Role of RIP4 in lung adenocarcinoma differentiation

Various studies have attributed NF-kB activation to promote KRAS mediated non-small cell lung cancer progression. In order to identify key genes regulating NF-kB activation and cell survival in lung adenocarcinoma, a synthetic lethal partner screen for KRAS was conducted in cell lines expressing mutant or wildtype KRAS. This screen identified an important role of Receptor-interacting serine/threonine protein kinase 4 (RIP4) in KRAS mediated oncogenesis. But altering RIP4 expression did not affect the viability of KRAS mutant cells, however a novel role of RIP4 in maintaining tumor differentiation was observed. Loss of epithelial differentiation and extracellular matrix remodeling are known to facilitate cancer progression and are associated with poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer. Bioinformatics analyses of human lung adenocarcinoma samples showed that poorly differentiated tumors express low levels of RIP4, whereas high levels are associated with better overall survival. Interleukin 6 (IL6) signaling is activated in lung adenocarcinoma expressing oncogenic KRAS and contributes to cancer invasiveness. Knockdown of RIP4 using shRNA in vitro enhanced activation of IL-6 signaling and also the ability of the cells to invade through collagen. In contrast, overexpression of RIP4 inhibited IL6-mediated Signal Transducer and activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) activation, which abrogated IL6-dependent induction of lysyl oxidase, a collagen cross-linking enzyme. Tumor-specific Rip4 knockdown in an autochthonous mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma initiated by Kras(G12D) expression with loss of p53, progressed to a poorly differentiated state marked by an increase in Hmga2, reduced Ttf1 and enrichment of genes regulating extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and JAK-STAT signaling. Activated STAT3 can enhance NF-kB activation by interacting with NF-kB and promoting its nuclear retention. Tumors with RIP4 knockdown also exhibited enhanced STAT3- NF-kB interaction suggesting a cross talk between the two pathways. Tail vein injections of cells overexpressing RIP4 showed a reduced potential to invade and form tumors. Analysis of factors regulating RIP4 expression revealed that RIP4 is induced in a p53 dependent manner in response to chemotherapy. Altering the induced RIP4 levels in vitro had a modest effect on chemotherapy induced cell death. Our work has identified that loss of RIP4 enhances IL6 signaling in lung cancer cells, promoting the expression of ECM remodeling genes and cancer dedifferentiation.

RIP4 inhibits STAT3 signaling to sustain lung adenocarcinoma differentiation

Paolo Angelino, Johanna Pauline Chiffelle, Mauro Delorenzi, Jawahar Kopparam, Etienne Meylan, Alessandra Piersigilli, Nadine Zangger

Loss of epithelial differentiation and extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling are known to facilitate cancer progression and are associated with poor prognosis in patients with lung cancer. We have identified Receptor-interacting serine/threonine protein kinase 4 (RIP4) as a regulator of tumor differentiation in lung adenocarcinoma (AC). Bioinformatics analyses of human lung AC samples showed that poorly differentiated tumors express low levels of RIP4, whereas high levels are associated with better overall survival. In vitro, lung tumor cells expressing reduced RIP4 levels showed enhanced activation of STAT3 signaling and had a greater ability to invade through collagen. In contrast, overexpression of RIP4 inhibited STAT3 activation, which abrogated interleukin-6-dependent induction of lysyl oxidase, a collagen cross-linking enzyme. In an autochthonous mouse model of lung AC initiated by Kras(G12D) expression with loss of p53, Rip4 knockdown tumors progressed to a poorly differentiated state marked by an increase in Hmga2, reduced Ttf1, and enrichment of genes regulating extracellular remodeling and Jak-Stat signaling. Tail vein injections of cells overexpressing Rip4 showed a reduced potential to invade and form tumors, which was restored by co-expression of Stat3. Altogether, our work has identified that loss of RIP4 enhances STAT3 signaling in lung cancer cells, promoting the expression of ECM remodeling genes and cancer dedifferentiation.

