TET1 Suppresses Cancer Invasion by Activating the Tissue Inhibitors of Metalloproteinases

• Main Authors: Chih-Hung Hsu, Kai-Lin Peng, Ming-Lun Kang, Yi-Ren Chen, Yu-Chih Yang, Chin-Hsien Tsai, Chi-Shuen Chu, Yung-Ming Jeng, Yen-Ting Chen, Feng-Mao Lin, Hsien-Da Huang, Yun-Yuh Lu, Yu-Ching Teng, Shinn-Tsuen Lin, Ruo-Kai Lin, Fan-Mei Tang, Sung-Bau Lee, Huan Ming Hsu, Jyh-Cherng Yu, Pei-Wen Hsiao, Li-Jung Juan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2012-09-01
• Series: Cell Reports
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211124712002707

Tumor suppressor gene silencing through cytosine methylation contributes to cancer formation. Whether DNA demethylation enzymes counteract this oncogenic effect is unknown. Here, we show that TET1, a dioxygenase involved in cytosine demethylation, is downregulated in prostate and breast cancer tissues. TET1 depletion facilitates cell invasion, tumor growth, and cancer metastasis in prostate xenograft models and correlates with poor survival rates in breast cancer patients. Consistently, enforced expression of TET1 reduces cell invasion and breast xenograft tumor formation. Mechanistically, TET1 suppresses cell invasion through its dioxygenase and DNA binding activities. Furthermore, TET1 maintains the expression of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase (TIMP) family proteins 2 and 3 by inhibiting their DNA methylation. Concurrent low expression of TET1 and TIMP2 or TIMP3 correlates with advanced node status in clinical samples. Together, these results illustrate a mechanism by which TET1 suppresses tumor development and invasion partly through downregulation of critical gene methylation.