Targeting an RNA polymerase II-associated PHF5A transcriptional subcomplex with a KMT2A-WDR5 inhibitor impairs self-renewal and tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer stem cells
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens
PROVIDER: GSE217332 | GEO | 2023/08/10
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most aggressive and life-threatening malignancies known for its notorious resistance to chemotherapy. This is increasingly ascribed to the subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs), which are evolutionary fitter than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. Those cells are crucial for tumor relapse as they possess ‘stem cell-like’ features of self-renewal and differentiation. However, what molecular mechanisms maintain the unique characteristics of PCSCs are poorly understood. Here, we identified an RNA polymerase II-associated PHF5A-PHF14-HMG20A-RAI1-KMT2A transcriptional subcomplex, which regulates the stemness characteristics and tumorigenicity of PCSCs through epigenetic control of gene expression. Targeting the protein subcomplex with a KMT2A-WDR5 inhibitor attenuated the self-renewal and in vivo tumorigenicity of PCSCs, thus offering a novel anti-PCSCs targeting strategy for enhancing the efficiency of chemotherapy which is likely to translate into durable clinical responses in PC patients.
2023-08-23 | PXD038378 | Pride
Project description:Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers in humans. It is undeniably known for its notorious resistance to conventional chemotherapeutics which are often associated with a transient response to treatment but rapidly followed by drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Increasing evidence suggests that therapy failure in pancreatic cancer is largely ascribed to the residual subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are evolutionary 'fitter' than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. Those cells are outstandingly critical for tumor relapse as they possess unique 'stem cell-like' features of self-renewal and differentiation which render them capable of regenerating the original tumor. Through the identification of key epigenetic regulators of CSCs phenotypes and functions, this project seeks to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor recurrence and identify novel therapeutic candidates for eliminating CSCs and achieving long-term clinical responses in pancreatic cancer patients.
2023-08-10 | GSE217331 | GEO
Project description:Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers in humans. It is undeniably known for its notorious resistance to conventional chemotherapeutics which are often associated with a transient response to treatment but rapidly followed by drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Increasing evidence suggests that therapy failure in pancreatic cancer is largely ascribed to the residual subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are evolutionary 'fitter' than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. Those cells are outstandingly critical for tumor relapse as they possess unique 'stem cell-like' features of self-renewal and differentiation which render them capable of regenerating the original tumor. Through the identification of key epigenetic regulators of CSCs phenotypes and functions, this project seeks to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor recurrence and identify novel therapeutic candidates for eliminating CSCs and achieving long-term clinical responses in pancreatic cancer patients.
2023-08-10 | GSE217329 | GEO
Project description:Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most aggressive and lethal cancers in humans. It is undeniably known for its notorious resistance to conventional chemotherapeutics which are often associated with a transient response to treatment but rapidly followed by drug resistance and tumor recurrence. Increasing evidence suggests that therapy failure in pancreatic cancer is largely ascribed to the residual subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs), which are evolutionary 'fitter' than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. Those cells are outstandingly critical for tumor relapse as they possess unique 'stem cell-like' features of self-renewal and differentiation which render them capable of regenerating the original tumor. Through the identification of key epigenetic regulators of CSCs phenotypes and functions, this project seeks to gain insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying tumor recurrence and identify novel therapeutic candidates for eliminating CSCs and achieving long-term clinical responses in pancreatic cancer patients.
2023-08-10 | GSE217330 | GEO
Project description:Targeting an RNA polymerase II-associated PHF5A transcriptional subcomplex with a KMT2A-WDR5 inhibitor impairs self-renewal and tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer stem cells
| PRJNA898395 | ENA
Project description:Pancreatic cancer (PC), one of the most aggressive and life-threatening human malignancies, is known for its resistance to cytotoxic therapies. This is increasingly ascribed to the subpopulation of undifferentiated cells, known as pancreatic cancer stem cells (PCSCs), which display greater evolutionary fitness than other tumor cells to evade the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy. PCSCs are crucial for tumor relapse as they possess 'stem cell-like' features that are characterized by self-renewal and differentiation. However, the molecular mechanisms that maintain the unique characteristics of PCSCs are poorly understood. Here, we identify the histone methyltransferase KMT2A as a physical binding partner of an RNA polymerase-associated PHF5A-PHF14-HMG20A-RAI1 protein subcomplex and an epigenetic regulator of PCSC properties and functions. Targeting the protein subcomplex in PCSCs with a KMT2A-WDR5 inhibitor attenuates their self-renewal capacity, cell viability, and in vivo tumorigenicity.
