CHD7 promotes glioblastoma cell motility and invasiveness through transcriptional modulation of an invasion signature

Sci Rep. 2019 Mar 8;9(1):3952. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-39564-w.

Abstract

Chromatin remodeler proteins exert an important function in promoting dynamic modifications in the chromatin architecture, performing a central role in regulating gene transcription. Deregulation of these molecular machines may lead to striking perturbations in normal cell function. The CHD7 gene is a member of the chromodomain helicase DNA-binding family and, when mutated, has been shown to be the cause of the CHARGE syndrome, a severe developmental human disorder. Moreover, CHD7 has been described to be essential for neural stem cells and it is also highly expressed or mutated in a number of human cancers. However, its potential role in glioblastoma has not yet been tested. Here, we show that CHD7 is up-regulated in human glioma tissues and we demonstrate that CHD7 knockout (KO) in LN-229 glioblastoma cells suppresses anchorage-independent growth and spheroid invasion in vitro. Additionally, CHD7 KO impairs tumor growth and increases overall survival in an orthotopic mouse xenograft model. Conversely, ectopic overexpression of CHD7 in LN-428 and A172 glioblastoma cell lines increases cell motility and invasiveness in vitro and promotes LN-428 tumor growth in vivo. Finally, RNA-seq analysis revealed that CHD7 modulates a specific transcriptional signature of invasion-related target genes. Further studies should explore clinical-translational implications for glioblastoma treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement*
  • DNA Helicases / physiology*
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism
  • Glioblastoma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Neoplasm Invasiveness
  • Neoplasm Transplantation

Substances

  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • DNA Helicases
  • CHD7 protein, human