Abstract 1972: LIN28 gene targets are key mediators of breast cancer disease processes

LIN28 is an evolutionally conserved RNA-binding protein with critical functions in developmental timing, pluripotency and reprogramming. At the molecular level, most studies indicate that LIN28 modulates gene networks and biological processes by negatively regulating miRNA biogenesis and post-transcriptionally regulating mRNA translation. In addition, increasing evidence suggests that LIN28 is an oncogene, promoting cell growth in various cancers, including breast cancer; however the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are not known. To provide mechanistic insights into how LIN28 modulates the gene networks that control breast cancer disease processes, we integrate next generation technologies, biochemical approaches and computational analysis to identify LIN28 mRNA targets.Our results demonstrated that endogenous LIN28 binds 843 mRNAs, ∼3.5% of the total human reference genome in breast cancer cells. Gene ontology analyses reveal that the genes targeted by LIN28 are enriched in those that control cell metabolism. Furthermore, using proteomics analysis, we identify heteronuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNP A1), a protein with multiple roles in mRNA metabolism, as a LIN28 interacting partner. Importantly, hnRNP A1 is overexpressed and linked to increased cell proliferation and transformation in a wide variety of cancers, including breast cancer. Moreover, and consistent with the observation that majority of mRNAs bound by LIN28 are involved in metabolism, hnRNP A1 ...
Source: Cancer Research - Category: Cancer & Oncology Authors: Tags: Molecular and Cellular Biology Source Type: research