Distinct oncogenes drive different genome and epigenome alterations in human mammary epithelial cells

Int J Cancer. 2019 Sep 1;145(5):1299-1311. doi: 10.1002/ijc.32413. Epub 2019 Jun 10.

Abstract

Molecular subtypes of breast cancer are defined on the basis of gene expression and genomic/epigenetic pattern differences. Different subtypes are thought to originate from distinct cell lineages, but the early activation of an oncogene could also play a role. It is difficult to discriminate the respective inputs of oncogene activation or cell type of origin. In this work, we wished to determine whether activation of distinct oncogenic pathways in human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) could lead to different patterns of genetic and epigenetic changes. To this aim, we transduced shp53 immortalized HMECs in parallel with the CCNE1, WNT1 and RASv12 oncogenes which activate distinct oncogenic pathways and characterized them at sequential stages of transformation for changes in their genetic and epigenetic profiles. We show that initial activation of CCNE1, WNT1 and RASv12, in shp53 HMECs results in different and reproducible changes in mRNA and micro-RNA expression, copy number alterations (CNA) and DNA methylation profiles. Noticeably, HMECs transformed by RAS bore very specific profiles of CNAs and DNA methylation, clearly distinct from those shown by CCNE1 and WNT1 transformed HMECs. Genes impacted by CNAs and CpG methylation in the RAS and the CCNE1/WNT1 clusters showed clear differences, illustrating the activation of distinct pathways. Our data show that early activation of distinct oncogenic pathways leads to active adaptive events resulting in specific sets of CNAs and DNA methylation changes. We, thus, propose that activation of different oncogenes could have a role in reshaping the genetic landscape of breast cancer subtypes.

Keywords: breast cancer; cell type; genome; modifications; oncogene.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Breast Neoplasms / genetics*
  • Breast Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / metabolism
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / pathology
  • Cyclin E / biosynthesis
  • Cyclin E / genetics
  • DNA Methylation
  • Epigenesis, Genetic
  • Epithelial Cells / metabolism
  • Epithelial Cells / pathology
  • Epithelial Cells / physiology
  • Female
  • Gene Dosage
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
  • Genome, Human
  • Heterografts
  • Humans
  • Mammary Glands, Human / metabolism
  • Mammary Glands, Human / pathology
  • Mammary Glands, Human / physiology*
  • Mice
  • Mice, Nude
  • Mice, SCID
  • Oncogene Proteins / biosynthesis
  • Oncogene Proteins / genetics
  • Oncogenes*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / biosynthesis
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras) / genetics
  • Wnt1 Protein / biosynthesis
  • Wnt1 Protein / genetics

Substances

  • CCNE1 protein, human
  • Cyclin E
  • Oncogene Proteins
  • WNT1 protein, human
  • Wnt1 Protein
  • HRAS protein, human
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)