An H2A histone isotype regulates estrogen receptor target genes by mediating enhancer-promoter-3′-UTR interactions in breast cancer cells

A replication-dependent histone H2A isotype, H2ac, is upregulated in MCF-7 cells and in estrogen receptor-positive clinical breast cancer tissues. Cellular depletion of this H2A isotype leads to defective estrogen signaling, loss of cell proliferation and cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase. H2ac mediates regulation of estrogen receptor target genes, particularly BCL2 and c-MYC, by recruiting estrogen receptor alpha through its HAR domain and facilitating the formation of a chromatin loop between the promoter, enhancer and 3′-untranslated region of the respective genes. These findings reveal a new role for histone isotypes in the regulation of gene expression in cancer cells, and suggest that these molecules may be targeted for anti-cancer drug discovery.     

雌激素受体β转录激活系统的构建

目的：构建雌激素受体β（ERβ）的转录激活系统。方法：以pcDNA3-ERβ质粒为模板,利用PCR技术扩增ERβ全长及转录激活结构域1（AF1）、DNA结合结构域（DBD）、转录激活结构域2（AF2）等不同长度的基因片段,分别插入pGAL载体中,构建重组质粒,转染293T细胞,利用免疫杂交方法鉴定其表达情况,用萤光素酶报告基因（Gal4-LUC）检测转录活性。结果：构建了ERβ全长及不同功能区片段编码基因的重组质粒,转染293T细胞后检测到相应蛋白的表达;在活性实验中,雌激素（E2）诱导下pGAL-ERβ使Gal4-LUC活性升高约17倍,pGAL-ERβAF1在有无E2诱导下均能使Gal4-LUC活性升高2倍,pGAL-ERβAF2在E2诱导下使Gal4-LUC活性升高约7倍,pGAL-ERβDBD对Gal4-LUC活性没有明显作用。结论：ERβ的转录激活系统构建成功。     

Estrogen regulation of trefoil factor 1 expression by estrogen receptor alpha and Sp proteins

Estrogen-responsive genes in human breast cancer cells often have an estrogen response element (ERE) positioned next to an Sp1 binding site. In chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, we investigated the binding of estrogen receptor alpha (ER), Sp1, and Sp3 to the episomal and native estrogen-responsive trefoil factor 1 (TFF1; formerly pS2) promoter in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Mutation of the Sp site upstream of the ERE reduced estrogen responsiveness and prevented binding of Sp1 and Sp3, but not ER to the episomal promoter. In the absence of estradiol (E2), Sp1, Sp3, histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC), and HDAC2, and low levels of acetylated H3 and H4 are associated with the native promoter, with the histones being engaged in dynamic reversible acetylation. Following E2 addition, levels of ER and acetylated H3 and H4 bound to the native promoter increases. There is clearance of Sp1, but not of Sp3, from the promoter while HDAC1 and HDAC2 remain bound. These data are consistent with a model in which Sp1 or Sp3 aid in recruitment of HDACs and histone acetyltransferases (HATs) to mediate dynamic acetylation of histones associated with the TFF1 promoter, which is in a state of readiness to respond to events occurring following the addition of estrogen.     

Psoralidin,a coumestan analogue,as a novel potent estrogen receptor signaling molecule isolated from Psoralea corylifolia

A novel biological activity of psoralidin as an agonist for both estrogen receptor (ER)α and ERβ agonist has been demonstrated in our study. Psoralidin has been characterized as a full ER agonist, which activates the classical ER-signaling pathway in both ER-positive human breast and endometrial cell lines as well as non-human cultured cells transiently expressing either ERα or ERβ. The estrogenic activity was determined using the relative expression levels of either reporter or the endogenous genes dependent on the agonist-bound ER to the estrogen response element (ERE). Psoralidin at 10 μM was able to induce the maximum reporter gene expression corresponding to that of E₂-treated cells and such activation of the ERE-reporter gene by psoralidin was completely abolished by the cotreatment of a pure ER antagonist, implying that the biological activities of psoralidin are mediated by ER. Psoralidin was also able to induce the endogenous estrogen-responsive gene, pS2, in human breast cancer cells MCF-7. It was observed that activation of the classical ER-signaling pathway by psoralidin is mediated via induction of ER conformation by psoralidin and direct binding of the psoralidin–ER complex to the EREs present in the promoter region of estrogen-responsive genes, as shown by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay results. Finally, molecular docking of psoralidin to the ligand binding pocket of the ERα showed that psoralidin is able to mimic the binding interactions of E₂, and thus, it could act as an ER agonist in the cellular environment.     

Transcriptional regulation of Fhl1 by estradiol in rat myoblastocytes

Fhl1 (Four and a Half LIM domain 1) regulates muscle growth and development. In addition, skeletal myoblast growth is significantly affected by gender differences, implicating estrogen in the regulation of muscle development. We sought to determine if estrogen influences Fhl1 gene expression levels in rat L6GNR4 myoblastocytes that express the estrogen receptor β (ERβ), while luciferase assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay were employed to confirm the interaction between ERβ and Fhl1. Treatment of L6GNR4 cells with physiological levels of 17β-estradiol (E2) results in markedly decreased endogenous Fhl1 expression. Tamoxifen, an ER antagonist, partially reverses E2-mediated Fhl1 down-regulation in L6GNR4 cells. Furthermore, luciferase assay and EMSA identified a novel promoter region of Fhl1 that directly interacts with ERβ. ChIP of the ERβ-Fhl1 promoter complex from L6GNR4 cells confirmed that endogenous ERβ interacts with this region. These data indicate that E2 down-regulates Fhl1 expression through its binding to the ERβ. This is the first report of a small molecule that can affect Fhl1 expression. E2 may therefore be useful in developing new strategies for regulating Fhl1 expression and understanding the influence of estrogen on muscle growth and development.