Epidermal Wnt signaling regulates transcriptome heterogeneity and proliferative fate in neighboring cells
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
ORGANISM(S): Mus musculus
PROVIDER: GSE99989 | GEO | 2017/12/21
SECONDARY ACCESSION(S): PRJNA390285
REPOSITORIES: GEO
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Project description:Tumor: tumor microenvironment (TME) interactions are critical for tumor progression and the composition and structure of the local extracellular matrix (ECM) are key determinants of tumor metastasis. We recently reported that activation of Wnt/beta- catenin signaling in Ewing sarcoma cells induces widespread transcriptional changes that are associated with acquisition of a metastatic tumor phenotype. Significantly, ECM protein-encoding genes were found to be enriched among Wnt/beta-catenin induced transcripts, leading us to hypothesize that activation of canonical Wnt signaling might induce changes in the Ewing sarcoma secretome. To address this hypothesis, conditioned media from Ewing sarcoma cell lines cultured in the presence or absence of Wnt3a was collected for proteomic analysis. Label-free mass spectrometry was used to identify and quantify differentially secreted proteins. We then used in silico databases to identify only proteins annotated as secreted. Comparison of the secretomes of two Ewing sarcoma cell lines revealed numerous shared proteins, as well as a degree of heterogeneity, in both basal and Wnt-stimulated conditions. Gene set enrichment analysis of secreted proteins revealed that Wnt stimulation reproducibly resulted in increased secretion of proteins involved in ECM organization, ECM receptor interactions, and collagen formation. In particular, Wnt-stimulated Ewing sarcoma cells upregulated secretion of structural collagens, as well as matricellular proteins, such as the metastasis-associated protein, tenascin C (TNC). Interrogation of published databases confirmed reproducible correlations between Wnt/beta-catenin activation and TNC and COL1A1 expression in patient tumors. In summary, this first study of the Ewing sarcoma secretome reveals that Wnt/beta-catenin activated tumor cells upregulate secretion of ECM proteins. Such Wnt/beta-catenin mediated changes are likely to impact on tumor: TME interactions that contribute to metastatic progression.
2018-02-07 | PXD007909 | Pride
Project description:Ewing sarcomas are characterized by the presence of EWS/ETS fusion genes in the absence of other recurrent genetic alterations and mechanisms of tumor heterogeneity that contribute to disease progression remain unclear. Mutations in the Wnt/beta-catenin pathway are rare in Ewing sarcoma but the Wnt pathway modulator LGR5 is often highly expressed, suggesting a potential role for the axis in tumor pathogenesis. We evaluated beta-catenin and LGR5 expression in Ewing sarcoma cell lines and tumors and noted marked intra- and inter-tumor heterogeneity. Tumors with evidence of active Wnt/beta-catenin signaling were associated with increased incidence of tumor relapse and worse overall survival. Paradoxically, RNA sequencing revealed a marked antagonism of EWS/ETS transcriptional activity in Wnt/beta-catenin activated tumor cells. Consistent with this, Wnt/beta-catenin activated cells displayed a phenotype that was reminiscent of Ewing sarcoma cells with partial EWS/ETS loss of function. Specifically, activation of Wnt/beta-catenin induced alterations to the actin cytoskeleton, acquisition of a migratory phenotype and up regulation of EWS/ETS-repressed genes. Notably, activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling led to marked induction of tenascin C (TNC), an established promoter of cancer metastasis, and an EWS/ETS-repressed target gene. Loss of TNC function in Ewing sarcoma cells profoundly inhibited their migratory and metastatic potential. Our studies reveal that heterogeneous activation of Wnt/beta-catenin signaling in subpopulations of tumor cells contributes to phenotypic heterogeneity and disease progression in Ewing sarcoma. Significantly, this is mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of EWS/ETS fusion protein function that results in de-repression of metastasis-associated gene programs.
2016-11-30 | GSE75859 | GEO
Project description:Up to 41% of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) result from activating mutations in the CTNNB1 gene encoding β-catenin. β-catenin has dual cellular functions as a component of the Wnt signaling pathway and adherens junctions. HCC-associated CTNNB1 mutations stabilize the β-catenin protein, leading to nuclear and/or cytoplasmic localization of β-catenin and downstream activation of Wnt target genes. In patient HCC samples, β-catenin nuclear and cytoplasmic localization are typically patchy, even among HCC with highly active CTNNB1 mutations. The functional and clinical relevance of this heterogeneity in β-catenin activation are not well understood. To define mechanisms of β-catenin-driven HCC initiation, we generated a Cre-lox system that enabled switching on activated β-catenin in 1) a small number of hepatocytes in early development; or 2) the majority of hepatocytes in later development or adulthood. We discovered that switching on activated β-catenin in a subset of larval hepatocytes was sufficient to drive HCC initiation. To determine the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling heterogeneity later in hepatocarcinogenesis, we performed RNA-seq analysis of zebrafish β-catenin-driven HCC. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of differentially expressed genes in the Cre-lox HCC model revealed that “Cancer” and “Liver Tumor” categories were significantly altered, indicating transcriptional similarities with human HCC and other vertebrate HCC models. At the single-cell level, 2.9% to 15.2% of hepatocytes from zebrafish β-catenin-driven HCC expressed two or more of the Wnt target genes axin2, mtor, glula, myca, and wif1, indicating focal activation of Wnt signaling in established tumors. Thus, heterogeneous β-catenin activation drives HCC initiation and persists throughout hepatocarcinogenesis.
