Neuralized1 causes apoptosis and downregulates Notch target genes in medulloblastoma

Neuro Oncol. 2010 Dec;12(12):1244-56. doi: 10.1093/neuonc/noq091. Epub 2010 Sep 16.

Abstract

Neuralized (Neurl) is a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, which in Drosophila acts upon Notch ligands to regulate Notch pathway signaling. Human Neuralized1 (NEURL1) was investigated as a potential tumor suppressor in medulloblastoma (MB). The gene is located at 10q25.1, a region demonstrating frequent loss of heterozygosity in tumors. In addition, prior publications have shown that the Notch pathway is functional in a proportion of MB tumors and that Neurl1 is only expressed in differentiated cells in the developing cerebellum. In this study, NEURL1 expression was downregulated in MB compared with normal cerebellar tissue, with the lowest levels of expression in hedgehog-activated tumors. Control of gene expression by histone modification was implicated mechanistically; loss of 10q, sequence mutation, and promoter hypermethylation did not play major roles. NEURL1-transfected MB cell lines demonstrated decreased population growth, colony-forming ability, tumor sphere formation, and xenograft growth compared with controls, and a significant increase in apoptosis was seen on cell cycle and cell death analysis. Notch pathway inhibition occurred on the exogenous expression of NEURL1, as shown by decreased expression of the Notch ligand, Jagged1, and the target genes, HES1 and HEY1. From these studies, we conclude that NEURL1 is a candidate tumor suppressor in MB, at least in part through its effects on the Notch pathway.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Apoptosis*
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Blotting, Western
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / genetics
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / genetics
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Cerebellar Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Cerebellum / metabolism
  • Cerebellum / pathology
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • DNA Methylation
  • Down-Regulation*
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Homeodomain Proteins / genetics
  • Homeodomain Proteins / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoenzyme Techniques
  • Infant
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / genetics
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism
  • Jagged-1 Protein
  • Medulloblastoma / genetics
  • Medulloblastoma / metabolism
  • Medulloblastoma / pathology*
  • Membrane Proteins / genetics
  • Membrane Proteins / metabolism
  • Phenotype
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic / genetics
  • RNA, Messenger / genetics
  • Receptors, Notch / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Receptors, Notch / genetics*
  • Receptors, Notch / metabolism
  • Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
  • Serrate-Jagged Proteins
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transcription Factor HES-1
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases / physiology*

Substances

  • Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Transcription Factors
  • Calcium-Binding Proteins
  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • HEY1 protein, human
  • Homeodomain Proteins
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • JAG1 protein, human
  • Jagged-1 Protein
  • Membrane Proteins
  • RNA, Messenger
  • Receptors, Notch
  • Ser protein, Drosophila
  • Serrate-Jagged Proteins
  • Transcription Factor HES-1
  • HES1 protein, human
  • NEURL1 protein, human
  • Ubiquitin-Protein Ligases