DAB2IP Loss in Luminal A Breast Cancer Leads to NF-kB- Associated Aggressive Oncogenic Phenotypes
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ABSTRACT: Despite proven therapy options for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors, a significant number of patients with these cancers exhibit relapse with associated metastasis. Studies have shown that the loss of expression of RasGAPs leads to aggressive phenotypes and poor outcomes in several cancers including breast cancer. In our study, mining TCGA gene expression profiles of ER-positive breast tumors, we found that low expression of the RasGAP, DAB2IP is associated with a significant decrease in relapse-free survival in patients with Luminal A breast tumors. Immunostaining found that DAB2IP loss occurs in grade 2 tumors and higher. Consistent with this, genes upregulated in low DAB2IP Luminal A tumors are shared with more aggressive tumor subtypes, and are associated with proliferation, metastasis, and enhanced ER-signaling. In addition, cell-based studies reveal that low DAB2IP expression in ER-positive breast cancer cells is associated with increased proliferation, enhanced stemness phenotypes, and activation of IKK, the upstream regulator of the NF-B signaling pathway. Further, integrating cell-based ChIP-seq with motif analysis and TCGA RNA-seq data, we identify a candidate set of NF-B target genes that are upregulated with loss of DAB2IP and are proposed to regulate several oncogenic phenotypes, including altered RNA processing. This study provides new insight into mechanisms associated with aggressiveness and recurrence within a subset of Luminal A breast cancers that are otherwise typically less aggressive.
Project description:Despite proven therapy options for estrogen receptor (ER)-positive tumors, a significant number of patients with these cancers exhibit relapse with associated metastasis. Studies have shown that the loss of expression of RasGAPs leads to aggressive phenotypes and poor outcomes in several cancers including breast cancer. In our study, mining TCGA gene expression profiles of ER-positive breast tumors, we found that low expression of the RasGAP, DAB2IP is associated with a significant decrease in relapse-free survival in patients with Luminal A breast tumors. Immunostaining found that DAB2IP loss occurs in grade 2 tumors and higher. Consistent with this, genes upregulated in low DAB2IP Luminal A tumors are shared with more aggressive tumor subtypes, and are associated with proliferation, metastasis, and enhanced ER-signaling. In addition, cell-based studies reveal that low DAB2IP expression in ER-positive breast cancer cells is associated with increased proliferation, enhanced stemness phenotypes, and activation of IKK, the upstream regulator of the NF-B signaling pathway. Further, integrating cell-based ChIP-seq with motif analysis and TCGA RNA-seq data, we identify a candidate set of NF-B target genes that are upregulated with loss of DAB2IP and are proposed to regulate several oncogenic phenotypes, including altered RNA processing. This study provides new insight into mechanisms associated with aggressiveness and recurrence within a subset of Luminal A breast cancers that are otherwise typically less aggressive. Gene expression profiling by RNA-sequencing of DAB2IP knockdown and control MCF10A cells.
Project description:Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease comprised of at least five major subtypes. Luminal subtype tumors confer a more favourable patient prognosis, which is in part, attributed to the Estrogen Receptor-alpha (ER) positivity and anti-hormone responsiveness of these tumors. Expression of the forkhead box transcription factor, FOXA1, also correlates with the luminal subtype and patient survival, but is present in a subset of ER-negative tumors. Similarly, FOXA1 is consistently expressed in luminal breast cancer cell lines even in the absence of ER. In contrast, basal breast cancer cell lines do not express FOXA1, and loss of FOXA1 in luminal cells increases migration and invasion, characteristics of the basal subtype. To delineate an ER-independent role for FOXA1 in maintaining the luminal phenotype, and hence a more favourable prognosis, we performed cDNA microarray analyses on luminal FOXA1-positive, ER-positive (MCF7, T47D) and FOXA1-positive, ER-negative (MDA-MB-453, SKBR3) cell lines in the presence or absence of transient FOXA1 silencing. This resulted in three FOXA1 transcriptomes: (1) a luminal-signature (consistent across cell lines), (2) an ER-positive signature (restricted to MCF7 and T47D) and (3) an ER-negative signature (restricted to MDA-MB-453 and SKBR3). Use of Gene Set Enrichment Analyses (GSEA) as a phenotyping tool revealed that FOXA1 silencing resulted in a transcriptome shift from luminal to basal gene expression signatures. FOXA1 binds to both luminal and basal genes within luminal breast cancer cells, suggesting that it not only transactivates luminal genes, but also represses basal-associated genes. From these results we conclude that FOXA1 controls plasticity between basal and luminal cells, playing a dominant role in repressing the basal phenotype, and thus tumor aggressiveness, in luminal breast cancer cells. Although it has been proposed that FOXA1-targeting agents may be useful for treating luminal tumors, these data suggest that this approach may promote transitions toward a more aggressive cancer. FOXA1 siRNA treated breast cell lines compared directly to nonspecific siRNA treated cell lines using Agilent 4X44 microarrays.
