Project description:Oncogenes are only transforming in certain cellular contexts, a phenomenon called oncogenic competence. Here, using a combination of a human pluripotent stem cell-derived cancer model along with zebrafish transgenesis, we demonstrate that the transforming ability of BRAFV600E along with additional mutations depends upon the intrinsic transcriptional program present in the cell of origin. In both systems, melanocytes are largely resistant to mutations, whereas both neural crest and melanoblast populations are readily transformed. Profiling reveals that progenitors have higher expression of chromatin modifying enzymes such as ATAD2, a melanoma competence factor that forms a complex with SOX10 and allows for expression of downstream oncogenic and neural crest programs. These data suggest that oncogenic competence is mediated by regulation of developmental chromatin factors, which then allow for proper response to those oncogenes.
Project description:Transcriptional profile of BRAFV600E driven melanoma driven under either the SOX10 or MITFA promoter, both in a p53 deficient background
Project description:We perfomed Cut&Run for ATAD2, MYC and SOX10 in 3xKO ATAD2 dox melanocytes and 3xKO dox melanocytes. We used 10'000 cells per condition and the protocol was performed as in Skene et al., 2018. We could show that, in the 3xKO ATAD2 dox melanocytes, ATAD2, MYC and SOX10 have common targets. Many of those targets belong to a developmental signature typical of the neural crest and to the MAPK pathway.