A SUV39H1-low chromatin state characterises and promotes migratory properties of cervical cancer cells

• Published in: Experimental cell research 2019-05, Vol.378 (2), p.206-216
• Main Authors: Rodrigues, Calvin, Pattabiraman, Chitra, Vijaykumar, Anjali, Arora, Reety, Narayana, Suma Mysore, Kumar, Rekha V., Notani, Dimple, Varga-Weisz, Patrick, Krishna, Sudhir
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cell Line, Tumor; Cell migration; Cell Movement; Cervical cancer; Chromatin; Female; Gene Knockdown Techniques; Genomics; Histones - metabolism; Humans; Intratumoural heterogeneity; Methyltransferases - genetics; Methyltransferases - physiology; Neoplasm Metastasis; Repressor Proteins - genetics; Repressor Proteins - physiology; SUV39H1; Treatment Outcome; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology
• ISSN: 0014-4827; 1090-2422
• DOI: 10.1016/j.yexcr.2019.02.010

Metastatic progression is a major cause of mortality in cervical cancers, but factors regulating migratory and pre-metastatic cell populations remain poorly understood. Here, we sought to assess whether a SUV39H1-low chromatin state promotes migratory cell populations in cervical cancers, using meta-analysis of data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), immunohistochemistry, genomics and functional assays. Cervical cancer cells sorted based on migratory ability in vitro have low levels of SUV39H1 protein, and SUV39H1 knockdown in vitro enhanced cervical cancer cell migration. Further, TCGA SUV39H1-low tumours correlated with poor clinical outcomes and showed gene expression signatures of cell migration. SUV39H1 expression was examined within biopsies, and SUV39H1low cells within tumours also demonstrated migratory features. Next, to understand genome scale transcriptional and chromatin changes in migratory populations, cell populations sorted based on migration in vitro were examined using RNA-Seq, along with ChIP-Seq for H3K9me3, the histone mark associated with SUV39H1. Migrated populations showed SUV39H1-linked migratory gene expression signatures, along with broad depletion of H3K9me3 across gene promoters. We show for the first time that a SUV39H1-low chromatin state associates with, and promotes, migratory populations in cervical cancers. Our results posit SUV39H1-low cells as key populations for prognosis estimation and as targets for novel therapies. •SUV39H1 is depleted in cervical cancer cell populations sorted based on migration.•SUV39H1 knockdown enhances cervical cancer cell migration and invasion.•SUV39H1-low tumours correlate with poor disease outcomes, signatures of migration.•SUV39H1low cells within cervical tumours show features of migration.•Migrated populations show SUV39H1-linked migratory signatures, broad H3K9me3 depletion across promoters.