High β-catenin/Tcf-4 activity confers glioma progression via direct regulation of AKT2 gene expression

Neuro Oncol. 2011 Jun;13(6):600-9. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/nor034.

Abstract

Recent data suggest that the β-catenin/Tcf-4 signaling pathway plays an important role in human cancer tumorigenesis. However, the mechanism of β-catenin/Tcf-4 signaling in tumorigenesis is poorly understood. In this study, we show that Tcf-4 protein levels were significantly elevated in high-grade gliomas in comparison with low-grade gliomas and that Tcf-4 levels correlated with levels of AKT2. Reduction of β-catenin/Tcf-4 activity inhibited glioma cell proliferation and invasion in vitro and tumor growth in vivo. This effect of β-catenin/Tcf-4 activity was mediated by AKT2, and in vivo binding of β-catenin/Tcf-4 to the AKT2 promoter was validated using the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and luciferase reporter assays. Taken together, we have demonstrated that Tcf-4 is associated with glioma progression and that AKT2 is a new member of the genes that are regulated by β-catenin/Tcf-4.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cell Adhesion
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Chromatin Immunoprecipitation
  • Disease Progression
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / metabolism*
  • Glioma / pathology*
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Luciferases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / genetics*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Survival Rate
  • Tissue Array Analysis
  • Transcription Factor 4
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • beta Catenin / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors
  • TCF4 protein, human
  • Transcription Factor 4
  • Transcription Factors
  • beta Catenin
  • Luciferases
  • AKT2 protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt