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EZH2-targeted PROTACs target the EZH2/FOXM1 axis and reduce breast cancer cell growth [CUT&Tag]

ABSTRACT: Breast cancer (BCa) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related mortalities in women, and acquired resistance to hormone therapies, such as tamoxifen, an estrogen receptor inhibitor, is a major hurdle in the treatment of luminal BCa. Another subtype, triple negative BCa (TNBC), is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), the methyltransferase component of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is overexpressed in BCa and has been implicated in tamoxifen resistance. In addition to its PRC2-dependent canonical transcription repressive role through catalyzing histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), evidence suggests that EZH2 can function noncanonically, in a methyltransferase-independent manner, as a transcription activator through interacting with hormone receptors and oncogenic transcription factors. Unlike methyltransferase inhibitors, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC), which target EZH2 and interacting proteins for degradation, can suppress both activating and repressive functions of EZH2. Previous studies have suggested that PROTACs can be leveraged to inhibit TNBC cell growth. In this study, we expand our scope to test whether EZH2 targeted PROTACs can effectively inhibit luminal BCa cell growth. We find that EZH2-targeted PROTACs, MS177 and MS8815, effectively inhibited the growth luminal BCa cells, including those with acquired tamoxifen resistance, to a much greater degree when compared to methyltransferase inhibitors. Similarly, PROTACs uniquely reduced the expression of genes involved in cell cycle progression, including forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) target genes, in BCa cell lines. Likewise, promoter regions with EZH2 binding in the absence of H3K27me3 were enriched with FOXM1 target genes in both luminal BCa and TNBC cell lines, suggesting a regulatory mechanism independent of hormone receptor status. EZH2 PROTAC treatment reduced FOXM1 protein expression and increased its degradation. In clinical samples, EZH2 mRNA expression tightly correlated with FOXM1 and FOXM1 target genes. Together, this study suggests that EZH2 targeted PROTACs represent a promising avenue of research for the future treatment of BCa, including in the setting of tamoxifen resistance.

ORGANISM(S): Homo sapiens

PROVIDER: GSE270163 | GEO | 2025/05/01

REPOSITORIES: GEO

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Project description:Breast cancer (BCa) remains the second leading cause of cancer-related mortalities in women, and acquired resistance to hormone therapies, such as tamoxifen, an estrogen receptor inhibitor, is a major hurdle in the treatment of luminal BCa. Another subtype, triple negative BCa (TNBC), is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis. The enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), the methyltransferase component of the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), is overexpressed in BCa and has been implicated in tamoxifen resistance. In addition to its PRC2-dependent canonical transcription repressive role through catalyzing histone 3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), evidence suggests that EZH2 can function noncanonically, in a methyltransferase-independent manner, as a transcription activator through interacting with hormone receptors and oncogenic transcription factors. Unlike methyltransferase inhibitors, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC), which target EZH2 and interacting proteins for degradation, can suppress both activating and repressive functions of EZH2. Previous studies have suggested that PROTACs can be leveraged to inhibit TNBC cell growth. In this study, we expand our scope to test whether EZH2 targeted PROTACs can effectively inhibit luminal BCa cell growth. We find that EZH2-targeted PROTACs, MS177 and MS8815, effectively inhibited the growth luminal BCa cells, including those with acquired tamoxifen resistance, to a much greater degree when compared to methyltransferase inhibitors. Similarly, PROTACs uniquely reduced the expression of genes involved in cell cycle progression, including forkhead box M1 (FOXM1) target genes, in BCa cell lines. Likewise, promoter regions with EZH2 binding in the absence of H3K27me3 were enriched with FOXM1 target genes in both luminal BCa and TNBC cell lines, suggesting a regulatory mechanism independent of hormone receptor status. EZH2 PROTAC treatment reduced FOXM1 protein expression and increased its degradation. In clinical samples, EZH2 mRNA expression tightly correlated with FOXM1 and FOXM1 target genes. Together, this study suggests that EZH2 targeted PROTACs represent a promising avenue of research for the future treatment of BCa, including in the setting of tamoxifen resistance.

