Multiphase coalescence mediates Hippo pathway activation.

The function of biomolecular condensates is often restricted by condensate dissolution. Whether condensates can be suppressed without condensate dissolution is unclear. Here, we show that upstream regulators of the Hippo signaling pathway form functionally antagonizing condensates, and their coalescence into a common phase provides a mode of counteracting the function of biomolecular condensates without condensate dissolution. Specifically, the negative regulator SLMAP forms Hippo-inactivating condensates to facilitate pathway inhibition by the STRIPAK complex. In response to cell-cell contact or osmotic stress, the positive regulators AMOT and KIBRA form Hippo-activating condensates to facilitate pathway activation. The functionally antagonizing SLMAP and AMOT/KIBRA condensates further coalesce into a common phase to inhibit STRIPAK function. These findings provide a paradigm for restricting the activity of biomolecular condensates without condensate dissolution, shed light on the molecular principles of multiphase organization, and offer a conceptual framework for understanding upstream regulation of the Hippo signaling pathway.

Glycogen accumulation and phase separation drives liver tumor initiation.

Glucose consumption is generally increased in tumor cells to support tumor growth. Interestingly, we report that glycogen accumulation is a key initiating oncogenic event during liver malignant transformation. We found that glucose-6-phosphatase (G6PC) catalyzing the last step of glycogenolysis is frequently downregulated to augment glucose storage in pre-malignant cells. Accumulated glycogen undergoes liquid-liquid phase separation, which results in the assembly of the Laforin-Mst1/2 complex and consequently sequesters Hippo kinases Mst1/2 in glycogen liquid droplets to relieve their inhibition on Yap. Moreover, G6PC or another glycogenolysis enzyme-liver glycogen phosphorylase (PYGL) deficiency in both human and mice results in glycogen storage disease along with liver enlargement and tumorigenesis in a Yap-dependent manner. Consistently, elimination of glycogen accumulation abrogates liver growth and cancer incidence, whereas increasing glycogen storage accelerates tumorigenesis. Thus, we concluded that cancer-initiating cells adapt a glycogen storing mode, which blocks Hippo signaling through glycogen phase separation to augment tumor incidence.

The Hippo Pathway: Biology and Pathophysiology.

The Hippo pathway was initially discovered in Drosophila melanogaster as a key regulator of tissue growth. It is an evolutionarily conserved signaling cascade regulating numerous biological processes, including cell growth and fate decision, organ size control, and regeneration. The core of the Hippo pathway in mammals consists of a kinase cascade, MST1/2 and LATS1/2, as well as downstream effectors, transcriptional coactivators YAP and TAZ. These core components of the Hippo pathway control transcriptional programs involved in cell proliferation, survival, mobility, stemness, and differentiation. The Hippo pathway is tightly regulated by both intrinsic and extrinsic signals, such as mechanical force, cell-cell contact, polarity, energy status, stress, and many diffusible hormonal factors, the majority of which act through G protein-coupled receptors. Here, we review the current understanding of molecular mechanisms by which signals regulate the Hippo pathway with an emphasis on mechanotransduction and the effects of this pathway on basic biology and human diseases.

Force Triggers YAP Nuclear Entry by Regulating Transport across Nuclear Pores.

YAP is a mechanosensitive transcriptional activator with a critical role in cancer, regeneration, and organ size control. Here, we show that force applied to the nucleus directly drives YAP nuclear translocation by decreasing the mechanical restriction of nuclear pores to molecular transport. Exposure to a stiff environment leads cells to establish a mechanical connection between the nucleus and the cytoskeleton, allowing forces exerted through focal adhesions to reach the nucleus. Force transmission then leads to nuclear flattening, which stretches nuclear pores, reduces their mechanical resistance to molecular transport, and increases YAP nuclear import. The restriction to transport is further regulated by the mechanical stability of the transported protein, which determines both active nuclear transport of YAP and passive transport of small proteins. Our results unveil a mechanosensing mechanism mediated directly by nuclear pores, demonstrated for YAP but with potential general applicability in transcriptional regulation.

The Hippo Pathway Kinases LATS1/2 Suppress Cancer Immunity.

