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ONECUT2 is a druggable driver of luminal to basal breast cancer plasticity

ABSTRACT: Purpose: Tumor heterogeneity complicates patient treatment and can be due to transitioning of cancer cells across phenotypic cell states. This process is associated with the acquisition of independence from an oncogenic driver, such as the estrogen receptor (ER) in breast cancer (BC), resulting in tumor progression, therapeutic failure and metastatic spread. The transcription factor ONECUT2 (OC2) has been shown to be a master regulator protein of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) tumors that promotes lineage plasticity to a drug-resistant neuroendocrine (NEPC) phenotype. Here, we investigate the role of OC2 in the dynamic conversion between different molecular subtypes in BC. Methods: We analyze OC2 expression and clinical significance in BC using public databases and immunohistochemical staining. In vitro, we perform RNA-Seq, RT-qPCR and western-blot after OC2 enforced expression. We also assess cellular effects of OC2 silencing and inhibition with a drug-like small molecule in vitro and in vivo. Results: OC2 is highly expressed in a substantial subset of hormone receptor negative human BC tumors and tamoxifen-resistant models, and is associated with poor clinical outcome, lymph node metastasis and heightened clinical stage. OC2 inhibits ER expression and activity, suppresses a gene expression program associated with luminal differentiation and activates a basal-like state at the gene expression level. We also show that OC2 is required for cell growth and survival in metastatic BC models and that it can be targeted with a small molecule inhibitor providing a novel therapeutic strategy for patients with OC2 active tumors. Conclusions: The transcription factor OC2 is a driver of BC heterogeneity and a potential drug target in distinct cell states within the breast tumors.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE242541 | GEO | 2024/05/23

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Aberrant activation of the forkhead protein FOXA1 is observed in advanced hormone-related cancers. However, to date, key mediators of high FOXA1 signaling remain elusive. We demonstrate that ectopic high FOXA1 (H-FOXA1) expression promotes estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC) metastasis in a xenograft mouse model. Mechanistically, H-FOXA1 reprograms ER-chromatin binding to elicit a core gene signature (CGS) highly enriched in ER+ endocrine-resistant (EndoR) cells. We identified Secretome14, a CGS subset encoding ER-dependent cancer secretory proteins, strongly predicts poor outcomes of ER+ BC and is elevated in ER+ metastases vs. primary tumors, irrespective to the ESR1 mutations. Parental (P) ER+ BC cells and their endocrine-resistant (EndoR) derivatives, and ER+ BC cells expressing doxycycline (Dox)-inducible ectopic FOXA1 were used in this study. Differential gene expression analysis was performed in EndoR vs. P cells and P cells +Dox vs. -Dox. We found that the FOXA1-CGS was highly enriched in the altered transcriptomes of two ER+ BC cell models (ZR75-1 and T47D) expressing ectopic H-FOXA1. The enriched hallmark gene sets, shared by the H-FOXA1 cell models, include “inflammatory response”, “complement”, and “interferon gamma response” for the H-FOXA1-induced, and “estrogen response early” and “estrogen response late” for the H-FOXA1-repressed genes. These findings point to the common transcriptional profile exhibiting an immune- over estrogen-responsive signature induced by H-FOXA1. In addition, we found that both the tamoxifen-resistant (TamR) and estrogen deprivation-resistant (EDR) derivatives of the 600MPE P cells were enriched for the H-FOXA1-induced CGS and FOXA1/ER-activated Secretome14. Our findings uncover H-FOXA1-induced ER reprogramming driving EndoR and metastasis, possibly via a H-FOXA1/ER-dependent secretome that warrants further studies to clarify its involvement in disease progression of ER+ metastatic BC.

Project description:The transcription factor ONECUT2 (OC2) is a master transcriptional regulator operating in metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) that suppresses AR activity and promotes neural differentiation and tumor cell survival. OC2 mRNA possesses an unusually long (14,575 nt), evolutionarily conserved 3’-untranslated region (3’-UTR) with many microRNA binding sites, including up to 26 miR-9 sites. This is notable because miR-9 targets many of the same genes regulated by the OC2 protein. Paradoxically, OC2 expression is high in tissues with high miR-9 expression. The length and complex secondary structure of the OC2 mRNA suggests it is a potent master competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) capable of sequestering miRNAs. Here we describe a novel role for the OC2 3’-UTR in lethal prostate cancer consistent with a function as a ceRNA. A plausible ceRNA network in OC2-driven tumors was constructed computationally then confirmed in prostate cancer cell lines. Genes regulated by the OC2 3’-UTR exhibited high overlap (up to 45%) with genes driven by overexpression of the OC2 protein in the absence of the 3’-UTR, indicating a cooperative functional relationship between the OC2 protein and its 3’-UTR. These overlapping networks suggest an evolutionarily conserved mechanism to reinforce OC2 transcription by protection of OC2-regulated mRNAs from miRNA suppression. Both the protein and the 3’ UTR showed increased Polycomb Repressive Complex activity. Expression of OC2 3’-UTR mRNA alone (without protein) dramatically increased metastatic potential by in vitro assays. Additionally, OC2 3’-UTR increased expression of Aldo-Keto Reductase and UDP-glucuronyl transferase family genes responsible for altering the androgen synthesis pathway. ONECUT2 represents the first described dual-modality transcript that operates as both a key transcription factor driving castration resistant prostate cancer but also as a master ceRNA that promotes and protects the same transcriptional network

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ONECUT2 is a druggable driver of luminal to basal breast cancer plasticity

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