Cell type-specific chromatin states differentially prime squamous cell carcinoma tumor-initiating cells for epithelial to mesenchymal transition [expression 2]
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT: Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells has been associated with metastasis, stemness and resistance to therapy. The reason why some tumors undergo EMT and other not might reflect intrinsic properties of their cell of origin, although this possibility is largely unexplored. By targeting the same oncogenic mutations to discrete skin compartments, we show cell type-specific chromatin and transcriptional states differentially prime tumors to EMT. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) derived from intrafollicular epidermis (IFE) are generally well-differentiated, while hair follicle (HF) stem cell-derived SCCs frequently exhibit EMT, efficiently form secondary tumors, and possess increased metastatic potential. Transcriptional and epigenomic profiling revealed IFE and HF tumor-initiating cells possess distinct chromatin landscapes and gene regulatory networks associated with tumorigenesis and EMT that correlate with accessibility of key epithelial and EMT transcription factor binding sites. These findings highlight the importance of chromatin states and transcriptional priming in dictating tumor phenotypes and EMT.
Project description:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells has been associated with metastasis, stemness and resistance to therapy. The reason why some tumors undergo EMT and other not might reflect intrinsic properties of their cell of origin, although this possibility is largely unexplored. By targeting the same oncogenic mutations to discrete skin compartments, we show cell type-specific chromatin and transcriptional states differentially prime tumors to EMT. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) derived from intrafollicular epidermis (IFE) are generally well-differentiated, while hair follicle (HF) stem cell-derived SCCs frequently exhibit EMT, efficiently form secondary tumors, and possess increased metastatic potential. Transcriptional and epigenomic profiling revealed IFE and HF tumor-initiating cells possess distinct chromatin landscapes and gene regulatory networks associated with tumorigenesis and EMT that correlate with accessibility of key epithelial and EMT transcription factor binding sites. These findings highlight the importance of chromatin states and transcriptional priming in dictating tumor phenotypes and EMT. Accessible chromatin regions were profiled using ATAC-seq, enriched peak regions were used to infer transcription factor binding sites.
Project description:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells has been associated with metastasis, stemness and resistance to therapy. The reason why some tumors undergo EMT and other not might reflect intrinsic properties of their cell of origin, although this possibility is largely unexplored. By targeting the same oncogenic mutations to discrete skin compartments, we show cell type-specific chromatin and transcriptional states differentially prime tumors to EMT. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) derived from intrafollicular epidermis (IFE) are generally well-differentiated, while hair follicle (HF) stem cell-derived SCCs frequently exhibit EMT, efficiently form secondary tumors, and possess increased metastatic potential. Transcriptional and epigenomic profiling revealed IFE and HF tumor-initiating cells possess distinct chromatin landscapes and gene regulatory networks associated with tumorigenesis and EMT that correlate with accessibility of key epithelial and EMT transcription factor binding sites. These findings highlight the importance of chromatin states and transcriptional priming in dictating tumor phenotypes and EMT.
Project description:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells has been associated with metastasis, stemness and resistance to therapy. The reason why some tumors undergo EMT and other not might reflect intrinsic properties of their cell of origin, although this possibility is largely unexplored. By targeting the same oncogenic mutations to discrete skin compartments, we show cell type-specific chromatin and transcriptional states differentially prime tumors to EMT. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) derived from intrafollicular epidermis (IFE) are generally well-differentiated, while hair follicle (HF) stem cell-derived SCCs frequently exhibit EMT, efficiently form secondary tumors, and possess increased metastatic potential. Transcriptional and epigenomic profiling revealed IFE and HF tumor-initiating cells possess distinct chromatin landscapes and gene regulatory networks associated with tumorigenesis and EMT that correlate with accessibility of key epithelial and EMT transcription factor binding sites. These findings highlight the importance of chromatin states and transcriptional priming in dictating tumor phenotypes and EMT.
