Cited by 20Gene Regulatory Network AnalysisNF-κB Signaling PathwaysMathematical Biology Tumor Growth

A Model for the Epigenetic Switch Linking Inflammation to Cell Transformation: Deterministic and Stochastic Approaches

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Gérard, Claude, Gonze, Didier, Lemaigre, Frédéric, Novák, Béla·2014·PLoS Computational Biology

Abstract

Recently, a molecular pathway linking inflammation to cell transformation has been discovered. This molecular pathway rests on a positive inflammatory feedback loop between NF-κB, Lin28, Let-7 microRNA and IL6, which leads to an epigenetic switch allowing cell transformation. A transient activation of an inflammatory signal, mediated by the oncoprotein Src, activates NF-κB, which elicits the expression of Lin28. Lin28 decreases the expression of Let-7 microRNA, which results in higher level of IL6 than achieved directly by NF-κB. In turn, IL6 can promote NF-κB activation. Finally, IL6 also elicits the synthesis of STAT3, which is a crucial activator for cell transformation. Here, we propose a computational model to account for the dynamical behavior of this positive inflammatory feedback loop. By means of a deterministic model, we show that an irreversible bistable switch between a transformed and a non-transformed state of the cell is at the core of the dynamical behavior of the positive feedback loop linking inflammation to cell transformation. The model indicates that inhibitors (tumor suppressors) or activators (oncogenes) of this positive feedback loop regulate the occurrence of the epigenetic switch by modulating the threshold of inflammatory signal (Src) needed to promote cell transformation. Both stochastic simulations and deterministic simulations of a heterogeneous cell population suggest that random fluctuations (due to molecular noise or cell-to-cell variability) are able to trigger cell transformation. Moreover, the model predicts that oncogenes/tumor suppressors respectively decrease/increase the robustness of the non-transformed state of the cell towards random fluctuations. Finally, the model accounts for the potential effect of competing endogenous RNAs, ceRNAs, on the dynamics of the epigenetic switch. Depending on their microRNA targets, the model predicts that ceRNAs could act as oncogenes or tumor suppressors by regulating the occurrence of cell transformation.

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  • At the molecular level, IL-6 increases the activity of DNMT1 with activating effects on JAK/STAT3, NF-κB and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways, affecting regulation of autophagy-related functions required to maintain cellular homeostasis under stress such as a prenatal insult.

    “At the molecular level, IL-6 increases the activity of DNA methyltransferases 1 (DNMT1) with activating effects on the JAK/STAT3, NF-κB and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways [144–148] affecting the regulation of autophagy-related functions, that are required to maintain cellular homeostasis under stress [149], such as a prenatal insult.”

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Authors
Gérard, C., Gonze, D., Lemaigre, F., & Novák, B.
Affiliations
  • University of Oxford (GB)
  • Université Libre de Bruxelles (BE)
  • de Duve Institute (BE)
Corresponding author
Gérard, Claude
Venue
PLoS Computational Biology
Published
2014-01-30
Volume
10
Issue
1
Pages
e1003455
ISSN
  • 1553-734X (ISSN-L)
  • 1553-7358
OpenAlex
W2009987946
Cited by
20
References
67
Citations by year
2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 4 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 1
FWCI
1.09
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • PLoS Computational Biology (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DIAL (Catholic University of Leuven) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • Dépôt institutionnel de l'Université libre de Bruxelles (Université Libre de Bruxelles) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
European Commission (241548)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Gene Regulatory Network Analysis
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Cancer Research › NF-κB Signaling Pathways
  • Physical Sciences › Mathematics › Modeling and Simulation › Mathematical Biology Tumor Growth
Keywords
epigenetic switch, NF-κB, Lin28, let-7 microRNA, interleukin-6, STAT3, positive feedback loop, bistability, cell-to-cell variability, tumor suppressor, oncogenes, competing endogenous RNA, microRNA regulation
MeSH terms
Cell Transformation, Neoplastic, Computer Simulation, Humans, Inflammation, Kinetics, Models, Biological, Oncogenes, Stochastic Processes, Genes, Tumor Suppressor, NF-kappa B, RNA-Binding Proteins, MicroRNAs, Epigenesis, Genetic, STAT3 Transcription Factor, PTEN Phosphohydrolase

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