MUC1 oncoprotein activates the FOXO3a transcription factor in a survival response to oxidative stress.
The MUC1 transforming protein is aberrantly overexpressed by most human carcinomas. Recent studies demonstrated that MUC1 confers a protective function against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis; however, the mechanisms responsible for this response are not known. The present work demonstrates that MUC1 regulates FKHRL1/FOXO3a, a member of the forkhead family of transcription factors that induces oxidant scavenging and DNA repair. We show that MUC1 attenuates activation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase --> phospho-Akt/PKB pathway in HCT116 colon carcinoma cells and thereby decreases FOXO3a phosphorylation. MUC1 is expressed as an N-terminal ectodomain that is tethered to the cell surface by a C-terminal transmembrane subunit. The results demonstrate that the MUC1 cytoplasmic domain is sufficient to induce FOXO3a activation and attenuation of oxidative stress. We also demonstrate that stable down-regulation of endogenous MUC1 in ZR-75-1 breast cancer cells inactivates FOXO3a, increases intracellular oxidant levels, and sensitizes cells to H(2)O(2)-induced necrosis. These findings indicate that MUC1 regulates the FOXO3a signaling pathway in a survival response to oxidative stress.
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, USA.
Li
L
Yin
Lei
L
Huang
Donald
D
Kufe
D017209:Apoptosis; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D045325:HCT116 Cells; D006801:Humans; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / Q000378:metabolism; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000378:metabolism*
D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D000071161:Forkhead Box Protein O1; D000071316:Forkhead Box Protein O3; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D018396:Mucin-1; D019869:Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases; D017346:Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D051057:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt; D014157:Transcription Factors; C085126:FOXO1 protein, human; C499517:FOXO3 protein, human; C494918:AKT1 protein, human