Co-expression of YAP and TAZ associates with chromosomal instability in human cholangiocarcinoma

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Marcell Tóth
  • Lilija Wehling
  • Lena Thiess
  • Fabian Rose
  • Jennifer Schmitt
  • Sofia M.E. Weiler
  • Carsten Sticht
  • Carolina De La Torre
  • Melina Rausch
  • Thomas Albrecht
  • Niels Grabe
  • Bruno C. Köhler
  • Christoph Springfeld
  • Arianeb Mehrabi
  • Yakup Kulu
  • Peter Schirmacher
  • Stephanie Roessler
  • Benjamin Goeppert
  • Kai Breuhahn

Background: Activation of the oncogene yes-associated protein (YAP) is frequently detected in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA); however, the expression pattern and the functional impact of its paralogue WW domain-containing transcription regulator 1 (WWTR1; synonym: TAZ) are not well described in different CCA subtypes. Methods: Immunohistochemical analysis of YAP and TAZ in iCCA and extrahepatic CCA (eCCA) cohorts was performed. YAP/TAZ shuttling and their functional impact on CCA cell lines were investigated. Target genes expression after combined YAP/TAZ inhibition was analyzed. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis of iCCA and eCCA revealed YAP or TAZ positivity in up to 49.2%; however, oncogene co-expression was less frequent (up to 23%). In contrast, both proteins were jointly detectable in most CCA cell lines and showed nuclear/cytoplasmic shuttling in a cell density-dependent manner. Next to the pro-proliferative function of YAP/TAZ, both transcriptional co-activators cooperated in the regulation of a gene signature that indicated the presence of chromosomal instability (CIN). A correlation between YAP and the CIN marker phospho-H2A histone family member X (pH2AX) was particularly observed in tissues from iCCA and distal CCA (dCCA). The presence of the CIN genes in about 25% of iCCA was statistically associated with worse prognosis. Conclusions: YAP and TAZ activation is not uncoupled from cell density in CCA cells and both factors cooperatively contribute to proliferation and expression of CIN-associated genes. The corresponding group of CCA patients is characterized by CIN and may benefit from YAP/TAZ-directed therapies.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1079
JournalBMC Cancer
Volume21
Issue number1
Number of pages14
ISSN1471-2407
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s).

    Research areas

  • Cell density, CIN25, Genomic instability, Hippo pathway, Liver cancer

ID: 281984770