Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
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Query: UMLS:C0023418 (leukemia)
 93,477 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Telomerase activity in cancer cells is dependent on the transcriptional regulation of the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) gene, encoding the catalytic subunit of human telomerase. We have shown previously that HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper (HBZ), a viral regulatory protein encoded by the human retrovirus, human T-cell leukemia virus, type 1 (HTLV-1) cooperates with JunD to enhance hTERT transcription in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells. Menin, the product of the tumor-suppressor MEN-1 gene, also interacts with JunD, represses its transcriptional activity and downregulates telomerase expression. The main objective of this study was to examine how menin and HBZ get involved in the regulation of hTERT transcription. In this study, we report that JunD and menin form a repressor complex of hTERT transcription in HBZ-negative cells. Conversely, in HBZ-positive cells, the formation of a JunD/HBZ/menin ternary complex and the recruitment of p300 histone acetyl transferase activity by HBZ lead to a decreased activity of the JunD-menin suppressor unit that correlates with the activation of hTERT transcription. Silencing HBZ or menin expression in ATL cells confirms that these proteins are differentially involved in telomerase regulation. These results propose that HBZ, by impeding the tumor-suppressor activity of menin, functions as a leukemogenic cofactor to upregulate gene transcription and promote JunD-mediated leukemogenesis.
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PMID:HTLV-1 bZIP factor impedes the menin tumor suppressor and upregulates JunD-mediated transcription of the hTERT gene. 2378 80

Multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) is characterized by the occurrence of tumors involving two or more endocrine glands within a single patient. Four major forms of MEN, which are autosomal dominant disorders, are recognized and referred to as: MEN type 1 (MEN1), due to menin mutations; MEN2 (previously MEN2A) due to mutations of a tyrosine kinase receptor encoded by the rearranged during transfection (RET) protoncogene; MEN3 (previously MEN2B) due to RET mutations; and MEN4 due to cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor (CDNK1B) mutations. Each MEN type is associated with the occurrence of specific tumors. Thus, MEN1 is characterized by the occurrence of parathyroid, pancreatic islet and anterior pituitary tumors; MEN2 is characterized by the occurrence of medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) in association with phaeochromocytoma and parathyroid tumors; MEN3 is characterized by the occurrence of MTC and phaeochromocytoma in association with a marfanoid habitus, mucosal neuromas, medullated corneal fibers and intestinal autonomic ganglion dysfunction, leading to megacolon; and MEN4, which is also referred to as MENX, is characterized by the occurrence of parathyroid and anterior pituitary tumors in possible association with tumors of the adrenals, kidneys, and reproductive organs. This review will focus on the clinical and molecular details of the MEN1 and MEN4 syndromes. The gene causing MEN1 is located on chromosome 11q13, and encodes a 610 amino-acid protein, menin, which has functions in cell division, genome stability, and transcription regulation. Menin, which acts as scaffold protein, may increase or decrease gene expression by epigenetic regulation of gene expression via histone methylation. Thus, menin by forming a subunit of the mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) complexes that trimethylate histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4), facilitates activation of transcriptional activity in target genes such as cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors; and by interacting with the suppressor of variegation 3-9 homolog family protein (SUV39H1) to mediate H3K methylation, thereby silencing transcriptional activity of target genes. MEN1-associated tumors harbor germline and somatic mutations, consistent with Knudson's two-hit hypothesis. Genetic diagnosis to identify individuals with germline MEN1 mutations has facilitated appropriate targeting of clinical, biochemical and radiological screening for this high risk group of patients for whom earlier implementation of treatments can then be considered. MEN4 is caused by heterozygous mutations of CDNK1B which encodes the 196 amino-acid CDK1 p27Kip1, which is activated by H3K4 methylation.
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PMID:Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) and type 4 (MEN4). 2393 18

Menin is a scaffold protein encoded by the multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) gene in humans, and it interacts with a variety of transcriptional proteins to control active or repressive cellular processes. Here, we show that heterozygous ablation of Men1 in female mice reduces chemical carcinogen-induced liver carcinogenesis and represses the activation of the inflammation pathway. Using ChIP-on-chip screens and ChIP assays, we find that menin occupancy frequently coincides with H3K4me3 at the promoter of many liver cancer-related genes, such as Yes-associated protein (Yap1). Increased menin and Yap1 expression in human hepatocellular carcinoma specimens was associated with poor prognosis. Our findings reveal that menin plays an important epigenetic role in promoting liver tumorigenesis, and support the notion that H3K4me3, which is regulated by the menin-mixed-lineage leukemia complex, is a potential therapeutic target in hepatocellular carcinoma.
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PMID:Menin promotes hepatocellular carcinogenesis and epigenetically up-regulates Yap1 transcription. 2410 67

Our understanding of hereditary cancer syndromes in children, adolescents, and young adults continues to grow. In addition, we now recognize the wide variation in tumor spectrum found within each specific cancer predisposition syndrome including the risk for hematologic malignancies. An increased understanding of the genetic mutations, biologic consequences, tumor risk, and clinical management of these syndromes will improve patient outcome. In this article, we illustrate the diversity of molecular mechanisms by which these disorders develop in both children and adults with a focus on Li-Fraumeni syndrome, hereditary paraganglioma syndrome, DICER1 syndrome, and multiple endocrine neoplasia syndrome. This is followed by a detailed discussion of adult-onset tumors that can occur in the pediatric population including basal cell carcinoma, colorectal cancer, medullary thyroid cancer, and adrenal cortical carcinoma, and the underlying hereditary cancer syndromes that these tumors could indicate. Finally, the topic of leukemia predisposition syndromes is explored with a specific focus on the different categories of syndromes associated with leukemia risk (genetic instability/DNA repair syndromes, cell cycle/differentiation, bone marrow failure syndromes, telomere maintenance, immunodeficiency syndromes, and transcription factors/pure familial leukemia syndromes). Throughout this article, special attention is made to clinical recognition of these syndromes, genetic testing, and management with early tumor surveillance and screening.
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PMID:Predisposition to pediatric and hematologic cancers: a moving target. 2485 36

