The hypo-phosphorylation mimic Twist1-AQA mutation displayed reduced pro-metastatic activity compared to wild-type TWIST1 in vitro, suggesting that phosphorylation of the TWIST1 TQS motif was necessary for pro-metastatic functions. In vivo analysis demonstrates that the Twist1-AQA mutation exhibits reduced capacity to contribute to metastasis, whereas the expression of the Twist1-DQD mutation exhibits proficient metastatic potential. Tethered TWIST1-E12 heterodimers phenocopied the Twist1-DQD mutation for many in vitro assays, suggesting that TWIST1 phosphorylation may result in heterodimerization in prostate cancer cells. Lastly, the dual phosphatidylinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor BEZ235 strongly attenuated TWIST1-induced migration that was dependent on the TQS motif. TWIST1 TQS phosphorylation state determines the intensity of TWIST1-induced pro-metastatic ability in prostate cancer cells, which may be partly explained mechanistically by TWIST1 dimeric partner choice.

SUBMITTER: Gajula RP

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4309734 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Structure-function studies of the bHLH phosphorylation domain of TWIST1 in prostate cancer cells.

Gajula Rajendra P RP Chettiar Sivarajan T ST Williams Russell D RD Nugent Katriana K Kato Yoshinori Y Wang Hailun H Malek Reem R Taparra Kekoa K Cades Jessica J Annadanam Anvesh A Yoon A-Rum AR Fertig Elana E Firulli Beth A BA Mazzacurati Lucia L Burns Timothy F TF Firulli Anthony B AB An Steven S SS Tran Phuoc T PT

Neoplasia (New York, N.Y.) 20150101 1

The TWIST1 gene has diverse roles in development and pathologic diseases such as cancer. TWIST1 is a dimeric basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor existing as TWIST1-TWIST1 or TWIST1-E12/47. TWIST1 partner choice and DNA binding can be influenced during development by phosphorylation of Thr125 and Ser127 of the Thr-Gln-Ser (TQS) motif within the bHLH of TWIST1. The significance of these TWIST1 phosphorylation sites for metastasis is unknown. We created stable isogenic prostate cance ...[more]

PMID: 25622896

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Project description:BackgroundTransmembrane serine protease 4 (TMPRSS4) is a cell surface-anchored serine protease. Elevated expression of TMPRSS4 correlates with poor prognosis in colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, prostate cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, and other cancers. Previously, we demonstrated that TMPRSS4 promotes invasion and proliferation of prostate cancer cells. Here, we investigated whether TMPRSS4 confers cancer stem-like properties to prostate cancer cells and characterized the underlying mechanisms.MethodsAcquisition of cancer stem-like properties by TMPRSS4 was examined by monitoring anchorage-independent growth, tumorsphere formation, aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activation, and resistance to anoikis and drugs in vitro and in an early metastasis model in vivo. The underlying molecular mechanisms were evaluated, focusing on stemness-related factors regulated by epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-inducing transcription factors. Clinical expression and significance of TMPRSS4 and stemness-associated factors were explored by analyzing datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).ResultsTMPRSS4 promoted anchorage-independent growth, ALDH activation, tumorsphere formation, and therapeutic resistance of prostate cancer cells. In addition, TMPRSS4 promoted resistance to anoikis, thereby increasing survival of circulating tumor cells and promoting early metastasis. These features were accompanied by upregulation of stemness-related factors such as SOX2, BMI1, and CD133. SLUG and TWIST1, master EMT-inducing transcription factors, made essential contributions to TMPRSS4-mediated cancer stem cell (CSC) features through upregulation of SOX2. SLUG stabilized SOX2 via preventing proteasomal degradation through its interaction with SOX2, while TWIST1 upregulated transcription of SOX2 by interacting with the proximal E-box element in the SOX2 promoter. Clinical data showed that TMPRSS4 expression correlated with the levels of SOX2, PROM1, SNAI2, and TWIST1. Expression of SOX2 was positively correlated with that of TWIST1, but not with other EMT-inducing transcription factors, in various cancer cell lines.ConclusionsTogether, these findings suggest that TMPRSS4 promotes CSC features in prostate cancer through upregulation of the SLUG- and TWIST1-induced stem cell factor SOX2 beyond EMT. Thus, TMPRSS4/SLUG-TWIST1/SOX2 axis may represent a novel mechanism involved in the control of tumor progression.

Project description:In the cell, misfolded proteins are processed by molecular chaperone-mediated refolding or through ubiquitin-mediated proteosome system. Dysregulation of these mechanisms facilitates the aggregation of misfolded proteins and forms aggresomes in the juxta nuclear position of the cell which are removed by lysosome-mediated autophagy pathway in the subsequent cell division. Accumulation of misfolded proteins in the cell is hallmark of several neurological disorders and other diseases including cancer. However, the exact mechanism of aggresome formation and clearance is not thoroughly understood. Reports have shown that several proteins including p300, p53, TAU, ?-synuclein, SOD, etc. contain intrinsically disordered region (IDR) which has the tendency to form aggresome. To study the nature of aggresome formation and stability of the aggresome, we have chosen Twist1 as a model protein since it has IDR regions. Twist1 is a bHLH transcription factor which plays a major role in epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) and shown to interact with HAT domain of p300 and p53. In the present study, we generated several deletion mutants of human Twist1 with different fluorescent tags and delineated the regions responsible for aggresome formation. The Twist1 protein contains two NLS motifs at the N-terminal region. We showed that the deletions of regions spanning the amino acids 30-46 (Twist1?30-46) which lacks the first NLS motif form larger and intense aggregates while the deletion of residues from 47 to 100 (Twist1?47-100) which lacks the second NLS motif generates smaller and less intense aggregates in the juxta nuclear position. This suggests that both the NLS motifs are needed for the proper nuclear localization of Twist1. The aggresome formation of the Twist1 deletion mutants was confirmed by counterstaining with known aggresome markers: Vimentin, HDAC6, and gamma tubulin and further validated by MG-132 treatment. In addition, it was found that the aggresomes generated by the Twist1?30-46 construct are more stable than the aggresome produced by the Twist1?47-100 construct as well as the wild-type Twist1 protein. Taken together, our data provide an important understanding on the role of IDR regions on the formation and stability of aggresomes.

Dataset Information

Structure-function studies of the bHLH phosphorylation domain of TWIST1 in prostate cancer cells.

Publications

Structure-function studies of the bHLH phosphorylation domain of TWIST1 in prostate cancer cells.

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