A direct beta-catenin-independent interaction between androgen receptor and T cell factor 4

J Biol Chem. 2003 Aug 15;278(33):30828-34. doi: 10.1074/jbc.M301208200. Epub 2003 Jun 10.

Abstract

T cell factor (Tcf) proteins bind beta-catenin and are downstream effectors of Wnt/beta-catenin signals. A recently demonstrated interaction between beta-catenin and the androgen receptor (AR) ligand binding domain has suggested that AR may be a Tcf-independent Wnt/beta-catenin effector. This study demonstrates that there is a direct interaction between the AR DNA binding domain (DBD) and Tcf4. Tcf4 bound specifically to a glutathione S-transferase-ARDBD fusion protein and could be coimmunoprecipitated with beta-catenin and transfected AR or endogenous AR in prostate cancer cells. Transfected Tcf4 repressed the transcriptional activity of full-length AR and a VP16-ARDBD fusion protein, and this repression was only partially reversed by transfected beta-catenin. AR activation by cyproterone acetate, a partial agonist that did not support beta-catenin binding to the AR, was also repressed by Tcf4, further indicating that repression was not due to beta-catenin sequestration. Tcf4 could recruit beta-catenin to the AR DBD in vitro and to the cyproterone acetate-liganded AR in vivo. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments in LNCaP prostate cancer cells showed that endogenous AR was bound to a Tcf4-responsive element in the c-myc promoter. These findings indicate that AR and Tcf4 can interact directly and that this interaction may occur on the promoters or enhancers of particular genes. The direct AR-Tcf4 interaction, in conjunction AR- and Tcf4-beta-catenin binding, provides a mechanism for cooperative and selective gene regulation by AR and the Wnt/beta-catenin-Tcf pathway that may contribute to normal and neoplastic prostate growth.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Androgen Antagonists / metabolism
  • Androgen Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Cyproterone Acetate / metabolism
  • Cyproterone Acetate / pharmacology
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Male
  • Prostatic Neoplasms*
  • Protein Binding / physiology
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Receptors, Androgen / genetics
  • Receptors, Androgen / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction / physiology
  • TCF Transcription Factors
  • Trans-Activators / metabolism*
  • Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Transcriptional Activation / physiology
  • Transfection
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Zebrafish Proteins*
  • beta Catenin

Substances

  • Androgen Antagonists
  • CTNNB1 protein, human
  • Cytoskeletal Proteins
  • Ligands
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Receptors, Androgen
  • TCF Transcription Factors
  • TCF7L2 protein, human
  • Trans-Activators
  • Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein
  • Transcription Factors
  • Wnt Proteins
  • Zebrafish Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • Cyproterone Acetate