TY - JOUR
T1 - Uncovering BRD4 hyperphosphorylation associated with cellular transformation in NUT midline carcinom1
AU - Wang, Ranran
AU - Cao, Xing Jun
AU - Kulej, Katarzyna
AU - Liu, Wei
AU - Ma, Tongcui
AU - MacDonald, Margo
AU - Chiang, Cheng Ming
AU - Garcia, Benjamin A.
AU - You, Jianxin
PY - 2017/7/3
Y1 - 2017/7/3
N2 - The epigenetic reader BRD4 plays a vital role in transcriptional regulation, cellular growth control, and cell-cycle progression. Dysregulation of BRD4 function has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide range of cancers. However, how BRD4 is regulated to maintain its normal function in healthy cells and how alteration of this process leads to cancer remain poorly understood. In this study, we discovered that BRD4 is hyperphosphorylated in NUT midline carcinoma and identified CDK9 as a potential kinase mediating BRD4 hyperphosphorylation. Disruption of BRD4 hyperphosphorylation using both chemical and molecular inhibitors led to the repression of BRD4 downstream oncogenes and abrogation of cellular transformation. BRD4 hyperphosphorylation is also observed in other cancers displaying enhanced BRD4 oncogenic activity. Our study revealed a mechanism that may regulate BRD4 biological function through phosphorylation, which, when dysregulated, could lead to oncogenesis. Our finding points to strategies to target the aberrant BRD4 signaling specifically for cancer intervention.
AB - The epigenetic reader BRD4 plays a vital role in transcriptional regulation, cellular growth control, and cell-cycle progression. Dysregulation of BRD4 function has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a wide range of cancers. However, how BRD4 is regulated to maintain its normal function in healthy cells and how alteration of this process leads to cancer remain poorly understood. In this study, we discovered that BRD4 is hyperphosphorylated in NUT midline carcinoma and identified CDK9 as a potential kinase mediating BRD4 hyperphosphorylation. Disruption of BRD4 hyperphosphorylation using both chemical and molecular inhibitors led to the repression of BRD4 downstream oncogenes and abrogation of cellular transformation. BRD4 hyperphosphorylation is also observed in other cancers displaying enhanced BRD4 oncogenic activity. Our study revealed a mechanism that may regulate BRD4 biological function through phosphorylation, which, when dysregulated, could lead to oncogenesis. Our finding points to strategies to target the aberrant BRD4 signaling specifically for cancer intervention.
KW - Bromodomain-containing protein 4
KW - CDK9
KW - Cancer
KW - Cellular transformation
KW - NUT midline carcinoma
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85021755662&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.1703071114
DO - 10.1073/pnas.1703071114
M3 - Article
C2 - 28630312
AN - SCOPUS:85021755662
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 114
SP - E5352-E5361
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 27
ER -