Project description:TGF-β signaling is known to be very much dependent on the formation of Smad2/3-Smad4 transcription regulatory complexes. However, the signaling functions of Smad2/3-Smad4 in TGF-β-induced responses are obscure as TGF-β also initiates a number of other signaling pathways. In this study, we systematically assessed the contribution of TGF-β-Smad2/3-Smad4 signaling to target gene transcription. Individual Smads were selectively knocked down in Hep3B cells by stable RNA interference (RNAi). We identified TGF-β-responsive genes using genome-wide oligonucleotide microarrays and confirmed their dependency on Smad2, Smad3 or Smad4 by the combination of RNAi and microarray assay. The major finding from our microarray analysis was that of the 2039 target genes seen to be regulated via TGF-β induction, 190 were differentially transcriptionally controlled by Smad2-Smad4 and Smad3-Smad4 signaling and the latter control mechanism appeared to be functionally more important. We also found evidence of competition between Smad2 and Smad3 for their activation when controlling the transcription of target genes. Keywords: cell type comparison
Project description:The tumor suppressive effects of TGF-β are classically associated with the activation of the “canonical” SMAD-mediated pathway, whereas its oncogenic effects are largely attributed to its “non-canonical signaling”. We herein provide evidence of an oncogenic effect for SMAD2 and 3 in response to TGF-β in SMAD4-null cancer cells. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 technology, we report that simultaneous knockout of Smad2 and 3 in Smad4-negative pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells compromises TGF-β-driven collective migration mediated by FAK and Rho/Rac signaling. Moreover, RNA-sequencing analyses highlight a TGF-β gene signature related to aggressiveness mediated by SMAD2 and 3 in the absence of SMAD4. Using PDAC patients cohorts, we reveal that SMAD4-negative tumors with high levels of (phospho)-SMAD2 are more aggressive and have a poorer prognosis. Thus, loss of SMAD4 tumor suppressive activity in PDAC is associated with oncogenic gain-of-function of SMAD2 and 3 and the onset of associated deleterious effects.
Project description:New findings demonstrate that transcriptional factors alternative to Smad4 can bind to Smad2/3 and mediate different transcriptional effects. In this study, we detected constitutively phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in Smad4-null pancreatic cancer cell line BxPC-3. Both pan-specific TGF-β-neutralizing antibody and specific TGF-β type I receptor (TβR-I) inhibitor, SB-431542, can decrease steady-state p-Smad2/3 levels. Moreover, exogenous TGF-β strongly stimulated translocation of phosphorylated Smad2/3 (p-Smad2/3) into the nucleus. Therefore, we identified TGF-β-responsive genes using genome-wide oligonucleotide microarrays and confirmed their dependency on Smad2/3 by the combination of RNA interference (RNAi) and microarray assay. The major finding from our microarray analysis was that of the 262 target genes seen to be regulated via TGF-β induction, 87 were differentially transcriptionally controlled by Smad2/3 signaling and 175 were Smad2/3-independent. Our results showed that integrin β6 was transcriptionally up-regulated via TGF-β induction in a Smad3-dependent manner, which was validated by real-time RT-PCR and western blot. We also provide evidence that αVβ6 integrin can activate TGF-β-Smad2/3 signaling. Thus, we for the first time suggest the positive feedback loop compose of TGF-β-Smad3 signaling and integrin β6. Functional analysis revealed that exogenous TGF-β can amplify the invasive property of Smad4-deficient pancreatic cancer cells; however, TGF-β-neutralizing antibody, specific TβR-I inhibitor, and anti-αVβ6 integrin antibody can reduce it. Therefore, integrin β6 mediated the invasion of BxPC-3 cells induced by TGF-β signaling. Keywords: cell type comparison
Project description:The vertebrate homologues of Drosophila dachsund, DACH1 and DACH2, have been implicated as important regulatory genes in development. DACH1 plays a role in retinal and pituitary precursor cell proliferation and DACH2 plays a specific role in myogenesis. DACH proteins contain a domain (DS-domain) that is conserved with the proto-oncogenes Ski and Sno. Since the Ski/Sno proto-oncogenes repress AP-1 and SMAD signaling, we hypothesized that DACH1 might play a similar cellular function. Herein, DACH1 was found to be expressed in breast cancer cell lines and to inhibit TGF-beta induced apoptosis. DACH1 repressed TGF-beta induction of AP-1 and Smad signaling in gene reporter assays and repressed endogenous TGF-beta responsive genes by microarray analyses. DACH1 bound to endogenous NCoR and Smad4 in cultured cells and DACH1 co-localized with NCoR in nuclear dot-like structures. NCoR enhanced DACH1 repression and the repression of TGF-beta-induced AP-1 or Smad-signaling by DACH1 required the DACH1 DS domain. The DS-domain of DACH was sufficient for NCoR-binding at a Smad4-binding site. Smad4 was required for DACH1 repression of Smad signaling. In Smad4 null HTB-134 cells, DACH1 inhibited the activation of SBE-4 reporter activity induced by Smad2 or Smad3 only in the presence of Smad4. DACH1 participates in the negative regulation of TGF-beta signaling by interacting with NCoR and Smad4.
