Project description: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, resulting in tumor progression, therapeutic failure and metastatic spread. Here we identify the transcription factor ONECUT2 (OC2) as a lineage plasticity regulator of breast cancer (BC) that suppresses the estrogen axis and promotes luminal to basal transition. OC2 is highly expressed in a substantial subset of hormone receptor negative human BC tumors and is associated with poor clinical outcome, lymph node metastasis and heightened clinical stage. 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.
Project description: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, resulting in tumor progression, therapeutic failure and metastatic spread. Here we identify the transcription factor ONECUT2 (OC2) as a lineage plasticity regulator of breast cancer (BC) that suppresses the estrogen axis and promotes luminal to basal transition. OC2 is highly expressed in a substantial subset of hormone receptor negative human BC tumors and is associated with poor clinical outcome, lymph node metastasis and heightened clinical stage. 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.
Project description: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.
Project description:Androgen receptor- (AR-) indifference is a mechanism of resistance to hormonal therapy in prostate cancer (PC). Here we demonstrate that ONECUT2 (OC2) activates resistance through multiple drivers associated with adenocarcinoma, stem-like and neuroendocrine (NE) variants. Direct OC2 gene targets include the glucocorticoid receptor (GR; NR3C1) and the NE splicing factor SRRM4, which are key drivers of lineage plasticity. Thus, OC2, despite its previously described NEPC driver function, can indirectly activate a portion of the AR cistrome through epigenetic activation of GR. Mechanisms by which OC2 regulates gene expression include promoter binding, enhancement of genome-wide chromatin accessibility, and super-enhancer reprogramming. Pharmacologic inhibition of OC2 suppresses lineage plasticity reprogramming induced by the AR signaling inhibitor enzalutamide. These results demonstrate that OC2 activation promotes a range of drug resistance mechanisms associated with treatment-emergent lineage variation in PC and support enhanced efforts to therapeutically target OC2 as a means of suppressing treatment-resistant disease.
Project description:Lineage plasticity plays an important role in the development of basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), an aggressive cancer subtype. Although studies suggest BLBC is likely to originate from luminal progenitor cells, it acquires substantial basal cell features and contains a heterogenous collection of cells exhibiting basal, luminal and bipotent phenotypes. Why luminal progenitors are prone to BLBC transformation and what drives luminal-to-basal/bipotent reprogramming remains unclear. Here we show that the transcription factor SOX9 acts as a determinant for ER– luminal stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs). SOX9 controls LSPC activity in part by activating both canonical and non-canonical NF-B signaling. Inactivation of p53 and Rb in a BLBC mouse tumor model leads to upregulation of SOX9, which drives luminal-to-bipotent reprogramming in vivo. SOX9 deletion inhibits the progression of benign, neoplastic lesions to invasive carcinoma. Furthermore, SOX9 is overexpressed and correlated with shorter relapse-free survival in human BLBC. These data show that ER– LSPC determinant SOX9 acts as a lineage-specific driver for BLBC transformation.
Project description:Lineage plasticity plays an important role in the development of basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), an aggressive cancer subtype. Although studies suggest BLBC is likely to originate from luminal progenitor cells, it acquires substantial basal cell features and contains a heterogenous collection of cells exhibiting basal, luminal and bipotent phenotypes. Why luminal progenitors are prone to BLBC transformation and what drives luminal-to-basal/bipotent reprogramming remains unclear. Here we show that the transcription factor SOX9 acts as a determinant for ER– luminal stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs). SOX9 controls LSPC activity in part by activating both canonical and non-canonical NF-KB signaling. Inactivation of p53 and Rb in a BLBC mouse tumor model leads to upregulation of SOX9, which drives luminal-to-bipotent reprogramming in vivo. SOX9 deletion inhibits the progression of benign, neoplastic lesions to invasive carcinoma. Furthermore, SOX9 is overexpressed and correlated with shorter relapse-free survival in human BLBC. These data show that ER– LSPC determinant SOX9 acts as a lineage-specific driver for BLBC transformation.
Project description:Lineage plasticity plays an important role in the development of basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), an aggressive cancer subtype. Although studies suggest BLBC is likely to originate from luminal progenitor cells, it acquires substantial basal cell features and contains a heterogenous collection of cells exhibiting basal, luminal and bipotent phenotypes. Why luminal progenitors are prone to BLBC transformation and what drives luminal-to-basal/bipotent reprogramming remains unclear. Here we show that the transcription factor SOX9 acts as a determinant for ER– luminal stem/progenitor cells (LSPCs). SOX9 controls LSPC activity in part by activating both canonical and non-canonical NF-B signaling. Inactivation of p53 and Rb in a BLBC mouse tumor model leads to upregulation of SOX9, which drives luminal-to-bipotent reprogramming in vivo. SOX9 deletion inhibits the progression of benign, neoplastic lesions to invasive carcinoma. Furthermore, SOX9 is overexpressed and correlated with shorter relapse-free survival in human BLBC. These data show that ER– LSPC determinant SOX9 acts as a lineage-specific driver for BLBC transformation.
Project description:Basal breast cancers, an aggressive breast cancer subtype that has poor treatment options, are thought to arise from luminal mammary epithelial cells that undergo basal-like plasticity through poorly understood mechanisms. Using genetic mouse models and ex vivo primary organoid cultures, we show that conditional co-deletion of the LATS1 and LATS2 kinases, key effectors of Hippo pathway signaling, in mature mammary luminal epithelial cells promotes the development of basal-like carcinomas that metastasize over time. Genetic co-deletion experiments revealed that phenotypes resulting from the loss of LATS1/2 activity are dependent on the transcriptional regulators YAP/TAZ. Notably, transcriptional analyses of LATS1/2-deleted mammary epithelial cells revealed a gene expression program that associates with human basal breast cancers. Our study demonstrates in vivo roles for the LATS1/2 kinases in mammary epithelial homeostasis and luminal-basal fate control and implicates signaling networks induced upon the loss of LATS1/2 activity in the development of basal breast cancers.