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Project description:Cancer stem cells (CSCs) may contribute to tumor initiation, distant metastasis and chemo-resistance. One of RNA-binding proteins, Quaking (QKI), was reported to be a tumor suppressor. Here we showed that reduced QKI levels were observed in many human oral cancer samples. Moreover further reduction of QKI expression in CSCs was detected compared with non-CSCs in oral cancer cell lines. Overexpressing QKI in oral cancer cells significantly reduced CSC sphere formation and stem cell-associated genes. In tumor implanting nude mice model, QKI significantly impeded tumor initiation rates, tumor sizes and lung metastasis rates. As a contrast, knocking down QKI enhanced the above effects. Among the putative CSC target genes, SOX2 expression was negatively affected by QKI, mechanism study revealed that QKI may directly regulate SOX2 expression via specific binding with its 3'UTR in a cis element-dependent way. Loss of SOX2 even completely reversed the sphere forming ability in QKI knockdown cell line. Taken together, these data demonstrated that SOX2 is an important CSC regulator in oral cancer. QKI is a novel CSC inhibitor and impaired multiple oral CSC properties via partial repression of SOX2. Therefore, reduced expression of QKI may provide a novel diagnostic marker for oral cancer.
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Project description:Melanoma is one of the most aggressive types of human cancer, characterized by enhanced heterogeneity and resistance to conventional therapy at advanced stages. We and others have previously shown that HEDGEHOG-GLI (HH-GLI) signaling is required for melanoma growth and for survival and expansion of melanoma-initiating cells (MICs). Recent reports indicate that HH-GLI signaling regulates a set of genes typically expressed in embryonic stem cells, including SOX2 (sex-determining region Y (SRY)-Box2). Here we address the function of SOX2 in human melanomas and MICs and its interaction with HH-GLI signaling. We find that SOX2 is highly expressed in melanoma stem cells. Knockdown of SOX2 sharply decreases self-renewal in melanoma spheres and in putative melanoma stem cells with high aldehyde dehydrogenase activity (ALDH(high)). Conversely, ectopic expression of SOX2 in melanoma cells enhances their self-renewal in vitro. SOX2 silencing also inhibits cell growth and induces apoptosis in melanoma cells. In addition, depletion of SOX2 progressively abrogates tumor growth and leads to a significant decrease in tumor-initiating capability of ALDH(high) MICs upon xenotransplantation, suggesting that SOX2 is required for tumor initiation and for continuous tumor growth. We show that SOX2 is regulated by HH signaling and that the transcription factors GLI1 and GLI2, the downstream effectors of HH-GLI signaling, bind to the proximal promoter region of SOX2 in primary melanoma cells. In functional studies, we find that SOX2 function is required for HH-induced melanoma cell growth and MIC self-renewal in vitro. Thus SOX2 is a critical factor for self-renewal and tumorigenicity of MICs and an important mediator of HH-GLI signaling in melanoma. These findings could provide the basis for novel therapeutic strategies based on the inhibition of SOX2 for the treatment of a subset of human melanomas.
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Project description:Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common glioma variant in adults and is highly malignant. Tumors are thought to harbor a subpopulation of stem-like cancer cells, with the bulk resembling neural progenitor-like cells that are unable to fully differentiate. Although multiple pathways are known to be involved in glioma tumorigenesis, the role of Wnt signaling has been poorly described. Here, we show that Dishevelled 2 (Dvl2), a key component of the Wnt signaling pathway, is overexpressed in human gliomas. RNA interference-mediated depletion of Dvl2 blocked proliferation and promoted the differentiation of cultured human glioma cell lines and primary, patient-derived glioma cells. In addition, Dvl2 depletion inhibited tumor formation after intracranial injection of glioblastoma cells in immunodeficient mice. Inhibition of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling also blocked proliferation, but unlike Dvl2 depletion, did not induce differentiation. Finally, Wnt5a, a noncanonical Wnt ligand, was also required for glioma cell proliferation. The data therefore suggest that both canonical and noncanonical Wnt signaling pathways downstream of Dvl2 cooperate to maintain the proliferative capacity of human glioblastomas.
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Project description:The embryonic stem (ES) cell transcriptional and chromatin-modifying networks are critical for self-renewal maintenance. However, it remains unclear whether these networks functionally interact and, if so, what factors mediate such interactions. Here, we show that WD repeat domain 5 (Wdr5), a core member of the mammalian Trithorax (trxG) complex, positively correlates with the undifferentiated state and is a regulator of ES cell self-renewal. We demonstrate that Wdr5, an "effector" of H3K4 methylation, interacts with the pluripotency transcription factor Oct4. Genome-wide protein localization and transcriptome analyses demonstrate overlapping gene regulatory functions between Oct4 and Wdr5. The Oct4-Sox2-Nanog circuitry and trxG cooperate in activating transcription of key self-renewal regulators, and furthermore, Wdr5 expression is required for the efficient formation of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells. We propose an integrated model of transcriptional and epigenetic control, mediated by select trxG members, for the maintenance of ES cell self-renewal and somatic cell reprogramming.
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