Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2010. / Härtill 2 uppsatser.

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2008. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 96-110.

The development of methods and techniques is the driving force of scientific research. In this work, we described two large-scale screens in studying transcriptional activation and tumor suppression. In Part I, we studied transcriptional activation mechanisms by deriving and characterizing activation defective mutants. Promoter-specific transcriptional activators stimulate transcription through direct interactions with one or more components of the transcription machinery, termed the “target.” The identification of direct in vivo targets of activators has been a major challenge. We perform a large-scale genetic screen to derive and characterize tra1 alleles that are selectively defective for interaction with Gal4 in vivo. Utilizing these mutants, we demonstrated that Tra is an essential target for Gal4 activation, Gal4 and Tra1 bind cooperatively at the promoter and the Gal4–Tra1 interaction occurs predominantly on the promoter. In addition, we demonstrated that the Gal4-interaction site on Tra1 is highly selective. In Part II, we described a functional genomics approach to discover new tumor suppressor genes. A goal of contemporary cancer research is to identify the genes responsible for neoplastic transformation. Cells that are immortalized but non-tumorigenic were stably transduced with pools of short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and tested for their ability to form tumors in mice. ShRNAs in any resulting tumors were identified by sequencing to reveal candidate TSGs, which were then validated both experimentally and clinically by analysis of human tumor samples. Using this approach, we identified and validated 33 candidate TSGs. We found that most candidate TSGs were down-regulated in >70% of human lung squamous cell carcinoma (hLSCC) samples, and 17 candidate TSGs negatively regulate FGFR signalling pathway, and their ectopic expression inhibited growth of hLSCC xenografts. Furthermore, we suggest that by examining at the expression level of TSGs in lung cancer patients, we can predict their drug responsiveness to FGFR inhibitors. In conclusion, we have identified many new lung squamous cell cancer TSGs, using an experimental strategy that can be broadly applied to find TSGs in other tumor types.

The dissemination of tumor cells to distant organs i.e. metastasis is an exceedingly complex process leading to 90% of all cancer deaths. Despite being so clinically important, little is known about this process that requires tumor cells to leave the primary tumor site, intravasate and transport through the blood stream, extravasate and colonize at secondary sites leading to distant metastases. Survivin, a member of the IAP (Inhibitor of Apoptosis) family with known functions in apoptosis and mitosis, is highly expressed in aggressive tumors and is associated with poor prognosis and adverse clinical outcome. But the mechanistic role of survivin in metastatic dissemination has not been investigated. In this study, we demonstrate an important and novel role of survivin in activating a broad gene expression program in tumor cells. Of particular importance is the upregulation of a distinct class of cell adhesion molecules, particularly fibronectin. This IAP mediated gene regulation requires synergistic intermolecular cooperation between survivin and its related cofactor molecule, XIAP that results in activation of NF-κB dependent fibronectin gene expression. The binding of fibronectin with its cognate cell surface receptors initiates outside–in signaling leading to the autocrine and paracrine activation of cell motility kinases, FAK and Src, in turn leading to enhanced tumor invasion and metastasis. The importance of survivin and XIAP in the process of metastasis has also been demonstrated in vivousing intrasplenic injections in mouse models. Overall this study is the first to place survivin upstream of transcriptional activation of gene expression particularly fibronectin. In addition, it also demonstrates the importance of survivin-XIAP complex in mediating NF-κB activation which in turn switches on the expression of various target genes involved in tumor metastasis. Hence this study dissects the upstream and downstream requirements of survivin- XIAP complex mediated tumor dissemination and metastasis. Significance of this Study The hallmark of end-stage cancer is metastasis, an incurable condition almost invariably associated with death from disease. Despite a better understanding of the metastatic process, and the identification of key gene expression requirements of this pathway, the development of anti-metastatic therapies has lagged behind, with no viable options being currently offered in the clinical setting. Our findings that Inhibitor of Apoptosis (IAP) proteins functions as metastasis-promoting genes independently of cell survival, but through activation of cell motility could have important ramifications for the broader application of IAP antagonists currently in early clinical trials, as novel anti-metastatic therapies.