Nature Publishing Group2017

Hormonal regulation of Stat5 in the mammary gland - from signaling to morphogenesis

Sergio Klinke

The mammary gland development is regulated by steroid and peptide hormones and occurs mainly after birth, compared to the majority of the other organs in the body. The principal hormones responsible for the breast development are the estrogen, the progesterone, the growth hormone, the epidermal growth factor and the prolactin. The latter one is of specific interest since it is required for further development of the gland through pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy and lactation, alveolar structures develop and differentiate into secretory cells. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (Stat5) is known to be the main effector of prolactin signaling during pregnancy, inducing alveologenesis and differentiation of epithelial cells into secretory cells. I investigated if Stat5 has a role before pregnancy. Protein expression as well as mRNA expression analysis of glands from ovariectomized mice which were artificially stimulated with ovarian hormones (estrogen and progesterone) and control vehicle showed evidences that Stat5 expression can be stimulated by these two hormones. Contrary to the role established until now for stat5 in the mammary gland, I found by fluorescence visualization of Stat5-null epithelium as well as whole mount staining of the same glands that Stat5 is required even before pregnancy since null epithelium showed highly reduced growth already in 3 weeks-old virgin mice. This may indicate a new role for this protein in cell proliferation or survival in early stages of mouse mammary development. Furthermore, transplantation experiment of Stat5-null epithelium into wild-type recipient mice showed that pregnancy state was not able to rescue the normal phenotype. This may be due to complete loss of these cells which happened during the 5 weeks left for the transplanted epithelium to expand the cleared fat pad. This discovery opens a new debate on Stat5 role in the mammary gland development.

2008

Mechanisms underlying cell-fate determination in the mammary gland development

Duje Buric

Notch signaling pathway is an important developmental pathway and has been implicated in both mammary gland development and tumorigenesis. Several studies investigating Notch signaling in mouse mammary gland implied that Notch signaling is an important factor in the determination of the luminal cell type. Clinical studies on breast tumors as well as studies in transgenic mouse models overexpressing active Notch receptors suggested an oncogenic function of Notch in the mammary gland connecting it to the poor breast cancer prognosis. However the physiological role of Notch signaling and its downstream mechanisms remain unclear. Analysis of Transgenic-EGFP Notch reporter mouse mammary epithelium revealed that Notch signaling is active specifically in a subset of hormone receptor positive cells. More sensitive FACS analysis consistently shows EGFP expression in HR+ luminal cells and reveals a weaker signal in a subset of basal (CD24lo) cells. Additionally mRNA analysis revealed that Notch active luminal cells are expressing Wnt4 ligand. To unveil the role of the Notch signaling in the Wnt4 expressing HR+ cells, we conditionally deleted RBP-Jκ, Notch signaling mediator, in Wnt4 expressing subpopulation of hormone receptor positive cells via Wnt4Cre. Abrogation of RBP-Jκ resulted in loss of progesterone receptor expression in 90% of cells bearing the RBP-Jκ deletion while estrogen receptor expression remained intact, implicating RBP-Jκ in regulation of progesterone receptor expression. To test whether Notch signaling regulates PR expression in the entire HR+ population, we analyzed mammary epithelium in which RBP-Jκ has been conditionally deleted via MMTV-Cre in progenitor cells revealing the presence of a subpopulation of luminal hormone receptor positive cells that differentiate independently of Notch signaling. Time directed deletion of RBP-Jκ via intraductally injected Adeno-Cre virus into the adult mouse mammary ductal system through the nipple additionally confirmed that RBP-Jκ is required for progesterone receptor expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay showed that RBP-Jκ binds two out of four putative RBPJκ binding sites in the progesterone receptor promoter. Inhibition of Notch signaling in vivo via intraductal injection of γ-secretase inhibitor, DAPT, resulted in reduced progesterone receptor expression strongly suggesting that Notch-related RBP-Jκ signaling is responsible for PR expression. In this project we are proposing that there are two different populations of HR+ cells: one defined as Wnt4 expressing subpopulation of HR+ cells in which PR expression is dependent of Notch signaling, and another one defined as Wnt4 non expressing subpopulation of HR+ cells which is independent of Notch signaling. Since Notch signaling is able to replace ER signaling and activate ER target genes in the endocrine therapy resistant cell lines, Wnt4 expressing population of HR+ luminal cells might play a crucial role in the acquiring of the resistance.