Project description:To investigate the response of H358 lung cancer cells to long term treatment with a panel of direct Ras and Ras pathway inhibitors. H358 cells harbour a heterozygous G12C mutation of KRAS.
Project description:RAS pathway mutations, which are present in 30% of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) at diagnosis, confer a high risk of resistance to and progression after hypomethylating agent (HMA) therapy, the current standard of care for the disease. Using single-cell, multi-omics technologies, we sought to dissect the biological mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of RAS pathway–mutated CMML. We found that RAS pathway mutations induced the transcriptional reprogramming of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs), which underwent proliferation and monocytic differentiation in response to cell-intrinsic and -extrinsic inflammatory signaling that also impaired immune cells’ functions. HSPCs expanded at disease progression and relied on the NF-KB pathway effector MCL1 to maintain their survival, which explains why patients with RAS pathway–mutated CMML do not benefit from BCL2 inhibitors such as venetoclax. Our study has implications for developing therapies to improve the survival of patients with RAS pathway–mutated CMML.
Project description:Ephexin1 was initially identified as a neuronal guanine nucleotide exchange factor involved in the control of neuronal development and synaptic homeostasis. Here, we demonstrate that the induction of Ephexin1 expression by an oncogenic K-Ras mutation amplifies the MAPK signaling via direct interaction with oncogenic Ras and contributes to colon and lung tumorigenesis. Ephexin1 cooperates with mutant Ras to accelerate skin tumorigenesis in vivo. In addition, we have demonstrated that the functionally relevant interaction between oncogenic K-Ras and Ephexin1. Together, these findings suggest that Ephexin1 serves as a positive regulator of Ras-driven oncogenesis and potentially represents a novel target for therapeutic intervention.
Project description:The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) exerts oncogenic effects in many tumour types1. However, loss-of-function mutations in PRC2 components occur in a subset of haematopoietic malignancies, sug- gesting that this complex plays a dichotomous and poorly understood role in cancer2,3. Here we provide genomic, cellular, and mouse mod- elling data demonstrating that the polycomb group gene SUZ12 func- tions as tumour suppressor in PNS tumours, high-grade gliomas and melanomas by cooperating with mutations in NF1. NF1 encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP) and its loss drives cancer by activating Ras4. We show that SUZ12 loss potentiates the effects of NF1 mutations by amplifying Ras-driven transcription through effects on chromatin. Importantly, however, SUZ12 inactivation also triggers an epigenetic switch that sensitizes these cancers to bromodomain inhib- itors. Collectively, these studies not only reveal an unexpected con- nection between the PRC2 complex, NF1 and Ras, but also identify a promising epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy that may be exploited for a variety of cancers. 9 samples in triplicates, 3x LacZ control, 3x SUZ12 over expression, 3x JQ1 treatment
Project description:The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) exerts oncogenic effects in many tumour types1. However, loss-of-function mutations in PRC2 components occur in a subset of haematopoietic malignancies, suggesting that this complex plays a dichotomous and poorly understood role in cancer2,3. Here we provide genomic, cellular, and mouse mod- elling data demonstrating that the polycomb group gene SUZ12 func- tions as tumour suppressor in PNS tumours, high-grade gliomas and melanomas by cooperating with mutations in NF1. NF1 encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP) and its loss drives cancer by activating Ras4. We show that SUZ12 loss potentiates the effects of NF1 mutations by amplifying Ras-driven transcription through effects on chromatin. Importantly, however, SUZ12 inactivation also triggers an epigenetic switch that sensitizes these cancers to bromodomain inhib- itors. Collectively, these studies not only reveal an unexpected con- nection between the PRC2 complex, NF1 and Ras, but also identify a promising epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy that may be exploited for a variety of cancers. 2x3 samples (DMSO and PDJQ treated; WCL, BRD4 and H3K27Ac pulldown)
Project description:We compared the transformation efficiencies of mutant NRAS and KRAS in immortal, non-transformed Ink4a/Arf-deficient melanocytes. NRAS mutation leads to increased cellular proliferation and is potently tumorigenic. In contrast, KRAS mutation does not enhance melanocyte proliferation and is only weakly tumorigenic on its own. While both NRAS and KRAS activate MAPK signaling, only NRAS enhances MYC activity in these cells. Our data suggests that the activity of specific RAS isoforms is context dependent and provides a possible explanation for the prevalence of NRAS mutations in melanoma.In addition, understanding this mechanism will have important implications for cancer therapies targeting RAS pathways. Keywords: RAS isoforms Common Reference
Project description:The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) plays an oncogenic role in several cancers. However, loss-of-function mutations in PRC2 components have been detected in a subset of hematopoietic malignancies, suggesting that different epigenetic landscapes are required in different tumor types. In this study we provide genomic, cellular, and mouse modeling data to demonstrate that loss-of-function mutations in the polycomb gene, SUZ12, and NF1 cooperate in peripheral nervous system tumors, glioblastomas, and melanomas. NF1 encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein and its loss triggers moderate levels of Ras activation. We show that SUZ12-loss enhances the effects of NF1 mutations, in part, by amplifying Ras transcriptional signatures. Moreover, SUZ12-loss triggers an epigenetic switch that confers sensitivity to combined bromodomain and MEK inhibitors in vivo. Collectively these studies demonstrate an unexpected role for polycomb group genes in NF1 mutant tumors and reveal an epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy that may be exploited for a variety of cancers. 9 samples in triplicates, 3x LacZ control, 3x SUZ12 over expression, 3x JQ1 treatment
Project description:The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) exerts oncogenic effects in many tumour types1. However, loss-of-function mutations in PRC2 components occur in a subset of haematopoietic malignancies, sug- gesting that this complex plays a dichotomous and poorly understood role in cancer2,3. Here we provide genomic, cellular, and mouse mod- elling data demonstrating that the polycomb group gene SUZ12 func- tions as tumour suppressor in PNS tumours, high-grade gliomas and melanomas by cooperating with mutations in NF1. NF1 encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP) and its loss drives cancer by activating Ras4. We show that SUZ12 loss potentiates the effects of NF1 mutations by amplifying Ras-driven transcription through effects on chromatin. Importantly, however, SUZ12 inactivation also triggers an epigenetic switch that sensitizes these cancers to bromodomain inhib- itors. Collectively, these studies not only reveal an unexpected con- nection between the PRC2 complex, NF1 and Ras, but also identify a promising epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy that may be exploited for a variety of cancers.
Project description:The polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) exerts oncogenic effects in many tumour types1. However, loss-of-function mutations in PRC2 components occur in a subset of haematopoietic malignancies, suggesting that this complex plays a dichotomous and poorly understood role in cancer2,3. Here we provide genomic, cellular, and mouse mod- elling data demonstrating that the polycomb group gene SUZ12 func- tions as tumour suppressor in PNS tumours, high-grade gliomas and melanomas by cooperating with mutations in NF1. NF1 encodes a Ras GTPase-activating protein (RasGAP) and its loss drives cancer by activating Ras4. We show that SUZ12 loss potentiates the effects of NF1 mutations by amplifying Ras-driven transcription through effects on chromatin. Importantly, however, SUZ12 inactivation also triggers an epigenetic switch that sensitizes these cancers to bromodomain inhib- itors. Collectively, these studies not only reveal an unexpected con- nection between the PRC2 complex, NF1 and Ras, but also identify a promising epigenetic-based therapeutic strategy that may be exploited for a variety of cancers.