No description available.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2007. / Title from first page of PDF file (viewed on June 24, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Alabama at Birmingham, 2008. / Title from PDF title page (viewed on Sept. 17, 2009). Includes bibliographical references.

Orientador: Michel Georges Albert Vincentz / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Biologia / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-09T01:42:08Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silveira_AmandaBortolini_M.pdf: 20873886 bytes, checksum: 0c34c8a141f7bb11f8f3176ba7a976e0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007 / Resumo: O crescimento e o desenvolvimento dos organismos são baseados na capacidade celular de expressão gênica diferencial que resulta, principalmente, do controle da taxa de iniciação da transcrição por fatores reguladores de transcrição (FTs). FTs do tipo Basic Leucine QQjJer(bZIP) fQram descritos em todos os eucariotos. Seu domínio conservado é constituído de uma região de ligação ao DNA rica em aminoácidos básicos, flanqueada a um zíper de leucinas responsável pela dimerização. Em angiospermas, os bZIPs são reguladores importantes de processos específicos como fotomorfogênese, desenvolvimento de órgãos, elongação celular, controle do balanço de carbono/nitrogênio, mecanismos de defesa, via de sinalização de hormônios e sacarose, controle osmótico e florescimento. Mostramos que os genomas de Arabidopsis thaliana e Orysa sativa codificam para um conjunto completo e não redundante de 76 e 113 fatores bZIP respectivamente, que foram organizados em 11 grupos de proteínas evolutivamente relacionadas e 33 Possíveis Grupos de Genes Ortólogos (PoGO) de mono e eudicotiledôneas, o que deve permitir racionalizar o processo de caracterização funcional destes fatores em angiospermas. O Grupo C, que inclui genes homólogos ao lócus de regulação Opaco-2 (02) de milho, está organizado em três PoGOS, que possivelmente desempenham três funções ancestrais de angiospermas. Em Arabidopsis estas três possíveis funções ancestrais estão representadas por quatro genes (bZIP' 02 !1omologous, Bzo2h), Bzo2h3/AtbZIP63 (PoGO C1), Bzo2h1/AtbZIP10 e Bzo2h4/ AtbZIP25 (PoGO C2) e Bzo2h2/AtbZIP9 (PoGO C3). Visando um melhor conhecimento sobre a evolução das funções dos fatores bZIP de angiospermas do Grupo C, iniciamos a caracterização funcional de~tes quatro reguladores, focando principalmente em AtbZIP9, um gene único representativo de uma função ancestral de angiospermas e cujo papel ainda é desconhecido. Notamos que a expressão de AtbZIP9 é restrita as células do floema e regulada por glicose, ácido abscísico e citocinina, sugerindo que este gene integra as vias de sinalização destes sinais metabólicos e hormonais no floema. Abordagens de genética reversa como RNAi, knockout e superexpressão não permitiram elucidar de maneira clara a atuação de AtbZIP9 no ciclo de vida de Arabidopsis, indicando que mecanismos de regulação pós-transcricional e/ou redundância genética atuam sobre este gene. Visando dar continuidade e ampliar o estudo funcional de AtbZIP9, foram obtidas linhagens transgênicas de Arabidopsis expressando versões modificadas deste gene que codificam para proteínas ativadoras constitutivas fortes da transcrição. Estas novas versões de AtbZIP9 são teoricamente capazes de ativar de maneira constitutiva a expressão dos genes alvos de AtbZIP9, contornando assim, as dificuldades decorrentes da análise de famílias gênicas que apresentam redundância funcional. Quando comparados a plantas selvagens, transformantes primários para ativadores constitutivos fortes apresentaram diversas alterações de morfologia foliar, além de mudanças metabólicas e fisiológicas como acúmulo de compostos fenólicos em folhas, sintomas de morte celular e senescência. A análise destes transformantes ainda sugere uma possível participação de AtbZIP9 no controle do desenvolvimento do sistema vascular de raízes e folhas. Suspeitamos que as alterações de morfologia foliar e fisiologia observadas possivelmente representem conseqüências de mudanças nas propriedades funcionais de transporte do floema, decorrentes de defeitos no processo de diferenciação e organização das células do cilindro vascular / Abstract: Transcriptional regulatory factors (TFs) play an important role in controlling growth and development of ali organisms. bZIPs TFs have been described in ali eukaryotes and are characterized by a basic aminoacid rich DNA binding domain and a leucine zipper, responsible for dimerization. bZIPs have been reported to act in several different plantspecific processes such as organ development, cell elongation, defense mechanism, hormones and sucrose signalization, light response, control of nitrogen/carbon balance, osmotic control and flowering. We showed that Arabidopsis thaliana and Orysa sativa genomes encode a complete and non-redundant set of 76 and 113 bZIP transcription factors, respectively, which were divided into 11 unique groups of homologous genes. More detailed phylogenetic analysis led to the identification of 33 Possible Groups of Monocot and Eudicot Orthologous Genes (PoGO), which allows rationalizing functional studies in angiosperms. Group C, which includes genes homologous to the maize Opaque-2 locus, is formed by three PoGOs, suggesting that this group represents three ancestral functions among angiosperms. In Arabidopsis these three possible ancestral functions may be represented by the bZIP Qpaque-2. homologous genes (Bzo2h), Bzo2h3/AtbZIP63 (PoGO C1), Bzo2h1/AtbZIP10 and Bzo2h4/AtbZIP25 (PoGO C2) and Bzo2h2/AtbZIP9 (PoGO C3). To get insight into the evolution pattern and function of Group C members, we have iniciated the functional characterization of the Bzo2h genes concentrating initially on AtbZIP9, a unique gene that represents an ancestral function and for which no functional informational is available. We showed that AtbZIP9 expression is restricted to phloem cells and regulated by glucose, abscisic acid and cytokinin, suggesting that this gene is an element of the signalization pathways of these metabolic and hormonal signals in the phloem. Reverse genetic approaches such as RNAi, knockout and superexpression failed to reveal the biological function of AtbZIP9 in Arabidopsis life cycle and suggested that post-transcriptional regulation and/or functional redundancy may act on AtbZIP9. In order to improve our Rnowledge on AtbZIP9 function, Arabidopsis transgenic lines expressing constitutive transcriptional activator versions of AtbZIP9 were obtained. Since such modified versions of AtbZIP9 are theoretically able to promote the superexpression of AtbZIP9 target genes, this strategy should be independent of functional redundancy. When compared to wild type plants, primary transformants for constitutive transcriptional activator versions of AtbZIP9 showed alterations of leaf morphology, as well as metabolic and physiologic modifications, such as phenolic compound accumulation in leaves, cell death and senescence symptoms. Analyses of this transformants also suggest that AtbZIP9 is possibly involved in the control of leaf and root vascular system development. We suspect that the alteration of leaf morphology and physiology observed in primary transformants possibly reflects consequences of changes in phloem transport functional properties, due to defects in vascular cylinder cell differentiation and organization / Mestrado / Genetica Vegetal e Melhoramento / Mestre em Genética e Biologia Molecular

