Loss of KDM6A enhances human pancreatic cancer progression and potentiates HDAC inhibitor lethality via restoring CDKN1A

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND & AIMS: Although genomic analysis have recently discovered the malignant subtype of human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) characterized by frequent mutations of a histone modifier KDM6A, the biological and molecular roles still remain obscure. We herein elucidated the clinical and biological impacts of KDM6A deficiency on human PDAC and identified the therapeutic potential by pathological and molecular evaluation. METHODS: Immunohistochemical analysis of KDM6A was performed in 103 tumor specimens surgically resected from patients with PDAC. Cells knocked out for KDM6A by using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and expressing doxycycline-inducible KDM6A were established from each two human PDAC cell lines, respectively. RESULTS: Loss of KDM6A in cancerous tissues was an independent prognostic factor for both recurrence-free and overall survival in the clinical samples. KDM6A knockout enhanced aggressive traits of human PDAC cell lines, whereas KDM6A overexpression suppressed them. Microarray analysis revealed reduced expression of 25 genes including five well-known tumor suppressors, such as CDKN1A, and ChIP-PCR analysis displayed depleted enrichment of histone H3 lysine 27 acetylation (H3K27ac) at the promoter regions of the five candidates. The epigenetic alterations were induced by the impaired recruitment of a histone acetyltransferase p300, which cooperatively interacted with KDM6A. Consistent with these results, the KDM6A knockout cells demonstrated higher vulnerability to histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors through the reactivation of CDKN1A in vitro and in vivo than the KDM6A wild-type. CONCLUSIONS: KDM6A exhibited essential roles in human PDAC as a tumor suppressor. KDM6A deficiency could be a promising biomarker for unfavorable outcome in PDAC patients and a potential surrogate marker for response to HDAC inhibitors.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE114457 | GEO | 2020/01/30

REPOSITORIES: GEO