Silencing of the Tropomyosin-1 gene by DNA methylation alters tumor suppressor function of TGF-β

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Abstract
Loss of actin stress fibers has been associated with cell transformation and metastasis. TGF-β induction of stress fibers in epithelial cells requires high molecular weight tropomyosins encoded by TPM1 and TPM2 genes. Here, we investigated the mechanism underlying the failure of TGF-β to induce stress fibers and inhibit cell migration in metastatic cells. RT–PCR analysis in carcinoma cell lines revealed a significant reduction in TPM1 transcripts in metastatic MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435 and SW620 cell lines. Treatment of these cells with demethylating agent 5-aza-2′-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) increased mRNA levels of TPM1 with no effect on TPM2. Importantly, 5-aza-dC treatment of MDA-MB-231 cells restored TGF-β induction of TPM1 and formation of stress fibers. Forced expression of TPM1 by using Tet-Off system increased stress fibers in MDA-MB-231 cells and reduced cell migration. A potential CpG island spanning the TPM1 proximal promoter, exon 1, and the beginning of intron 1 was identified. Bisulfite sequencing showed significant cytosine methylation in metastatic cell lines that correlated with a reduced expression of TPM1. Together these results suggest that epigenetic suppression of TPM1 may alter TGF-β tumor suppressor function and contribute to metastatic properties of tumor cells.

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