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Matthew F Barber,
Eriko Michishita-Kioi,
Yuanxin Xi,
Luisa Tasselli, Mitomu Kioi,
Zarmik Moqtaderi,
Ruth I Tennen,
Silvana Paredes,
Nicolas L Young,
Kaifu Chen,
Kevin Struhl,
Benjamin A Garcia,
Or Gozani,
Wei Li,
Katrin F Chua
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ABSTRACT: Sirtuin proteins regulate diverse cellular pathways that influence genomic stability, metabolism and ageing. SIRT7 is a mammalian sirtuin whose biochemical activity, molecular targets and physiological functions have been unclear. Here we show that SIRT7 is an NAD(+)-dependent H3K18Ac (acetylated lysine 18 of histone H3) deacetylase that stabilizes the transformed state of cancer cells. Genome-wide binding studies reveal that SIRT7 binds to promoters of a specific set of gene targets, where it deacetylates H3K18Ac and promotes transcriptional repression. The spectrum of SIRT7 target genes is defined in part by its interaction with the cancer-associated E26 transformed specific (ETS) transcription factor ELK4, and comprises numerous genes with links to tumour suppression. Notably, selective hypoacetylation of H3K18Ac has been linked to oncogenic transformation, and in patients is associated with aggressive tumour phenotypes and poor prognosis. We find that deacetylation of H3K18Ac by SIRT7 is necessary for maintaining essential features of human cancer cells, including anchorage-independent growth and escape from contact inhibition. Moreover, SIRT7 is necessary for a global hypoacetylation of H3K18Ac associated with cellular transformation by the viral oncoprotein E1A. Finally, SIRT7 depletion markedly reduces the tumorigenicity of human cancer cell xenografts in mice. Together, our work establishes SIRT7 as a highly selective H3K18Ac deacetylase and demonstrates a pivotal role for SIRT7 in chromatin regulation, cellular transformation programs and tumour formation in vivo.
Nature 05/2012; 487(7405):114-8. · 36.28 Impact Factor
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Alex J Kuo,
Peggie Cheung,
Kaifu Chen,
Barry M Zee, Mitomu Kioi,
Josh Lauring,
Yuanxin Xi,
Ben Ho Park,
Xiaobing Shi,
Benjamin A Garcia,
Wei Li,
Or Gozani
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ABSTRACT: The histone lysine methyltransferase NSD2 (MMSET/WHSC1) is implicated in diverse diseases and commonly overexpressed in multiple myeloma due to a recurrent t(4;14) chromosomal translocation. However, the precise catalytic activity of NSD2 is obscure, preventing progress in understanding how this enzyme influences chromatin biology and myeloma pathogenesis. Here, we show that dimethylation of histone H3 at lysine 36 (H3K36me2) is the principal chromatin-regulatory activity of NSD2. Catalysis of H3K36me2 by NSD2 is sufficient for gene activation. In t(4;14)-positive myeloma cells, the normal genome-wide and gene-specific distribution of H3K36me2 is obliterated, creating a chromatin landscape that selects for a transcription profile favorable for myelomagenesis. Catalytically active NSD2 confers xenograft tumor formation upon t(4;14)-negative cells and promotes oncogenic transformation of primary cells in an H3K36me2-dependent manner. Together, our findings establish H3K36me2 as the primary product generated by NSD2 and demonstrate that genomic disorganization of this canonical chromatin mark by NSD2 initiates oncogenic programming.
Molecular cell 11/2011; 44(4):609-20. · 14.61 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Despite the high doses of radiation delivered in the treatment of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the tumors invariably recur within the irradiation field, resulting in a low cure rate. Understanding the mechanism of such recurrence is therefore important. Here we have shown in an intracranial GBM xenograft model that irradiation induces recruitment of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) into the tumors, restoring the radiation-damaged vasculature by vasculogenesis and thereby allowing the growth of surviving tumor cells. BMDC influx was initiated by induction of HIF-1 in the irradiated tumors, and blocking this influx prevented tumor recurrence. Previous studies have indicated that BMDCs are recruited to tumors in part through the interaction between the HIF-1-dependent stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) and its receptor, CXCR4. Pharmacologic inhibition of HIF-1 or of the SDF-1/CXCR4 interaction prevented the influx of BMDCs, primarily CD11b+ myelomonocytes, and the postirradiation development of functional tumor vasculature, resulting in abrogation of tumor regrowth. Similar results were found using neutralizing antibodies against CXCR4. Our data therefore suggest a novel approach for the treatment of GBM: in addition to radiotherapy, the vasculogenesis pathway needs to be blocked, and this can be accomplished using the clinically approved drug AMD3100, a small molecule inhibitor of SDF-1/CXCR4 interactions.
