Combating castration-resistant prostate cancer by co-targeting the epigenetic regulators EZH2 and HDAC.

While screening and early detection have reduced mortality from prostate cancer, castration-resistant disease (CRPC) is still incurable. Here, we report that combined EZH2/HDAC inhibitors potently kill CRPCs and cause dramatic tumor regression in aggressive human and mouse CRPC models. Notably, EZH2 and HDAC both transmit transcriptional repressive signals: regulating histone H3 methylation and histone deacetylation, respectively. Accordingly, we show that suppression of both EZH2 and HDAC are required to derepress/induce a subset of EZH2 targets, by promoting the sequential demethylation and acetylation of histone H3. Moreover, we find that the induction of one of these targets, ATF3, which is a broad stress response gene, is critical for the therapeutic response. Importantly, in human tumors, low ATF3 levels are associated with decreased survival. Moreover, EZH2- and ATF3-mediated transcriptional programs inversely correlate and are most highly/lowly expressed in advanced disease. Together, these studies identify a promising therapeutic strategy for CRPC and suggest that these two major epigenetic regulators buffer prostate cancers from a lethal response to cellular stresses, thereby conferring a tractable therapeutic vulnerability.

The differentiation and stress response factor XBP-1 drives multiple myeloma pathogenesis.

Multiple myeloma (MM) evolves from a highly prevalent premalignant condition termed MGUS. The factors underlying the malignant transformation of MGUS are unknown. We report a MGUS/MM phenotype in transgenic mice with Emu-directed expression of the XBP-1 spliced isoform (XBP-1s), a factor governing unfolded protein/ER stress response and plasma-cell development. Emu-XBP-1s elicited elevated serum Ig and skin alterations. With age, Emu-xbp-1s transgenics develop features diagnostic of human MM, including bone lytic lesions and subendothelial Ig deposition. Furthermore, transcriptional profiles of Emu-xbp-1s lymphoid and MM cells show aberrant expression of known human MM dysregulated genes. The similarities of this model with the human disease, coupled with documented frequent XBP-1s overexpression in human MM, serve to implicate XBP-1s dysregulation in MM pathogenesis.

The PTEN and INK4A/ARF tumor suppressors maintain myelolymphoid homeostasis and cooperate to constrain histiocytic sarcoma development in humans.

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare malignant proliferation of histiocytes of uncertain molecular pathogenesis. Here, genetic analysis of coincident loss of Pten and Ink4a/Arf tumor suppressors in the mouse revealed a neoplastic phenotype dominated by a premalignant expansion of biphenotypic myelolymphoid cells followed by the development of HS. Pten protein loss occurred only in the histiocytic portion of tumors, suggesting a stepwise genetic inactivation in the generation of HS. Similarly, human HS showed genetic or epigenetic inactivation of PTEN, p16(INK4A), and p14(ARF), supporting the relevance of this genetically engineered mouse model of HS. These genetic and translational observations establish a cooperative role of Pten and Ink4a/Arf in the development of HS and provide mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of human HS.

Loss of RasGAP Tumor Suppressors Underlies the Aggressive Nature of Luminal B Breast Cancers.

Luminal breast cancers are typically estrogen receptor-positive and generally have the best prognosis. However, a subset of luminal tumors, namely luminal B cancers, frequently metastasize and recur. Unfortunately, the causal events that drive their progression are unknown, and therefore it is difficult to identify individuals who are likely to relapse and should receive escalated treatment. Here, we identify a bifunctional RasGAP tumor suppressor whose expression is lost in almost 50% of luminal B tumors. Moreover, we show that two RasGAP genes are concomitantly suppressed in the most aggressive luminal malignancies. Importantly, these genes cooperatively regulate two major oncogenic pathways, RAS and NF-κB, through distinct domains, and when inactivated drive the metastasis of luminal tumors in vivo Finally, although the cooperative effects on RAS drive invasion, NF-κB activation triggers epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and is required for metastasis. Collectively, these studies reveal important mechanistic insight into the pathogenesis of luminal B tumors and provide functionally relevant prognostic biomarkers that may guide treatment decisions. SIGNIFICANCE: The lack of insight into mechanisms that underlie the aggressive behavior of luminal B breast cancers impairs treatment decisions and therapeutic advances. Here, we show that two RasGAP tumor suppressors are concomitantly suppressed in aggressive luminal B tumors and demonstrate that they drive metastasis by activating RAS and NF-κB. Cancer Discov; 7(2); 202-17. ©2016 AACR.See related commentary by Sears and Gray, p. 131This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 115.

A requirement for cyclin-dependent kinase 6 in thymocyte development and tumorigenesis.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) promotes cell cycle progression and is overexpressed in human lymphoid malignancies. To determine the role of CDK6 in development and tumorigenesis, we generated and analyzed knockout mice. Cdk6-deficient mice show pronounced thymic atrophy due to reduced proliferative fractions and concomitant transitional blocks in the double-negative stages. Using the OP9-DL1 system to deliver temporally controlled Notch receptor-dependent signaling, we show that CDK6 is required for Notch-dependent survival, proliferation, and differentiation. Furthermore, CDK6-deficient mice were resistant to lymphomagenesis induced by active Akt, a downstream target of Notch signaling. These results show a critical requirement for CDK6 in Notch/Akt-dependent T-cell development and tumorigenesis and strongly support CDK6 as a specific therapeutic target in human lymphoid malignancies.