A novel oncogenic pathway by TLS-CHOP involving repression of MDA-7/IL-24 expression

Background:

Translocated in liposarcoma-CCAAT/enhancer binding protein homologous protein (TLS–CHOP) (also known as FUS-DDIT3) chimeric oncoprotein is found in the majority of human myxoid liposarcoma (MLS), but its molecular function remains unclear.

Methods:

We knockdowned TLS–CHOP expression in MLS-derived cell lines by a specific small interfering RNA, and analysed the gene expression profiles with microarray.

Results:

TLS-CHOP knockdown inhibited growth of MLS cells, and induced an anticancer cytokine, melanoma differentiation-associated gene 7 (MDA-7)/interleukin-24 (IL-24) expression. However, double knockdown of TLS–CHOP and MDA-7/IL-24 did not inhibit MLS cell growth.

Conclusion:

Repression of MDA-7/IL-24 expression by TLS–CHOP is required for MLS tumour growth, and TLS–CHOP may become a promising therapeutic target for MLS treatment.