Cullin-5 deficiency orchestrates the tumor microenvironment to promote mammary tumor development through CREB1-CCL2 signaling

Sci Adv. 2023 Jan 20;9(3):eabq1395. doi: 10.1126/sciadv.abq1395. Epub 2023 Jan 20.

Abstract

Breast cancer-associated gene 1 (Brca1) deficiency induces the onset of breast cancer formation, accompanied with extensive genetic alterations. Here, we used both the sleeping beauty transposon mutagenesis system and CRISPR-Cas9-mediated genome-wide screening in mice to identify potential genetic alterations that act synergistically with Brca1 deficiency to promote tumorignesis. Both approaches identified Cullin-5 as a tumor suppressor, whose mutation enabled Brca1-deficient cell survival and accelerated tumorigenesis by orchestrating tumor microenvironment. Cullin-5 suppresses cell growth through ubiquitylating and degrading adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate-responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB1), especially under protein damage condition. Meanwhile, Cullin-5 deficiency activated CREB1-CCL2 signaling and resulted in the accumulation of monocytes and polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells, reduction of T cells that benefit tumor progression in both Brca1-deficient cells and wild-type cells. Blocking CREB1 activity either through gene knockout or specific inhibitor treatment suppressed changes in the tumor microenvironment caused by Cullin-5 deficiency and blocked tumor progression.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cullin Proteins* / genetics
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / metabolism
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • Mammary Neoplasms, Animal* / pathology
  • Mice
  • Signal Transduction
  • Tumor Microenvironment

Substances

  • Cullin Proteins
  • Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein