Project description:We report RNA-seq for rare 3 rare entities of sarcoma tumors (AFH, CCS and GI-CCS) expressing the EWSR1-CREB1 and EWSR1-ATF1 oncogenic fusion
Project description:Sarcoma is a rare form of tumor characterized by the presence of oncogenic fusion, that is often the only aberration identified. U133A Affymetrix arrays were used to identify the expression signature of 3 different types of sarcoma: AFH, CCS and GI-CCS harboring the EWSR1-CREB1 and EWSR1-ATF1 chromosomal translocation.
Project description:Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is characterized by EWSR1-ETS fusion transcription factors converting polymorphic GGAA microsatellites (mSats) into potent neo-enhancers. Although the paucity of additional mutations makes EwS a genuine model to study principles of cooperation between dominant fusion oncogenes and neo-enhancers, this is impeded by the limited number of well-characterized models. Here we present the Ewing Sarcoma Cell Line Atlas (ESCLA), comprising whole-genome, DNA methylation, transcriptome, proteome, and chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) data of 18 cell lines with inducible EWSR1-ETS knockdown. The ESCLA shows hundreds of EWSR1-ETS-targets, the nature of EWSR1-ETS-preferred GGAA mSats, and putative indirect modes of EWSR1-ETS-mediated gene regulation, converging in the duality of a specific but plastic EwS signature. We identify heterogeneously regulated EWSR1-ETS-targets as potential prognostic EwS biomarkers. Our freely available ESCLA (http://r2platform.com/escla/) is a rich resource for EwS research and highlights the power of comprehensive datasets to unravel principles of heterogeneous gene regulation by chimeric transcription factors.
Project description:Ewing sarcoma, a rare and aggressive pediatric cancer, is characterized by chromosomal translocations that give rise to chimeric transcription factors. The most frequent of these chromosomal translocations is the t(11;22) that produces the fusion of the EWSR1 and FLI1 genes to generate the chimeric transcription factor EWSR1::FLI1. EWSR1::FLI1 is the main oncogenic event in Ewing's sarcoma. Recently, it has been proposed that EWSR1::FLI1 levels may fluctuate in Ewing sarcoma cells, giving rise to two cell populations: cells expressing low levels of EWSR1::FLI1 are characterized by a more migratory and invasive phenotype, while cells expressing high levels of EWSR1::FLI1 are more proliferative. The identification and functional characterization of EWSR1::FLI1 gene targets is therefore relevant to understanding the pathobiology of Ewing sarcoma, which in turn could contribute to the identification of new therapeutic targets. Using this approach, we have observed that CD44, a transmembrane protein involved in cell adhesion and migration and associated with metastasis in various cancer types, is overexpressed in the EWSR1::FLI1-low phenotype. Our results suggest that CD44 may play a role in regulating cell migration in Ewing sarcoma cells and thus contribute to the spread of tumor cells.
Project description:To get insight in the functional role of EGR2 for Ewing sarcoma, we performed a transcriptional profiling of Ewing sarcoma cells after knockdown of EGR2 and compared the resulting transcriptional signature with that of EWSR1-FLI1-silenced Ewing sarcoma cells. In accordance with the strong EGR2-induction by EWSR1-FLI1, both genes highly significantly overlap in their transcriptional signatures. Gene-set enrichment analyses (GSEA) and DAVID (Database for Annotation, Visualisation and Integrated Discovery) gene ontology analyses indicated a strong impact of EGR2 on cholesterol and lipid biosynthesis resembling its function in orchestrating lipid metabolism of myelinating Schwann cells. A673 and SK-N-MC Ewing sarcoma cells were transfected with specific siRNAs directed against EGR2 or EWSR1-FLI1 or non-targeting control siRNA. 48 h thereafter RNA was harvested and processed for microarray analysis.