Poorly immunogenic tumor cells evade host immunity and grow even in the presence of an intact immune system, but the complex mechanisms regulating tumor immunogenicity have not been elucidated. Here, we discovered an unexpected role of the Hippo pathway in suppressing anti-tumor immunity. We demonstrate that, in three different murine syngeneic tumor models (B16, SCC7, and 4T1), loss of the Hippo pathway kinases LATS1/2 (large tumor suppressor 1 and 2) in tumor cells inhibits tumor growth. Tumor regression by LATS1/2 deletion requires adaptive immune responses, and LATS1/2 deficiency enhances tumor vaccine efficacy. Mechanistically, LATS1/2-null tumor cells secrete nucleic-acid-rich extracellular vesicles, which induce a type I interferon response via the Toll-like receptors-MYD88/TRIF pathway. LATS1/2 deletion in tumors thus improves tumor immunogenicity, leading to tumor destruction by enhancing anti-tumor immune responses. Our observations uncover a key role of the Hippo pathway in modulating tumor immunogenicity and demonstrate a proof of concept for targeting LATS1/2 in cancer immunotherapy.

The Hippo pathway noncanonically drives autophagy and cell survival in response to energy stress.

The Hippo pathway is known for its crucial involvement in development, regeneration, organ size control, and cancer. While energy stress is known to activate the Hippo pathway and inhibit its effector YAP, the precise role of the Hippo pathway in energy stress response remains unclear. Here, we report a YAP-independent function of the Hippo pathway in facilitating autophagy and cell survival in response to energy stress, a process mediated by its upstream components MAP4K2 and STRIPAK. Mechanistically, energy stress disrupts the MAP4K2-STRIPAK association, leading to the activation of MAP4K2. Subsequently, MAP4K2 phosphorylates ATG8-family member LC3, thereby facilitating autophagic flux. MAP4K2 is highly expressed in head and neck cancer, and its mediated autophagy is required for head and neck tumor growth in mice. Altogether, our study unveils a noncanonical role of the Hippo pathway in energy stress response, shedding light on this key growth-related pathway in tissue homeostasis and cancer.

WWC proteins mediate LATS1/2 activation by Hippo kinases and imply a tumor suppression strategy.

YAP and TAZ (YAP/TAZ), two major effectors of the Hippo signaling pathway, are frequently activated in human cancers. The activity of YAP/TAZ is strictly repressed upon phosphorylation by LATS1/2 tumor suppressors. However, it is unclear how LATS1/2 are precisely regulated by upstream factors such as Hippo kinases MST1/2. Here, we show that WWC proteins (WWC1/2/3) directly interact with LATS1/2 and SAV1, and SAV1, in turn, brings in MST1/2 to phosphorylate and activate LATS1/2. Hence, WWC1/2/3 play an organizer role in a signaling module that mediates LATS1/2 activation by MST1/2. Moreover, we have defined a minimum protein interaction interface on WWC1/2/3 that is sufficient to activate LATS1/2 in a robust and specific manner. The corresponding minigene, dubbed as SuperHippo, can effectively suppress tumorigenesis in multiple tumor models. Our study has uncovered a molecular mechanism underlying LATS1/2 regulation and provides a strategy for treating diverse malignancies related to Hippo pathway dysregulation.

Both YAP1-MAML2 and constitutively active YAP1 drive the formation of tumors that resemble NF2 mutant meningiomas in mice.

YAP1 is a transcriptional coactivator regulated by the Hippo signaling pathway, including NF2. Meningiomas are the most common primary brain tumors; a large percentage exhibit heterozygous loss of chromosome 22 (harboring the NF2 gene) and functional inactivation of the remaining NF2 copy, implicating oncogenic YAP activity in these tumors. Recently, fusions between YAP1 and MAML2 have been identified in a subset of pediatric NF2 wild-type meningiomas. Here, we show that human YAP1-MAML2-positive meningiomas resemble NF2 mutant meningiomas by global and YAP-related gene expression signatures. We then show that expression of YAP1-MAML2 in mice induces tumors that resemble human YAP1 fusion-positive and NF2 mutant meningiomas by gene expression. We demonstrate that YAP1-MAML2 primarily functions by exerting TEAD-dependent YAP activity that is resistant to Hippo signaling. Treatment with YAP-TEAD inhibitors is sufficient to inhibit the viability of YAP1-MAML2-driven mouse tumors ex vivo. Finally, we show that expression of constitutively active YAP1 (S127/397A-YAP1) is sufficient to induce similar tumors, suggesting that the YAP component of the gene fusion is the critical driver of these tumors. In summary, our results implicate YAP1-MAML2 as a causal oncogenic driver and highlight TEAD-dependent YAP activity as an oncogenic driver in YAP1-MAML2 fusion meningioma as well as NF2 mutant meningioma in general.

Modeling YAP fusions: a paradigm for investigating rare cancers?