The Journal of clinical investigation 02/2010; 120(3):694-705. · 15.39 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We have previously shown that spores of the nonpathogenic clostridial strain C. sporogenes genetically engineered to express the E. coli-derived cytosine deaminase gene are effective in converting systemically injected nontoxic 5-fluorocytosine into the toxic anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil, thereby producing tumor-specific antitumor activity. To improve the expression of E. coli-derived genes with this system, we first replaced the original fdP promoter in the vector with one of two powerful endogenous clostridial promoters: that of the thiolase gene (thlP) and that for the clostridial transcription factor abrB310 (abrBP). These substitutions improved protein expression levels of the prodrug-activating genes by 2- to 3-fold in comparison with fdP-driven expression. However, despite these strong promoters, we found much higher expression of the nitroreductase (NTR) protein in the E. coli host compared with the clostridial host, which we hypothesized could be the result of different codon use between the two organisms. To test this, we constructed new expression vectors with an artificially synthesized NTR gene using optimized clostridial codons (sNTR). Results from both enzymatic assays and Western blots of cell extracts from clostridial transformants harboring plasmid constructs of thlP-sNTR and abrBP-sNTR showed that the expression and activity of the NTR gene product was increased by approximately 20-fold compared with the original construct. In vivo studies with i.v. administered sNTR-expressing C. sporogenes spores in SiHa tumor-bearing mice showed significantly improved antitumor efficacy when combined with either 5-aziridinyl-2,4-dinitrobenzamide (CB1954) or the novel dinitrobenzamide mustard prodrug, PR-104.
Cancer Research 11/2008; 68(19):7995-8003. · 7.86 Impact Factor
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Eriko Michishita,
Ronald A McCord,
Elisabeth Berber, Mitomu Kioi,
Hesed Padilla-Nash,
Mara Damian,
Peggie Cheung,
Rika Kusumoto,
Tiara L A Kawahara,
J Carl Barrett,
Howard Y Chang,
Vilhelm A Bohr,
Thomas Ried,
Or Gozani,
Katrin F Chua
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ABSTRACT: The Sir2 deacetylase regulates chromatin silencing and lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In mice, deficiency for the Sir2 family member SIRT6 leads to a shortened lifespan and a premature ageing-like phenotype. However, the molecular mechanisms of SIRT6 function are unclear. SIRT6 is a chromatin-associated protein, but no enzymatic activity of SIRT6 at chromatin has yet been detected, and the identity of physiological SIRT6 substrates is unknown. Here we show that the human SIRT6 protein is an NAD+-dependent, histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9) deacetylase that modulates telomeric chromatin. SIRT6 associates specifically with telomeres, and SIRT6 depletion leads to telomere dysfunction with end-to-end chromosomal fusions and premature cellular senescence. Moreover, SIRT6-depleted cells exhibit abnormal telomere structures that resemble defects observed in Werner syndrome, a premature ageing disorder. At telomeric chromatin, SIRT6 deacetylates H3K9 and is required for the stable association of WRN, the factor that is mutated in Werner syndrome. We propose that SIRT6 contributes to the propagation of a specialized chromatin state at mammalian telomeres, which in turn is required for proper telomere metabolism and function. Our findings constitute the first identification of a physiological enzymatic activity of SIRT6, and link chromatin regulation by SIRT6 to telomere maintenance and a human premature ageing syndrome.
Nature 04/2008; 452(7186):492-6. · 36.28 Impact Factor
