BRCA1 participates in the expression of noncoding XIST RNA

Introduction . Noncoding RNA of XIST gene (X inactivation-specific transcript) initiates inactivation of one of X chromosomes in cells of female organism. Further stages of this process include chromatin epigenetic modifications leading to the inhibition of the most genes on X chromosome. Recently the data were obtained that tumor suppressor BRCA1 is associated with inactive X chromosome (Xi) participating in XIST RNA localization on Xi and influencing XIST RNA expression.
Objective: to reveal the role of BRCA1 in XIST RNA expression.
Materials and methods . The objects of the study were mutant breast cancer cell lines (BRCA1–/–): HCC1395, HCC1937, SUM149PT, and, as controls – cell lines containing wild type of BRCA1 gene (BRCA1+/+): IMR90 и 293T. Method of reverse transcription coupled with polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for the analysis of XIST RNA expression.
Results . In the clone of doxycycline-inducible HCC1937 breast cancer cell line XIST RNA expression was observed upon BRCA1 induction. In HCC1395, HCC1937 and SUM149PT breast cancer cell lines containing mutant BRCA1 gene (BRCA1–/–) and nonfunctional BRCA1 protein the absence of XIST RNA expression was observed using RT-PCR. This observation indicates the indispensable role of functional BRCA1 protein in XIST RNA expression.
Conclusion . Altogether, the data obtained in this study confirm the role of BRCA1 in the expression of noncoding inhibiting XIST RNA and suggest the involvement of BRCA1 in the inhibition of gene expression on Xi.