DC-SCRIPT is a novel regulator of the tumor suppressor gene CDKN2B and induces cell cycle arrest in ERα-positive breast cancer cells

Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2015 Feb;149(3):693-703. doi: 10.1007/s10549-015-3281-y. Epub 2015 Feb 8.

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the most common causes of cancer-related deaths in women. The estrogen receptor (ERα) is well known for having growth promoting effects in breast cancer. Recently, we have identified DC-SCRIPT (ZNF366) as a co-suppressor of ERα and as a strong and independent prognostic marker in ESR1 (ERα gene)-positive breast cancer patients. In this study, we further investigated the molecular mechanism on how DC-SCRIPT inhibits breast cancer cell growth. DC-SCRIPT mRNA levels from 190 primary ESR1-positive breast tumors were related to global gene expression, followed by gene ontology and pathway analysis. The effect of DC-SCRIPT on breast cancer cell growth and cell cycle arrest was investigated using novel DC-SCRIPT-inducible MCF7 breast cancer cell lines. Genome-wide expression profiling of DC-SCRIPT-expressing MCF7 cells was performed to investigate the effect of DC-SCRIPT on cell cycle-related gene expression. Findings were validated by real-time PCR in a cohort of 1,132 ESR1-positive breast cancer patients. In the primary ESR1-positive breast tumors, DC-SCRIPT expression negatively correlated with several cell cycle gene ontologies and pathways. DC-SCRIPT expression strongly reduced breast cancer cell growth in vitro, breast tumor growth in vivo, and induced cell cycle arrest. In addition, in the presence of DC-SCRIPT, multiple cell cycles related genes were differentially expressed including the tumor suppressor gene CDKN2B. Moreover, in 1,132 primary ESR1-positive breast tumors, DC-SCRIPT expression also correlated with CDKN2B expression. Collectively, these data show that DC-SCRIPT acts as a novel regulator of CDKN2B and induces cell cycle arrest in ESR1-positive breast cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Carrier Proteins / genetics*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints / genetics
  • Cell Proliferation / genetics
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p15 / genetics*
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p15 / metabolism
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha / genetics*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Neoplasm Proteins / biosynthesis
  • RNA, Messenger / biosynthesis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • CDKN2B protein, human
  • Carrier Proteins
  • Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitor p15
  • ESR1 protein, human
  • Estrogen Receptor alpha
  • Neoplasm Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • ZNF366 protein, human