title: gamma-catenin is regulated by the APC tumor suppressor and its oncogenic activity is distinct from that of beta-catenin.
abstract: beta-Catenin and gamma-catenin (plakoglobin), vertebrate homologs of Drosophila armadillo, function in cell adhesion and the Wnt signaling pathway. In colon and other cancers, mutations in the APC tumor suppressor protein or beta-catenin's amino terminus stabilize beta-catenin, enhancing its ability to activate transcription of Tcf/Lef target genes. Though beta- and gamma-catenin have analogous structures and functions and like binding to APC, evidence that gamma-catenin has an important role in cancer has been lacking. We report here that APC regulates both beta- and gamma-catenin and gamma-catenin functions as an oncogene. In contrast to beta-catenin, for which only amino-terminal mutated forms transform RK3E epithelial cells, wild-type and several amino-terminal mutated forms of gamma-catenin had similar transforming activity. gamma-Catenin's transforming activity, like beta-catenin's, was dependent on Tcf/Lef function. However, in contrast to beta-catenin, gamma-catenin strongly activated c-Myc expression and c-Myc function was crucial for gamma-catenin transformation. Our findings suggest APC mutations alter regulation of both beta- and gamma-catenin, perhaps explaining why the frequency of APC mutations in colon cancer far exceeds that of beta-catenin mutations. Elevated c-Myc expression in cancers with APC defects may be due to altered regulation of both beta- and gamma-catenin. Furthermore, the data imply beta- and gamma-catenin may have distinct roles in Wnt signaling and cancer via differential effects on downstream target genes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Genetics and the Cancer Center, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109 USA.
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Kolligs
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kolligs
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Hajra
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hu
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tani
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Fearon
mesh_terms: D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; D000483:Alleles; D000818:Animals; D002448:Cell Adhesion; D002455:Cell Division; D002460:Cell Line; D002461:Cell Line, Transformed; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051180:Desmoplakins; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D051379:Mice; D008819:Mice, Nude; D009154:Mutation; D009368:Neoplasm Transplantation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000378:metabolism*; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013997:Time Factors; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin
chemical_list: D025601:Adenomatous Polyposis Coli Protein; C495270:CTNNB1 protein, human; C495267:CTNNB1 protein, mouse; D003598:Cytoskeletal Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D051180:Desmoplakins; C495292:JUP protein, human; C495293:Jup protein, mouse; D051821:Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D016271:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc; D015534:Trans-Activators; D014157:Transcription Factors; D051153:Wnt Proteins; D029961:Zebrafish Proteins; D051176:beta Catenin; D051185:gamma Catenin