WNT11 is a direct target of early growth response protein 1

BMB Rep. 2020 Dec;53(12):628-633. doi: 10.5483/BMBRep.2020.53.12.052.

Abstract

WNT11 is a member of the non-canonical Wnt family and plays a crucial role in tumor progression. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying WNT11 expression are unclear. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) is a major inflammatory cytokine produced in the tumor microenvironment and contributes to processes associated with tumor progression, such as tumor invasion and metastasis. By using site-directed mutagenesis and introducing a serial deletion in the 5'-regulatory region of WNT11, we observed that TNFα activates the early growth response 1 (EGR1)-binding sequence (EBS) in the proximal region of WNT11 and that the transcription factor EGR1 is necessary for the TNFα-induced transcription of WNT11. EGR1 bound directly to the EBSs within the proximal 5'-regulatory region of WNT11 and ectopic expression of EGR1 stimulated WNT11 promoter activity, whereas the knockdown of EGR1 expression by RNA interference reduced TNFα-induced WNT11 expression in T47D breast cancer cells. We also observed that mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK), extracellular signalregulated kinase (ERK), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), and p38 kinase mediated TNFα-induced transcription of WNT11 via EGR1. Our results suggest that EGR1 directly targets WNT11 in response to TNFα stimulation in breast cancer cells. [BMB Reports 2020; 53(12): 628-633].

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1 / genetics
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1 / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / metabolism
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4
  • MAP Kinase Signaling System
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Protein Binding / genetics
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Transcription, Genetic / genetics
  • Tumor Microenvironment / physiology
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism
  • Wnt Proteins / genetics
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / genetics
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / physiology
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Substances

  • EGR1 protein, human
  • Early Growth Response Protein 1
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Wnt11 protein, human
  • JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
  • MAP Kinase Kinase 4