Inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau tumour suppressor gene induces Neuromedin U expression in renal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND: 209 000 new cases of renal carcinoma are diagnosed each year worldwide and new therapeutic targets are urgently required. The great majority of clear cell renal cancer involves inactivation of VHL, which acts as a gatekeeper tumour suppressor gene in renal epithelial cells. However how VHL exerts its tumour suppressor function remains unclear. A gene expression microarray comparing RCC10 renal cancer cells expressing either VHL or an empty vector was used to identify novel VHL regulated genes. FINDINGS: NMU (Neuromedin U) is a neuropeptide that has been implicated in energy homeostasis and tumour progression. Here we show for the first time that VHL loss-of-function results in dramatic upregulation of NMU expression in renal cancer cells. The effect of VHL inactivation was found to be mediated via activation of Hypoxia Inducible Factor (HIF). Exposure of VHL expressing RCC cells to either hypoxia or dimethyloxalylglycine resulted in HIF activation and increased NMU expression. Conversely, suppression of HIF in VHL defective RCC cells via siRNA of HIF-α subunits or expression of Type 2C mutant VHLs reduced NMU expression levels. We also show that renal cancer cells express a functional NMU receptor (NMUR1), and that NMU stimulates migration of renal cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that NMU may act in an autocrine fashion, promoting progression of kidney cancer. Hypoxia and HIF expression are frequently observed in many non-renal cancers and are associated with a poor prognosis. Our study raises the possibility that HIF may also drive NMU expression in non-renal tumours

Statin-induced expression of CD59 on vascular endothelium in hypoxia: a potential mechanism for the anti-inflammatory actions of statins in rheumatoid arthritis

Hypoxia, which leads to dysfunctional cell metabolism, and complement activation both play central roles in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recent studies have reported that mice deficient for the complement-inhibitory protein CD59 show enhanced susceptibility to antigen-induced arthritis and reported that statins have anti-inflammatory effects in RA. We hypothesized that the anti-inflammatory effect of statins in RA relates in part to their ability to increase CD59 expression in hypoxic conditions and therefore to reduce complement activation. Flow-cytometric analysis showed that CD59 expression on endothelial cells (EC) was unaffected by atorvastatin in normoxia (21% O(2)), whereas in hypoxic conditions (1% O(2)) an up to threefold dose-dependent increase in CD59 expression was seen. This effect of hypoxia was confirmed by treatment of EC with chemical mimetics of hypoxia. The upregulation of CD59 protein expression in hypoxia was associated with an increase in steady-state mRNA. L-Mevalonate and geranylgeraniol reversed the response, confirming a role for inhibition of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase and geranylgeranylation. Likewise, inhibition by N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester confirmed that CD59 upregulation in hypoxia was nitric oxide dependent. The expression of another complement-inhibitory protein, decay-accelerating factor (DAF), is known to be increased by atorvastatin in normoxia; this response was also significantly enhanced under hypoxic conditions. The upregulation of CD59 and DAF by atorvastatin in hypoxia prevented the deposition of C3, C9 and cell lysis that follows exposure of reoxygenated EC to serum. This cytoprotective effect was abrogated by inhibitory anti-CD59 and anti-DAF mAbs. The modulation of EC CD59 and DAF by statins under hypoxic conditions therefore inhibits both early and late complement activation and may contribute to the anti-inflammatory effects of statins in RA

The first mouse mutants of D14Abb1e

An ENU mutagenesis screen to identify novel epigenetic modifiers was established in mice carrying a multi-copy GFP transgene, which is expressed in a variegated manner in erythrocytes and is highly sensitive to epigenetic silencing. The screen has produced mouse mutants of both known modifiers of epigenetic state, such as Dnmt1 and Smarca5, and novel modifiers, such as Smchd1 and Rlf. Here we report two mouse lines generated from the screen, MommeD6 and MommeD20, with point mutations in D14Abb1e. These are the first mouse mutants of D14Abb1e (also known as Fam208a), a gene about which little is known. Heterozygous intercrosses show that homozygous mutants from both the MommeD6 and MommeD20 lines are not viable beyond gastrulation, demonstrating an important role for D14Abb1e in development. We demonstrate that haploinsufficiency for D14Abb1e effects transgene expression at the RNA level. Analysis of the predicted D14Abb1e protein sequence reveals that it contains putative nuclear localisation signals and a domain of unknown function, DUF3715. Our studies reveal that D14Abb1e is localised to the nucleus and is expressed in skin and testes

