[HTML][HTML] MUC1-C activates EZH2 expression and function in human cancer cells

H Rajabi, M Hiraki, A Tagde, M Alam, A Bouillez… - Scientific Reports, 2017 - nature.com
H Rajabi, M Hiraki, A Tagde, M Alam, A Bouillez, CL Christensen, M Samur, KK Wong
Scientific Reports, 2017nature.com
The EZH2 histone methyltransferase is a member of the polycomb repressive complex 2
(PRC2) that is highly expressed in diverse human cancers and is associated with a poor
prognosis. MUC1-C is an oncoprotein that is similarly overexpressed in carcinomas and has
been linked to epigenetic regulation. A role for MUC1-C in regulating EZH2 and histone
methylation is not known. Here, we demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C in diverse human
carcinoma cells downregulates EZH2 and other PRC2 components. MUC1-C activates (i) …
Abstract
The EZH2 histone methyltransferase is a member of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) that is highly expressed in diverse human cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis. MUC1-C is an oncoprotein that is similarly overexpressed in carcinomas and has been linked to epigenetic regulation. A role for MUC1-C in regulating EZH2 and histone methylation is not known. Here, we demonstrate that targeting MUC1-C in diverse human carcinoma cells downregulates EZH2 and other PRC2 components. MUC1-C activates (i) the EZH2 promoter through induction of the pRB→E2F pathway, and (ii) an NF-κB p65 driven enhancer in exon 1. We also show that MUC1-C binds directly to the EZH2 CXC region adjacent to the catalytic SET domain and associates with EZH2 on the CDH1 and BRCA1 promoters. In concert with these results, targeting MUC1-C downregulates EZH2 function as evidenced by (i) global and promoter-specific decreases in H3K27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), and (ii) activation of tumor suppressor genes, including BRCA1. These findings highlight a previously unreported role for MUC1-C in activating EZH2 expression and function in cancer cells.
nature.com