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Project description:In response to infection, pathogen-specific CD8 T cells differentiate into functionally diverse effector and memory T cell populations critical for resolving disease and providing durable immunity. Through small-molecule inhibition, RNAi studies, and induced genetic deletion, we reveal an essential role for the chromatin modifier and BET family member BRD4 in supporting the differentiation and maintenance of terminally fated effector CD8 T cells during infection. BRD4 bound diverse regulatory regions critical to effector T cell differentiation and controlled transcriptional activity of terminal effector-specific super-enhancers in vivo. Consequentially, induced deletion of Brd4 or small molecule-mediated BET inhibition impaired maintenance of a terminal effector T cell phenotype. BRD4 was also required for terminal differentiation of CD8 T cells in the tumor microenvironment in murine models, which we show has implications for immunotherapies. Taken together, these data reveal an unappreciated requirement for BRD4 in coordinating activity of cis regulatory elements to control CD8 T cell fate and lineage stability.
| S-EPMC8160575 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Bromodomain protein BRD4 directs and sustains CD8 T cell differentiation during infection
| PRJNA725868 | ENA
Project description:The epigenetic reader BRD4 binds acetylated histones and plays a central role in controlling cellular gene transcription and proliferation. Dysregulation of BRD4's activity has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide variety of cancers. While blocking BRD4 interaction with acetylated histones using BET inhibitors (BETis) has been tested in clinical trials, many cancers have acquired BETi resistance. However, the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood and BETi resistance remains a pressing clinical problem. We previously showed that BRD4 phosphorylation supports stronger chromatin binding and target oncogene expression. In this study, we discovered that BRD4 is hyperphosphorylated by CDK1 during mitosis and determined the major CDK1 phosphorylation sites in BRD4. Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, we replaced endogenous BRD4 with a non-phosphorylatable mutant and demonstrated that CDK1-mediated BRD4 phosphorylation contributes to BETi resistance. CDK1 over-activation frequently observed in cancers has the potential to cause aberrant BRD4 hyperphosphorylation persisting outside of mitosis to strengthen its target gene binding and confer BETi resistance. We found that dual CDK1 and BET inhibition generates a synergistic effect in killing BETi-resistant cancer cells. Our study therefore suggests that CDK1 inhibition can be employed to overcome tumor BETi resistance and improve treatments for BRD4-associated cancers.
| S-EPMC7353023 | biostudies-literature
Project description:During heat stress cyto-protective genes including heat shock proteins are transcriptionally up-regulated and post-transcriptional splicing is inhibited. In contrast, co-transcriptional mRNA-splicing is maintained. These factors closely resemble the proteotoxic stress response during tumor development. The bromodomain protein BRD4 has been identified as an integral member of the oxidative stress as well as of the inflammatory response. Furthermore, there is evidence for BRD4's role in splicing regulation; Using RNA-Seq analyses we indeed found a significant increase in splicing inhibition, in particular intron retentions, during heat treatment in BRD4-deficient cells, but not under normal conditions. Subsequent experiments revealed that heat stress leads to the recruitment of BRD4 to nuclear stress bodies, to the interaction with the heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) and to the transcriptional up-regulation of non-coding Sat III RNA transcripts. These findings implicate BRD4 as a central regulator of splicing during heat stress. Since BRD4 is a potent target for anti-cancer therapies, our data linking BRD4 to the splicing machinery and the heat stress response - give additional insight into the mode of action of BRD4 inhibitors. WI38 cells have been treated by heatshock and anti BRD4 siRNA and combination.
2016-09-07 | E-GEOD-73471 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below. Refer to individual Series
2014-07-10 | E-GEOD-55923 | biostudies-arrayexpress
Project description:DNA damage activates a signalling network that blocks cell-cycle progression, recruits DNA repair factors and/or triggers senescence or programmed cell death. Alterations in chromatin structure are implicated in the initiation and propagation of the DNA damage response. Here we further investigate the role of chromatin structure in the DNA damage response by monitoring ionizing-radiation-induced signalling and response events with a high-content multiplex RNA-mediated interference screen of chromatin-modifying and -interacting genes. We discover that an isoform of Brd4, a bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family member, functions as an endogenous inhibitor of DNA damage response signalling by recruiting the condensin II chromatin remodelling complex to acetylated histones through bromodomain interactions. Loss of this isoform results in relaxed chromatin structure, rapid cell-cycle checkpoint recovery and enhanced survival after irradiation, whereas functional gain of this isoform compacted chromatin, attenuated DNA damage response signalling and enhanced radiation-induced lethality. These data implicate Brd4, previously known for its role in transcriptional control, as an insulator of chromatin that can modulate the signalling response to DNA damage.
