Histone demethylase PHF8 promotes epithelial to mesenchymal transition and breast tumorigenesis

Histone demethylase PHF8 is upregulated and plays oncogenic roles in various cancers; however, the mechanisms underlying its dysregulation and functions in carcinogenesis remain obscure. Here, we report the novel functions of PHF8 in EMT (epithelial to mesenchymal transition) and breast cancer development. Genome-wide gene expression analysis revealed that PHF8 overexpression induces an EMT-like process, including the upregulation of SNAI1 and ZEB1. PHF8 demethylates H3K9me1, H3K9me2 and sustains H3K4me3 to prime the transcriptional activation of SNAI1 by TGF-β signaling. We show that PHF8 is upregulated and positively correlated with MYC at protein levels in breast cancer. MYC post-transcriptionally regulates the expression of PHF8 via the repression of microRNAs. Specifically, miR-22 directly targets and inhibits PHF8 expression, and mediates the regulation of PHF8 by MYC and TGF-β signaling. This novel MYC/microRNAs/PHF8 regulatory axis thus places PHF8 as an important downstream effector of MYC. Indeed, PHF8 contributes to MYC-induced cell proliferation and the expression of EMT-related genes. We also report that PHF8 plays important roles in breast cancer cell migration and tumor growth. These oncogenic functions of PHF8 in breast cancer confer its candidacy as a promising therapeutic target for this disease.