RESUMO
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have emerged as important regulators of invertebrate adult stem cells, but their activities remain poorly appreciated in mammals. Using a short hairpin RNA strategy, we demonstrate here that the 2 mammalian RBPs, PUMILIO (PUM)1 and PUM2, members of the PUF family of posttranscriptional regulators, are essential for hematopoietic stem/progenitor cell (HSPC) proliferation and survival in vitro and in vivo upon reconstitution assays. Moreover, we found that PUM1/2 sustain myeloid leukemic cell growth. Through a proteomic approach, we identified the FOXP1 transcription factor as a new target of PUM1/2. Contrary to its canonical repressive activity, PUM1/2 rather promote FOXP1 expression by a direct binding to 2 canonical PUM responsive elements present in the FOXP1-3' untranslated region (UTR). Expression of FOXP1 strongly correlates with PUM1 and PUM2 levels in primary HSPCs and myeloid leukemia cells. We demonstrate that FOXP1 by itself supports HSPC and leukemic cell growth, thus mimicking PUM activities. Mechanistically, FOXP1 represses the expression of the p21-CIP1 and p27-KIP1 cell cycle inhibitors. Enforced FOXP1 expression reverses shPUM antiproliferative and proapoptotic activities. Altogether, our results reveal a novel regulatory pathway, underscoring a previously unknown and interconnected key role of PUM1/2 and FOXP1 in regulating normal HSPC and leukemic cell growth.
Assuntos
Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Hematopoéticas/metabolismo , Leucemia Mieloide/metabolismo , Proteínas de Neoplasias/metabolismo , Células-Tronco Neoplásicas/metabolismo , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/metabolismo , Proteínas Repressoras/metabolismo , Transdução de Sinais , Animais , Proliferação de Células , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p21/genética , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p21/metabolismo , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p27/genética , Inibidor de Quinase Dependente de Ciclina p27/metabolismo , Fatores de Transcrição Forkhead/genética , Humanos , Leucemia Mieloide/genética , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos NOD , Camundongos Knockout , Camundongos SCID , Proteínas de Neoplasias/genética , Proteínas de Ligação a RNA/genética , Proteínas Repressoras/genéticaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Expansion of hematopoietic stem cells represents an important objective for improving cell and gene therapy protocols. Retroviral transduction of the HoxB4 homeogene in mouse and human hematopoietic stem cells and hematopoietic progenitors is known to promote the cells' expansion. A safer approach consists in transferring homeobox proteins into hematopoietic stem cells taking advantage of the natural ability of homeoproteins to cross cell membranes. Thus, HOXB4 protein transfer is operative for expanding human hematopoietic cells, but such expansion needs to be improved. DESIGN AND METHODS: To that aim, we evaluated the effects of HOXC4, a protein encoded by a HOXB4 paralog gene, by co-culturing HOXC4-producing stromal cells with human CD34(+) hematopoietic cells. Numbers of progenitors and stem cells were assessed by in vitro cloning assays and injection into immuno-deficient mice, respectively. We also looked for activation or inhibition of target downstream gene expression. RESULTS: We show that the HOXC4 homeoprotein expands human hematopoietic immature cells by 3 to 6 times ex vivo and significantly improves the level of in vivo engraftment. Comparative transcriptome analysis of CD34(+) cells subjected or not to HOXB4 or HOXC4 demonstrated that both homeoproteins regulate the same set of genes, some of which encode key hematopoietic factors and signaling molecules. Certain molecules identified herein are factors reported to be involved in stem cell fate or expansion in other models, such as MEF2C, EZH2, DBF4, DHX9, YPEL5 and Pumilio. CONCLUSIONS: The present study may help to identify new HOX downstream key factors potentially involved in hematopoietic stem cell expansion or in leukemogenesis.