DOC1-Dependent Recruitment of NURD Reveals Antagonism with SWI/SNF during Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Oral Cancer Cells

Cell Rep. 2017 Jul 5;20(1):61-75. doi: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.06.020.

Abstract

The Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase (NURD) complex is a key regulator of cell differentiation that has also been implicated in tumorigenesis. Loss of the NURD subunit Deleted in Oral Cancer 1 (DOC1) is associated with human oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCCs). Here, we show that restoration of DOC1 expression in OSCC cells leads to a reversal of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). This is caused by the DOC1-dependent targeting of NURD to repress key transcriptional regulators of EMT. NURD recruitment drives extensive epigenetic reprogramming, including eviction of the SWI/SNF remodeler, formation of inaccessible chromatin, H3K27 deacetylation, and binding of PRC2 and KDM1A, followed by H3K27 methylation and H3K4 demethylation. Strikingly, depletion of SWI/SNF mimics the effects of DOC1 re-expression. Our results suggest that SWI/SNF and NURD function antagonistically to control chromatin state and transcription. We propose that disturbance of this dynamic equilibrium may lead to defects in gene expression that promote oncogenesis.

Keywords: CHD4; DOC1/CDK2AP1; NURD; Polycomb; SWI/SNF; chromatin; epigenetics; epithelial-mesenchymal transition; oral cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylation
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / genetics
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / metabolism*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Chromatin Assembly and Disassembly
  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone / metabolism*
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition*
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism*
  • Methylation
  • Mi-2 Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase Complex / metabolism*
  • Mouth Neoplasms / genetics
  • Mouth Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chromosomal Proteins, Non-Histone
  • FILIP1L protein, human
  • Histones
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • SWI-SNF-B chromatin-remodeling complex
  • Transcription Factors
  • Mi-2 Nucleosome Remodeling and Deacetylase Complex