Inhibition of BRD4 suppresses the malignancy of breast cancer cells via regulation of Snail

Cell Death Differ. 2020 Jan;27(1):255-268. doi: 10.1038/s41418-019-0353-2. Epub 2019 May 21.

Abstract

The mechanistic action of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) in cancer motility, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), remains largely undefined. We found that targeted inhibition of BRD4 reduces migration, invasion, in vivo growth of patient-derived xenograft (PDX), and lung colonization of breast cancer (BC) cells. Inhibition of BRD4 rapidly decreases the expression of Snail, a powerful EMT transcription factor (EMT-TF), via diminishing its protein stability and transcription. Protein kinase D1 (PRKD1) is responsible for BRD4-regulated Snail protein stability by triggering phosphorylation at Ser11 of Snail and then inducing proteasome-mediated degradation. BRD4 inhibition also suppresses the expression of Gli1, a key transductor of Hedgehog (Hh) required to activate the transcription of SNAI1, in BC cells. The GACCACC sequence (-341 to -333) in the SNAI1 promoter is responsible for Gli1-induced transcription of SNAI1. Clinically, BRD4 and Snail levels are increased in lung-metastasized, estrogen receptor-negative (ER-), and progesterone receptor-negative (PR-) breast cancers and correlate with the expression of mesenchymal markers. Collectively, BRD4 can regulate malignancy of breast cancer cells via both transcriptional and post-translational regulation of Snail.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Azepines / therapeutic use
  • Breast Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms / secondary
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mice, SCID
  • Middle Aged
  • Protein Kinase C / metabolism
  • Protein Stability
  • Snail Family Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Snail Family Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Snail Family Transcription Factors / physiology
  • Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Triazoles / therapeutic use
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1 / metabolism

Substances

  • (+)-JQ1 compound
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Azepines
  • BRD4 protein, human
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • GLI1 protein, human
  • SNAI1 protein, human
  • Snail Family Transcription Factors
  • Transcription Factors
  • Triazoles
  • Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
  • protein kinase D
  • Protein Kinase C