This SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Wnt signaling potentiates nevogenesis.
Specimen part, Cell line
View SamplesThis SuperSeries is composed of the SubSeries listed below.
Placing the HIRA histone chaperone complex in the chromatin landscape.
Specimen part
View SamplesMutations in both RAS and the PTEN/PIK3CA/AKT signaling module are found in the same human tumors. PIK3CA and AKT are downstream effectors of RAS, and the selective advantage conferred by mutation of two genes in the same pathway is unclear. Based on a comparative molecular analysis, we show that activated PIK3CA/AKT is a weaker inducer of senescence than is activated RAS. More-over, concurrent activation of RAS and PIK3CA/AKT impairs RAS-induced senescence.
Activation of the PIK3CA/AKT pathway suppresses senescence induced by an activated RAS oncogene to promote tumorigenesis.
Cell line
View SamplesCellular senescence is a stable proliferation arrest associated with an altered secretory pathway, the Senescence-Associated Secretory Phenotype (SASP). However, cellular senescence is initiated by diverse molecular triggers, such as activated oncogenes and shortened telomeres, and is associated with varied and complex physiological endpoints, such as tumor suppression and tissue aging. The extent to which distinct triggers activate divergent modes of senescence that might be associated with different physiological endpoints is largely unknown. To begin to address this, we performed gene expression profiling to compare the senescence programs associated with two different modes of senescence, oncogene-induced senescence (OIS) and replicative senescence (RS [in part caused by shortened telomeres]). While both OIS and RS are associated with many common changes in gene expression compared to control proliferating cells, they also exhibit substantial differences. These results are discussed in light of potential physiological consequences, tumor suppression and aging.
A comparison of oncogene-induced senescence and replicative senescence: implications for tumor suppression and aging.
Cell line
View SamplesThe mammalian HIRA/UBN1/ASF1a complex is a histone chaperone complex that is conserved from yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) to humans. This complex preferentially deposits the histone variant H3.3 into chromatin in a DNA replication-independent manner and is implicated in diverse chromatin regu- latory events from gene activation to heterochromatinization. In yeast, the orthologous complex consists of three Hir proteins (Hir1p, Hir2p, and Hir3p), Hpc2p, and Asf1p. Yeast Hir3p has weak homology to CABIN1, a fourth member of the human complex, suggesting that Hir3p and CABIN1 may be orthologs. Here we show that HIRA and CABIN1 interact at ectopic and endogenous levels of expression in cells, and we isolate the quaternary HIRA/UBN1/CABIN1/ASF1a (HUCA) complex, assembled from recombinant proteins. Mutational analyses support the view that HIRA acts as a scaffold to bring together UBN1, ASF1a, and CABIN1 into a quaternary complex. We show that, like HIRA, UBN1, and ASF1a, CABIN1 is involved in heterochromatinization of the genome of senescent human cells. Moreover, in proliferating cells, HIRA and CABIN1 regulate overlapping sets of genes, and these genes are enriched in the histone variant H3.3. In sum, these data demonstrate that CABIN1 is a functional member of the human HUCA complex and so is the likely ortholog of yeast Hir3p.
Human CABIN1 is a functional member of the human HIRA/UBN1/ASF1a histone H3.3 chaperone complex.
Specimen part
View SamplesMelanocytes within benign human nevi are the paradigm for tumor suppressive senescent cells in a pre-malignant neoplasm. These cells typically contain mutations in either the BRAF or N-RAS oncogene and express markers of senescence, including p16. However, a nevus can contain 10s to 100s of thousands of clonal melanocytes and approximately 20-30% of melanoma are thought to arise in association with a pre-existing nevus. Neither observation is indicative of fail-safe senescence-associated proliferation arrest and tumor suppression. We set out to better understand the status of nevus melanocytes. Proliferation-promoting Wnt target genes, such as cyclin D1 and c-myc, were repressed in oncogene-induced senescent melanocytes in vitro, and repression of Wnt signaling in these cells induced a senescent-like state. In contrast, cyclin D1 and c-myc were expressed in many melanocytes of human benign nevi. Specifically, activated Wnt signalling in nevi correlated inversely with nevus maturation, an established dermatopathological correlate of clinical benignancy. Single cell analyses of lone epidermal melanocytes and nevus melanocytes showed that expression of proliferation-promoting Wnt targets correlates with prior proliferative expansion of p16-expressing nevus melanocytes. In a mouse model, activation of Wnt signaling delayed, but did not bypass, senescence of oncogene-expressing melanocytes, leading to massive accumulation of proliferation-arrested, p16-positive non-malignant melanocytes. We conclude that clonal hyperproliferation of oncogene-expressing melanocytes to form a nevus is facilitated by transient delay of senescence due to activated Wnt signaling. The observation that activation of Wnt signaling correlates inversely with nevus maturation, an indicator of clinical benignancy, supports the notion that persistent destabilization of senescence by Wnt signaling contributes to the malignant potential of nevi.
Wnt signaling potentiates nevogenesis.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe HIRA chaperone complex, comprised of HIRA, UBN1 and CABIN1, collaborates with histone-binding protein ASF1a to incorporate histone variant H3.3 into chromatin in a DNA replication-independent manner. To better understand its function and mechanism, we integrated HIRA, UBN1, ASF1a and histone H3.3 ChIP-seq and gene expression analyses. Most HIRA-binding sites co-localize with UBN1, ASF1a and H3.3 at active promoters and active and weak/poised enhancers. At promoters, binding of HIRA/UBN1/ASF1a correlates with the level of gene expression. HIRA is required for deposition of histone H3.3 at its binding sites. There are marked differences in nucleosome and co-regulator composition at different classes of HIRA-bound regulatory site. Underscoring this, we report novel physical interactions between the HIRA complex and transcription factors, a chromatin insulator and an ATP-dependent chromatin-remodelling complex. Our results map the distribution of the HIRA chaperone across the chromatin landscape and point to different interacting partners at functionally distinct regulatory sites.
Placing the HIRA histone chaperone complex in the chromatin landscape.
Specimen part
View SamplesThe TP53 transcription factor is frequently mutated at later stages of epithelial cancers, indicating a possible role in their invasion and metastasis. Importantly, in most cases rather than a simple loss of function p53 mutation, point mutations of p53 accumulate at the protein level and may have dominant negative functions. This study analyses gene expression differences between mice harbouring p53 mutation who do and do not develop metastasis.
Targeting the LOX/hypoxia axis reverses many of the features that make pancreatic cancer deadly: inhibition of LOX abrogates metastasis and enhances drug efficacy.
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View SamplesEffects of SPRY2 deficiency in gene expression of CWR22Res prostate cancer cells.
No associated publication
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View SamplesRecent studies have suggested increased plasticity of differentiated cells within the intestine to act both as intestinal stem cells and tumour initiating cells. However, little is known of the processes that regulate this plasticity. Our previous work has shown that activating mutations of Kras or the NF-kB pathway can drive dedifferentiation of intestinal cells lacking Apc.
TGFβ pathway limits dedifferentiation following WNT and MAPK pathway activation to suppress intestinal tumourigenesis.
Specimen part
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