A coactivator role of CARM1 in the dysregulation of β-catenin activity in colorectal cancer cell growth and gene expression

Mol Cancer Res. 2011 May;9(5):660-70. doi: 10.1158/1541-7786.MCR-10-0223. Epub 2011 Apr 8.

Abstract

Aberrant activation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, resulting in the expression of Wnt-regulated oncogenes, is recognized as a critical factor in the etiology of colorectal cancer. Occupancy of β-catenin at promoters of Wnt target genes drives transcription, but the mechanism of β-catenin action remains poorly understood. Here, we show that CARM1 (coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1) interacts with β-catenin and positively modulates β-catenin-mediated gene expression. In colorectal cancer cells with constitutively high Wnt/β-catenin activity, depletion of CARM1 inhibits expression of endogenous Wnt/β-catenin target genes and suppresses clonal survival and anchorage-independent growth. We also identified a colorectal cancer cell line (RKO) with a low basal level of β-catenin, which is dramatically elevated by treatment with Wnt3a. Wnt3a also increased the expression of a subset of endogenous Wnt target genes, and CARM1 was required for the Wnt-induced expression of these target genes and the accompanying dimethylation of arginine 17 of histone H3. Depletion of β-catenin from RKO cells diminished the Wnt-induced occupancy of CARM1 on a Wnt target gene, indicating that CARM1 is recruited to Wnt target genes through its interaction with β-catenin and contributes to transcriptional activation by mediating events (including histone H3 methylation) that are downstream from the actions of β-catenin. Therefore, CARM1 is an important positive modulator of Wnt/β-catenin transcription and neoplastic transformation, and may thereby represent a novel target for therapeutic intervention in cancers involving aberrantly activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Histones / genetics*
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1 / metabolism
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / genetics
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcriptional Activation
  • Wnt Proteins / metabolism*
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Histones
  • LEF1 protein, human
  • Lymphoid Enhancer-Binding Factor 1
  • Transcription Factors
  • Wnt Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases
  • coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1