RAS/ERK pathway transcriptional regulation through ETS/AP-1 binding sites

The RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is activated by mutation in many cancers. Neighboring ETS and AP-1 DNA binding sequences can act as response elements for transcriptional activation by this pathway. ERK phosphorylation of an ETS transcription factor is one mechanism of activating the RAS/ERK gene expression program that can promote cancer cell phenotypes such as proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Recent genome-wide mapping of ETS proteins over-expressed by chromosomal rearrangement in prostate cancer reveals a second mechanism for activation of this gene expression program. An oncogenic subset of ETS transcription factors can activate RAS/ERK target genes even in the absence of RAS/ERK pathway activation by binding ETS/AP-1 sequences. Thus, regulation of cancer cell invasion and metastasis via ETS/AP-1 sequence elements depends on which ETS protein is bound, and the status of the RAS/ERK pathway. This commentary will focus on what is known about the selectivity of ETS/AP-1 sequences for different ETS transcription factors and the transcriptional consequences of ETS protein selection.