CBMT-42. A GENOME-WIDE CRISPR-Cas9 SCREEN FOR GENES REGULATING QUIESCENT-LIKE STATES IN GLIOBLASTOMA. (11th November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Feldman, Heather; Mihalas, Anca; Plaisier, Christopher; Patel, Anoop; Paddison, Patrick
• Is Part Of: Neuro-oncology. Volume 21(2019)Supplement 6
• Page Start: vi42
• Page End: vi42
• Publication Date: 2019-11-11
• Subjects: Brain Neoplasms -- Periodicals; Brain -- Tumors -- Periodicals; Brain -- Cancer -- Periodicals; Nervous system -- Cancer -- Periodicals; 616.99481
• DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noz175.164
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1522-8517

Abstract

Abstract: Current standard of care therapy for glioblastoma (GBM) includes cytoreduction followed by ablative therapies that target rapidly dividing cell types. However, non-cycling, quiescent-like states (G0 phase cells) are present in both normal tissue and tumors and play important roles in maintaining heterogeneity and cellular hierarchies. The presence of quiescent-like/G0 states therefore represents a natural reservoir of tumor cells that are resistant to current treatments. Quiescence or G0 phase is a reversible state of "stasis" cells enter in response to developmental or environmental cues. However, it remains largely unclear to what degree or by what mechanisms tumor cells enter into or exit from quiescent-like states. To gain insight into how glioblastoma cells might regulate G0-like states, we performed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 screen in patient-derived GBM stem-like cells (GSCs) harboring a p27-mVenus reporter construct, which is stabilized when cells enter a G0-like state. By assaying p27 reporteractivity, we were able to identify sgRNAs enriched in p27 hi populations and, which upon retest, trigger a G0-like arrest in GSCs. Among the top screen hits were members of the Tip60/KAT5 histone acetyltransferase complex, including KAT5 itself. Remarkably, we show that downregulation of KAT5 in vitro and in vivo dramatically increases the pool of cells in G0-like states in GSC cultures and GSC-induced tumors. Using single cell RNA-sequencing, we show that this cell state is characterized by gene expression signatures similar to those found in non-dividing subpopulations of GBM tumors and quiescent neural stem cells. In addition, we perform in-depth molecular and phenotypic characterization of these induced G0-like states, including epigenetic and metabolic profiles. These suggest a key role for KAT5 in regulating genes related to protein synthesis. In summary, our results suggest that Tip60/KAT5 activity plays key roles in G0 ingress/egress for GBM tumors and may provide novel therapeutic opportunities.