GSE195503
SWI/SNF antagonism of the PRC2 mediates estrogen-induced progesterone receptor expression
Endometrial cancer (EC) is characterized by high estrogen levels unopposed by progesterone. Treatment with progestins is standard for early EC, but response to progestins is dependent on progesterone receptor (PGR) expression. Here, we show that the expression of PGR in endometrial epithelial cells is dependent on ARID1A, a DNA-binding subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex that is commonly mutated in EC. In endometrial epithelial cells with estrogen receptor overexpression, we find that ARID1A promotes estrogen signaling and regulates common gene expression programs. Normally, endometrial epithelial cells expressing estrogen receptor respond to estrogen by upregulating the PGR. However, when ARID1A expression is lost, upregulation of PGR expression is significantly reduced. This phenomenon can also occur following loss of the SWI/SNF subunit BRG1, suggesting a role for ARID1A- and BRG1-containing complexes in PGR regulation. We find that PGR is regulated by a bivalent promoter, which harbors both H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 histone tail modifications. H3K27me3 is deposited by EZH2, and inhibition of EZH2 in the context of ARID1A loss results in restoration of estrogen-induced PGR expression. Our results suggest a role for ARID1A deficiency in the loss of PGR in late-stage EC, and a therapeutic utility for EZH2 inhibitors in EC. Overall design: 12Z human endometriotic epithelial cells with stable expression of ESR1 were transfected with either siARID1A or non-targeting siRNA control. 48 hours later, cells were treated with 10 nM estradiol (E2) or vehicle (0.1% ethanol).  Cells were assayed 24 hours post-E2 treatment via RNA-seq.