DNA polymerase beta modulates cancer progression via enhancing CDH13 expression by promoter demethylation

Oncogene. 2020 Aug;39(33):5507-5519. doi: 10.1038/s41388-020-1386-1. Epub 2020 Jul 8.

Abstract

DNA polymerase β (Pol β) plays a critical role in DNA base excision repair (BER), which is involved in maintaining genomic stability and in the modulation of DNA demethylation. Numerous studies implicated deficiency of Pol β in the genomic instability and dysregulation of genes expression, leading to affecting initiation of cancer. However, the role of Pol β in cancer progression is still unclear. Here, we show that Pol β depresses migratory and invasive capabilities of both breast and lung carcinomas, which were evident in human breast and lung cancer cells, as well as in mouse xenograft tumors. On the molecular basis, overexpression of Pol β enhanced expression of CDH13, which show function on cell adhesion and migration. Knockdown of CDH13 restores the migratory, invasive capabilities and angiogenesis in tumor, which gets impaired by Pol β. According to the function of BER on modulation of DNA demethylation, our studies on CDH13 expression and the DNA methylation levels of CDH13 promoter suggested that Pol β promotes expression of CDH13 by augmenting DNA demethylation of CDH13 promoter. Our findings elucidated a novel possibility that Pol β impair cancer cell metastasis during cancer progression and shed light on the role of Pol β in cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • A549 Cells
  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cadherins / genetics
  • Cadherins / metabolism*
  • DNA Methylation*
  • DNA Polymerase beta / genetics
  • DNA Polymerase beta / metabolism*
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Disease Progression
  • Female
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mice, SCID
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic

Substances

  • Cadherins
  • H-cadherin
  • DNA Polymerase beta