Loss of the NF2 tumor suppressor gene is a common finding in meningiomas, and more recently YAP1 fusions have been found in a subset of pediatric NF2 wild-type meningiomas. In the previous issue of Genes & Development, Szulzewsky and colleagues (pp. 857-870) showed that TEAD-dependent YAP1 activity by either the loss of the NF2 gene or YAP1-MAML2 fusion is an oncogenic process promoting meningioma tumorigenesis. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of YAP1-TEAD resulted in antitumor activity in both YAP1 fusion-positive and NF2 mutant meningiomas. Together, these data indicate that disruption of the YAP1-TEAD interaction raises a potential therapeutic option for these tumors that requires future investigation.

YAP-VGLL4 antagonism defines the major physiological function of the Hippo signaling effector YAP.

The Hippo-YAP signaling pathway plays a critical role in development, homeostasis, regeneration, and tumorigenesis by converging on YAP, a coactivator for the TEAD family DNA-binding transcription factors, to regulate downstream transcription programs. Given its pivotal role as the nuclear effector of the Hippo pathway, YAP is indispensable in multiple developmental and tissue contexts. Here we report that the essentiality of YAP in liver and lung development can be genetically bypassed by simultaneous inactivation of the TEAD corepressor VGLL4. This striking antagonistic epistasis suggests that the major physiological function of YAP is to antagonize VGLL4. We further show that the YAP-VGLL4 antagonism plays a widespread role in regulating Hippo pathway output beyond normal development, as inactivation of Vgll4 dramatically enhanced intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma formation in Nf2-deficient livers and ameliorated CCl4-induced damage in normal livers. Interestingly, Vgll4 expression is temporally regulated in development and regeneration and, in certain contexts, provides a better indication of overall Hippo pathway output than YAP phosphorylation. Together, these findings highlight the central importance of VGLL4-mediated transcriptional repression in Hippo pathway regulation and inform potential strategies to modulate Hippo signaling in cancer and regenerative medicine.

Interferon-γ induces tumor resistance to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy by promoting YAP phase separation.

Interferon-γ (IFN-γ)-mediated adaptive resistance is one major barrier to improving immunotherapy in solid tumors. However, the mechanisms are not completely understood. Here, we report that IFN-γ promotes nuclear translocation and phase separation of YAP after anti-PD-1 therapy in tumor cells. Hydrophobic interactions of the YAP coiled-coil domain mediate droplet initiation, and weak interactions of the intrinsically disordered region in the C terminus promote droplet formation. YAP partitions with the transcription factor TEAD4, the histone acetyltransferase EP300, and Mediator1 and forms transcriptional hubs for maximizing target gene transcriptions, independent of the canonical STAT1-IRF1 transcription program. Disruption of YAP phase separation reduced tumor growth, enhanced immune response, and sensitized tumor cells to anti-PD-1 therapy. YAP activity is negatively correlated with patient outcome. Our study indicates that YAP mediates the IFN-γ pro-tumor effect through its nuclear phase separation and suggests that YAP can be used as a predictive biomarker and target of anti-PD-1 combination therapy.

Induced phase separation of mutant NF2 imprisons the cGAS-STING machinery to abrogate antitumor immunity.

Missense mutations of the tumor suppressor Neurofibromin 2 (NF2/Merlin/schwannomin) result in sporadic to frequent occurrences of tumorigenesis in multiple organs. However, the underlying pathogenicity of NF2-related tumorigenesis remains mostly unknown. Here we found that NF2 facilitated innate immunity by regulating YAP/TAZ-mediated TBK1 inhibition. Unexpectedly, patient-derived individual mutations in the FERM domain of NF2 (NF2m) converted NF2 into a potent suppressor of cGAS-STING signaling. Mechanistically, NF2m gained extreme associations with IRF3 and TBK1 and, upon innate nucleic acid sensing, was directly induced by the activated IRF3 to form cellular condensates, which contained the PP2A complex, to eliminate TBK1 activation. Accordingly, NF2m robustly suppressed STING-initiated antitumor immunity in cancer cell-autonomous and -nonautonomous murine models, and NF2m-IRF3 condensates were evident in human vestibular schwannomas. Our study reports phase separation-mediated quiescence of cGAS-STING signaling by a mutant tumor suppressor and reveals gain-of-function pathogenesis for NF2-related tumors by regulating antitumor immunity.

