Myeloid translocation gene family members associate with T-cell factors (TCFs) and influence TCF-dependent transcription

Mol Cell Biol. 2008 Feb;28(3):977-87. doi: 10.1128/MCB.01242-07. Epub 2007 Nov 26.

Abstract

Canonical Wnt signaling is mediated by a molecular "switch" that regulates the transcriptional properties of the T-cell factor (TCF) family of DNA-binding proteins. Members of the myeloid translocation gene (MTG) family of transcriptional corepressors are frequently disrupted by chromosomal translocations in acute myeloid leukemia, whereas MTG16 may be inactivated in up to 40% of breast cancer and MTG8 is a candidate cancer gene in colorectal carcinoma. Genetic studies imply that this corepressor family may function in stem cells. Given that mice lacking Myeloid Translocation Gene Related-1 (Mtgr1) fail to maintain the secretory lineage in the small intestine, we surveyed transcription factors that might recruit Mtgr1 in intestinal stem cells or progenitor cells and found that MTG family members associate specifically with TCF4. Coexpression of beta-catenin disrupted the association between these corepressors and TCF4. Furthermore, when expressed in Xenopus embryos, MTG family members inhibited axis formation and impaired the ability of beta-catenin and XLef-1 to induce axis duplication, indicating that MTG family members act downstream of beta-catenin. Moreover, we found that c-Myc, a transcriptional target of the Wnt pathway, was overexpressed in the small intestines of mice lacking Mtgr1, thus linking inactivation of Mtgr1 to the activation of a potent oncogene.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • COS Cells
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Cricetinae
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
  • DNA-Binding Proteins / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Intestine, Small / chemistry
  • K562 Cells
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Nuclear Proteins / physiology*
  • Protein Binding
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / physiology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc / analysis
  • RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein
  • Repressor Proteins / genetics*
  • TCF Transcription Factors / genetics
  • TCF Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein
  • Transcription Factors / genetics
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Transcription Factors / physiology*
  • Transcription, Genetic*
  • Transfection
  • Xenopus Proteins
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • CBFA2T2 myeloid-transforming gene-related protein
  • Cbfa2t3 protein, mouse
  • DNA-Binding Proteins
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-myc
  • RUNX1 Translocation Partner 1 Protein
  • RUNX1T1 protein, human
  • Repressor Proteins
  • TCF Transcription Factors
  • TCF7L2 protein, human
  • Tcf7l2 protein, mouse
  • Transcription Factor 7-Like 2 Protein
  • Transcription Factors
  • Xenopus Proteins
  • beta Catenin
  • tcf7l2 protein, Xenopus