Global profiling and molecular characterization of alternative splicing events misregulated in lung cancer

Mol Cell Biol. 2011 Jan;31(1):138-50. doi: 10.1128/MCB.00709-10. Epub 2010 Nov 1.

Abstract

Alternative splicing (AS) is a widespread mechanism underlying the generation of proteomic and regulatory complexity. However, which of the myriad of human AS events play important roles in disease is largely unknown. To identify frequently occurring AS events in lung cancer, we used AS microarray profiling and reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) assays to survey patient-matched normal and adenocarcinoma tumor tissues from the lungs of 29 individuals diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Of 5,183 profiled alternative exons, four displayed tumor-associated changes in the majority of the patients. These events affected transcripts from the VEGFA, MACF1, APP, and NUMB genes. Similar AS changes were detected in NUMB and APP transcripts in primary breast and colon tumors. Tumor-associated increases in NUMB exon 9 inclusion correlated with reduced levels of NUMB protein expression and activation of the Notch signaling pathway, an event that has been linked to tumorigenesis. Moreover, short hairpin RNA (shRNA) knockdown of NUMB followed by isoform-specific rescue revealed that expression of the exon 9-skipped (nontumor) isoform represses Notch target gene activation whereas expression of the exon 9-included (tumor) isoform lacks this activity and is capable of promoting cell proliferation. The results thus reveal widespread AS changes in NSCLC that impact cell signaling in a manner that likely contributes to tumorigenesis.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / genetics
  • Alternative Splicing*
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor / genetics
  • Base Sequence
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / genetics*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / pathology
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Colonic Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colonic Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Exons
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Profiling
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Membrane Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Microfilament Proteins / genetics
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins / genetics
  • Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis
  • Organ Specificity
  • Pregnancy
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • RNA, Neoplasm / genetics
  • RNA, Small Interfering / genetics
  • Receptors, Notch / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / genetics

Substances

  • APP protein, human
  • Amyloid beta-Protein Precursor
  • MACF1 protein, human
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Microfilament Proteins
  • Nerve Tissue Proteins
  • NUMB protein, human
  • RNA, Messenger
  • RNA, Neoplasm
  • RNA, Small Interfering
  • Receptors, Notch
  • VEGFA protein, human
  • Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A