Project description:Background: Unlike estrogen receptor (ER) negative breast cancer, ER-positive breast cancer outcomes are less influenced by lymphocyte content, indicating a need for investigation of checkpoint targets and immune tolerance mechanisms that may be specific to this disease subset. Methods: A supervised analysis of microarray data from the Alliance/ACOSOG Z1031 trial was conducted to identify upregulated genes in Luminal B breast cancers that exhibited persistent tumor proliferation despite aromatase inhibitor therapy (33 cases Ki67 >10%) versus Luminal B breast cancers that were more sensitive (33 cases Ki67 <10%). Results: This study identified thirty genes (Pearson’s r>0.4 with Ki67 as a continuous variable). These genes were enriched for immune tolerance processes (p<0.005) and three targetable immune checkpoint components were upregulated in resistant cases: IDO1, LAG3, and PD1. High IDO1 mRNA associated with poor prognosis in ER+ disease across two independent cohorts (METABRIC and TCGA). Furthermore, analysis indicated IDO1 was tightly associated with IFN-γ/STAT1 signaling. As a composite immune tolerance signature, expression of these pathway components associated with higher baseline Ki67 and lower ER, PgR levels and poor disease specific survival. In tissue microarray analysis, IDO1 was observed in stromal cells and tumor-associated macrophages, with a higher incidence in Luminal B cases. Further mRNA and tissue microarray analyses associated IDO1 expression with the presence of macrophages (M1 by CIBERSORT) and regulatory T cells. Conclusion: Targetable immune-checkpoint components are upregulated in majority of neoadjuvant endocrine therapy resistant Luminal B cases. Our findings suggests potential for immune checkpoint inhibitors in poor outcome ER+ breast cancer.
Project description:Many Luminal breast cancers are heterogeneous, containing substantial numbers of estrogen (ER-) and progesterone (PR-) receptor-negative cells among the ER+PR+ ones. Currently, the Basal-like ER-PR- Luminobasal subpopulation in Luminal disease is not targeted for treatment. To address the relationships between ER+PR+ and ER-PR- cells in Luminal cancers and tightly control their ratios, we have generated isogenic pure Luminal (pLUM) and pure Luminobasal (pLB) cells from the same parental Luminal human breast cancer cell line. We show that pLUM suppress proliferation of pLB cells in mixed-cell 3D colonies in vitro and in pLUM:pLB mixed-cell xenografts in mice. High-throughput screening of FDA-approved oncology drugs reveal pLB cells are sensitive to the EGFR inhibitors Gefitinib and Erlotinib. In mixed-cell 3D colonies and mixed-cell solid mouse tumors, combination therapy with the antiestrogen Fulvestrant and the EGFRi Gefitinib constitutes a robust treatment strategy. We propose that response to combination endocrine/EGFRi therapies in heterogeneous Luminal cancers will improve long-term survival in patients whose primary tumors have been preselected for the appropriate biomarkers.
Project description:Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease comprised of at least five major subtypes. Luminal subtype tumors confer a more favorable patient prognosis, which is in part, attributed to the Estrogen Receptor-α (ER) positivity and anti-hormone responsiveness of these tumors. Expression of the forkhead box transcription factor, FOXA1, also correlates with the luminal subtype and patient survival, but is present in a subset of ER-negative tumors. Similarly, FOXA1 is consistently expressed in luminal breast cancer cell lines even in the absence of ER. In contrast, basal breast cancer cell lines do not express FOXA1, and loss of FOXA1 in luminal cells increases migration and invasion, characteristics of the basal subtype. To delineate an ER-independent role for FOXA1 in maintaining the luminal phenotype, and hence a more favorable prognosis, we performed cDNA microarray analyses on luminal FOXA1-positive, ER-positive (MCF7, T47D) and FOXA1-positive, ER-negative (MDA-MB-453, SKBR3) cell lines in the presence or absence of transient FOXA1 silencing. This resulted in three FOXA1 transcriptomes: (1) a luminal-signature (consistent across cell lines), (2) an ER-positive signature (restricted to MCF7 and T47D) and (3) an ER-negative signature (restricted to MDA-MB-453 and SKBR3). Use of Gene Set Enrichment Analyses (GSEA) as a phenotyping tool revealed that FOXA1 silencing resulted in a transcriptome shift from luminal to basal gene expression signatures. FOXA1 binds to both luminal and basal genes within luminal breast cancer cells, suggesting that it not only transactivates luminal genes, but also represses basal-associated genes. From these results we conclude that FOXA1 controls plasticity between basal and luminal cells, playing a dominant role in repressing the basal phenotype, and thus tumor aggressiveness, in luminal breast cancer cells. Although it has been proposed that FOXA1-targeting agents may be useful for treating luminal tumors, these data suggest that this approach may promote transitions toward a more aggressive cancer.