Project description:Resistance to tamoxifen is a major challenge in the treatment of estrogen receptor positive breast cancer. Acquired resistance to drug involves multilayered genetic and epigenetic regulation . The oncogene EZH2 plays significant role in the development of resistance against tamoxifen, widely used in the treatment of breast cancer. Inhibition of EZH2 has proven to reverse the tamoxifen resistance breast cancer cells back to the sensitive state. The molecular mechanism through which EZH2 inhibition triggers its effects are not known.This study was conducted to understand the global change in proteome profile of tamoxifen resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cells as a result of effect of EZH2 knockdown. Label Free Quantitative proteomics revealed a large number of proteins altered in acquired tamoxifen resistant cells compared to the sensitive cells. A total of 286 proteins were identified with normalized RT for each m/z out of which 86 proteins were upregulated by more than 1.3 fold and 98 proteins were down regulated by more than 1.3 fold in MCF-7 tamoxifen resistant breast cancer cells in comparison to the sensitive breast cancer cells. Upon EZH2 knockdown in tamoxifen resistant cells, a total of 115 proteins were found to be altered with 20 proteins upregulated by more than 1.3 fold and 49 proteins down regulated by more than 1.3 fold. Among the top upregulated proteins were L-lactate dehydrogenase A chain, Alpha and Gamma-enolase, Calreticulin, heat shock protein HSP-90-beta, Alpha-actinin-4, Elongation factor 1-alpha, Vimentin, Protein S100A6, Putative protein FAM10A5, Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 and Keratin 1. In addition, 15 proteins were found to be down regulated in EZH2si transfected tamoxifen sensitive cells which otherwise were highlyup regulated in resistant cells in the presence of normal level of EZH2. This indicates a possible regulation of these molecules by EZH2 leading to loss of resistance. Our data unveils important molecular players downstream to EZH2 knockdown leading to regain of sensitivity to tamoxifen in acquired tamoxifen resistance.Thus, EZH2 seems to exert its effects through regulation of metabolism, epithelial to mesenchymal transition and protein synthesis & folding. Hence, targeting EZH2 or the molecules down the cascade might be helpful in reacquiring sensitivity to tamoxifen intamoxifen-resistant cells.

Project description:The transcription factor FOXM1 coordinates the expression of cell cycle-related genes and plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis and cancer progression. We have previously shown that FOXM1 acts downstream of 14-3-3ζ signaling, which correlates with a more aggressive tumor phenotype. However, the role that FOXM1 might play in engendering the resistance to endocrine treatments in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) patients when tumor FOXM1 is high, has not been clearly defined. To understand the role of FOXM1 in endocrine resistance and cancer aggressiveness, we analyzed FOXM1 protein expression by IHC in 501 ER-positive breast cancers; this revealed high FOXM1 expression in 20% of the tumors and a significantly reduced survival in these patients (p=0.003, log rank Mantel-Cox). We also mapped genome-wide FOXM1 binding events by chromatin immunoprecipitation, followed by high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq), in hormone-sensitive and resistant breast cancer cells after tamoxifen treatment. FOXM1 binding sites were enriched at the transcription start site of genes involved in cell cycle progression, maintenance of stem cell properties, and invasion and metastasis, all of which are correlated with the worst prognosis in ERα-positive patients treated with tamoxifen. Binding profiles were also integrated with gene expression data from cells before and after FOXM1 knockdown to highlight specific FOXM1 transcriptional networks. By modulating the levels of FOXM1 and newly discovered FOXM1-regulated genes [in breast cancer cells], we demonstrate that increased expression of FOXM1 was associated with an expansion of the cancer stem-like cell population and with increased cell invasiveness and resistance to endocrine treatments. Use of a selective FOXM1 inhibitor proved very effective in restoring endocrine therapy sensitivity and decreasing breast cancer aggressiveness. Collectively, our findings uncover novel roles for FOXM1 and FOXM1-regulated genes in promoting cancer stem-like cell properties and therapy resistance, and highlight the relevance of FOXM1 as a therapeutic target to be considered for reducing invasiveness and enhancing breast cancer response to endocrine treatments. MCF-7 human breast adenocarcinoma cells were tranfected with control, and FOXM1 siRNA for 72 hours and treated with 0.1% EtOH (Vehicle) or 1 uM TOT for 24 hours, and cDNA microarray analyses were carried out using Affymetrix [HG-U133A_2] Affymetrix Human Genome U133A 2.0 Array.

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EZH2-targeted PROTACs target the EZH2/FOXM1 axis and reduce breast cancer cell growth [CUT&Tag]

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