CBFB cooperates with p53 to maintain TAp73 expression and suppress breast cancer

PLoS Genet. 2021 May 4;17(5):e1009553. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1009553. eCollection 2021 May.

Abstract

The CBFB gene is frequently mutated in several types of solid tumors. Emerging evidence suggests that CBFB is a tumor suppressor in breast cancer. However, our understanding of the tumor suppressive function of CBFB remains incomplete. Here, we analyze genetic interactions between mutations of CBFB and other highly mutated genes in human breast cancer datasets and find that CBFB and TP53 mutations are mutually exclusive, suggesting a functional association between CBFB and p53. Integrated genomic studies reveal that TAp73 is a common transcriptional target of CBFB and p53. CBFB cooperates with p53 to maintain TAp73 expression, as either CBFB or p53 loss leads to TAp73 depletion. TAp73 re-expression abrogates the tumorigenic effect of CBFB deletion. Although TAp73 loss alone is insufficient for tumorigenesis, it enhances the tumorigenic effect of NOTCH3 overexpression, a downstream event of CBFB loss. Immunohistochemistry shows that p73 loss is coupled with higher proliferation in xenografts. Moreover, TAp73 loss-of-expression is a frequent event in human breast cancer tumors and cell lines. Together, our results significantly advance our understanding of the tumor suppressive functions of CBFB and reveal a mechanism underlying the communication between the two tumor suppressors CBFB and p53.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit / metabolism
  • Core Binding Factor beta Subunit / deficiency
  • Core Binding Factor beta Subunit / genetics*
  • Core Binding Factor beta Subunit / metabolism
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic*
  • Genes, Tumor Suppressor
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Receptor, Notch3 / genetics
  • Receptor, Notch3 / metabolism
  • Transcription, Genetic
  • Tumor Protein p73 / deficiency
  • Tumor Protein p73 / genetics*
  • Tumor Protein p73 / metabolism
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / deficiency
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / genetics*
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / metabolism
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • CBFB protein, human
  • Core Binding Factor Alpha 2 Subunit
  • Core Binding Factor beta Subunit
  • NOTCH3 protein, human
  • RUNX1 protein, human
  • Receptor, Notch3
  • TP53 protein, human
  • TP73 protein, human
  • Tumor Protein p73
  • Tumor Suppressor Protein p53