Project description:Human breast cancers are broadly classified based on their gene expression profiles into luminal- and basal-type tumors. These two major tumor subtypes express markers corresponding to the major differentiation states of epithelial cells in the breast, luminal (EpCAM+) and basal/myoepithelial (ME, CD10+). However, there are also rare types of breast cancers, such as metaplastic carcinomas, where tumor cells exhibit features of alternate cell types that no longer resemble breast epithelium. Until now, it has been difficult to identify the cell type(s) in the human breast that gives rise to these various forms of breast cancer. Here we report that transformation of EpCAM+ epithelial cells results in the formation of common forms of human breast cancer including ER+ and ER- tumors with luminal and basal-like characteristics, respectively, while transformation of CD10+ cells results in the development of rare metaplastic tumors reminiscent of the claudin-low subtype. We also demonstrate the existence of CD10+ breast cells with metaplastic traits that can give rise to skin and epidermal tissues. Furthermore, we show that the development of metaplastic breast cancer is due in part, to the transformation of these metaplastic breast epithelial cells. These findings identify normal cellular precursors to human breast cancers and reveal the existence of a population of cells with epidermal progenitor activity within adult human breast tissues. 8 breast cell line samples
Project description:To better understand the biology of hormone receptor-positive and negative breast cancer and to identify methylated gene markers of disease progression, we performed a genome-wide methylation array analysis on 103 primary invasive breast cancers and 21 normal breast samples using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation27 array that queried 27,578 CpG loci. Estrogen and/or progesterone receptor-positive tumors displayed more hypermethylated loci than ER-negative tumors. However, the hypermethylated loci in ER-negative tumors were clustered closer to the transcriptional start site compared to ER-positive tumors. An ER-classifier set of CpG loci was identified, which independently partitioned primary tumors into ER-subtypes. Forty (32 novel, 8 previously known) CpG loci showed differential methylation specific to either ER-positive or ER-negative tumors. Each of the 40 ER-subtype-specific loci was validated in silico using an independent, publicly available methylome dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). In addition, we identified 100 methylated CpG loci that were significantly associated with disease progression; the majority of these loci were informative particularly in ER-negative breast cancer. Overall, the set was highly enriched in homeobox containing genes. This pilot study demonstrates the robustness of the breast cancer methylome and illustrates its potential to stratify and reveal biological differences between ER-subtypes of breast cancer. Further, it defines candidate ER-specific markers and identifies potential markers predictive of outcome within ER subgroups. Frozen breast cancer tissues that were excised from patients with Stage 1-3 disease prior to treatment (n=103) were retrieved from Surgical Pathology at Johns Hopkins Hospital (Baltimore, Maryland) and confirmed to contain > 50% epithelial cells. Normal breast organoids were prepared by enzymatic digestion of reduction mammoplasty specimens (n=15; median patient age = 52 years, range 47 to 71). Normal ducts from breast tissue > 2 cm away from the tumor (n=6) were isolated from cryosections using laser-capture micro-dissection (PALM MicroBeam, Carl Zeiss Microimaging, North America). To determine the differences in breast cancer biology/behavior between ER subtypes, we characterized methylation patterns at 8376 selected CpG loci according to ER status. These loci met two criteria: 1) showed the most variation across primary tumors (SD >0.100) and 2) had probe detection p-values <0.0001. To develop an epigenomic signature that predicts outcome in patients with breast cancer, we conducted differential methylation analysis on primary tumors from recurrent versus non-recurrent breast cancers. We used a subgroup of 82 well-annotated, invasive breast tumors derived from the discovery set of 103 tumors that included 44 ER-positive (7 recurrences) and 38 ER-negative (11 recurrences) breast cancers and independently queried the ER-positive and ER-negative tumor groups