A SWI/SNF-dependent transcriptional regulation mediated by POU2AF2/C11orf53 at enhancer.

Recent studies have identified a previously uncharacterized protein C11orf53 (now named POU2AF2/OCA-T1), which functions as a robust co-activator of POU2F3, the master transcription factor which is critical for both normal and neoplastic tuft cell identity and viability. Here, we demonstrate that POU2AF2 dictates opposing transcriptional regulation at distal enhance elements. Loss of POU2AF2 leads to an inhibition of active enhancer nearby genes, such as tuft cell identity genes, and a derepression of Polycomb-dependent poised enhancer nearby genes, which are critical for cell viability and differentiation. Mechanistically, depletion of POU2AF2 results in a global redistribution of the chromatin occupancy of the SWI/SNF complex, leading to a significant 3D genome structure change and a subsequent transcriptional reprogramming. Our genome-wide CRISPR screen further demonstrates that POU2AF2 depletion or SWI/SNF inhibition leads to a PTEN-dependent cell growth defect, highlighting a potential role of POU2AF2-SWI/SNF axis in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) pathogenesis. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition of SWI/SNF phenocopies POU2AF2 depletion in terms of gene expression alteration and cell viability decrease in SCLC-P subtype cells. Therefore, impeding POU2AF2-mediated transcriptional regulation represents a potential therapeutic approach for human SCLC therapy.

Inhibition of protein arginine methyltransferase 6 activates interferon signaling and induces the apoptosis of endometrial cancer cells via histone modification.

Histone modification, a major epigenetic mechanism regulating gene expression through chromatin remodeling, introduces dynamic changes in chromatin architecture. Protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) is overexpressed in various types of cancer, including prostate, lung and endometrial cancer (EC). Epigenome regulates the expression of endogenous retrovirus (ERV), which activates interferon signaling related to cancer. The antitumor effects of PRMT6 inhibition and the role of PRMT6 in EC were investigated, using epigenome multi­omics analysis, including an assay for chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP­seq) and RNA sequencing (RNA­seq). The expression of PRMT6 in EC was analyzed using reverse transcription­quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT­qPCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The prognostic impact of PRMT6 expression was evaluated using IHC. The effects of PRMT6­knockdown (KD) were investigated using cell viability and apoptosis assays, as well as its effects on the epigenome, using ChIP­seq of H3K27ac antibodies and RNA­seq. Finally, the downstream targets identified by multi­omics analysis were evaluated. PRMT6 was overexpressed in EC and associated with a poor prognosis. PRMT6­KD induced histone hypomethylation, while suppressing cell growth and apoptosis. ChIP­seq revealed that PRMT6 regulated genomic regions related to interferons and apoptosis through histone modifications. The RNA­seq data demonstrated altered interferon­related pathways and increased expression of tumor suppressor genes, including NK6 homeobox 1 and phosphoinositide­3­kinase regulatory subunit 1, following PRMT6­KD. RT­qPCR revealed that eight ERV genes which activated interferon signaling were upregulated by PRMT6­KD. The data of the present study suggested that PRMT6 inhibition induced apoptosis through interferon signaling activated by ERV. PRMT6 regulated tumor suppressor genes and may be a novel therapeutic target, to the best of our knowledge, in EC.

MBD5 and MBD6 stabilize the BAP1 complex and promote BAP1-dependent cancer.

BACKGROUND: BRCA1-associated protein 1 (BAP1) is an ubiquitin carboxy-terminal hydrolase, which forms a multi-protein complex with different epigenetic factors, such as ASXL1-3 and FOXK1/2. At the chromatin level, BAP1 catalyzes the removal of mono-ubiquitination on histone H2AK119 in collaboration with other subunits within the complex and functions as a transcriptional activator in mammalian cells. However, the crosstalk between different subunits and how these subunits impact BAP1's function remains unclear. RESULTS: We report the identification of the methyl-CpG-binding domain proteins 5 and 6 (MBD5 and MBD6) that bind to the C-terminal PHD fingers of the large scaffold subunits ASXL1-3 and stabilize the BAP1 complex at the chromatin. We further identify a novel Drosophila protein, the six-banded (SBA), as an ortholog of human MBD5 and MBD6, and demonstrate that the core modules of the BAP1 complex is structurally and functionally conserved from Drosophila (Calypso/ASX/SBA) to human cells (BAP1/ASXL/MBD). Dysfunction of the BAP1 complex induced by the misregulation/mutations in its subunit(s) are frequent in many human cancers. In BAP1-dependent human cancers, such as small cell lung cancer (SCLC), MBD6 tends to be a part of the predominant complex formed. Therefore, depletion of MBD6 leads to a global loss of BAP1 occupancy at the chromatin, resulting in a reduction of BAP1-dependent gene expression and tumor growth in vitro and in vivo. CONCLUSIONS: We characterize MBD5 and MBD6 as important regulators of the BAP1 complex and maintain its transcriptional landscape, shedding light on the therapeutic potential of targeting MBD5 and MBD6 in BAP1-dependent human cancers.

POU2AF2/C11orf53 functions as a coactivator of POU2F3 by maintaining chromatin accessibility and enhancer activity.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC), accounting for around 13% of all lung cancers, often results in rapid tumor growth, early metastasis, and acquired therapeutic resistance. The POU class 2 homeobox 3 (POU2F3) is a master regulator of tuft cell identity and defines the SCLC-P subtype that lacks the neuroendocrine markers. Here, we have identified a previously uncharacterized protein, C11orf53, which is coexpressed with POU2F3 in both SCLC cell lines and patient samples. Mechanistically, C11orf53 directly interacts with POU2F3 and is recruited to chromatin by POU2F3. Depletion of C11orf53 reduced enhancer H3K27ac levels and chromatin accessibility, resulting in a reduction of POU2F3-dependent gene expression. On the basis of the molecular function of C11orf53, we renamed it as "POU Class 2 Homeobox Associating Factor 2" (POU2AF2). In summary, our study has identified a new coactivator of POU2F3 and sheds light on the therapeutic potential of targeting POU2AF2/POU2F3 heterodimer in human SCLC.

Therapeutic targeting of BAP1/ASXL3 sub-complex in ASCL1-dependent small cell lung cancer.

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease, with patients diagnosed with either early-stage, limited stage, or extensive stage of SCLC tumor progression. Discovering and targeting the functional biomarkers for SCLC will be crucial in understanding the molecular basis underlying SCLC tumorigenesis to better assist in improving clinical treatment. Emerging studies have demonstrated that dysregulations in BAP1 histone H2A deubiquitinase complex are collectively associated with pathogenesis in human SCLC. Here, we investigated the function of the oncogenic BAP1/ASXL3/BRD4 epigenetic axis in SCLC by developing a next-generation BAP1 inhibitor, iBAP-II, and focusing on the epigenetic balance established between BAP1 and non-canonical PRC1 complexes in regulating SCLC-specific transcriptional programming. We further demonstrated that pharmacologic inhibition of BAP1's catalytic activity disrupted BAP1/ASXL3/BRD4 epigenetic axis by inducing protein degradation of the ASXL3 scaffold protein, which bridges BRD4 and BAP1 at active enhancers. Furthermore, treatment of iBAP-II represses neuroendocrine lineage-specific ASCL1/MYCL/E2F signaling in SCLC cell lines, and dramatically inhibits SCLC cell viability and tumor growth in vivo. In summary, this study has provided mechanistic insight into the oncogenic function of BAP1 in SCLC and highlighted the potential of targeting BAP1's activity as a novel SCLC therapy.

Modeling robust COVID-19 intensive care unit occupancy thresholds for imposing mitigation to prevent exceeding capacities.

In non-pharmaceutical management of COVID-19, occupancy of intensive care units (ICU) is often used as an indicator to inform when to intensify mitigation and thus reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission, strain on ICUs, and deaths. However, ICU occupancy thresholds at which action should be taken are often selected arbitrarily. We propose a quantitative approach using mathematical modeling to identify ICU occupancy thresholds at which mitigation should be triggered to avoid exceeding the ICU capacity available for COVID-19 patients and demonstrate this approach for the United States city of Chicago. We used a stochastic compartmental model to simulate SARS-CoV-2 transmission and disease progression, including critical cases that would require intensive care. We calibrated the model using daily COVID-19 ICU and hospital census data between March and August 2020. We projected various possible ICU occupancy trajectories from September 2020 to May 2021 with two possible levels of transmission increase and uncertainty in core model parameters. The effect of combined mitigation measures was modeled as a decrease in the transmission rate that took effect when projected ICU occupancy reached a specified threshold. We found that mitigation did not immediately eliminate the risk of exceeding ICU capacity. Delaying action by 7 days increased the probability of exceeding ICU capacity by 10-60% and this increase could not be counteracted by stronger mitigation. Even under modest transmission increase, a threshold occupancy no higher than 60% was required when mitigation reduced the reproductive number Rt to just below 1. At higher transmission increase, a threshold of at most 40% was required with mitigation that reduced Rt below 0.75 within the first two weeks after mitigation. Our analysis demonstrates a quantitative approach for the selection of ICU occupancy thresholds that considers parameter uncertainty and compares relevant mitigation and transmission scenarios. An appropriate threshold will depend on the location, number of ICU beds available for COVID-19, available mitigation options, feasible mitigation strengths, and tolerated durations of intensified mitigation.

PAX9 Determines Epigenetic State Transition and Cell Fate in Cancer.

Abnormalities in genetic and epigenetic modifications can lead to drastic changes in gene expression profiles that are associated with various cancer types. Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive and deadly form of lung cancer with limited effective therapies currently available. By utilizing a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 dropout screen in SCLC cells, we identified paired box protein 9 (PAX9) as an essential factor that is overexpressed in human malignant SCLC tumor samples and is transcriptionally driven by the BAP1/ASXL3/BRD4 epigenetic axis. Genome-wide studies revealed that PAX9 occupies distal enhancer elements and represses gene expression by restricting enhancer activity. In multiple SCLC cell lines, genetic depletion of PAX9 led to significant induction of a primed-active enhancer transition, resulting in increased expression of a large number of neural differentiation and tumor-suppressive genes. Mechanistically, PAX9 interacted and cofunctioned with the nucleosome remodeling and deacetylase (NuRD) complex at enhancers to repress nearby gene expression, which was reversed by pharmacologic HDAC inhibition. Overall, this study provides mechanistic insight into the oncogenic function of the PAX9/NuRD complex epigenetic axis in human SCLC and suggests that reactivation of primed enhancers may have potential therapeutic efficacy in treating SCLC expressing high levels of PAX9. SIGNIFICANCE: A genome-wide screen in small cell lung cancer reveals PAX9/NuRD-mediated epigenetic enhancer silencing and tumor progression, supporting the development of novel personalized therapeutic approaches targeting the PAX9-regulated network.