Aberrant methylation of WD-repeat protein 41 contributes to tumour progression in triple-negative breast cancer

J Cell Mol Med. 2020 Jun;24(12):6869-6882. doi: 10.1111/jcmm.15344. Epub 2020 May 12.

Abstract

WD-repeat proteins are implicated in a variety of biological functions, most recently in oncogenesis. However, the underlying function of WD-repeat protein 41 (WDR41) in tumorigenesis remains elusive. The present study was aimed to explore the role of WDR41 in breast cancer. Combined with Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, the results showed that WDR41 was expressed at low levels in breast cancer, especially in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Using methylation-specific PCR (MSP), we observed that WDR41 presented hypermethylation in MDA-MB-231 cells. Methylation inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) management increased the expression of WDR41 in MDA-MB-231 cells, but not in MCF-10A (normal mammary epithelial cells) or oestrogen receptor-positive MCF-7 breast cancer cells. WDR41-down-regulation promoted, while WDR41-up-regulation inhibited the tumour characteristics of TNBC cells including cell viability, cell cycle and migration. Further, WDR41-up-regulation dramatically suppressed tumour growth in vivo. Mechanistically, WDR41 protein ablation activated, while WDR41-up-regulation repressed the AKT/GSK-3β pathway and the subsequent nuclear activation of β-catenin in MDA-MB-231 cells, and 5-aza-dC treatment enhanced this effect. After treatment with the AKT inhibitor MK-2206, WDR41-down-regulation-mediated activation of the GSK-3β/β-catenin signalling was robustly abolished. Collectively, methylated WDR41 in MDA-MB-231 cells promotes tumorigenesis through positively regulating the AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway, thus providing an important foundation for treating TNBC.

Keywords: AKT/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway; WDR41; methylation; triple-negative breast cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis
  • Autophagy-Related Proteins / genetics*
  • Autophagy-Related Proteins / metabolism
  • Carcinogenesis / pathology
  • Cell Cycle Checkpoints
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Movement
  • Cell Proliferation
  • DNA Methylation / genetics*
  • Disease Progression*
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Middle Aged
  • Models, Biological
  • Neoplasm Metastasis
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • Signal Transduction
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Up-Regulation / genetics
  • beta Catenin / metabolism

Substances

  • Autophagy-Related Proteins
  • WDR41 protein, human
  • beta Catenin
  • Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta