The ZEB1/miR-200 feedback loop controls Notch signalling in cancer cells

Abstract

Notch signalling is important for development and tissue homeostasis and activated in many human cancers. Nevertheless, mutations in Notch pathway components are rare in solid tumours. ZEB1 is an activator of an epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and has crucial roles in tumour progression towards metastasis. ZEB1 and miR-200 family members repress expression of each other in a reciprocal feedback loop. Since miR-200 members target stem cell factors, ZEB1 indirectly induces stemness maintenance and associated drug resistance. Here, we link ZEB1 and its cancer promoting properties to Notch activation. We show that miR-200 members target Notch pathway components, such as Jagged1 (Jag1) and the mastermind-like coactivators Maml2 and Maml3, thereby mediating enhanced Notch activation by ZEB1. We further detected a coordinated upregulation of Jag1 and ZEB1, associated with reduced miR-200 expression in two aggressive types of human cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma and basal type of breast cancer. These findings explain increased Notch signalling in some types of cancers, where mutations in Notch pathway genes are rare. Moreover, they indicate an additional way how ZEB1 exerts its tumour progressing functions.