title: MMSET regulates expression of IRF4 in t(4;14) myeloma and its silencing potentiates the effect of bortezomib.
abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) is characterized by recurrent chromosomal translocations. In t(4;14) MM, the MM SET domain (MMSET) protein is universally overexpressed and has been suggested to have an important tumorigenic role. However, the exact molecular targets underlying MMSET activity are not well understood. Here, we found in t(4;14) MM cells that MMSET knockdown decreases interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4) expression, and ectopic MMSET increases IRF4 expression, suggesting that MMSET is an upstream regulator of IRF4. Further analyses indicated an interaction between MMSET and nuclear factor-κB, which both bind to the IRF4 promoter region. A luciferase reporter assay showed that MMSET is an important functional element for the IRF4 promoter. MMSET knockdown induces apoptosis and potentiates the effects of bortezomib in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, we found that bortezomib could reduce expression of MMSET and IRF4. This might partly explain the additive effect of combining MMSET knockdown and bortezomib treatment. These results identify MMSET as a key regulator involved in the regulatory network of transcription factor IRF4, which is critical for MM cell survival, suggesting that the combination of MMSET inhibition and bortezomib is likely to improve patient outcome in MM.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Chooi
authors.affiliation: Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Z L
authors.initials: ZL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mustafa
authors.affiliation: Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, Singapore.|Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.|Department of Haematology-Oncology, National University Cancer Institute of Singapore, National University Health System, Singapore.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Chng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000069286:Bortezomib / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002883:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 14; D002894:Chromosomes, Human, Pair 4; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012097:Repressor Proteins / Q000502:physiology*; D014178:Translocation, Genetic; D000099218:Interferon Regulatory Factor-4
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000069286:Bortezomib; D011495:Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase; D050835:Interferon Regulatory Factors; D016328:NF-kappa B; D012097:Repressor Proteins; D000099218:Interferon Regulatory Factor-4; C419586:NSD2 protein, human