Our proposed research will determine the post-transcriptional regulation that changes oral mucositis development and progression via RNA binding proteins (RBPs), which are critical regulators of gene expression in most eukaryotic cells. These proteins influence key aspects of mRNA metabolism including nuclear transit and cytoplasmic export, transport, storage, translation, and turnover. First, among various RNA- binding proteins, HuR is a prominent protein influencing cellular response to stress, proliferative signals, immune triggers, and developmental cues. HuR encodes many inflammation and apoptosis-related mRNAs including cytokines, interleukins and pro-apoptotic factors which are downstream targets we intend to study. Given HuR's influence on expression of these key modulators, we are intrigued about HuR protein binding mRNAs and how they are regulated under chemo-radiotherapy. Hence, our overall goal is to decipher how protein HuR influences oral mucositis gene expression during chemo-radiotherapy. Second, oral mucositis initiates post-translational modification of HuR which in turn, promotes inflammation and apoptosis through mRNA stability. Interestingly, HuR undergoes cleavage modifications under chemotherapy; hence, we seek to understand whether HuR cleavage during chemotherapy is important in HuR association with mRNAs. Finally, we will test whether overexpression of HuR protect oral mucositis through repressing inflammation and apoptosis through mRNA turnover pathway. Thus, our data will provide a foundation for understanding the role of HuR in oral mucositis-associated gene regulation and will be pivotal for future studies into HuR-associated oral diseases.

Public Health Relevance

Oral mucositis is the most common side effect of cancer treatment strategies. In oral mucositis, uncontrolled expression of many growth- and inflammation-associated genes occurs. By better understanding the cellular mechanisms involved in controlling the expression of these factors, we expect that the work will lead to a better understanding of the mucositis formation which should subsequently lead to novel methods to stop or slow down oral mucositis.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Dental & Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
4R01DE022776-04
Application #
9040148
Study Section
Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Sciences Study Section (ODCS)
Program Officer
Venkatachalam, Sundaresan
Project Start
2013-05-01
Project End
2018-03-31
Budget Start
2016-04-01
Budget End
2017-03-31
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Medical University of South Carolina
Department
Dentistry
Type
Schools of Dentistry/Oral Hygn
DUNS #
183710748
City
Charleston
State
SC
Country
United States
Zip Code
29403
Janakiraman, Harinarayanan; House, Reniqua P; Gangaraju, Vamsi K et al. (2018) The Long (lncRNA) and Short (miRNA) of It: TGF?-Mediated Control of RNA-Binding Proteins and Noncoding RNAs. Mol Cancer Res 16:567-579
House, Reniqua; Majumder, Mrinmoyee; Janakiraman, Harinarayan et al. (2018) Smoking-induced control of miR-133a-3p alters the expression of EGFR and HuR in HPV-infected oropharyngeal cancer. PLoS One 13:e0205077
Janakiraman, H; House, R P; Talwar, S et al. (2017) Repression of caspase-3 and RNA-binding protein HuR cleavage by cyclooxygenase-2 promotes drug resistance in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oncogene 36:3137-3148
Qie, Shuo; Majumder, Mrinmoyee; Mackiewicz, Katarzyna et al. (2017) Fbxo4-mediated degradation of Fxr1 suppresses tumorigenesis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Nat Commun 8:1534
Majumder, Mrinmoyee; House, Reniqua; Palanisamy, Nallasivam et al. (2016) RNA-Binding Protein FXR1 Regulates p21 and TERC RNA to Bypass p53-Mediated Cellular Senescence in OSCC. PLoS Genet 12:e1006306
Banerjee, Anirban; Thyagarajan, Krishnamurthy; Chatterjee, Shilpak et al. (2016) Lack of p53 Augments Antitumor Functions in Cytolytic T Cells. Cancer Res 76:5229-5240
Majumder, Mrinmoyee; House, Reniqua; Palanisamy, Nallasivam et al. (2016) Correction: RNA-Binding Protein FXR1 Regulates p21 and TERC RNA to Bypass p53-Mediated Cellular Senescence in OSCC. PLoS Genet 12:e1006411
Kesarwani, Pravin; Thyagarajan, Krishnamurthy; Chatterjee, Shilpak et al. (2015) Anti-oxidant capacity and anti-tumor T cell function: A direct correlation. Oncoimmunology 4:e985942
House, Reniqua P; Talwar, Sudha; Hazard, E Starr et al. (2015) RNA-binding protein CELF1 promotes tumor growth and alters gene expression in oral squamous cell carcinoma. Oncotarget 6:43620-34
Talwar, Sudha; House, Reniqua; Sundaramurthy, Santhanalakshmi et al. (2014) Inhibition of caspases protects mice from radiation-induced oral mucositis and abolishes the cleavage of RNA-binding protein HuR. J Biol Chem 289:3487-500