Cyclin D1 is a direct target of JAG1-mediated Notch signaling in breast cancer

The Notch ligand, JAG1 is associated with breast cancer recurrence. Herein, we report on a genomics approach to elucidate mechanisms downstream of JAG1 that promote breast cancer growth. In a survey of 46 breast cancer cell lines, we found that triple negative (TN; basal and mesenchymal ER-, PR-, and Her2-negative) lines express JAG1 at significantly higher levels than do HER2(+) or luminal (ER+) Her2(-) cell lines. In contrast to the luminal lines tested (T47D and MCF7), TN breast cancer cell lines (HCC1143 and MDA MB231) display high-level JAG1 expression and growth inhibition with RNA interference-induced JAG1 down-regulation. We used microarray profiling of TN tumor cells transfected with JAG1 siRNA to identify JAG1-regulated genes (P a parts per thousand currency sign 0.005; fold change a parts per thousand yen1.5). Among JAG1-regulated genes identified, cyclin D1 was found to be a direct target of NOTCH1 and NOTCH3. We show that JAG1 down-regulation reduces direct binding of Notch to the cyclin D1 promoter, reduced cyclin D1 expression and inhibition of cell cycle progression through the cyclin D1-dependant G1/S checkpoint. Furthermore, we show that cyclin D1 and JAG1 expression correlate in TN breast cancer expression datasets. These data suggest a model whereby JAG1 promotes cyclin D1-mediated proliferation of TN breast cancers.