The importance of translational regulation in tumour biology is increasingly appreciated. Here, we leverage polyribosomal profiling to prospectively define translational regulatory programs underlying epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in breast epithelial cells. We identify a group of ten translationally regulated drivers of EMT sharing a common GU-rich cis-element within the 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of their mRNA. These cis-elements, necessary for the regulatory activity imparted by these 3′-UTRs, are directly bound by the CELF1 protein, which itself is regulated post-translationally during the EMT program. CELF1 is necessary and sufficient for both mesenchymal transition and metastatic colonization, and CELF1 protein, but not mRNA, is significantly overexpressed in human breast cancer tissues. Our data present an 11-component genetic pathway, invisible to transcriptional profiling approaches, in which the CELF1 protein functions as a central node controlling translational activation of genes driving EMT and ultimately tumour progression.

T lymphocytes stimulated through their antigen receptor (TCR) preferentially express mRNA isoforms with shorter 3´ untranslated regions (3´ UTRs) derived from alternative pre-mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation (APA). However, the physiological relevance of APA programs remains poorly understood. CD5 is a T-cell surface glycoprotein that negatively regulates TCR signaling from the onset of T-cell activation. CD5 plays a pivotal role in mediating outcomes of cell survival or apoptosis, and may prevent both autoimmunity and cancer. In human primary T lymphocytes and Jurkat cells we found three distinct mRNA isoforms encoding CD5, each derived from distinct poly(A) signals (PASs). Upon T-cell activation, there is an overall increase in CD5 mRNAs with a specific increase in the relative expression of the shorter isoforms. 3´UTRs derived from these shorter isoforms confer higher reporter expression in activated T cells relative to the longer isoform. We further show that polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB/ PTBP1) directly binds to the proximal PAS and PTB siRNA depletion causes a decrease in mRNA derived from this PAS, suggesting an effect on stability or poly(A) site selection to circumvent targeting of the longer CD5 mRNA isoform by miR-204. These mechanisms fine-tune CD5 expression levels and thus ultimately T-cell responses.

Regulation of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) subcellular localization, stability and translation is a central aspect of gene expression. Much of this control is mediated via recognition of mRNA 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) by microRNAs (miRNAs) and RNA-binding proteins. The gold standard approach to assess the regulation imparted by a transcript's 3′ UTR is to fuse the UTR to a reporter coding sequence and assess the relative expression of this reporter as compared to a control. Yet, transient transfection approaches or the use of highly active viral promoter elements may overwhelm a cell's post-transcriptional regulatory machinery in this context. To circumvent this issue, we have developed and validated a novel, scalable piggyBac-based vector for analysis of 3′ UTR-mediated regulation in vitro and in vivo. The vector delivers three independent transcription units to the target genome—a selection cassette, a turboGFP control reporter and an experimental reporter expressed under the control of a 3′ UTR of interest. The pBUTR (piggyBac-based 3′ UnTranslated Region reporter) vector performs robustly as a siRNA/miRNA sensor, in established in vitro models of post-transcriptional regulation, and in both arrayed and pooled screening approaches. The vector is robustly expressed as a transgene during murine embryogenesis, highlighting its potential usefulness for revealing post-transcriptional regulation in an in vivo setting.

The importance of translational regulation in tumorigenesis and metastasis is increasingly appreciated. We have leveraged polyribosomal profiling to prospectively and functionally define translational regulatory programs underlying the epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT), one of the early manifestations of metastasis, in breast epithelial cells. Our approach identified scores of mRNAs both enriched and depleted from polyribosomal fractions in mesenchymal cells as compared to their epithelial counterparts. Computational analysis of the 3′ untranslated regions (UTRs) of mRNAs enriched in polysomal fractions derived from the mesenchymal state revealed enrichment of a distinct GU-rich cis-element within these mRNA transcripts. Strikingly, while relative representation of these GU-rich-containing transcripts at the level of bulk mRNA were generally decreased in mesenchymal cells, the protein encoded by each of these mRNAs was dramatically increased. 3′ UTRs from affected transcripts conferred similar regulation upon a fluorescent reporter gene dependent upon the presence of the GU-rich element within the 3′ UTR sequence. Several of the translationally upregulated transcripts were necessary and/or sufficient for the EMT program. We next identified the CELF1 protein as a common regulator of these mRNA transcripts, demonstrating direct binding of the CELF1 protein to affected transcripts dependent upon the presence of the GU-rich element within their 3′ UTRs. CELF1 was itself necessary and sufficient for EMT in several distinct in vitro models as well as for metastatic colonization in vivo. Analysis of publicly available transcriptomic data revealed no increase in the relative expression of CELF1's regulatory targets or CELF1 itself in human breast cancer. We demonstrate that the CELF1 gene product is itself post-translationally regulated during EMT, and that CELF1 protein, but not mRNA, is significantly overexpressed in human breast cancer tissues and correlates with disease progression. Cumulatively, our data present a distinctive model of gene regulation, invisible to traditional transcriptional profiling, in which the CELF1 protein serves as a central node controlling translational activation of the EMT program and ultimately tumor metastasis in human breast cancer. Citation Format: Arindam Chaudhury, Natee Kongchan, Joseph M. Fachini, Lukas M. Simon, Tao Wang, Sufeng Mao, Daniel G. Rosen, Michael M. Ittmann, Susan G. Hilsenbeck, Chad A. Shaw, Joel R. Neilson. CELF1 is a central node in post-transcriptional regulatory programs underlying EMT and metastasis in breast epithelial cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr B58.