Project description:Ewing sarcomas harbor few mutations beyond the chromosomal translocation that initiates disease and the mechanistic basis for the metastasis of these tumors remains poorly understood. The epigenome of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cells reflects the regulatory state of genes associated with the DNA binding activity of the fusion oncoproteins EWSR1::FLI1 or EWSR1::ERG. In this study, we examined the repressive activities of the EWSR1::FLI1/ERG fusion oncoproteins. Focusing on one of the repressed EWSR1::FLI1/ERG target genes, ETS1, we detected EWSR1::FLI1 binding and a H3K27me3 repressive mark at this locus. Depletion of EWSR1::FLI1 results in ETS1’s binding of promoter regions, and we show ETS1 regulates the expression of multiple proteins that function in extracellular matrix organization including TENSIN3 (TSN3). Interestingly, TSN3 expression in EWS tumors significantly correlates with that of ETS1 (0.85, FDR <0.01). TNS3 is a focal adhesion protein that contributes to tumor cell migration by connecting the cytoplasmic tail of integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. EWS cell lines, in which we activated ETS1 expression (CRISPRa) exhibited increased TNS3 expression and a migratory phenotype. Critically, the activated ETS1 EWS cell lines show TNS3 accumulation at leading cell edges, with F-actin cytoskeletal reorganization, a phenotype associated with cell migration.
Project description:Ewing sarcomas harbor few mutations beyond the chromosomal translocation that initiates disease and the mechanistic basis for the metastasis of these tumors remains poorly understood. The epigenome of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cells reflects the regulatory state of genes associated with the DNA binding activity of the fusion oncoproteins EWSR1::FLI1 or EWSR1::ERG. In this study, we examined the repressive activities of the EWSR1::FLI1/ERG fusion oncoproteins. Focusing on one of the repressed EWSR1::FLI1/ERG target genes, ETS1, we detected EWSR1::FLI1 binding and a H3K27me3 repressive mark at this locus. Depletion of EWSR1::FLI1 results in ETS1’s binding of promoter regions, and we show ETS1 regulates the expression of multiple proteins that function in extracellular matrix organization including TENSIN3 (TSN3). Interestingly, TSN3 expression in EWS tumors significantly correlates with that of ETS1 (0.85, FDR <0.01). TNS3 is a focal adhesion protein that contributes to tumor cell migration by connecting the cytoplasmic tail of integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. EWS cell lines, in which we activated ETS1 expression (CRISPRa) exhibited increased TNS3 expression and a migratory phenotype. Critically, the activated ETS1 EWS cell lines show TNS3 accumulation at leading cell edges, with F-actin cytoskeletal reorganization, a phenotype associated with cell migration.
Project description:Ewing sarcomas harbor few mutations beyond the chromosomal translocation that initiates disease and the mechanistic basis for the metastasis of these tumors remains poorly understood. The epigenome of Ewing sarcoma (EWS) cells reflects the regulatory state of genes associated with the DNA binding activity of the fusion oncoproteins EWSR1::FLI1 or EWSR1::ERG. In this study, we examined the repressive activities of the EWSR1::FLI1/ERG fusion oncoproteins. Focusing on one of the repressed EWSR1::FLI1/ERG target genes, ETS1, we detected EWSR1::FLI1 binding and a H3K27me3 repressive mark at this locus. Depletion of EWSR1::FLI1 results in ETS1’s binding of promoter regions, and we show ETS1 regulates the expression of multiple proteins that function in extracellular matrix organization including TENSIN3 (TSN3). Interestingly, TSN3 expression in EWS tumors significantly correlates with that of ETS1 (0.85, FDR <0.01). TNS3 is a focal adhesion protein that contributes to tumor cell migration by connecting the cytoplasmic tail of integrins to the actin cytoskeleton. EWS cell lines, in which we activated ETS1 expression (CRISPRa) exhibited increased TNS3 expression and a migratory phenotype. Critically, the activated ETS1 EWS cell lines show TNS3 accumulation at leading cell edges, with F-actin cytoskeletal reorganization, a phenotype associated with cell migration.