RNAi-mediated silencing of the Bmi-1 gene causes growth inhibition and enhances doxorubicin-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells

The oncogene Bmi-1 is a member of the Polycomb group gene family. Its expression is found to be greatly increased in a number of malignant tumors including breast cancer. This could suggest Bmi-1 as a potent therapeutic target. In this study, RNAi was introduced to down-regulate the expression of Bmi-1 in a highly malignant breast adenocarcinoma cell line, MCF-7. A thorough study of the biological behavior and chemosensitivity changes of the MCF-7 cells was carried out in context to the therapeutic potential of Bmi-1. The results obtained indicated that siRNA targeting of Bmi-1 could lead to an efficient and specific inhibition of endogenous Bmi-1 activity. The mRNA and protein expression of Bmi-1 were determined by RT-PCR and Western blot, respectively. Furthermore, silencing of Bmi-1 resulted in a drastic inhibition of the growth of MCF-7 cells as well as G(1) /S phase transition. The number of target cells was found to increase in phase G (0) /G (1) and decrease in the S phase, but no increase in the basal level of apoptosis was noticed. On the other hand, a reduction in the expression of cyclin D1 and an increase in the expression of p21 were also noticed. Silencing of Bmi-1 made the MCF-7 cells more sensitive to the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin and induced a significantly higher percentage of apoptotic cells. Here, we report on a study regarding the RNAi-mediated silencing of the Bmi-1 gene in breast cancer.     

沉默Bmi-1基因表达稳定细胞株的建立及其生物学特性的研究

B细胞特异性莫洛尼鼠白血病病毒插入位点1(B-cell-specific moloney murine leukemia virus insertionsite 1,Bmi-1)基因是多梳基因家族成员,参与细胞增殖调控.研究发现Bmi-1基因可能参与肿瘤的形成,可能成为肿瘤潜在的治疗靶点.用RNA干扰(RNA interference,RNAi)沉默Bmi-1基因表达观察其对乳腺癌细胞株MCF-7侵袭和转移等生物学特性的影响,以探讨Bmi-1在乳腺癌发生发展中的作用.PT67细胞包装质粒后产生的逆转录病毒感染MCF-7细胞,嘌呤霉素筛选建立稳定细胞株,稳定抑制Bmi-1的细胞株命名为MCF-7/Bmi-1si.通过RT-PCR和Western blot分别从mRNA和蛋白水平检测Bmi-1的表达量;平板克隆形成实验检测细胞克隆形成能力;Transwell侵袭小室模型检测细胞体外侵袭和转移能力.MCF-7/Bmi-1si组与MCF-7和MCF-7/GFPsi组相比,Bmi-1 mRNA和蛋白表达量明显减少,克隆形成数及形成率也明显减少(P<0.05).侵袭和转移实验表明:与MCF-7和MCF-7/GFPsi组相比,MCF-7/Bmi-1si组细胞在Transwell侵袭小室中24 h穿膜细胞数明显减少(P<0.05).结果表明沉默Bmi-1基因表达稳定细胞株构建成功,Bmi-1基因表达的沉默能显著降低MCF-7细胞的体外增殖及侵袭转移能力.     

Mel-18, a mammalian Polycomb gene, regulates angiogenic gene expression of endothelial cells

Mel-18 is a mammalian homolog of Polycomb group (PcG) genes. Microarray analysis revealed that Mel-18 expression was induced during endothelial progenitor cell (EPC) differentiation and correlates with the expression of EC-specific protein markers. Overexpression of Mel-18 promoted EPC differentiation and angiogenic activity of ECs. Accordingly, silencing Mel-18 inhibited EC migration and tube formation in vitro. Gene expression profiling showed that Mel-18 regulates angiogenic genes including kinase insert domain receptor (KDR), claudin 5, and angiopoietin-like 2. Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that Mel-18 plays a significant role in the angiogenic function of ECs by regulating endothelial gene expression.     

