Hypoxia Inducible Factors Regulate Hypoxia-Mediated Splicing
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HYPOXIA INDUCIBLE FACTORS REGULATE HYPOXIA-MEDIATED SPLICING by JOHNNY A. SENA B.S., Eastern New Mexico University, 2005 M.S., Eastern New Mexico University, 2008 A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the University of Colorado in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Molecular Biology Program 2014 ii This thesis for the Doctor of Philosophy degree by Johnny A. Sena has been approved for the Molecular Biology Program by Rui Zhao, Chair Cheng-Jun Hu, Advisor David Bentley Sean Colgan Richard Davis Cynthia Ju Trevor Williams Date _5/2/14__ iii Sena, Johnny A. (Ph.D., Molecular Biology) Hypoxia Inducible Factors Regulate Hypoxia-mediated Splicing Thesis directed by Assistant Professor Cheng-Jun Hu. ABSTRACT In response to oxygen deprivation or hypoxia within a cell, HIF1α and HIF2α hypoxia inducible transcription factors are stabilized and activate gene expression programs. Activation of HIF target genes promotes cell proliferation, apoptotic resistance, metabolic adaptation, and tissue angiogenesis in normal physiologic processes but these processes can be exploited by cancer cells to promote tumorigenesis. Recent genome-wide studies suggest that 90% of human genes are alternatively spliced, producing RNA isoforms that encode functionally distinct proteins. Thus, effective hypoxia response requires regulation of gene transcription as well as RNA splicing. Interestingly, several reports suggest that hypoxia can regulate alternative splicing; however the mechanism was not known. Although it is well established that HIFs regulate transcription during hypoxia, it was not known if HIFs could regulate alternative splicing. We hypothesized that HIFs were responsible for regulating hypoxia-mediated splicing. The following work confirmed that hypoxia regulates alternative splicing of HIF and non-HIF target genes. Moreover, we determined that HIFs, through the activation of HIF target genes, regulates transcription and alternative splicing of a subset of HIF targets. Subsequently, we found that HIFs induced the expression of CDC-like kinases which phosphorylated and activated SR protein iv splicing factors and that SC35 and SRp40 SR proteins regulated hypoxia- induced splicing of HIF target genes. Importantly, our findings provide a novel molecular mechanism through which HIFs regulate gene expression programs during hypoxia by regulating alternative splicing of HIF target genes. Importantly, we determined that CDC-like kinases regulate HIF-dependent tumorigenesis by regulating splicing of HIF targets. Excitingly, these findings identify a novel HIF signaling pathway that may be exploited to inhibit HIF activity in tumorigenesis. The form and content of this abstract are approved. I recommend its publication. Approved: Cheng-Jun Hu v To My Family for Always Believing in Me. vi CONTENTS CHAPTER I. INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………. …….1 Hypoxia……………...……………………………………………………. ….....1 Hypoxia Inducible Transcription Factors.....…………………………… …….2 Discovery of HIF………………………………………………….. …….4 HIF1α……………………………………………………… ….....4 HIF2α……………………………………………………… …….4 Structure of HIFα..……………………………………………….. …….5 Oxygen Regulation of HIFα……………………………………... …….6 HIF Regulation by Kinase Signaling…………………………… …...11 HIF in Normal Physiology……………………………………………….. …...12 Embryonic Development………………………………………… …...13 Wound Healing…………………………………………………… …...14 Stem Cell Maintenance………………………………………….. …...15 HIF in Tumorigenesis……………………………………………………. …...16 Tumor Initiation…………………………………………………… …...17 VHL disease………………………………………………. …...17 Cancer stem cells………………………………………… …...18 Tumor Angiogenesis…………………………………………….. …...19 Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition and Metastasis …………. …...20 Tumor Metabolism……………………………………………….. …...21 Cancer Therapy Resistance…………………………………….. …...22 vii Pre-mRNA Splicing………………………………..…………………….. …...24 Splicing Reaction..………………………..…………..………..… …...25 Alternative Splicing.……………………………………………… …...26 Role of Alternative Splicing in Development……………..…………31 Role of Alternative Splicing in Cancer……………….………… …...32 Alternative Splicing in Apoptosis…………………….…. …...32 Alternative Splicing in Cancer Metabolism …………… …...33 Alternative Splicing in the Regulation of Proto-oncogenes…..…………………………..……... …...33 Alternative Splicing in Metastasis and Invasion……...………………………………..……..........33 Alternative Splicing in Angiogenesis…………………… …...34 Cis Elements Regulate Splicing…………………….………….. …...34 Trans-acting Factors Regulate Splicing………………..