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), one of the most aggressive human malignancies, is thought to be initiated by KRAS activation. Here, we find that transcriptional activation mediated by the GLI family of transcription factors, although dispensable for pancreatic development, is required for KRAS induced pancreatic transformation. Inhibition of GLI using a dominant-negative repressor (Gli3T) inhibits formation of precursor Pancreatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in mice, and significantly extends survival in a mouse model of PDAC. Further, ectopic activation of the GLI1/2 transcription factors in mouse pancreas accelerates KRAS driven tumor formation and reduces survival, underscoring the importance of GLI transcription factors in pancreatic tumorigenesis. Interestingly, we find that although canonical GLI activity is regulated by the Hedgehog ligands, in the context of PDAC, GLI transcription factors initiate a unique ligand-independent transcriptional program downstream of KRAS, that involves regulation of the RAS, PI3K/AKT, and NF-кB pathways. We identify I-kappa-B kinase epsilon (IKBKE) as a PDAC specific target of GLI, that can also regulate GLI transcriptional activity via positive feedback mechanism involving regulation of GLI subcellular localization. Using human PDAC cells, and an in vivo model of pancreatic neoplasia, we establish IKBKE as a novel regulator pf pancreatic tumorigenesis that acts as an effector of KRAS/GLI, and mediates pancreatic transformation. We show that genetic knockout of Ikbke leads to a dramatic inhibition of initiation and progression of pancreatic intraepithelial viii neoplasia (PanIN) lesions in mice carrying pancreas specific activation of oncogenic Kras. Furthermore, we find that although IKBKE is a known NF-кB activator, it only modestly regulates NF-кB activity in PDAC. Instead, we find that IKBKE strongly promotes AKT phosphorylation in PDAC in vitro and in vivo, and that IKBKE mediates reactivation of AKT post-inhibition of mTOR. We also show that while mTOR inhibition alone does not significantly affect pancreatic tumorigenesis, combined inhibition of IKBKE and mTOR has a synergistic effect leading to significant decrease tumorigenicity of PDAC cells. Together, our findings identify GLI/IKBKE signaling as an important oncogenic effector pathway of KRAS in PDAC that regulates tumorigenicity, cell proliferation, and apoptosis via regulation of AKT and NF-кB signaling. We provide proof of concept for therapeutic targeting of GLI/IKBKE in PDAC, and support the evaluation of IKBKE as a therapeutic target in treatment of pancreatic cancer, and IKBKE inhibition as a strategy to improve efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in the clinic.