Bmi-1在丁酸钠诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡过程中的作用机制

丁酸钠（Sodium butyrate,NaB）是一种组蛋白去乙酰化酶抑制剂（histone deacetylase inhibitors,HDACi）,通过增加组蛋白的乙酰化,使染色质处于开放状态,便于基因转录与表达。多梳基因家族（Polycomb group genes,PcG）的成员Bmi-1蛋白可以对染色体组蛋白进行修饰,使一些抑癌基因如p14、P16和P21基因等表达沉默,同时Bmi-1蛋白通过Wnt信号通路激活原癌基因c-Myc,使Bmi-1、Wnt信号通路、c-Myc组成一个正反馈循环,还可以上调端粒酶的表达,导致肿瘤的发生。HDACi可以下调Bmi-1蛋白的表达,并通过上调p14、p16和p2l等的表达以及线粒体通路和Wnt信号通路抑制肿瘤细胞的增殖、分化,诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡。HDACi将可能为肿瘤的治疗提供一个广阔的前景,本研究将对Bmi-1在丁酸钠诱导肿瘤细胞凋亡过程中的作用机制作一综述。     

A phosphorylated form of Mel-18 targets the Ring1B histone H2A ubiquitin ligase to chromatin

Recent studies have shown that PRC1-like Polycomb repressor complexes monoubiquity-late chromatin on histone H2A at lysine residue 119. Here we have analyzed the function of the polycomb protein Mel-18. Using affinity-tagged human MEL-18, we identify a polycomb-like complex, melPRC1, containing the core PRC1 proteins, RING1/2, HPH2, and CBX8. We show that, in ES cells, melPRC1 can functionally substitute for other PRC1-like complexes in Hox gene repression. A reconstituted subcomplex containing only Ring1B and Mel-18 functions as an efficient ubiquitin E3 ligase. This complex ubiquitylates free histone substrates nonspecifically but is highly specific for histone H2A lysine 119 in the context of nucleosomes. Mutational analysis demonstrates that while Ring1B is required for E3 function, Mel-18 directs this activity to H2A lysine 119 in chromatin. Moreover, this substrate-targeting function of Mel-18 is dependent on its prior phosphorylation at multiple residues, providing a direct link between chromatin modification and cell signaling pathways.     

Bmi-1 confers adaptive radioresistance to KYSE-150R esophageal carcinoma cells

Radiotherapy (RT) is a major modality of cancer treatment. However, tumors often acquire radioresistance, which causes RT to fail. The exact mechanisms by which tumor cells subjected to fractionated irradiation (FIR) develop an adaptive radioresistance are largely unknown. Using the radioresistant KYSE-150R esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) model, which was derived from KYSE-150 parental cells using FIR, the role of Bmi-1 in mediating the radioadaptive response of ESCC cells to RT was investigated. The results showed that the level of Bmi-1 expression was significantly higher in KYSE-150R cells than in the KYSE-150 parental cells. Bmi-1 depletion sensitized the KYSE-150R cells to RT mainly through the induction of apoptosis, partly through the induction of senescence. A clonogenic cell survival assay showed that Bmi-1 depletion significantly decreased the radiation survival fraction in KYSE-150R cells. Furthermore, Bmi-1 depletion increased the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the expression of oxidase genes (Lpo, Noxo1 and Alox15) in KYSE-150R cells exposed to irradiation. DNA repair capacities assessed by γ-H2AX foci formation were also impaired in the Bmi-1 down-regulated KYSE-150R cells. These results suggest that Bmi-1 plays an important role in tumor radioadaptive resistance under FIR and may be a potent molecular target for enhancing the efficacy of fractionated RT.     

