p38 MAPK Down-regulates Fibulin 3 Expression through Methylation of Gene Regulatory Sequences

[EN]P38 MAPKs regulate migration and invasion. However, the mechanisms involved are only partially known. We had previously identified fibulin 3, which plays a role in migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis, as a gene regulated by p38α. We have characterized in detail how p38 MAPK regulates fibulin...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Arechederra, María, Priego, Neibla, Vázquez-Carballo, Ana, Sequera, Celia, Gutiérrez-Uzquiza, Álvaro, Cerezo-Guisado, María Isabel, Ortiz-Rivero, Sara, Roncero Maíllo, César, Cuenda, Ana, Guerrero Arroyo, María Carmen, Porras, Almudena
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2015
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
Repository:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
OAI Identifier:oai:gredos.usal.es:10366/163439
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10366/163439
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:cancer biology
cell signaling
invasion
migration
Medical Oncology
Cells
p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases
HCT116 Cells
oncología médica
células
células HCT116
proteína cinasas p38 activadas por mitógenos
Description
Summary:[EN]P38 MAPKs regulate migration and invasion. However, the mechanisms involved are only partially known. We had previously identified fibulin 3, which plays a role in migration, invasion, and tumorigenesis, as a gene regulated by p38α. We have characterized in detail how p38 MAPK regulates fibulin 3 expression and its role. We describe here for the first time that p38α, p38γ, and p38δ down-regulate fibulin 3 expression. p38α has a stronger effect, and it does so through hypermethylation of CpG sites in the regulatory sequences of the gene. This would be mediated by the DNA methylase, DNMT3A, which is down-regulated in cells lacking p38α, but once re-introduced represses Fibulin 3 expression. p38α through HuR stabilizes dnmt3a mRNA leading to an increase in DNMT3A protein levels. Moreover, by knocking-down fibulin 3, we have found that Fibulin 3 inhibits migration and invasion in MEFs by mechanisms involving p38α/β inhibition. Hence, p38α pro-migratory/invasive effect might be, at least in part, mediated by fibulin 3 down-regulation in MEFs. In contrast, in HCT116 cells, Fibulin 3 promotes migration and invasion through a mechanism dependent on p38α and/or p38β activation. Furthermore, Fibulin 3 promotes in vitro and in vivo tumor growth of HCT116 cells through a mechanism dependent on p38α, which surprisingly acts as a potent inducer of tumor growth. At the same time, p38α limits fibulin 3 expression, which might represent a negative feed-back loop.