R e s e a R c h a R t i c l e1 8 1 6jci.org Volume 126Number 5 May 2016 26, 54, 55). We assayed the level of GTP-Rab5 in brains of 12-monthold Ts65Dn and 2N mice following a published protocol (56). As previously reported (28), the level of full-length APP in Ts65Dn was approximately 1.5-fold than in 2N samples ( We next tested whether the increase in App gene dose in Ts65Dn BFCNs was responsible for enlargement of Rab5 + endosomes (Figure 1). By immunoblotting, the APP siRNA caused an approximately 30% reduction in the level of full-length APP, as compared with control siRNA ( Figure 2E). Rab5 + puncta in BFCNs treated with either the APP siRNA or control siRNA were analyzed (Figure 2, F and G) as in Figure 1. Large, sometimes lobulated Rab5 + puncta were seen in cultures treated with the control siRNA, whereas these structures were typically smaller and rounded in cultures treated with the APP siRNA ( Figure 2G). Treatment with the APP siRNA significantly reduced the size of Rab5 + puncta in Ts65Dn neurons to a value equivalent to that in 2N neurons ( Figure 2F). Thus, increased App gene dose is necessary for increased Rab5 activation and for early endosome enlargement in Ts65Dn neurons.Full-length APP and β-CTF caused enlargement of early endosomes in PC12 cells. To determine how increased APP expression caused an increase in Rab5 activation, we asked which APP product(s) were responsible (Supplemental Figure 1A). We transfected PC12M cells with full-length APP-GFP, C99-GFP (β-CTF), C83-GFP (α-CTF), or AICD-GFP and examined endosomes by live cell imaging (Supplemental Figure 1B). Bright foci of GFP + intracellular structures were present in PC12M cells that overexpressed APP-GFP or C99-GFP. In contrast, cells expressing C83-GFP or AICD-GFP showed diffuse, hazy signals for GFP, with occasional foci in C83-GFP cells. In APP-GFP and C99-GFP cells, the GFP + intracellular structures were, on average, approximately 2 μm 2 (Supplemental Figure 1E). GFP signals in C83-GFP or AICD-GFP cells contained speckled small puncta within the haze, as well as a small number of larger bright puncta, as seen in cells expressing C99-GFP and APP-GFP (Supplemental Figure 1B). However, the average puncta size in C83-GFP and AICD-GFP cells was approximately 1.2 and 1.3 μm 2 , respectively. Thus, overexpressing APP and β-CTF, but not α-CTF or AICD, routinely induced formation of enlarged, bright intracellular structures. We also tested two APP mutants: APP M596V and APP SWE . APP M596V , which abolishes β-secretase cleavage, prevents production of β-CTF (57); APP SWE enhances β-secretase cleavage to increase the level of β-CTF (57). Both induced the formation of enlarged intracellular structures (Supplemental Figure 1C).We examined colocalization of APP or C99 with Rab5 in cotransfection experiments; APP-mCherry with GFP-Rab5 WT ( Figure 3B); C99-GFP with mCherry-Rab5 WT ( Figure 3C); and Rab5 + endosomes (26, 28, 37) was correlated with reduced endosomal trafficking and signaling of nerve growth factor (NGF), leading to degeneration...

SUMMARY The chromatin-associated protein WDR5 is a promising target for pharmacological inhibition in cancer. Drug discovery efforts center on the blockade of the “WIN site” of WDR5, a well-defined pocket that is amenable to small molecule inhibition. Various cancer contexts have been proposed to be targets for WIN site inhibitors, but a lack of understanding of WDR5 target genes and of the primary effects of WIN site inhibitors hampers their utility. Here, by the discovery of potent WIN site inhibitors, we demonstrate that the WIN site links WDR5 to chromatin at a small cohort of loci, including a specific subset of ribosome protein genes. WIN site inhibitors rapidly displace WDR5 from chromatin and decrease the expression of associated genes, causing translational inhibition, nucleolar stress, and p53 induction. Our studies define a mode by which WDR5 engages chromatin and forecast that WIN site blockade could have utility against multiple cancer types.

The oncoprotein transcription factor MYC is overexpressed in the majority of cancers. Key to its oncogenic activity is the ability of MYC to regulate gene expression patterns that drive and maintain the malignant state. MYC is also considered a validated anticancer target, but efforts to pharmacologically inhibit MYC have failed. The dependence of MYC on cofactors creates opportunities for therapeutic intervention, but for any cofactor this requires structural understanding of how the cofactor interacts with MYC, knowledge of the role it plays in MYC function, and demonstration that disrupting the cofactor interaction will cause existing cancers to regress. One cofactor for which structural information is available is WDR5, which interacts with MYC to facilitate its recruitment to chromatin. To explore whether disruption of the MYC–WDR5 interaction could potentially become a viable anticancer strategy, we developed a Burkitt's lymphoma system that allows replacement of wild-type MYC for mutants that are defective for WDR5 binding or all known nuclear MYC functions. Using this system, we show that WDR5 recruits MYC to chromatin to control the expression of genes linked to biomass accumulation. We further show that disrupting the MYC–WDR5 interaction within the context of an existing cancer promotes rapid and comprehensive tumor regression in vivo. These observations connect WDR5 to a core tumorigenic function of MYC and establish that, if a therapeutic window can be established, MYC–WDR5 inhibitors could be developed as anticancer agents.

Neurotrophic factors are best known for their roles in both development and continued maintenance of the nervous system. Their strong potential to elicit pro-survival and pro-functional responses in neurons of the peripheral and central nervous system make them good drug candidates for treatment of a multitude of neurodegenerative disorders. However, significant obstacles remain and need to be overcome before translating the potential of neurotrophins into the therapeutic arena. This article addresses current efforts and advances in resolving these challenges and provides an overview of roadmaps for future translational research and neurotrophin-based drug developments.

SMARCB1 encodes the SNF5 subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeler. SNF5 also interacts with the oncoprotein transcription factor MYC and is proposed to stimulate MYC activity. The concept that SNF5 is a coactivator for MYC, however, is at odds with its role as a tumor-suppressor, and with observations that loss of SNF5 leads to activation of MYC target genes. Here, we reexamine the relationship between MYC and SNF5 using biochemical and genome-wide approaches. We show that SNF5 inhibits the DNA-binding ability of MYC and impedes target gene recognition by MYC in cells. We further show that MYC regulation by SNF5 is separable from its role in chromatin remodeling, and that reintroduction of SNF5 into SMARCB1 -null cells mimics the primary transcriptional effects of MYC inhibition. These observations reveal that SNF5 antagonizes MYC and provide a mechanism to explain how loss of SNF5 can drive malignancy.