Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS

Abstract RAS mutations are highly relevant for progression and therapy response of human tumours, but the genetic network that ultimately executes the oncogenic effects is poorly understood. Here, we used a reverse‐engineering approach in an ovarian cancer model to reconstruct KRAS oncogene‐dependen...

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Main Authors: Iwona Stelniec‐Klotz, Stefan Legewie, Oleg Tchernitsa, Franziska Witzel, Bertram Klinger, Christine Sers, Hanspeter Herzel, Nils Blüthgen, Reinhold Schäfer
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Springer Nature 2012-07-01
Series:Molecular Systems Biology
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2012.32
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author Iwona Stelniec‐Klotz
Stefan Legewie
Oleg Tchernitsa
Franziska Witzel
Bertram Klinger
Christine Sers
Hanspeter Herzel
Nils Blüthgen
Reinhold Schäfer
author_facet Iwona Stelniec‐Klotz
Stefan Legewie
Oleg Tchernitsa
Franziska Witzel
Bertram Klinger
Christine Sers
Hanspeter Herzel
Nils Blüthgen
Reinhold Schäfer
author_sort Iwona Stelniec‐Klotz
collection DOAJ
description Abstract RAS mutations are highly relevant for progression and therapy response of human tumours, but the genetic network that ultimately executes the oncogenic effects is poorly understood. Here, we used a reverse‐engineering approach in an ovarian cancer model to reconstruct KRAS oncogene‐dependent cytoplasmic and transcriptional networks from perturbation experiments based on gene silencing and pathway inhibitor treatments. We measured mRNA and protein levels in manipulated cells by microarray, RT–PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. The reconstructed model revealed complex interactions among the transcriptional and cytoplasmic components, some of which were confirmed by double pertubation experiments. Interestingly, the transcription factors decomposed into two hierarchically arranged groups. To validate the model predictions, we analysed growth parameters and transcriptional deregulation in the KRAS‐transformed epithelial cells. As predicted by the model, we found two functional groups among the selected transcription factors. The experiments thus confirmed the predicted hierarchical transcription factor regulation and showed that the hierarchy manifests itself in downstream gene expression patterns and phenotype.
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issn 1744-4292
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spelling doaj-art-b8b3d98fcfa64c36ad62bff3b1aa72aa2025-08-20T03:06:27ZengSpringer NatureMolecular Systems Biology1744-42922012-07-018111610.1038/msb.2012.32Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRASIwona Stelniec‐Klotz0Stefan Legewie1Oleg Tchernitsa2Franziska Witzel3Bertram Klinger4Christine Sers5Hanspeter Herzel6Nils Blüthgen7Reinhold Schäfer8Laboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinInstitute for Molecular BiologyLaboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinLaboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinLaboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinLaboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinInstitute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt UniversityLaboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinLaboratory of Molecular Tumour Pathology, Institute of Pathology, Charité Universitätsmedizin BerlinAbstract RAS mutations are highly relevant for progression and therapy response of human tumours, but the genetic network that ultimately executes the oncogenic effects is poorly understood. Here, we used a reverse‐engineering approach in an ovarian cancer model to reconstruct KRAS oncogene‐dependent cytoplasmic and transcriptional networks from perturbation experiments based on gene silencing and pathway inhibitor treatments. We measured mRNA and protein levels in manipulated cells by microarray, RT–PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. The reconstructed model revealed complex interactions among the transcriptional and cytoplasmic components, some of which were confirmed by double pertubation experiments. Interestingly, the transcription factors decomposed into two hierarchically arranged groups. To validate the model predictions, we analysed growth parameters and transcriptional deregulation in the KRAS‐transformed epithelial cells. As predicted by the model, we found two functional groups among the selected transcription factors. The experiments thus confirmed the predicted hierarchical transcription factor regulation and showed that the hierarchy manifests itself in downstream gene expression patterns and phenotype.https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2012.32cancer systems biologymodular response analysisoncogenesovarian carcinoma modelsignal transduction
spellingShingle Iwona Stelniec‐Klotz
Stefan Legewie
Oleg Tchernitsa
Franziska Witzel
Bertram Klinger
Christine Sers
Hanspeter Herzel
Nils Blüthgen
Reinhold Schäfer
Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS
Molecular Systems Biology
cancer systems biology
modular response analysis
oncogenes
ovarian carcinoma model
signal transduction
title Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS
title_full Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS
title_fullStr Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS
title_full_unstemmed Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS
title_short Reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic KRAS
title_sort reverse engineering a hierarchical regulatory network downstream of oncogenic kras
topic cancer systems biology
modular response analysis
oncogenes
ovarian carcinoma model
signal transduction
url https://doi.org/10.1038/msb.2012.32
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