WWTR1(TAZ)-CAMTA1 gene fusion is sufficient to dysregulate YAP/TAZ signaling and drive epithelioid hemangioendothelioma tumorigenesis.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a genetically homogenous vascular sarcoma that is a paradigm for TAZ dysregulation in cancer. EHE harbors a WWTR1(TAZ)-CAMTA1 gene fusion in >90% of cases, 45% of which have no other genetic alterations. In this study, we used a first of its kind approach to target the Wwtr1-Camta1 gene fusion to the Wwtr1 locus, to develop a conditional EHE mouse model whereby Wwtr1-Camta1 is controlled by the endogenous transcriptional regulators upon Cre activation. These mice develop EHE tumors that are indistinguishable from human EHE clinically, histologically, immunohistochemically, and genetically. Overall, these results demonstrate unequivocally that TAZ-CAMTA1 is sufficient to drive EHE formation with exquisite specificity, as no other tumor types were observed. Furthermore, we fully credential this unique EHE mouse model as a valid preclinical model for understanding the role of TAZ dysregulation in cancer formation and for testing therapies directed at TAZ-CAMTA1, TAZ, and YAP/TAZ signaling.

WWTR1(TAZ)-CAMTA1 reprograms endothelial cells to drive epithelioid hemangioendothelioma.

Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is a poorly understood and devastating vascular cancer. Sequencing of EHE has revealed a unique gene fusion between the Hippo pathway nuclear effector TAZ (WWTR1) and the brain-enriched transcription factor CAMTA1 in ∼90% of cases. However, it remains unclear whether the TAZ-CAMTA1 gene fusion is a driver of EHE, and potential targeted therapies are unknown. Here, we show that TAZ-CAMTA1 expression in endothelial cells is sufficient to drive the formation of vascular tumors with the distinctive features of EHE, and inhibition of TAZ-CAMTA1 results in the regression of these vascular tumors. We further show that activated TAZ resembles TAZ-CAMTA1 in driving the formation of EHE-like vascular tumors, suggesting that constitutive activation of TAZ underlies the pathological features of EHE. We show that TAZ-CAMTA1 initiates an angiogenic and regenerative-like transcriptional program in endothelial cells, and disruption of the TAZ-CAMTA1-TEAD interaction or ectopic expression of a dominant negative TEAD in vivo inhibits TAZ-CAMTA1-mediated transformation. Our study provides the first genetic model of a TAZ fusion oncoprotein driving its associated human cancer, pinpointing TAZ-CAMTA1 as the key driver and a valid therapeutic target of EHE.

Assembling a Hippo: the evolutionary emergence of an animal developmental signaling pathway.

Decades of work in developmental genetics has given us a deep mechanistic understanding of the fundamental signaling pathways underlying animal development. However, little is known about how these pathways emerged and changed over evolutionary time. Here, we review our current understanding of the evolutionary emergence of the Hippo pathway, a conserved signaling pathway that regulates tissue size in animals. This pathway has deep evolutionary roots, emerging piece by piece in the unicellular ancestors of animals, with a complete core pathway predating the origin of animals. Recent functional studies in close unicellular relatives of animals and early-branching animals suggest an ancestral function of the Hippo pathway in cytoskeletal regulation, which was subsequently co-opted to regulate proliferation and animal tissue size.

A non-canonical repressor function of JUN restrains YAP activity and liver cancer growth.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) and its homolog, transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ), are the main transcriptional downstream effectors of the Hippo pathway. Decreased Hippo pathway activity leads to nuclear translocation of YAP/TAZ where they interact with TEAD transcription factors to induce target gene expression. Unrestrained YAP/TAZ activity can lead to excessive growth and tumor formation in a short time, underscoring the evolutionary need for tight control of these two transcriptional coactivators. Here, we report that the AP-1 component JUN acts as specific repressor of YAP/TAZ at joint target sites to decrease YAP/TAZ activity. This function of JUN is independent of its heterodimeric AP-1 partner FOS and the canonical AP-1 function. Since expression of JUN is itself induced by YAP/TAZ, our work identifies a JUN-dependent negative feedback loop that buffers YAP/TAZ activity at joint genomic sites. This negative feedback loop gets disrupted in liver cancer to unlock the full oncogenic potential of YAP/TAZ. Our results thus demonstrate an additional layer of control for the interplay of YAP/TAZ and AP-1.

Nuclear phosphoinositide signaling promotes YAP/TAZ-TEAD transcriptional activity in breast cancer.

