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Targeting DHX9 triggers interferon response and replication stress in Small Cell Lung Cancer [RIP-Seq II]

ABSTRACT: Activating innate immunity in cancer cells through cytoplasmic nucleic acid sensing pathways, a phenomenon known as “viral mimicry”, has emerged as an effective strategy to convert immunologically “cold” tumors into “hot”. Through a curated CRISPR-based screen of RNA Helicases, we identified DExD/H-box helicase 9 (DHX9) as a potent repressor of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in small cell lung cancers (SCLCs). Depletion of DHX9 induced accumulation of cytoplasmic dsRNA and triggered tumor-intrinsic innate immunity. Intriguingly, ablating DHX9 also induced aberrant accumulation of R-loops, which resulted in an increase of DNA damage-derived cytoplasmic DNA and replication stress in SCLCs. In vivo, DHX9 deletion promoted decrease in tumor growth while inducing a more immunogenic tumor microenvironment, invigorating responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade. These findings suggest that DHX9 is a crucial repressor of tumor-intrinsic innate immunity and replication stress, representing a promising target for SCLC and other “cold” tumors where genomic instability contribute to pathology.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE247217 | GEO | 2024/02/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Sensing of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is an important component of innate immunity. Proteins like PKR and MDA5 recognize dsRNA and activate various pathways to fight viral infection. In addition to viral dsRNA, many endogenous RNAs containing double-stranded regions can be misrecognized as immunogenic. The RNA editing enzyme ADAR1, specifically its p150 isoform, has been shown to suppress activation of PKR and MDA5 through its A-to-I editing activity. While the cytoplasmic ADAR1-p150 isoform has been well established within this role, the functions of the nuclear ADAR1-p110 isoform are less understood. To address this knowledge gap, we utilized proximity labeling by APEX2 to identify putative ADAR1-p110 interacting proteins. We identified 110 proteins across three breast cancer cell lines that either interact with p110 or are within close proximity. Many of these proteins have known roles in RNA metabolism. Nine of the identified proteins belong to the DEAD or DEAH box families of RNA helicases, including DHX9. DHX9 is overexpressed in breast cancer, with expression closely correlated with that of p110. By co-immunoprecipitation we confirmed that p110 interacts with DHX9. Knockdown of DHX9 in several triple-negative breast cancer cell lines caused cell death and activation of the dsRNA sensor PKR. In two cell lines that are refractory to knockdown of ADAR1, the combined knockdown of DHX9 and ADAR1 caused a substantial increase in PKR activity, where knockdown of either alone had no effect. Knockdown of DHX9 and ADAR1 caused activation of the type I IFN pathway, RNase L and NF-KB signaling. Activation of these proteins and pathways was not seen with individual knockdown of ADAR1 or DHX9. Activation of PKR following combined knockdown of ADAR1 and DHX9 could be rescued by expression of p110, p150, DHX9, and catalytically inactive DHX9. Additionally PKR activation could be rescued by the dsRBM of DHX9, revealing an important role for dsRBMs in suppressing PKR activation. Together these results reveal an important role for DHX9 in suppressing dsRNA sensing by multiple pathways.

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Targeting DHX9 triggers interferon response and replication stress in Small Cell Lung Cancer [RIP-Seq II]

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