Notch-1 activates estrogen receptor-α-dependent transcription via IKKα in breast cancer cells

Approximately 80% of breast cancers express the estrogen receptor-alpha (ER alpha) and are treated with anti-estrogens. Resistance to these agents is a major cause of mortality. We have shown that estrogen inhibits Notch, whereas anti-estrogens or estrogen withdrawal activate Notch signaling. Combined inhibition of Notch and estrogen signaling has synergistic effects in ER alpha-positive breast cancer models. However, the mechanisms whereby Notch-1 promotes the growth of ER alpha-positive breast cancer cells are unknown. Here, we demonstrate that Notch-1 increases the transcription of ER alpha-responsive genes in the presence or absence of estrogen via a novel chromatin crosstalk mechanism. Our data support a model in which Notch-1 can activate the transcription of ER alpha-target genes via IKK alpha-dependent cooperative chromatin recruitment of Notch-CSL-MAML1 transcriptional complexes (NTC) and ER alpha, which promotes the recruitment of p300. CSL binding elements frequently occur in close proximity to estrogen-responsive elements (EREs) in the human and mouse genomes. Our observations suggest that a hitherto unknown Notch-1/ER alpha chromatin crosstalk mediates Notch signaling effects in ER alpha-positive breast cancer cells and contributes to regulate the transcriptional functions of ER alpha itself. Oncogene (2010) 29, 201-213; doi:10.1038/onc.2009.323; published online 19 October 2009