Dear1 is a chromosome 1p35 tumor suppressor and master regulator of TGF-β-driven epithelial-mesenchymal transition

Nanyue Chen, Seetharaman Balasenthil, Jacquelyn Reuther, Aileen Frayna, Ying Wang, Dawn S. Chandler, Lynne V. Abruzzo, Asif Rashid, Jaime Rodriguez, Guillermina Lozano, Yu Cao, Erica Lokken, Jinyun Chen, Marsha L. Frazier, Aysegul A. Sahin, Ignacio I. Wistuba, Subrata Sen, Steven T. Lott, Ann Mc Neill Killary

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

38 Scopus citations

Abstract

Deletion of chromosome 1p35 is a common event in epithelial malignancies. We report that DEAR1 (annotated as TRIM62) is a chromosome 1p35 tumor suppressor that undergoes mutation, copy number variation, and loss of expression in human tumors. Targeted disruption in the mouse recapitulates this human tumor spectrum, with both Dear1 -/- and Dear1 +/- mice developing primarily epithelial adenocarcinomas and lymphoma with evidence of metastasis in a subset of mice. DEAR1 loss of function in the presence of TGF-β results in failure of acinar morphogenesis, upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers, anoikis resistance, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, DEAR1 blocks TGF-β-SMAD3 signaling, resulting in decreased nuclear phosphorylated SMAD3 by binding to and promoting the ubiquitination of SMAD3, the major effector of TGF-β-induced EMT. Moreover, DEAR1 loss increases levels of SMAD3 downstream effectors SNAIL1 and SNAIL2, with genetic alteration of DEAR1/SNAIL2 serving as prognostic markers of overall poor survival in a cohort of 889 cases of invasive breast cancer. SIGNIFICANCE: Cumulative results provide compelling evidence that DEAR1 is a critical tumor suppressor involved in multiple human cancers and provide a novel paradigm for regulation of TGF-β-induced EMT through DEAR1's regulation of SMAD3 protein levels. DEAR1 loss of function has important therapeutic implications for targeted therapies aimed at the TGF-β-SMAD3 pathway.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1172-1189
Number of pages18
JournalCancer discovery
Volume3
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2013

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Oncology

MD Anderson CCSG core facilities

  • Advanced Technology Genomics Core
  • Genetically Engineered Mouse Facility
  • Research Animal Support Facility

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