| S-EPMC3683358 | biostudies-literature
Project description:TP53 is the most common mutated gene in human cancer. Mutant p53 protein loses its tumor-suppressor properties and gains oncogenic activity. Mutant p53 is a therapeutic target in a broad range of cancer types. However, how mutant p53 is epigenetically regulated during tumor progression remains elusive. In this study, we found that the upregulation of mutant p53 is mediated by bromodomain protein BRD4 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. Inhibition of BRD4 with its inhibitor JQ1 or knockdown of BRD4 suppressed the transcription of mutant p53, which led to the re-expression of p21, the inhibition of S-phase entry, and colony formation in TNBC cells. BRD4 also positively regulated the transcription of wild-type p53, whereas JQ1 treatment and knockdown of BRD4 decreased the expression of p21 in MCF-7 cells. Knockdown of BRD4 resulted in attenuation of TNBC tumor growth in vivo. Taken together, our results uncover a novel regulatory mechanism of mutant p53 via BRD4, and suggest that the bromodomain inhibitor suppresses tumorigenesis through targeting mutant p53 in TNBC.
| S-EPMC9738555 | biostudies-literature
Project description:During heat stress cyto-protective genes including heat shock proteins are transcriptionally up-regulated and post-transcriptional splicing is inhibited. In contrast, co-transcriptional mRNA-splicing is maintained. These factors closely resemble the proteotoxic stress response during tumor development. The bromodomain protein BRD4 has been identified as an integral member of the oxidative stress as well as of the inflammatory response. Furthermore, there is evidence for BRD4's role in splicing regulation; Using RNA-Seq analyses we indeed found a significant increase in splicing inhibition, in particular intron retentions, during heat treatment in BRD4-deficient cells, but not under normal conditions. Subsequent experiments revealed that heat stress leads to the recruitment of BRD4 to nuclear stress bodies, to the interaction with the heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) and to the transcriptional up-regulation of non-coding Sat III RNA transcripts. These findings implicate BRD4 as a central regulator of splicing during heat stress. Since BRD4 is a potent target for anti-cancer therapies, our data linking BRD4 to the splicing machinery and the heat stress response - give additional insight into the mode of action of BRD4 inhibitors.
2016-09-07 | GSE73471 | GEO
Project description:Necroptosis is a programmed form of necrotic cell death, which is tightly regulated by the necroptotic signaling pathway containing receptor-interacting protein (RIP)1, RIP3, and mixed-lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) protein. In addition to the RIP1-RIP3-MLKL axis, other factors regulating necroptosis are still largely unknown. Here a cell-based small-molecule screening led to the finding that BET inhibitors protected cells from necroptosis in the TNF?/Smac-mimetic/Z-VAD-FMK (TSZ)-induced cell necroptosis model. Mechanistic studies revealed that BET inhibitors acted by downregulating MLKL expression. Further research demonstrated that BRD4, IRF1, P-TEFb, and RNA polymerase II formed a transcription complex to regulate the expression of MLKL, and BET inhibitors interfered with the transcription complex formation. In necroptosis-related disease model, the BET inhibitor JQ-1 showed promising therapeutic effects. Collectively, our studies establish, for the first time, BRD4 as a new epigenetic factor regulating necroptosis, and highlight the potential of BET inhibitors in the treatment of necroptosis-related diseases.
| S-EPMC6748082 | biostudies-literature
Project description:The Bromo- and Extra-Terminal (BET) proteins BRD2, BRD3, and BRD4 play important roles in transcriptional regulation, epigenetics, and cancer and are the targets of pan-BET selective bromodomain inhibitor JQ1. However, the lack of intra-BET selectivity limits the scope of current inhibitors as probes for target validation and could lead to unwanted side effects or toxicity in a therapeutic setting. We designed Proteolysis Targeted Chimeras (PROTACs) that tether JQ1 to a ligand for the E3 ubiquitin ligase VHL, aimed at triggering the intracellular destruction of BET proteins. Compound MZ1 potently and rapidly induces reversible, long-lasting, and unexpectedly selective removal of BRD4 over BRD2 and BRD3. The activity of MZ1 is dependent on binding to VHL but is achieved at a sufficiently low concentration not to induce stabilization of HIF-1α. Gene expression profiles of selected cancer-related genes responsive to JQ1 reveal distinct and more limited transcriptional responses induced by MZ1, consistent with selective suppression of BRD4. Our discovery opens up new opportunities to elucidate the cellular phenotypes and therapeutic implications associated with selective targeting of BRD4.
| S-EPMC4548256 | biostudies-literature