CREBBP/EP300 Bromodomain Inhibition Affects the Proliferation of AR-Positive Breast Cancer Cell Lines.

Inhibitors that prevent the binding of bromodomains to acetylated histones hold therapeutic potential. However, the effects of targeting most of the 60 different bromodomains found in the human proteome remain unexplored. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanisms responsible for the antiproliferative properties of CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibition in ER-negative breast cancer cell lines. We show using genetic and chemical approaches that CREBBP/EP300 bromodomains are critical to support the proliferation of the triple-negative breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-453. Analysis of the transcriptional pathways affected by CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibitors reveals that the expression of genes associated with super-enhancers is downregulated, which in turn are occupied by very high levels of androgen receptor (AR) in MDA-MB-453 cells. Treatment of MDA-MB-453 with CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibitors downregulates the expression of an AR-dependent signature distinctive of breast cancer tumors that express AR and causes a decrease in H3K27ac levels at AR-binding sites. In accordance, in prostate cancer cell lines that express AR CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibitors downregulate the expression of genes bound by AR and associated with super-enhancers. In summary, we report that triple-negative breast cancer cell lines that express AR are particularly sensitive to CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibitors and consequently these inhibitors hold potential to treat this type of cancer. IMPLICATIONS: AR-dependent cancer cell lines are sensitive to CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibitors.

CREBBP/EP300 bromodomains are critical to sustain the GATA1/MYC regulatory axis in proliferation.

BACKGROUND: The reported antitumor activity of the BET family bromodomain inhibitors has prompted the development of inhibitors against other bromodomains. However, the human genome encodes more than 60 different bromodomains and most of them remain unexplored. RESULTS: We report that the bromodomains of the histone acetyltransferases CREBBP/EP300 are critical to sustain the proliferation of human leukemia and lymphoma cell lines. EP300 is very abundant at super-enhancers in K562 and is coincident with sites of GATA1 and MYC occupancy. In accordance, CREBBP/EP300 bromodomain inhibitors interfere with GATA1- and MYC-driven transcription, causing the accumulation of cells in the G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle. The CREBBP/CBP30 bromodomain inhibitor CBP30 displaces CREBBP and EP300 from GATA1 and MYC binding sites at enhancers, resulting in a decrease in the levels of histone acetylation at these regulatory regions and consequently reduced gene expression of critical genes controlled by these transcription factors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data shows that inhibition of CREBBP/EP300 bromodomains can interfere with oncogene-driven transcriptional programs in cancer cells and consequently hold therapeutic potential.

NSD2 contributes to oncogenic RAS-driven transcription in lung cancer cells through long-range epigenetic activation.

The histone methyltransferase NSD2/WHSC1/MMSET is overexpressed in a number of solid tumors but its contribution to the biology of these tumors is not well understood. Here, we describe that NSD2 contributes to the proliferation of a subset of lung cancer cell lines by supporting oncogenic RAS transcriptional responses. NSD2 knock down combined with MEK or BRD4 inhibitors causes co-operative inhibitory responses on cell growth. However, while MEK and BRD4 inhibitors converge in the downregulation of genes associated with cancer-acquired super-enhancers, NSD2 inhibition affects the expression of clusters of genes embedded in megabase-scale regions marked with H3K36me2 and that contribute to the RAS transcription program. Thus, combinatorial therapies using MEK or BRD4 inhibitors together with NSD2 inhibition are likely to be needed to ensure a more comprehensive inhibition of oncogenic RAS-driven transcription programs in lung cancers with NSD2 overexpression.

Induction of DNA double-strand breaks and cellular senescence by human respiratory syncytial virus.

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) accounts for the majority of lower respiratory tract infections during infancy and childhood and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. HRSV provokes a proliferation arrest and characteristic syncytia in cellular systems such as immortalized epithelial cells. We show here that HRSV induces the expression of DNA damage markers and proliferation arrest such as P-TP53, P-ATM, CDKN1A and γH2AFX in cultured cells secondary to the production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). The DNA damage foci contained γH2AFX and TP53BP1, indicative of double-strand breaks (DSBs) and could be reversed by antioxidant treatments such as N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) or reduced glutathione ethyl ester (GSHee). The damage observed is associated with the accumulation of senescent cells, displaying a canonical senescent phenotype in both mononuclear cells and syncytia. In addition, we show signs of DNA damage and aging such as γH2AFX and CDKN2A expression in the respiratory epithelia of infected mice long after viral clearance. Altogether, these results show that HRSV triggers a DNA damage-mediated cellular senescence program probably mediated by oxidative stress. The results also suggest that this program might contribute to the physiopathology of the infection, tissue remodeling and aging, and might be associated to long-term consequences of HRSV infections.

