CREPT facilitates colorectal cancer growth through inducing Wnt/β-catenin pathway by enhancing p300-mediated β-catenin acetylation

Oncogene. 2018 Jun;37(26):3485-3500. doi: 10.1038/s41388-018-0161-z. Epub 2018 Mar 22.

Abstract

Using whole genome sequencing, we identified gene amplification of CREPT in colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we aim to clarify its clinical significance, biological effects, and mechanism in CRC. CREPT was upregulated in CRC cell lines and in 47.37% (72/152) of primary CRC tumors. Amplification of CREPT was detected in 48.28% (56/116) of primary CRC tumors, which was positively correlated with its overexpression (P < 0.001). Multivariate analysis showed that CRC patients with CREPT protein overexpression were significantly associated with poor disease-free survival (P < 0.05). CREPT significantly accelerated CRC cell proliferation and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. RNA-sequencing (seq) analysis uncovered that the tumor-promoting effect by CREPT was attributed to enhancing Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Using co-immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectroscopy, we identified p300 protein was a novel CREPT interacting partner. CREPT greatly increased the interaction between p300 and β-catenin, thus promoting p300-mediated β-catenin acetylation and stabilization. Moreover, CREPT cooperated with p300, leading to elevated active histone acetylation markers H3K27ac and H4Ac and decreased repressive histone marker H3K9me3 at the promoters of Wnt downstream targets. In summary, CREPT plays a pivotal oncogenic role in colorectal carcinogenesis through promoting Wnt/β-catenin pathway via cooperating with p300. CREPT may serve as a prognostic biomarker of patients with CRC.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Animals
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / mortality
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein / metabolism*
  • Gene Amplification / genetics
  • HCT116 Cells
  • HEK293 Cells
  • HT29 Cells
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Proteins / genetics
  • Neoplasm Proteins / metabolism*
  • Neoplasm Transplantation
  • Transplantation, Heterologous
  • Up-Regulation
  • Whole Genome Sequencing
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / physiology*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RPRD1B protein, human
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • E1A-Associated p300 Protein
  • EP300 protein, human