Targeting the bHLH Transcriptional Networks by Mutated E Proteins in Experimental Glioma. (October 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Beyeler, Sarah; Joly, Sandrine; Fries, Michel; Obermair, Franz‐Josef; Burn, Felice; Mehmood, Rashid; Tabatabai, Ghazaleh; Raineteau, Olivier
• Is Part Of: Stem cells. Volume 32:Number 10(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 2583
• Page End: 2595
• Publication Date: 2014-10
• Subjects: Cloning -- Periodicals; Clone cells -- Periodicals; Stem cells -- Periodicals; Cell Differentiation -- Periodicals; Cell Division -- Periodicals; Clone Cells -- Periodicals; Hematopoietic Stem Cells -- Periodicals; Stem Cells -- Periodicals; 571.84
• DOI: 10.1002/stem.1776
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1066-5099

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Glioblastomas (GB) are aggressive primary brain tumors. Helix‐loop‐helix (HLH, ID proteins) and basic HLH (bHLH, e.g., Olig2) proteins are transcription factors that regulate stem cell proliferation and differentiation throughout development and into adulthood. Their convergence on many oncogenic signaling pathways combined with the observation that their overexpression in GB correlates with poor clinical outcome identifies these transcription factors as promising therapeutic targets. Important dimerization partners of HLH/bHLH proteins are E proteins that are necessary for nuclear translocation and DNA binding. Here, we overexpressed a wild type or a dominant negative form of E47 (dnE47) that lacks its nuclear localization signal thus preventing nuclear translocation of bHLH proteins in long‐term glioma cell lines and in glioma‐initiating cell lines and analyzed the effects in vitro and in vivo. While overexpression of E47 was sufficient to induce apoptosis in absence of bHLH proteins, dnE47 was necessary to prevent nuclear translocation of Olig2 and to achieve similar proapoptotic responses. Transcriptional analyses revealed downregulation of the antiapoptotic gene <italic>BCL2L1</italic> and the proproliferative gene <italic>CDC25A</italic> as underlying mechanisms. Overexpression of dnE47 in glioma‐initiating cell lines with high HLH and bHLH protein levels reduced sphere formation capacities and expression levels of <italic>Nestin</italic>, <italic>BCL2L1</italic>, and <italic>CDC25A</italic>. Finally, the in vivo induction of dnE47 expression in established xenografts prolonged survival. In conclusion, our data introduce a novel approach to jointly neutralize HLH and bHLH transcriptional networks activities, and identify these transcription factors as potential targets in glioma. S<sc>tem</sc> C<sc>ells</sc><italic>2014;32:2583–2595</italic></p> </abstract>