The Hippo pathway effectors Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) and its homolog TAZ are transcriptional coactivators that control gene expression by binding to TEA domain (TEAD) family transcription factors. The YAP/TAZ-TEAD complex is a key regulator of cancer-specific transcriptional programs, which promote tumor progression in diverse types of cancer, including breast cancer. Despite intensive efforts, the YAP/TAZ-TEAD complex in cancer has remained largely undruggable due to an incomplete mechanistic understanding. Here, we report that nuclear phosphoinositides function as cofactors that mediate the binding of YAP/TAZ to TEADs. The enzymatic products of phosphoinositide kinases PIPKIα and IPMK, including phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PI(4,5)P2) and phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate (P(I3,4,5)P3), bridge the binding of YAP/TAZ to TEAD. Inhibiting these kinases or the association of YAP/TAZ with PI(4,5)P2 and PI(3,4,5)P3 attenuates YAP/TAZ interaction with the TEADs, the expression of YAP/TAZ target genes, and breast cancer cell motility. Although we could not conclusively exclude the possibility that other enzymatic products of IPMK such as inositol phosphates play a role in the mechanism, our results point to a previously unrecognized role of nuclear phosphoinositide signaling in control of YAP/TAZ activity and implicate this pathway as a potential therapeutic target in YAP/TAZ-driven breast cancer.

Critical roles of phosphoinositides and NF2 in Hippo pathway regulation.

The Hippo pathway is a master regulator of tissue homeostasis and organ size. NF2 is a well-established tumor suppressor, and loss of NF2 severely compromises Hippo pathway activity. However, the precise mechanism of how NF2 mediates upstream signals to regulate the Hippo pathway is not clear. Here we report that, in mammalian cells, NF2's lipid-binding ability is critical for its function in activating the Hippo pathway in response to osmotic stress. Mechanistically, osmotic stress induces PI(4,5)P2 plasma membrane enrichment by activating the PIP5K family, allowing for NF2 plasma membrane recruitment and subsequent downstream Hippo pathway activation. An NF2 mutant deficient in lipid binding is unable to activate the Hippo pathway in response to osmotic stress, as measured by LATS and YAP phosphorylation. Our findings identify the PIP5K family as novel regulators upstream of Hippo signaling, and uncover the importance of phosphoinositide dynamics, specifically PI(4,5)P2, in Hippo pathway regulation.

Induction of AP-1 by YAP/TAZ contributes to cell proliferation and organ growth.

Yes-associated protein (YAP) and its homolog transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) are key effectors of the Hippo pathway to control cell growth and organ size, of which dysregulation yields to tumorigenesis or hypertrophy. Upon activation, YAP/TAZ translocate into the nucleus and bind to TEAD transcription factors to promote transcriptional programs for proliferation or cell specification. Immediate early genes, represented by AP-1 complex, are rapidly induced and control later-phase transcriptional program to play key roles in tumorigenesis and organ maintenance. Here, we report that YAP/TAZ directly promote FOS transcription that in turn contributes to the biological function of YAP/TAZ. YAP/TAZ bind to the promoter region of FOS to stimulate its transcription. Deletion of YAP/TAZ blocks the induction of immediate early genes in response to mitogenic stimuli. FOS induction contributes to expression of YAP/TAZ downstream target genes. Genetic deletion or chemical inhibition of AP-1 suppresses growth of YAP-driven cancer cells, such as Lats1/2-deficient cancer cells as well as Gαq/11 mutated uveal melanoma. Furthermore, AP-1 inhibition almost completely abrogates the hepatomegaly induced by YAP overexpression. Our findings reveal a feed-forward interplay between immediate early transcription of AP-1 and Hippo pathway function.

CDK7 regulates organ size and tumor growth by safeguarding the Hippo pathway effector Yki/Yap/Taz in the nucleus.

Hippo signaling controls organ size and tumor progression through a conserved pathway leading to nuclear translocation of the transcriptional effector Yki/Yap/Taz. Most of our understanding of Hippo signaling pertains to its cytoplasmic regulation, but how the pathway is controlled in the nucleus remains poorly understood. Here we uncover an evolutionarily conserved mechanism by which CDK7 promotes Yki/Yap/Taz stabilization in the nucleus to sustain Hippo pathway outputs. We found that a modular E3 ubiquitin ligase complex CRL4DCAF12 binds and targets Yki/Yap/Taz for ubiquitination and degradation, whereas CDK7 phosphorylates Yki/Yap/Taz at S169/S128/S90 to inhibit CRL4DCAF12 recruitment, leading to Yki/Yap/Taz stabilization. As a consequence, inactivation of CDK7 reduced organ size and inhibited tumor growth, which could be reversed by restoring Yki/Yap activity. Our study identifies an unanticipated layer of Hippo pathway regulation, defines a novel mechanism by which CDK7 regulates tissue growth, and implies CDK7 as a drug target for Yap/Taz-driven cancer.