Project description:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells has been associated with metastasis, stemness and resistance to therapy. The reason why some tumors undergo EMT and other not might reflect intrinsic properties of their cell of origin, although this possibility is largely unexplored. By targeting the same oncogenic mutations to discrete skin compartments, we show cell type-specific chromatin and transcriptional states differentially prime tumors to EMT. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) derived from intrafollicular epidermis (IFE) are generally well-differentiated, while hair follicle (HF) stem cell-derived SCCs frequently exhibit EMT, efficiently form secondary tumors, and possess increased metastatic potential. Transcriptional and epigenomic profiling revealed IFE and HF tumor-initiating cells possess distinct chromatin landscapes and gene regulatory networks associated with tumorigenesis and EMT that correlate with accessibility of key epithelial and EMT transcription factor binding sites. These findings highlight the importance of chromatin states and transcriptional priming in dictating tumor phenotypes and EMT.
Project description:Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancer cells has been associated with metastasis, stemness and resistance to therapy. The reason why some tumors undergo EMT and other not might reflect intrinsic properties of their cell of origin, although this possibility is largely unexplored. By targeting the same oncogenic mutations to discrete skin compartments, we show cell type-specific chromatin and transcriptional states differentially prime tumors to EMT. Squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) derived from intrafollicular epidermis (IFE) are generally well-differentiated, while hair follicle (HF) stem cell-derived SCCs frequently exhibit EMT, efficiently form secondary tumors, and possess increased metastatic potential. Transcriptional and epigenomic profiling revealed IFE and HF tumor-initiating cells possess distinct chromatin landscapes and gene regulatory networks associated with tumorigenesis and EMT that correlate with accessibility of key epithelial and EMT transcription factor binding sites. These findings highlight the importance of chromatin states and transcriptional priming in dictating tumor phenotypes and EMT.
Project description:FAT1, a protocadherin, is among the most frequently mutated genes in human cancers1-5. However, the role and the molecular mechanisms by which FAT1 mutations control tumour initiation and progression are poorly understood. In the present study we used different mouse cancer models including skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and lung tumours we found that Fat1 deletion accelerated tumour initiation and malignant progression and promoted hybrid epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype. This hybrid EMT state was also found in FAT1 mutated human SCCs. Fat1 deleted skin SCCs presented increased tumour stemness and spontaneous metastasis. Transcriptional and chromatin profiling revealed that Yap1 and Sox2 are involved in promoting and stabilizing hybrid EMT state. To unravel the molecular mechanisms by which FAT1 (a protein located on the plasma membrane), lead to the transcriptional changes, we performed phosphor-proteomic analysis of A388 FAT1 WT human SCC cell lines and A388 FAR1 CRISPR KO. This analysis revealed that FAT1 loss of function activates a CAMK2/CD44/SRC axis that promotes YAP/ZEB1 nuclear translocation and stimulates the mesenchymal state, as well as a CAMK2-EZH2 axis that promotes activation of SOX2, which sustains the epithelial state. This comprehensive analysis also identified drug resistance and vulnerabilities in FAT1 deficient tumours with important implications for cancer therapy. Altogether, our studies revealed that Fat1 loss of function promotes tumour initiation, progression, invasiveness, stemness and metastasis through the induction of a hybrid EMT state.
Project description:Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulates tumour initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to anti-cancer therapy. Whereas great progress had recently been made in understanding the role and mechanisms that regulate EMT in cancer, no therapeutic strategy to pharmacologically target EMT had been identified so far. Here, we found that Netrin-1 is upregulated in a primary mouse model of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCCs) presenting spontaneous EMT. Pharmacological inhibition of Netrin-1 by administrating NP137, an anti-Netrin-1 blocking monoclonal antibody currently used in clinical trials in human cancer, decreased the proportion EMT tumour cells in skin SCCs, as well as decreased the number of metastasis and increased the sensitivity of tumour cells to chemotherapy. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed the presence of different EMT states including epithelial, early and late hybrid EMT as well as fully EMT states in control SCCs. In contrast, administration of NP137 prevents the progression of cancer cells towards a late EMT state and sustains tumour epithelial states. ShRNA knockdown (KD) of Netrin-1 and its receptor Unc5b in EPCAM+ tumour cells inhibited EMT in vitro in the absence of stromal cells and regulated a common gene signature promoting tumour epithelial state and restricting EMT. To assess the relevance of these findings to human cancers, we treated mice transplanted with A549 human cancer cell line that undergoes EMT following TGF-b1 administration with NP137. Netrin-1 inhibition decreased EMT in A549 cells in vivo. Altogether, our results identify a new pharmacological strategy to target EMT in cancer opening novel therapeutic interventions for anti-cancer therapy.