Menin, a protein encoded by the MEN1 gene, is mutated in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1). Menin acts as a tumor suppressor in endocrine organs while it is also required for transformation of a subgroup of leukemia. The recently solved crystal structure of menin with different binding partners reveals that menin is a key scaffold protein that cross-talks with various partners, including transcription factors, to regulate gene transcription. Our recent findings unravel a previously undiscovered mechanism for menin-mediated control of gene expression via processing of certain microRNA's, thus adding to the plethora of ways in which menin regulates gene expression. By interacting with ARS2, an RNA binding protein, menin facilitates the processing of pri-let 7a and pri-miR155 to pre-let 7a and pre-miR155 respectively. Consistently, excision of the Men1 gene results in upregulation of IRS2, a let-7a target. As IRS2 is known to mediate both insulin signaling and insulin-induced cell proliferation, and let-7a targets include oncogenes like RAS and HMGA2, a deeper understanding of the menin-ARS2 complex in regulating miRNA biogenesis will yield further insights into the pathogenesis of the MEN1 syndrome and other menin-associated malignancies.
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PMID:Menin-mediated regulation of miRNA biogenesis uncovers the IRS2 pathway as a target for regulating pancreatic beta cells. 2559 65

Menin is encoded by the MEN1 gene, which is mutated in an inherited human syndrome, multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1(MEN1). Menin is primarily nuclear protein, acting as a tumor suppressor in endocrine organs, but as an oncogenic factor in the mixed lineage leukemia, in a tissue-specific manner. Recently, the crystal structures of menin with different binding partners reveal menin as a key scaffold protein that functionally interacts with various partners to regulate gene transcription in the nucleus. However, outside the nucleus, menin also regulates multiple signaling pathways that traverse the cell surface membrane. The precise nature regarding to how menin associates with the membrane fraction is poorly understood. Here we show that a small fraction of menin associates with the cell membrane fraction likely via serine palmitoylation. Moreover, the majority of the membrane-associated menin may reside inside membrane vesicles, as menin is protected from trypsin-mediated proteolysis, but disruption of the membrane fraction using detergent abolishes the detection. Consistently, cellular staining for menin also reveals the distribution of menin in the cell membrane and the punctate-like cell organelles. Our findings suggest that part of intracellular menin associates with the cell membrane peripherally as well as resides within the membrane vesicles.
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PMID:Menin localization in cell membrane compartment. 2656 Sep 42

The incorporation of tumor-normal genomic testing into oncology can identify somatic mutations that inform therapeutic measures but also germline variants associated with unsuspected cancer predisposition. We describe a case in which a RET variant was identified in a 3-yr-old male with relapsed leukemia. Sanger sequencing revealed the patient's father and three siblings carried the same variant, associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia 2A (MEN2A). Evaluation of the father led to the diagnosis and treatment of metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma. Detection of RET mutations in families with hereditary MTC allows for genetic risk stratification and disease surveillance to reduce morbidity and mortality.
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PMID:Identification of a secondary RET mutation in a pediatric patient with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia leads to the diagnosis and treatment of asymptomatic metastatic medullary thyroid cancer in a parent: a case for sequencing the germline. 3093 99

Menin, a protein encoded by the MEN1 gene, suppresses cancers associated with multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1), but promotes the development of a subset of leukemia induced by mixed lineage leukemia (MLL)-derived fusion proteins (MLL-FPs). The crystal structure of menin indicates that it acts as a scaffold protein to bind the N-terminus of MLL via a central pocket. Small molecule menin-MLL inhibitors (MIs) bind the menin pocket to disrupt the menin/MLL interaction, resulting in suppression of MLL-FP-transformed acute myeoloid leukemia (AML). It is thought that MIs suppress the MLL-FP-induced leukemia by blocking the menin/MLL interaction and menin/MLL-induced HOX gene transcription. However, it is not clear whether MIs also affect other aspects of menin biology beyond disruption of the menin/MLL interaction. Here we show for the first time that MIs reduced menin protein levels and decreased the half-life of menin protein but have no effect on mRNA level in MLL-FP-expressing leukemia cells, and proteasome or E1 ligase inhibitor rescued the MI-induced menin degradation. Notably, the MI-induced reduction of H3K4m3 and HOXA9 expression was rescued with a proteasome inhibitor that blocks MI-induced menin protein degradation. Mechanistically, MIs promote the interaction of menin with Hsp70-associated ubiquitin ligase CHIP, resulting in increased menin ubiquitination, leading to increased menin degradation. Together, these findings uncover a novel mechanism whereby small molecule MIs increase menin degradation by triggering the Hsp70/CHIP-mediated ubiquitin-proteasome pathway that ultimately leads to the reduction in HOXA9 gene expression and leukemia suppression.
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PMID:Disruption of the menin-MLL interaction triggers menin protein degradation via ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. 3149 50


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