2019-09-27 | GSE137787 | GEO
Project description:Up to 41% of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs) result from activating mutations in the CTNNB1 gene encoding β-catenin. β-catenin has dual cellular functions as a component of the Wnt signaling pathway and adherens junctions. HCC-associated CTNNB1 mutations stabilize the β-catenin protein, leading to nuclear and/or cytoplasmic localization of β-catenin and downstream activation of Wnt target genes. In patient HCC samples, β-catenin nuclear and cytoplasmic localization are typically patchy, even among HCC with highly active CTNNB1 mutations. The functional and clinical relevance of this heterogeneity in β-catenin activation are not well understood. To define mechanisms of β-catenin-driven HCC initiation, we generated a Cre-lox system that enabled switching on activated β-catenin in 1) a small number of hepatocytes in early development; or 2) the majority of hepatocytes in later development or adulthood. We discovered that switching on activated β-catenin in a subset of larval hepatocytes was sufficient to drive HCC initiation. To determine the role of Wnt/β-catenin signaling heterogeneity later in hepatocarcinogenesis, we performed RNA-seq analysis of zebrafish β-catenin-driven HCC. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis of differentially expressed genes in the Cre-lox HCC model revealed that “Cancer” and “Liver Tumor” categories were significantly altered, indicating transcriptional similarities with human HCC and other vertebrate HCC models. At the single-cell level, 2.9% to 15.2% of hepatocytes from zebrafish β-catenin-driven HCC expressed two or more of the Wnt target genes axin2, mtor, glula, myca, and wif1, indicating focal activation of Wnt signaling in established tumors. Thus, heterogeneous β-catenin activation drives HCC initiation and persists throughout hepatocarcinogenesis.
2019-09-27 | GSE137784 | GEO
Project description:Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signalling is an essential regulator of various cellular functions throughout development and adulthood. Aberrant Wnt/β-catenin signalling also contributes to various pathologies including cancer, necessitating an understanding of cell context dependent mechanisms regulating this pathway. Since protein-protein interactions underpin β-catenin function and localization, we sought to identify novel β-catenin interacting partners by affinity purification coupled with tandem mass spectrometry in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), where β-catenin is involved in both physiological and pathological control of cell proliferation. Here, we report novel components of the VSMC β-catenin interactome.
2018-10-25 | PXD010421 | Pride
Project description:Plakoglobin (PG; γ-Catenin, JUP) is a protein with controversial function. First described as a component of intercellular junctions, it has remained unresolved whether this near-ubiquitously expressed protein acts as a genuine transcriptional regulator in adult tissue like its closest relative β-catenin. Here we have mapped the global gene targets of PG by ChIP-chip in differentiating skin keratinocytes. Applying a peak algorithm, over 5’000 high-confidence PG target promoters were identified and 2’000 for β-catenin with an overlap of 38%. Bioinformatics analyses most significantly associated PG target genes with the Wnt signaling pathway as well as relevant pathways for keratinocyte differentiation. Using a combination of wild-type, PG, β-catenin and PG/β-catenin double null keratinocytes, PG was functionally validated as a LEF/TCF-dependent transcriptional regulator. These data challenge the current understanding of Wnt signaling, one of the most important pathways in tissue homeostasis, by identifying PG as a potent LEF/TCF-dependent transcriptional regulator which functionally overlaps with β-catenin.
2017-12-01 | GSE37343 | GEO
Project description:The transcription factor SNAIL1 is a master regulator of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a process entailing massive gene expression changes. To better understand SNAIL1-induced transcriptional reprogramming we performed time-resolved transcriptome analysis upon conditional SNAIL1 expression in colorectal cancer cells. Bioinformatic analyses indicated that SNAIL1 strongly affected Wnt/β-Catenin pathway activity. This correlated with upregulation of LEF1, a nuclear binding partner of β-Catenin. Several tumour entities, including aggressive mesenchymal colorectal cancers, exhibit positively correlated LEF1 and SNAIL1 expression, and elevated LEF1 levels parallel increased colorectal cancer patient mortality. Comparative gene expression profiling suggested that 35% of Snail1-induced transcriptional changes are attributable to LEF1. LEF1 stimulates Wnt/β-Catenin pathway feedback inhibitor expression, causes cell-cycle arrest in vitro, and retards xenograft tumour growth. Conversely, LEF1-deficiency and preventing the β-Catenin-LEF1 interaction impaired the ability of SNAIL1 to alter Wnt/β-catenin target gene expression and to induce cancer cell invasion. Although LEF1 did not autonomously induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition, LEF1 is a critical factor acting downstream of SNAIL1. Apparently, SNAIL1 employs LEF1 as alternative effector to redirect Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity towards anti-proliferative and pro-invasive gene expression.