Project description:Gene-specific transcription factors (GSTFs) control of gene transcription by DNA binding and specific protein complex recruitment, which regulates promoter accessibility for transcription initiation by RNA polymerase II. GSTFs that are frequently mutated in colon and rectal carcinomas are Suppressor of Mothers Against Decapentaplegic 2 (SMAD2) and SMAD4, which play an important role in the TGF-β signaling pathways controlling cell fate and proliferation (ref.). The SMAD protein family is a diverse and it can be divided into three subclasses: receptor activated SMADs, inhibitory SMADs and the common SMAD4 co-activator. To study protein interactors of the SMAD protein family we generated a quantitative proteomics pipeline that allows for inducible expression of GFP-tagged SMAD proteins followed by affinity purification and MS analysis. The nuclear importin IPO5 was identified as a novel interacting protein of SMAD1. Overexpression of IPO5 shows forced BMP R-SMAD nuclear localization confirming a functional relationship between BMP but not TGF-β R-SMADs and IPO5. Finally we provide evidence that the length of the lysine stretch in the NLS is involved in importin selection.
Project description:Smad2 and Smad3 (Smad2/3) primarily mediates the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling that drives cell proliferation, differentiation, and migration. The dynamics of the Smad2/3 phosphorylation provides the key mechanism for regulating the TGF-β signaling pathway. Here we identified NLK as a novel regulator of TGF-β signaling pathway via modulating the phosphorylation of Smad2/3 in the linker region.
Project description:SMAD4, a key mediator of TGF-beta signaling, plays a crucial role in T cells to prevent chronic intestinal inflammation through unknown mechanisms. We reveal that SMAD4 in CD8 T cells prevents chronic intestinal inflammation primarily in a TGF-beta-independent manner. Mechanistically, SMAD4, in CD8 T cells, acts as a basal and tonic repressor of TGF-beta-target genes at the transcriptional and epigenetic level, prior to any TGF-beta signal. SMAD4 deletion affects aberrantly a wide range of TGF-beta-target genes, thereby promoting accumulation and epithelial retention of CD8.alpha.beta T cells inversely to total TGF-beta signaling disruption. Moreover, SMAD4 deletion unleashes the expression of TGF-beta-signaling-repressors and hampers TGF-β-mediated CD8 T cell immunosuppression, eliciting their chronic activation. Hence, in a feedforward mechanism, SMAD4 both blocks the TGF-beta signature in CD8 T cells and pre-sensitizes them to TGF-beta.
Project description:SMAD4, a key mediator of TGF-beta signaling, plays a crucial role in T cells to prevent chronic intestinal inflammation through unknown mechanisms. We reveal that SMAD4 in CD8 T cells prevents chronic intestinal inflammation primarily in a TGF-beta-independent manner. Mechanistically, SMAD4, in CD8 T cells, acts as a basal and tonic repressor of TGF-beta-target genes at the transcriptional and epigenetic level, prior to any TGF-beta signal. SMAD4 deletion affects aberrantly a wide range of TGF-beta-target genes, thereby promoting accumulation and epithelial retention of CD8.alpha.beta T cells inversely to total TGF-beta signaling disruption. Moreover, SMAD4 deletion unleashes the expression of TGF-beta-signaling-repressors and hampers TGF-β-mediated CD8 T cell immunosuppression, eliciting their chronic activation. Hence, in a feedforward mechanism, SMAD4 both blocks the TGF-beta signature in CD8 T cells and pre-sensitizes them to TGF-beta.
Project description:Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) restrains cytotoxic immune response to maintain self-tolerance and to promote tumor immune evasion. Yet how SMAD4, a central transcription factor component of TGF-β signaling, regulates CD8+ T cell function remains unclear. Here we have demonstrated SMAD4 played a critical role in promoting CD8+ T cell activation and cytotoxic function. SMAD4-mediated transcriptional regulation of CD8+ T cell activation and cytotoxicity is regulated by T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway rather than TGF-β signaling pathway. We described a new mechanism that in TCR-mediated intracellular signal propagation, SMAD4 markedly translocated into the nucleus, upregulated genes that encoding TCR complex subunits and cytotoxic molecules in CD8+ T cells, reinforced the TCR-activation signals through a positive feedback loop. And in this signaling, SMAD4 is phosphorylated by ERK at Ser367 residue. Our study thus demonstrates an essential role of SMAD4 in promoting CD8+ T cell mediated cytotoxic immune responses.
Project description:Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) restrains cytotoxic immune response to maintain self-tolerance and to promote tumor immune evasion. Yet how SMAD4, a central transcription factor component of TGF-β signaling, regulates CD8+ T cell function remains unclear. Here we have demonstrated SMAD4 played a critical role in promoting CD8+ T cell activation and cytotoxic function. SMAD4-mediated transcriptional regulation of CD8+ T cell activation and cytotoxicity is regulated by T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling pathway rather than TGF-β signaling pathway. We described a new mechanism that in TCR-mediated intracellular signal propagation, SMAD4 markedly translocated into the nucleus, upregulated genes that encoding TCR complex subunits and cytotoxic molecules in CD8+ T cells, reinforced the TCR-activation signals through a positive feedback loop. And in this signaling, SMAD4 is phosphorylated by ERK at Ser367 residue. Our study thus demonstrates an essential role of SMAD4 in promoting CD8+ T cell mediated cytotoxic immune responses.