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers and failure to manage localized disease contributes to the majority of deaths. Radiation therapy (RT) is a common treatment for localized prostate cancer and uses ionizing radiation (IR) to damage DNA. Although RT is potentially curative, tumors often recur and progress to terminal disease. The cellular response to RT is multidimensional. For example, cells respond to a single dose of IR by activating the DNA damage response (DDR) to repair the DNA. Targeting proteins involved in the DDR is an effective clinical strategy to sensitize cancer cells to RT. However, multiple radiation treatments, as in fractionated ionizing radiation (FIR), can promote neuroendocrine differentiation (NED). FIR-induced NED is an emerging resistance mechanism to RT and tumors that undergo NED are highly aggressive and remain incurable.<br><br> Currently, the only clinical approach that improves RT for prostate cancer treatment is androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). ADT blocks androgen receptor (AR) signaling which inhibits the repair of DNA damage. In 2017, my lab reported that targeting Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) blocks AR protein expression. Therefore, targeting PRMT5 may also sensitize prostate cancer cells to RT via a novel mechanism of action.<br><br> This dissertation focuses on the role of PRMT5 in the cellular response to IR and the goal of my work is to validate PRMT5 as a therapeutic target to enhance RT for prostate cancer treatment. I demonstrate that PRMT5 has several roles in the cellular response to IR. Upon a single dose of IR, PRMT5 cooperates with pICln to function as a master epigenetic activator of DDR genes and efficiently repair IR-induced DNA damage. There is an assumption in the field that the methyltransferase activity and epigenetic function of PRMT5 is dependent on the cofactor MEP50. I demonstrate that PRMT5 can function independently of MEP50 and identify pICln as a novel epigenetic cofactor of PRMT5. During FIR, PRMT5, along with both cofactors MEP50 and pICln, are essential for initiation of NED, maintenance of NED, and cell survival. Targeting PRMT5 also sensitizes prostate cancer xenograft tumors in mice to RT, significantly reduces and delays tumor recurrence, and prolongs overall survival. Incredibly, while 100% of control mice died due to tumor burden, targeting PRMT5 effectively cured ~85% of mice from their xenograft tumor. Overall, this work provides strong evidence for PRMT5 as a therapeutic target and suggests that targeting PRMT5 during RT should be assessed clinically.<br>