TY - JOUR
T1 - Interrogating bromodomain inhibitor resistance in KMT2A-rearranged leukemia through combinatorial CRISPR screens
AU - Wright, Shaela
AU - Hu, Jianzhong
AU - Wang, Hong
AU - Hyle, Judith
AU - Zhang, Yang
AU - Du, Guoqing
AU - Konopleva, Marina Y.
AU - Kornblau, Steven M.
AU - Djekidel, Mohamed Nadhir
AU - Rosikiewicz, Wojciech
AU - Xu, Beisi
AU - Lu, Rui
AU - Yang, Jun J.
AU - Li, Chunliang
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2023 the Author(s). Published by PNAS. This open access article is distributed under Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0 (CC BY).
PY - 2023/4/18
Y1 - 2023/4/18
N2 - Bromo- and extra-terminal domain inhibitors (BETi) have exhibited therapeutic activities in many cancers. However, the mechanisms controlling BETi response and resistance are not well understood. We conducted genome-wide loss-of-function CRISPR screens using BETi-treated KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) cell lines. We revealed that Speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) gene (Speckle Type BTB/POZ Protein) deficiency caused significant BETi resistance, which was further validated in cell lines and xenograft models. Proteomics analysis and a kinase-vulnerability CRISPR screen indicated that cells treated with BETi are sensitive to GSK3 perturbation. Pharmaceutical inhibition of GSK3 reversed the BETi-resistance phenotype. Based on this observation, a combination therapy regimen inhibiting both BET and GSK3 was developed to impede KMT2A-r leukemia progression in patient-derived xenografts in vivo. Our results revealed molecular mechanisms underlying BETi resistance and a promising combination treatment regimen of ABBV-744 and CHIR-98014 by utilizing unique ex vivo and in vivo KMT2A-r PDX models.
AB - Bromo- and extra-terminal domain inhibitors (BETi) have exhibited therapeutic activities in many cancers. However, the mechanisms controlling BETi response and resistance are not well understood. We conducted genome-wide loss-of-function CRISPR screens using BETi-treated KMT2A-rearranged (KMT2A-r) cell lines. We revealed that Speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) gene (Speckle Type BTB/POZ Protein) deficiency caused significant BETi resistance, which was further validated in cell lines and xenograft models. Proteomics analysis and a kinase-vulnerability CRISPR screen indicated that cells treated with BETi are sensitive to GSK3 perturbation. Pharmaceutical inhibition of GSK3 reversed the BETi-resistance phenotype. Based on this observation, a combination therapy regimen inhibiting both BET and GSK3 was developed to impede KMT2A-r leukemia progression in patient-derived xenografts in vivo. Our results revealed molecular mechanisms underlying BETi resistance and a promising combination treatment regimen of ABBV-744 and CHIR-98014 by utilizing unique ex vivo and in vivo KMT2A-r PDX models.
KW - KMT2A-rearranged leukemia
KW - SPOP
KW - bromodomain inhibitor
KW - genome editing
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85152117261&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1073/pnas.2220134120
DO - 10.1073/pnas.2220134120
M3 - Article
C2 - 37036970
AN - SCOPUS:85152117261
SN - 0027-8424
VL - 120
JO - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
JF - Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
IS - 16
M1 - e2220134120
ER -