Project description:Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulates tumor initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to anti-cancer therapy. Whereas great progress had recently been made in understanding the role and mechanisms that regulate EMT in cancer, no therapeutic strategy to pharmacologically target EMT had been identified so far. Here, we found that Netrin-1 is upregulated in a primary mouse model of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCCs) presenting spontaneous EMT. Pharmacological inhibition of Netrin-1 by administrating NP137, an anti-Netrin-1 blocking monoclonal antibody currently used in clinical trials in human cancer, decreased the proportion EMT tumor cells in skin SCCs, as well as decreased the number of metastasis and increased the sensitivity of tumor cells to chemotherapy. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed the presence of different EMT states including epithelial, early and late hybrid EMT as well as fully EMT states in control SCCs. In contrast, administration of NP137 prevents the progression of cancer cells towards a late EMT state and sustains tumor epithelial states. ShRNA knockdown (KD) of Netrin-1 and its receptor Unc5b in EPCAM+ tumor cells inhibited EMT in vitro in the absence of stromal cells and regulated a common gene signature promoting tumor epithelial state and restricting EMT. To assess the relevance of these findings to human cancers, we treated mice transplanted with A549 human cancer cell line that undergoes EMT following TGF-b1 administration with NP137. Netrin-1 inhibition decreased EMT in A549 cells in vivo. Altogether, our results identify a new pharmacological strategy to target EMT in cancer opening novel therapeutic interventions for anti-cancer therapy.
Project description:Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal transition (EMT) regulates tumour initiation, progression, metastasis and resistance to anti-cancer therapy. Whereas great progress had recently been made in understanding the role and mechanisms that regulate EMT in cancer, no therapeutic strategy to pharmacologically target EMT had been identified so far. Here, we found that Netrin-1 is upregulated in a primary mouse model of skin squamous cell carcinoma (SCCs) presenting spontaneous EMT. Pharmacological inhibition of Netrin-1 by administrating NP137, an anti-Netrin-1 blocking monoclonal antibody currently used in clinical trials in human cancer, decreased the proportion EMT tumour cells in skin SCCs, as well as decreased the number of metastasis and increased the sensitivity of tumour cells to chemotherapy. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed the presence of different EMT states including epithelial, early and late hybrid EMT as well as fully EMT states in control SCCs. In contrast, administration of NP137 prevents the progression of cancer cells towards a late EMT state and sustains tumour epithelial states. ShRNA knockdown (KD) of Netrin-1 and its receptor Unc5b in EPCAM+ tumour cells inhibited EMT in vitro in the absence of stromal cells and regulated a common gene signature promoting tumour epithelial state and restricting EMT. To assess the relevance of these findings to human cancers, we treated mice transplanted with A549 human cancer cell line that undergoes EMT following TGF-b1 administration with NP137. Netrin-1 inhibition decreased EMT in A549 cells in vivo. Altogether, our results identify a new pharmacological strategy to target EMT in cancer opening novel therapeutic interventions for anti-cancer therapy.
Project description:Using lineage-tracing in a well-established psoriasis-like mouse model with inducible epidermal deletion of c-Jun and JunB, we found that mutant HF-SCs survive and express a broad group of pro-inflammatory cytokines, whereas mutant inter-follicular epidermal cells (IFE) disappear over time. Mutant HF-SCs initiate epidermal hyperplasia and skin inflammation by priming neighboring non-mutant epidermal cells to acquire a psoriasis-like phenotype. To explore the molecular mechanisms that govern the behavior of these distinct mutant and non-mutant HF-SCs and IFE cell populations during psoriasis-like disease, RNA sequencing analyses of sorted GFP+, Tomato+ HF-SCs and b-KCs from DKO*-mT/mG mice.