2019-08-15 | GSE115716 | GEO
Project description:Canonical Wnt/B-catenin signaling is frequently dysregulated in myeloid leukemias and is implicated in leukemogenesis. Nuclear-localized β-catenin is indicative of active Wnt signaling and is frequently observed in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients; however, some patients exhibit little or no β-catenin nuclear-localization even where cytosolic B-catenin is abundant. Differential propensity for nuclear-localized β-catenin is also observed in cell lines. To investigate the factors mediating the nuclear-localization of B-catenin we carried out a nuclear/cytoplasmic proteomic analysis of the B-catenin interactome in myeloid leukemia cells. From this we identified hundreds of putative novel B-catenin-interactors. Comparison of interacting factors between Wnt-responsive cells (high nuclear B-catenin, K562/HEL) versus Wnt-unresponsive cells (low nuclear B-catenin, ML1) suggested the established interactor, LEF1, is a key factor mediating the nuclear-localization of B-catenin in myeloid leukemia. The relative levels of nuclear LEF1 and B-catenin were tightly correlated in both cell lines and in primary AML blasts. Furthermore, LEF1 knockdown inhibited B-catenin nuclear-localization and transcriptional activation in Wnt-responsive cells. Conversely, LEF1 overexpression was able to promote both nuclear-localization and B-catenin-dependent transcriptional responses in previously Wnt-unresponsive cells. This study is the first to present a B-catenin interactome in hematopoietic cells and reveals LEF1 as a critical regulator of canonical Wnt signaling in myeloid leukemia.
2019-01-11 | PXD009305 | Pride
Project description:Wnt/β-catenin signaling is involved in various aspects of skeletal muscle development and regeneration. In addition, Wnt3a and β-catenin are required for muscle-specific gene transcription in embryonic carcinoma cells and satellite-cell proliferation during adult skeletal muscle regeneration. Downstream targets of canonical Wnt signaling are cyclin D1 and c-myc. However, both target genes are suppressed during differentiation of mouse myoblast cells, C2C12. Underlying molecular mechanisms of β-catenin signaling during myogenic differentiation remain unknown. Using C2C12 cells, we examined intracellular signaling and gene transcription during myoblast proliferation and differentiation. We confirmed that several Wnt signaling components, including Wnt9a, Sfrp2 and porcupine, were consistently upregulated in differentiating C2C12 cells. Troponin T-positive myotubes were decreased by Wnt3a overexpression, but not Wnt4. TOP/FOP reporter assays revealed that co-expression with Wnt4 reduced Wnt3a-induced luciferase activity, suggesting that Wnt4 signaling counteracted Wnt3a signaling in myoblasts. FH535, a small-molecule inhibitor of β-catenin/Tcf complex formation, reduced basal β-catenin in cytoplasm and decreased myoblast proliferation. K252a, a protein kinase inhibitor, increased membrane-bound β-catenin and enhanced myoblast fusion. Treatments with K252a or Wnt4 resulted in increased cytoplasmic vesicles containing phosphorylated β-catenin (Tyr654) during myogenic differentiation. These results suggest that various Wnt ligands control subcellular β-catenin localization, which regulate myoblast proliferation and myotube formation. Wnt signaling via β-catenin likely acts as a molecular switch that regulates the transition from cell proliferation to myogenic differentiation.
2011-07-15 | GSE30077 | GEO
Project description:Wnt/β-catenin signaling is a highly organized biochemical cascade that triggers a gene expression program in the signal-receiving cell. The Wnt/β-catenin-driven transcriptional response is involved in virtually all cellular processes during development, homeostasis, and its deregulation causes human disease. However, outstanding questions remain unanswered. Here, we combined RNA sequencing with CUT&RUN-LoV-U against β-catenin to assess the correlation between β-catenin recruitment to target loci and its effect on target gene expression. To this end, we performed a bulk RNA sequencing analysis on human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) treated with the the GSK3 inhibitor/Wnt activator CHIR99021 (10 mM) for 3 days, and compared them to untreated hESCs. We then correlated the observed gene expression changes with β-catenin binding events identified from a separate experiment (see “Related Accession Number”). We observed that β-catenin binding is associated with both activation and repression of cell-specific gene expression programs, underscoring how Wnt/b-catenin drives complex cell behaviors.
2022-09-30 | E-MTAB-12075 | biostudies-arrayexpress