The recently identified modifier of murine metastable epialleles, Rearranged L-Myc Fusion, is involved in maintaining epigenetic marks at CpG island shores and enhancers

Background: We recently identified a novel protein, Rearranged L-myc fusion (Rlf), that is required for DNA hypomethylation and transcriptional activity at two specific regions of the genome known to be sensitive to epigenetic gene silencing. To identify other loci affected by the absence of Rlf, we have now analysed 12 whole genome bisulphite sequencing datasets across three different embryonic tissues/stages from mice wild-type or null for Rlf.Results: Here we show that the absence of Rlf results in an increase in DNA methylation at thousands of elements involved in transcriptional regulation and many of the changes occur at enhancers and CpG island shores. ChIP-seq for H3K4me1, a mark generally found at regulatory elements, revealed associated changes at many of the regions that are differentially methylated in the Rlf mutants. RNA-seq showed that the numerous effects of the absence of Rlf on the epigenome are associated with relatively subtle effects on the mRNA population. In vitro studies suggest that Rlf's zinc fingers have the capacity to bind DNA and that the protein interacts with other known epigenetic modifiers.Conclusion: This study provides the first evidence that the epigenetic modifier Rlf is involved in the maintenance of DNA methylation at enhancers and CGI shores across the genome

Identification of novel hypomorphic and null mutations in Klf1 derived from a genetic screen for modifiers of α-globin transgene variegation

Position-effect variegation of transgene expression is sensitive to the chromatin state. We previously reported a forward genetic screen in mice carrying a variegated alpha-globin GFP transgene to find novel genes encoding epigenetic regulators. We named the phenovariant strains "Mommes" for modifiers of murine metastable epialleles. Here we report positional cloning of mutations in two Momme strains which result in suppression of variegation. Both strains harbour point mutations in the erythroid transcription factor, Klf1. One (D11) generates a stop codon in the zinc finger domain and a homozygous null phenotype. The other (D45) generates an amino acid transversion (H350R) within a conserved linker between zinc fingers two and three. Homozygous MommeD45 mice have chronic microcytic anaemia which models the phenotype in a recently described family. This is the first genetic evidence that the linkers between the zinc fingers of transcription factors have a function beyond that of a simple spacer. Crown Copyright (C) 2014 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

VHL Inactivation Induces HEF1 and Aurora Kinase A

The ciliary hypothesis for cystic renal diseases postulates that most of these conditions result from abnormalities in the primary cilium, a microtubule-based structure that acts as a sensor for extracellular cues. Inactivation of the von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) tumor suppressor gene predisposes to renal cysts and clear cell renal cell carcinoma. VHL plays a critical role in the formation of primary cilia in kidney epithelium, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that VHL inactivation induces HEF1/Cas-L/NEDD9 and Aurora kinase A via the stabilization of hypoxia-inducible factors 1 and 2. Aurora kinase A is a mitotic kinase commonly upregulated in cancer that causes regression of the primary cilium by promoting histone deacetylase-dependent tubulin depolymerization of the ciliary axoneme. HEF1/Cas-L/NEDD9 is a component of focal adhesions that has a prominent role in inducing metastasis and that colocalizes with Aurora kinase A at the centrosome, thereby enhancing the harmful effect of Aurora kinase A on the cilium. Suppression of this pathway improved the formation of primary cilia and reduced cell motility in VHL-defective renal cancer cells. Our results highlight the gatekeeper role of VHL in the kidney epithelium