Thyroid hormone increases bulk histones expression by enhancing translational efficiency.

The expression of canonical histones is normally coupled to DNA synthesis during the S phase of the cell cycle. Replication-dependent histone mRNAs do not contain a poly(A) tail at their 3' terminus, but instead possess a stem-loop motif, the binding site for the stem-loop binding protein (SLBP), which regulates mRNA processing, stability, and relocation to polysomes. Here we show that the thyroid hormone can increase the levels of canonical histones independent of DNA replication. Incubation of mouse embryonic fibroblasts with T3 increases the total levels of histones, and expression of the thyroid hormone receptor ß induces a further increase. This is not restricted to mouse embryonic fibroblasts, because T3 also raises histone expression in other cell lines. T3 does not increase histone mRNA or SLBP levels, suggesting that T3 regulates histone expression by a posttranscriptional mechanism. Indeed, T3 enhanced translational efficiency, inducing relocation of histone mRNA to heavy polysomes. Increased translation was associated with augmented transcription of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4 γ2 (EIF4G2). T3 induced EIF4G2 protein and mRNA levels and the thyroid hormone receptor bound to the promoter region of the Eif4g2 gene. Induction of EIF4G2 was essential for T3-dependent histone induction, because depletion of this factor abolished histone increase. These results point out the importance of the thyroid hormones on the posttranscriptional regulation of histone biosynthesis in a cell cycle-independent manner and also suggest the potential regulation of eukaryotic translation by the modulation of the initiation factor EIF4G2, which also operates in the translation of canonical mRNAs.

The thyroid hormone receptor ß induces DNA damage and premature senescence.

There is increasing evidence that the thyroid hormone (TH) receptors (THRs) can play a role in aging, cancer and degenerative diseases. In this paper, we demonstrate that binding of TH T3 (triiodothyronine) to THRB induces senescence and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in cultured cells and in tissues of young hyperthyroid mice. T3 induces a rapid activation of ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated)/PRKAA (adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase) signal transduction and recruitment of the NRF1 (nuclear respiratory factor 1) and THRB to the promoters of genes with a key role on mitochondrial respiration. Increased respiration leads to production of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, which in turn causes oxidative stress and DNA double-strand breaks and triggers a DNA damage response that ultimately leads to premature senescence of susceptible cells. Our findings provide a mechanism for integrating metabolic effects of THs with the tumor suppressor activity of THRB, the effect of thyroidal status on longevity, and the occurrence of tissue damage in hyperthyroidism.

The growing role of gene methylation on endocrine function.

DNA methylation is the best studied epigenetic factor, playing a key role in producing stable changes in gene expression, thus defining cell identity and function and adapting cells to environmental changes. DNA methylation has also been recently shown to mediate cell responses to physiological endocrine signals. Moreover, alterations of the normal DNA methylation pattern can also contribute to the development of endocrine and metabolic diseases and can explain the relationship between an individual's genetic background, the environment, and disease. It should be remarked that although DNA methylation and demethylation are active processes, epigenetic changes produced during development can impact adult processes, establishing the idea that endocrine function can be persistently affected by events occurring in early life. Given the complexity of the endocrine system, both genetic and epigenetic processes, including DNA methylation, must be involved in its proper development and functioning. In this study, we summarize the recent knowledge in the field of DNA methylation and endocrinology. Given that DNA methylation can be involved in a number of endocrine and metabolic disorders, understanding and manipulating this modification opens a new door for preventing and treating endocrine diseases.

Thyroid receptor: roles in cancer.

The thyroid hormone receptors, encoded by the TRalpha and TRbeta genes, are ligand-dependent transcription factors that belong to the nuclear receptor superfamily. In addition to the role of these receptors in growth, development and metabolism, there is increasing evidence that they also inhibit transformation and act as tumor suppressors. Aberrant TR action, as well as receptor silencing, are common events in human cancer, and TRs also have an important role in tumor progression in experimental animal models, suggesting that these receptors constitute a novel therapeutic target in cancer. This review highlights recent studies on mechanisms by which loss of expression and/or function of these receptors results in a selective advantage for cellular transformation, tumor development and metastatic growth.