Lysine-specific demethylase 1 promotes the stemness and chemoresistance of Lgr5(+) liver cancer initiating cells by suppressing negative regulators of β-catenin signaling

Oncogene. 2015 Jun 11;34(24):3188-98. doi: 10.1038/onc.2015.129. Epub 2015 Apr 20.

Abstract

Cancer initiating cells (CICs) are responsible for the unrestrained cell growth and chemoresistance of malignant tumors. Histone demethylation has been shown to be crucial for self-renewal/differentiation of stem cells, but it remains elusive whether lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) regulates the stemness properties of CICs. Here we report that the abundant expression of leucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (Lgr5) is associated with the progression of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Lgr5(+) HCC cells behave similarly to CICs and are highly tumorigenic and resistant to chemotherapeutic agents. Importantly, Lgr5(+) cells express higher levels of LSD1, which in turn regulates Lgr5 expression and promotes the self-renewal and drug resistance of Lgr5(+) CICs. Mechanistically, LSD1 promotes β-catenin activation by inhibiting the expression of several suppressors of β-catenin signaling, especially Prickle1 and APC in Lgr5(+) CICs, by directly regulating the levels of mono- and di-methylation of histone H3 lysine-4 at the promoters of these genes. Furthermore, LSD1-associated activation of the β-catenin signaling is essential for maintaining the activity of Lgr5(+) CICs. Together, our findings unravel the LSD1/Prickle1/APC/β-catenin signaling axis as a novel molecular circuit regulating the stemness and chemoresistance of hepatic Lgr5(+) CICs and provide potential targets to improve chemotherapeutic efficacies against HCC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / pathology*
  • Down-Regulation
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / genetics*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Histone Demethylases / genetics
  • Histone Demethylases / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / genetics
  • Liver Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / metabolism
  • Neoplastic Stem Cells / pathology*
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / metabolism
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • LGR5 protein, human
  • Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled
  • beta Catenin
  • Histone Demethylases
  • KDM1A protein, human