Regulation of Th2 cell development by Polycomb group gene bmi-1 through the stabilization of GATA3

The Polycomb group (PcG) gene products regulate the maintenance of the homeobox gene expression in Drosophila and vertebrates and also the cell cycle progression in thymocytes and Th2 cell differentiation in mature T cells. We herein studied the role of PcG gene bmi-1 product in Th1/Th2 cell differentiation and found that Bmi-1 facilitates Th2 cell differentiation in a Ring finger-dependent manner. Biochemical studies indicate that Bmi-1 interacts with GATA3 in T cells, which is dependent on the Ring finger of Bmi-1. The overexpression of Bmi-1 resulted in a decreased ubiquitination and an increased protein stability of GATA3. In bmi-1-deficient Th cells, the levels of Th2 cell differentiation decreased as the degradation and ubiquitination on GATA3 increased. Therefore, Bmi-1 plays a crucial role in the control of Th2 cell differentiation in a Ring finger-dependent manner by regulating GATA3 protein stability.     

Polycomb CBX7 has a unifying role in cellular lifespan

In contrast to cancer cells and embryonic stem cells, the lifespan of primary human cells is finite. After a defined number of population doublings, cells enter in an irreversible growth-arrested state termed replicative senescence. Mutations of genes involved in immortalization can contribute to cancer. In a genetic screen for cDNAs bypassing replicative senescence of normal human prostate epithelial cells (HPrEC), we identified CBX7, a gene that encodes a Polycomb protein, as shown by sequence homology, its interaction with Ring1 and its localization to nuclear Polycomb bodies. CBX7 extends the lifespan of a wide range of normal human cells and immortalizes mouse fibroblasts by downregulating expression of the Ink4a/Arf locus. CBX7 does not inter-function or colocalize with Bmi1, and both can exert their actions independently of each other as shown by reverse genetics. CBX7 expression is downregulated during replicative senescence and its ablation by short-hairpin RNA (shRNA) treatment inhibited growth of normal cells though induction of the Ink4a/Arf locus. Taken together, these data show that CBX7 controls cellular lifespan through regulation of both the p16(Ink4a)/Rb and the Arf/p53 pathways.     

Enhancing chemotherapy response with Bmi-1 silencing in ovarian cancer

Undoubtedly ovarian cancer is a vexing, incurable disease for patients with recurrent cancer and therapeutic options are limited. Although the polycomb group gene, Bmi-1 that regulates the self-renewal of normal stem and progenitor cells has been implicated in the pathogenesis of many human malignancies, yet a role for Bmi-1 in influencing chemotherapy response has not been addressed before. Here we demonstrate that silencing Bmi-1 reduces intracellular GSH levels and thereby sensitizes chemoresistant ovarian cancer cells to chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin. By exacerbating ROS production in response to cisplatin, Bmi-1 silencing activates the DNA damage response pathway, caspases and cleaves PARP resulting in the induction apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells. In an in vivo orthotopic mouse model of chemoresistant ovarian cancer, knockdown of Bmi-1 by nanoliposomal delivery significantly inhibits tumor growth. While cisplatin monotherapy was inactive, combination of Bmi-1 silencing along with cisplatin almost completely abrogated ovarian tumor growth. Collectively these findings establish Bmi-1 as an important new target for therapy in chemoresistant ovarian cancer.     

The polycomb group gene product Mel-18 interacts with cyclin D2 and modulates its activity

Considerable evidence supports the view that D-type cyclins play a role in G1-S progression. We found that cyclin D2 directly interacts with Mel-18, one of the polycomb group gene products in a yeast two hybrid screen. Further, we have determined the binding domains that are required for interaction between cyclin D2 and Mel-18. The proline/serine-rich domain (P/S domain) of Mel-18 is required to interact with cyclin D2, and the N-terminal region of cyclin D2 is necessary to interact with Mel-18. A co-localization study shows that cyclin D2 and Mel-18 interact within the nucleus. To determine whether Mel-18 affects cyclin D2 activity, we blocked Mel-18 expression using an anti-sense strand system in cyclin D2 over-expressing cells. The results indicate that cells with reduced Mel-18 expression levels show more proliferative activity than the controls. These findings are the first report that Mel-18 directly interacts with cyclin D2 and may inhibit cyclin D2 activity.