……… …...36 SR Protein Regulation…………………………………………... …...38 Coupling of Transcription and Splicing………………………… …...41 Cellular Stress Regulates Alternative Splicing………………... …...48 Regulation of Alternative Splicing by Heat Shock……………………………………………. …...48 Regulation of Alternative Splicing by Osmotic Stress………………………………………... …...49 Regulation of Alternative Splicing by Uv Irradiation………………………………………….. …...49 Regulation of Alternative Splicing by Hypoxia………………………………………………… …...49 viii II. HIFS ENHANCE THE TRANSCRIPTIONAL ACTIVATION AND SPLICING OF ADRENOMEDULLIN……………. …...53 Abstract……………………………………………………………………. …...53 Introduction……………………………………………………………….. …...54 Results…………………………………………………………………….. …...55 Hypoxia Preferentially Increases Fully-spliced ADM Transcript Levels in Various Cell-lines..………………… …...55 The Increased ADM FL/I1-3 Ratio is Due to RNA Splicing but Not Due to Differential RNA Stability ……………………..………………… …...59 ADM I1-3 Transcripts are Primarily Located in the Nucleus …………………………...…………….. …...60 HIF Activity is Required for Increased Splicing of ADM Pre-mRNA…………………………………….. …...63 HIF Activity is Sufficient for Increased Splicing of ADM Pre-mRNA …………….……………………… …...65 ADM Splicing Reporters Recapitulate Splicing Changes Observed for the Endogenous ADM Gene.……...………………………………… …...66 The Transactivation Domain of HIFα Protein is Not Required for Increased RNA Splicing of the ADM Splicing Reporter.…..……………… …...71 Activation of Endogenous HIF Target Genes is Not Absolutely Required for Increased Splicing of the ADM Splicing Reporter…………….. …...74 Discussion………………………………………………………………… …...76 Acknowledgments………………………………………………………... …...82 III. HYPOXIA REGULATES ALTERNATIVE SPLICING OF HIF AND NON-HIF TARGET GENES……………………............. …...83 Abstract……………………………………………………………. …………...83 ix Introduction……………………………………………………….. …………...84 Results………………………………………………………………………….85 Genome-wide Exon Array Analysis Determines that Hypoxia Alters RNA Splicing of HIF and Non-HIF Target Genes in Hep3B Cells…………………………………... …...85 Functional Clustering of Genes that Undergo Hypoxia-Mediated AS Reveals Novel Pathways Regulated By Hypoxia……………………….. …...90 RT-PCR and qRT-PCR Validation of Alternative Splicing for Select HIF Target Genes Identified in in Exon Array Analysis……………..……………………………. …...91 Differential Expression of HIF Target Genes During Hypoxia is Due to Alternative Splicing…………...……. …...96 HIF Activity, Not Hypoxia Per Se, is Necessary to Regulate AS of HIF Target Genes……………………………………………………...99 HIF Activity is Sufficient to Regulate AS of HIF Target Genes………………………………………… ….101 PDK1 Splicing Reporters Recapitulate Splicing Changes Observed for the Endogenous PDK1 Gene when Activated by HIF under Normoxia……………………………………………... ….104 Activation of Endogenous HIF Target Genes Contributes to the Increased FL/ΔE4 ratio of the PDK1 Splicing Reporter ……………………...107 Discussion…………………………………………………………………….110 Acknowledgments……..…………………………………………………. ….113 x IV. HYPOXIC INDUCTION OF CDC-LIKE KINASES REGULATES TRANCRIPTION AND ALTERNATIVE SPLICING OF HIF TARGET GENES………………………………….. ….114 Abstract……………………………………………………………………. ….114 Introduction……………………………………………………………….. ….115 Results…………………………………………………………………….. ….116 HIFs Regulate Hypoxic Induction of CDC- Like Kinase 1, and 3 and Hypoxia Induces Phosphorylation of SR Proteins ……………………………...... ….116 TG003 Inhibits Hypoxia-induced Transcription and Splicing of HIF Targets………………….……….…………. ….119 SC35 and SRp40 Regulate AS of HIF Target Genes…………….……………………………….. ….121 SC35 Cooperates with HIF1α to Regulate AS of a PDK Minigene…………………….……………………... ….124 CLKs promote tumorigenesis of PRC3 Cells by Regulating AS of HIF Target Genes…………………. ….125 Discussion………………………………………………………………… ….128 Acknowledgments………………………………………………………... ….130 V. CONCLUSIONS AND PERSPECTIVES………………………………. ….132 Summary and Conclusions……………………………………………… ….132 Hypoxia, HIFs, and Pre-mRNA Splicing..…………………...… ….133 Hypoxic Induction of CLKs Regulates AS of HIF target Genes…………………..……………………… ….135 Perspectives and Future Directions……………………………………. ….137 Small Nucleolar RNAs……………..……………………………. ….138 RNA Helicases…………………………..……………………….. ….140 xi Other SR Proteins…………..…………..……………………….. ….141 SMAD3 and RBPMS…………………………………………….. ….142 NOL3………………………………………………………………. ….143 Splicing Targeted Therapies……………………………………. …145 VI. MATERIALS AND METHODS………………………………………….. ….148 Cell Culture……………………………………………………………….. ….148 Knockdown of Endogenous mRNAs Using Small Interfering RNAs (siRNAs)………………………………………. ….149 Plasmid Constructs and Viral Transduction…….…………………….. ….150 RNA Stability Assays.……………………………………………………. ….152 ADM and PDK1 Splicing Reporter Assays…..………………………... ….153 Protein Analysis………………………………………………………….. ….153 RNA Preparation and Reverse Transcription PCR and Quantitative PCR………………..……………. ….154 Exon Array Analysis of Alternative Splicing...…………………………. ….155 Functional Clustering of Hypoxia Inducible Genes and Alternatively Spliced Genes using DAVID Bioinformatics Resources……………………………………….