title: p73alpha isoforms drive opposite transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of MYCN expression in neuroblastoma cells.
abstract: MYCN activation, mainly by gene amplification, is one of the most frequent molecular events in neuroblastoma (NB) oncogenesis, and is associated with increased malignancy and decreased neuronal differentiation propensity. The frequency of concomitant loss of heterozygosity at the 1p36.3 locus, which harbours the p53 anti-oncogene homologue TP73, indicates that MYCN and p73 alterations may cooperate in the pathogenesis of NB. We have previously shown that p73 isoforms are deregulated in NB tumours and that TAp73 co-operates synergistically with p53 for apoptosis of NB cells, whereas DeltaNp73 activates the expression of neuronal differentiation genes such as BTG2. Herein, using both ectopic expression and RNA interference-mediated silencing of p73 in MYCN amplified NB cells, we show that p73alpha isoforms inhibit MYCN expression at both transcript and protein levels, in spite of transactivator effects on MYCN promoter. To explain this paradox, we found that TAp73alpha exerts negative post-transcriptional effects leading to reduced MYCN mRNA stability. RNA immunoprecipitation experiments suggest that this dominant inhibitory post-transcriptional effect could be due to an interaction between the p73 protein and MYCN mRNA, a hypothesis also raised for the regulation of certain genes by the p53 protein.
authors.affiliation: Interactions Molécularies et Cancer, Unité Mixte de Recherche 8126, Centre National de Recherche Scientifique-Université Paris Sud-11, Institut de Cancérologie Gustave Roussy, 94805 Villejuif, France.
authors.forename: Emilie
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Horvilleur
authors.forename: Matthieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Goldschneider
authors.forename: Xénia
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Mergui
authors.forename: Alix
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: de la Motte
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bénard
authors.forename: Sétha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Douc-Rasy
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cappellen
mesh_terms: D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D016259:Genes, myc; D006801:Humans; D000071447:N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D020871:RNA Stability; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism*; D015533:Transcriptional Activation; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; C459801:MYCN protein, human; D000071447:N-Myc Proto-Oncogene Protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C000606460:TP73 protein, human; D000072160:Tumor Protein p73; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; C000606369:delta Np73 protein, human