Menin directly represses Gli1 expression independent of canonical Hedgehog signaling.
Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN-1), is a familial tumor syndrome resulting from mutations in the tumor suppressor gene menin (MEN1). Menin plays an essential role in both repressing and activating gene expression. However, it is not well understood how menin represses expression of multiple genes. Upon MEN1 excision, the transcription factor Gli1 and its target genes, including Ptch1 and c-Myc, were shown to be elevated in the absence of an apparent Hedgehog) pathway-activating ligand or when Smoothened (SMO), a key component of the pathway, is inhibited. Menin binds to the GLI1 promoter and recruits PRMT5, a histone arginine methyltransferase associated with transcriptional repression. Both PRMT5 binding and histone H4 arginine 3 methylation (H4R3m2s) are decreased at the GLI1 promoter in MEN1-excised cells. Moreover, MEN1 ablation resulted in increased binding of transcriptionally active Gli1 at the GLI1 promoter in a manner not influenced by the canonical Hedgehog signaling pathway. Inhibition of Gli1 by the small-molecule inhibitor GANT-61 led to decreased expression of Gli1 and its target genes in MEN1-depeleted cells. Furthermore, GANT-61 potently suppressed proliferation of MEN1-excised cells as compared with control cells. These findings uncover a novel epigenetic link whereby menin directly represses Gli1 expression, independent of the canonical Hedgehog signaling pathway, via PRMT5 and its repressive H4R3m2s mark.


CONCLUSIONS
Inhibition of GLI1 suppresses neuroendocrine tumors harboring mutations in the MEN1 gene.
Department of Cancer Biology, Abramson Cancer Center, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine, 421 Curie Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19104. huax@mail.med.upenn.edu.
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D000818:Animals; D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D057890:Epigenomics; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D006657:Histones / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008745:Methylation; D051379:Mice; D009154:Mutation; D015513:Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D011485:Protein Binding; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D011484:Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1
D018797:Cell Cycle Proteins; C551027:GANT 61; D058851:GPI-Linked Proteins; C501180:Gas1 protein, mouse; D053823:Hedgehog Proteins; D006657:Histones; C484898:Men1 protein, mouse; D015513:Oncogene Proteins; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D011725:Pyridines; D011743:Pyrimidines; D015534:Trans-Activators; D000071676:Zinc Finger Protein GLI1; D011496:Protein Methyltransferases; C498518:Prmt5 protein, mouse; D011484:Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases