DMP1 beta, a splice isoform of the tumour suppressor DMP1 locus, induces proliferation and progression of breast cancer
JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY
Authors: Maglic, Dejan; Stovall, Daniel B.; Cline, J. Mark; Fry, Elizabeth A.; Mallakin, Ali; Taneja, Pankaj; Caudell, David L.; Willingham, Mark C.; Sui, Guangchao; Inoue, Kazushi
Abstract
Our recent work has indicated that the DMP1 locus on 7q21, encoding a haplo-insufficient tumour suppressor, is hemizygously deleted at a high frequency in breast cancer. The locus encodes DMP1 protein, an activator of the p53 pathway leading to cell cycle arrest and senescence, and two other functionally undefined isoforms, DMP1 and DMP1. In this study, we show that the DMP1 locus is alternatively spliced in approximate to 30% of breast cancer cases with relatively decreased DMP1 and increased DMP1 expression. RNA-seq analyses of a publicly available database showed significantly increased DMP1mRNA in 43-55% of human breast cancers, dependent on histological subtypes. Similarly, DMP1 protein was found to be overexpressed in approximate to 60% of tumours relative to their surrounding normal tissue. Importantly, alteration of DMP1 splicing and DMP1 overexpression were associated with poor clinical outcomes of the breast cancer patients, indicating that DMP1 may have a biological function. Indeed, DMP1 increased proliferation of non-tumourigenic mammary epithelial cells and knockdown of endogenous DMP1 inhibited breast cancer cell growth. To determine DMP1's role in vivo, we established MMTV-DMP1 transgenic mouse lines. DMP1 overexpression was sufficient to induce mammary gland hyperplasia and multifocal tumour lesions in mice at 7-18 months of age. The tumours formed were adenosquamous carcinomas with evidence of transdifferentiation and keratinized deposits. Overall, we identify alternative splicing as a mechanism utilized by cancer cells to modulate the DMP1 locus through diminishing DMP1 tumour suppressor expression, while simultaneously up-regulating the tumour-promoting DMP1 isoform. Copyright (c) 2014 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential osteogenicity of multiple donor-derived human mesenchymal stem cells and osteoblasts in monolayer, scaffold-based 3D culture and in vivo
BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING-BIOMEDIZINISCHE TECHNIK
Authors: Quent, Verena M. C.; Theodoropoulos, Christina; Hutmacher, Dietmar W.; Reichert, Johannes C.
Abstract
We set out to compare the osteogenicity of human mesenchymal stem (hMSCs) and osteoblasts (hOBs). Upon osteogenic induction in monolayer, hMSCs showed superior matrix mineralization expressing characteristic bone-related genes. For scaffold cultures, both cell types presented spindle-shaped, osteoblast-like morphologies forming a dense, interconnected network of high viability. On the scaffolds, hOBs proliferated faster. A general upregulation of parathyroid hormone-related protein (PTHrP), osteoprotegrin (OPG), receptor activator of NF-kappa B ligand (RANKL), sclerostin (SOST), and dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1) was observed for both cell types. Simultaneously, PTHrP, RANKL and DMP-1 expression decreased under osteogenic stimulation, while OPG and SOST increased significantly. Following transplantation into NOD/SCID mice, mu CT and histology showed increased bone deposition with hOBs. The bone was vascularized, and amounts further increased for both cell types after recombinant human bone morphogenic protein 7 - (rhBMP-7) addition also stimulating osteoclastogenesis. Complete bone organogenesis was evidenced by the presence of osteocytes and hematopoietic precursors. Our study results support the asking to develop 3D cellular models closely mimicking the functions of living tissues suitable for in vivo translation.