Targeting the Deregulated Spliceosome Core Machinery in Cancer Cells Triggers mTOR Blockade and Autophagy
CANCER RESEARCH
Authors: Quidville, Virginie; Alsafadi, Samar; Goubar, Aicha; Commo, Frederic; Scott, Veronique; Pioche-Durieu, Catherine; Girault, Isabelle; Baconnais, Sonia; Le Cam, Eric; Lazar, Vladimir; Delaloge, Suzette; Saghatchian, Mahasti; Pautier, Patricia; Morice, Philippe; Dessen, Philippe; Vagner, Stephan; Andre, Fabrice
Abstract
The spliceosome is a large ribonucleoprotein complex that guides pre-mRNA splicing in eukaryotic cells. Here, we determine whether the spliceosome could constitute an attractive therapeutic target in cancer. Analysis of gene expression arrays from lung, breast, and ovarian cancers datasets revealed that several genes encoding components of the core spliceosome composed of a heteroheptameric Sm complex were overexpressed in malignant disease as compared with benign lesions and could also define a subset of highly aggressive breast cancers. siRNA-mediated depletion of SmE (SNRPE) or SmD1 (SNRPD1) led to a marked reduction of cell viability in breast, lung, and melanoma cancer cell lines, whereas it had little effect on the survival of the nonmalignant MCF-10A breast epithelial cells. SNRPE or SNRPD1 depletion did not lead to apoptotic cell death but autophagy, another form of cell death. Indeed, induction of autophagy was revealed by cytoplasmic accumulation of autophagic vacuoles and by an increase in both LC3 (MAP1LC3A) protein conversion and the amount of acidic autophagic vacuoles. Knockdown of SNRPE dramatically decreased mTOR mRNA and protein levels and was accompanied by a deregulation of the mTOR pathway, which, in part, explains the SNRPE-dependent induction of autophagy. These findings provide a rational to develop new therapeutic agents targeting spliceosome core components in oncology. Cancer Res; 73(7); 2247-58. (C)2013 AACR.
The unique spliceosome signature of human pluripotent stem cells is mediated by SNRPA1, SNRPD1, and PNN
STEM CELL RESEARCH
Authors: Kim, Young-Dae; Lee, Jungwoon; Kim, Han-Seop; Lee, Mi-Ok; Son, Mi-Young; Yoo, Chae Hwa; Choi, Jung-Kyun; Lee, Sang Chul; Cho, Yee Sook
Abstract
Spliceosomes are the core host of pre-mRNA splicing, allowing multiple protein isoforms to be produced from a single gene. Herein, we reveal that spliceosomes are more abundant in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSs), including human embryonic stem cells (hESs) and human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSs), than non-hPSs, and their presence is associated with high transcriptional activity. Supportively, spliceosomal components involved in the catalytically active pre-mRNA splicing step were mainly co-localized with hPS spliceosomes. By profiling the gene expression of 342 selected splicing factors, we found that 71 genes were significantly altered during the reprogramming of human somatic cells into hiPSs. Among them, SNRPA1, SNRPD1, and PNNwere significantly up-regulated during the early stage of reprogramming, identified as hub genes by interaction network and cluster analysis. SNRPA1, SNRPD1, or PNNdepletion led to a pronounced loss of pluripotency and significantly blocked hiPS generation. SNRPA1, SNRPD1, and PNN co-localized with the hPS spliceosomes, physically interacted with each other, and positively influenced the appearance of hPS spliceosomes. Our data suggest that SNRPA1, SNRPD1, and PNN are key players in the regulation of pluripotency-specific spliceosome assembly and the acquisition and maintenance of pluripotency. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.