We propose a study of functional interactions between nuclear receptors in breast cancer cells as a project under this USA-NFSC initiative, with great scientific and intellectual benefit, based on the efforts of two closely- collaborating investigators with shared research interests, but with disparate areas of expertise. Drs. Michael Rosenfeld and Wen Liu have an extensive history of effective collaborations, as evidenced in a number of fundamental discoveries over the past ten years, including nine co-authored papers. This project, involving a sustained, close scientific interaction and collaboration is based on their complementary expertise, focus and resources. We propose to establish an unappreciated, but critical, molecular strategy that serves as the basis for large enhancer-dependent programs of coding target gene transcriptional repression important in breast cancer. This program depends on the fact that ER? is recruited in trans to the basally active enhancers that mediate the repressive transcriptional program, with trans-bound ER? receptor recruiting a demethylase, based on the availability of its DNA binding domain, which in turn recruits machinery leading to dismissal of Pol II from these basally highly active enhancers, causing their repression. This mechanism therefore represents a previously unappreciated type of repressive strategy, and involves a gene set that serves as a powerful prognostic indicator of a ten-year metastasis-free survival. This would uncover a set of largely overlooked prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer patients, perhaps ultimately providing a potential target for treatment or prevention of aggressive breast cancers. A strategy is proposed to underlie the ability of liganded glucocorticoid receptor to inhibit the ER?-activated regulatory enhancers in breast cancer cells, based on competition between different members of the nuclear receptor family.

Public Health Relevance

Drs. Michael Rosenfeld and Wen Liu propose a project designed to study previously unanticipated functional interactions between nuclear receptors in breast cancer cells as a project under this USA-NFSC initiative. These investigators, with a long history of successful scientific interactions, propose to establish an unappreciated, but critical, molecular strategy that serves as the basis for large enhancer-dependent programs of coding target gene transcriptional repression important in breast cancer, and providing a new prognostic ?marker.? It is also proposed to uncover an enhancer that underlies the ability of liganded glucocorticoid receptor to inhibit the ER?-activated regulatory enhancers in breast cancer cells, based on competition between different members of the nuclear receptor family.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01CA213371-05
Application #
10051408
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1)
Program Officer
Johnson, Ronald L
Project Start
2016-12-13
Project End
2021-11-30
Budget Start
2020-12-01
Budget End
2021-11-30
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2021
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of California, San Diego
Department
Internal Medicine/Medicine
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
804355790
City
La Jolla
State
CA
Country
United States
Zip Code
92093
Kim, Hong Sook; Tan, Yuliang; Ma, Wubin et al. (2018) Pluripotency factors functionally premark cell-type-restricted enhancers in ES cells. Nature 556:510-514
Gao, Wei-Wei; Xiao, Rong-Quan; Zhang, Wen-Juan et al. (2018) JMJD6 Licenses ER?-Dependent Enhancer and Coding Gene Activation by Modulating the Recruitment of the CARM1/MED12 Co-activator Complex. Mol Cell 70:340-357.e8
Tan, Yuliang; Jin, Chunyu; Ma, Wubin et al. (2018) Dismissal of RNA Polymerase II Underlies a Large Ligand-Induced Enhancer Decommissioning Program. Mol Cell 71:526-539.e8
Yang, Feng; Ma, Qi; Liu, Zhijie et al. (2017) Glucocorticoid Receptor:MegaTrans Switching Mediates the Repression of an ER?-Regulated Transcriptional Program. Mol Cell 66:321-331.e6