Loss of PRICKLE1 leads to abnormal endometrial epithelial architecture, decreased embryo implantation, and reduced fertility in mice.

Successful embryo implantation requires coordinated changes in the uterine luminal epithelium, including structural adaptations, apical-basal polarity shifts, intrauterine fluid resorption, and cellular communication. Planar cell polarity (PCP) proteins, essential for cell organization, are understudied in the context of uterine physiology and implantation. PRICKLE proteins, components of PCP, are suggested to play critical roles in epithelial polarization and tissue morphogenesis. However, their function in the polarized unicellular layer of endometrial epithelium, which supports embryo implantation, is unknown. We developed an endometrial epithelial-specific knockout (cKO) of mouse Prickle1 using Lactoferrin-iCre to investigate its's role in uterine physiology. Prickle1 ablation in the endometrial epithelium of mice resulted in decreased embryo implantation by gestational day 4.5 leading to lower fertility. Three-dimensional imaging of the uterus revealed abnormal luminal folding, impaired luminal closure, and altered glandular length in mutant uteri. Additionally, we observed decreased aquaporin-2 expression, disrupted cellular architecture, and altered E-Cadherin expression and localization in the mutant uterine epithelium. Evidence of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) was found within luminal epithelial cells, further linking PRICKLE1 loss to uterine pathologies. Furthermore, altered polarity of cell division leading to incomplete cytokinesis and increase in binuclear or multinucleated cells suggests a crucial role for PRICKLE1 in the maintenance of epithelial architecture. Our findings highlight PRICKLE1's critical role in the PCP pathway within the uterus, revealing its importance in the molecular and cellular responses essential for successful pregnancy and fertility. Significance Statement: Conservative cell division is essential to maintain apical-basal polarity and proper epithelial function in the uterus. Wnt/ Planar cell polarity signaling molecules are hypothesized to provide the spatial cues to organize unicellular, 2-dimensional sheet of epithelium in a plane orthogonal to the apical-basal polarity. Conditional ablation of Prickle1 , a crucial Wnt/ PCP gene, in mouse uterine epithelium results in aberrant expression of epithelial cadherin, altered plane of cell division, incomplete cytokinesis leading to binucleated/ multinucleated cells, epithelial - mesenchymal transition, and defective implantation. Role of Prickle1 in maintaining symmetric uterine epithelial cell division and tissue architecture is unique among Wnt/PCP genes, including previously described mouse models for Vangl2, Ror2, and Wnt5a . Classification: Biological Sciences (Major) Cell Biology (Minor), Physiology (Minor).

Development of allosteric and selective CDK2 inhibitors for contraception with negative cooperativity to cyclin binding.

Compared to most ATP-site kinase inhibitors, small molecules that target an allosteric pocket have the potential for improved selectivity due to the often observed lower structural similarity at these distal sites. Despite their promise, relatively few examples of structurally confirmed, high-affinity allosteric kinase inhibitors exist. Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a target for many therapeutic indications, including non-hormonal contraception. However, an inhibitor against this kinase with exquisite selectivity has not reached the market because of the structural similarity between CDKs. In this paper, we describe the development and mechanism of action of type III inhibitors that bind CDK2 with nanomolar affinity. Notably, these anthranilic acid inhibitors exhibit a strong negative cooperative relationship with cyclin binding, which remains an underexplored mechanism for CDK2 inhibition. Furthermore, the binding profile of these compounds in both biophysical and cellular assays demonstrate the promise of this series for further development into a therapeutic selective for CDK2 over highly similar kinases like CDK1. The potential of these inhibitors as contraceptive agents is seen by incubation with spermatocyte chromosome spreads from mouse testicular explants, where they recapitulate Cdk2-/- and Spdya-/- phenotypes.

Loss of the repressor REST affects progesterone receptor function and promotes uterine leiomyoma pathogenesis.

Uterine leiomyomas (UL) are benign tumors that arise in the myometrial layer of the uterus. The standard treatment option for UL is hysterectomy, although hormonal therapies, such as selective progesterone receptor modulators, are often used as temporary treatment options to reduce symptoms or to slow the growth of tumors. However, since the pathogenesis of UL is poorly understood and most hormonal therapies are not based on UL-specific, divergent hormone signaling pathways, hallmarks that predict long-term efficacy and safety of pharmacotherapies remain largely undefined. In a previous study, we reported that aberrant expression of repressor element 1 silencing transcription factor/neuron-restrictive silencing factor (REST/NRSF) target genes activate UL growth due to the near ubiquitous loss of REST. Here, we show that ablation of the Rest gene in mouse uterus leads to UL phenotype and gene-expression patterns analogous to UL, including altered estrogen and progesterone signaling pathways. We demonstrate that many of the genes dysregulated in UL harbor cis-regulatory elements bound by REST and progesterone receptor (PGR) adjacent to each other. Crucially, we identify an interaction between REST and PGR in healthy myometrium and present a putative mechanism for the dysregulation of progesterone-responsive genes in UL ensuing in the loss of REST. Using three Rest conditional knockout mouse lines, we provide a comprehensive picture of the impact loss of REST has in UL pathogenesis and in altering the response of UL to steroid hormones.

Loss of REST in breast cancer promotes tumor progression through estrogen sensitization, MMP24 and CEMIP overexpression.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women, and is both pathologically and genetically heterogeneous, making early detection and treatment difficult. A subset of breast cancers express normal levels of REST (repressor element 1 silencing transcription factor) mRNA but lack functional REST protein. Loss of REST function is seen in ~ 20% of breast cancers and is associated with a more aggressive phenotype and poor prognosis. Despite the frequent loss of REST, little is known about the role of REST in the molecular pathogenesis of breast cancer. METHODS: TCGA data was analyzed for the expression of REST target genes in breast cancer patient samples. We then utilized gene knockdown in MCF-7 cells in the presence or absence of steroid hormones estrogen and/ progesterone followed by RNA sequencing, as well as chromatin immunoprecipitation and PCR in an attempt to understand the tumor suppressor role of REST in breast cancer. RESULTS: We show that REST directly regulates CEMIP (cell migration-inducing and hyaluronan-binding protein, KIAA1199) and MMP24 (matrix metallopeptidase 24), genes known to have roles in invasion and metastasis. REST knockdown in breast cancer cells leads to significant upregulation of CEMIP and MMP24. In addition, we found REST binds to RE-1 sites (repressor element-1) within the genes and influences their transcription. Furthermore, we found that the estrogen receptor (ESR1) signaling pathway is activated in the absence of REST, regardless of hormone treatment. CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrate a critical role for the loss of REST in aggressive breast cancer pathogenesis and provide evidence for REST as an important diagnostic marker for personalized treatment plans.