Identification of the LIM protein FHL2 as a coactivator of beta-catenin

J Biol Chem. 2003 Feb 14;278(7):5188-94. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M207216200. Epub 2002 Dec 3.

Abstract

Beta-catenin is a key mediator of the Wnt pathway, which plays a critical role in embryogenesis and oncogenesis. As a transcriptional activator, beta-catenin binds the transcription factors, T-cell factor and lymphoid enhancer factor, and regulates gene expression in response to Wnt signaling. Abnormal activation of beta-catenin has been linked to various types of cancer. In a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified the four and a half of LIM-only protein 2 (FHL2) as a novel beta-catenin-interacting protein. Here we show specific interaction of FHL2 with beta-catenin, which requires the intact structure of FHL2 and armadillo repeats 1-9 of beta-catenin. FHL2 cooperated with beta-catenin to activate T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor-dependent transcription from a synthetic reporter and the cyclin D1 and interleukin-8 promoters in kidney and colon cell lines. In contrast, coexpression of beta-catenin and FHL2 had no synergistic effect on androgen receptor-mediated transcription, whereas each of these two coactivators independently stimulated AR transcriptional activity. Thus, the ability of FHL2 to stimulate the trans-activating function of beta-catenin might be dependent on the promoter context. The detection of increased FHL2 expression in hepatoblastoma, a liver tumor harboring frequent beta-catenin mutations, suggests that FHL2 might enforce beta-catenin transactivation activity in cancer cells. These findings reveal a new function of the LIM coactivator FHL2 in transcriptional activation of Wnt-responsive genes.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / genetics*
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • HeLa Cells
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics*
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Trans-Activators / genetics*
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors*
  • Transcriptional Activation*
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Zebrafish Proteins*
  • beta Catenin

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • FHL2 protein, human
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • LIM-Homeodomain Proteins
  • Muscle Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factors
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases