Histone methyltransferase NSD2/MMSET mediates constitutive NF-κB signaling for cancer cell proliferation, survival, and tumor growth via a feed-forward loop

P Yang, L Guo, ZJ Duan, CG Tepper… - … and cellular biology, 2012 - Taylor & Francis
P Yang, L Guo, ZJ Duan, CG Tepper, L Xue, X Chen, HJ Kung, AC Gao, JX Zou, HW Chen
Molecular and cellular biology, 2012Taylor & Francis
Constitutive NF-κB activation by proinflammatory cytokines plays a major role in cancer
progression. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We report here that histone
methyltransferase NSD2 (also known as MMSET or WHSC1), a target of bromodomain
protein ANCCA/ATAD2, acts as a strong coactivator of NF-κB by directly interacting with NF-
κB for activation of target genes, including those for interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, vascular
endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), cyclin D, Bcl-2, and survivin, in castration-resistant …
Constitutive NF-κB activation by proinflammatory cytokines plays a major role in cancer progression. However, the underlying mechanism is still unclear. We report here that histone methyltransferase NSD2 (also known as MMSET or WHSC1), a target of bromodomain protein ANCCA/ATAD2, acts as a strong coactivator of NF-κB by directly interacting with NF-κB for activation of target genes, including those for interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), cyclin D, Bcl-2, and survivin, in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) cells. NSD2 is recruited to the target gene promoters upon induction and mediates NF-κB activation-associated elevation of histone H3K36me2 and H3K36me3 marks at the promoter, which involves its methylase activity. Interestingly, we found that NSD2 is also critical for cytokine-induced recruitment of NF-κB and acetyltransferase p300 and histone hyperacetylation. Importantly, NSD2 is overexpressed in prostate cancer tumors, and its overexpression correlates with NF-κB activation. Furthermore, NSD2 expression is strongly induced by tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and IL-6 via NF-κB and plays a crucial role in tumor growth. These results identify NSD2 to be a key chromatin regulator of NF-κB and mediator of the cytokine autocrine loop for constitutive NF-κB activation and emphasize the important roles played by NSD2 in cancer cell proliferation and survival and tumor growth.
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