USP28 enables oncogenic transformation of respiratory cells, and its inhibition potentiates molecular therapy targeting mutant EGFR, BRAF and PI3K. Issue 17 (30th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Prieto‐Garcia, Cristian; Hartmann, Oliver; Reissland, Michaela; Braun, Fabian; Bozkurt, Süleyman; Pahor, Nikolett; Fuss, Carmina; Schirbel, Andreas; Schülein‐Völk, Christina; Buchberger, Alexander; Calzado Canale, Marco A.; Rosenfeldt, Mathias; Dikic, Ivan; Münch, Christian; Diefenbacher, Markus E.
• Is Part Of: Molecular oncology. Volume 16:Issue 17(2022)
• Page Start: 3082
• Page End: 3106
• Publication Date: 2022-04-30
• Subjects: buparlisib -- c‐MYC -- gefitinib -- lung cancer -- USP28 -- vemurafenib; Cancer -- Molecular aspects -- Periodicals; 616.994005
• DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13217
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1574-7891

Abstract

Abstract : Oncogenic transformation of lung epithelial cells is a multistep process, frequently starting with the inactivation of tumour suppressors and subsequent development of activating mutations in proto‐oncogenes, such as members of the PI3K or MAPK families. Cells undergoing transformation have to adjust to changes, including altered metabolic requirements. This is achieved, in part, by modulating the protein abundance of transcription factors. Here, we report that the ubiquitin carboxyl‐terminal hydrolase 28 (USP28) enables oncogenic reprogramming by regulating the protein abundance of proto‐oncogenes such as c‐JUN, c‐MYC, NOTCH and ∆NP63 at early stages of malignant transformation. USP28 levels are increased in cancer compared with in normal cells due to a feed‐forward loop, driven by increased amounts of oncogenic transcription factors such as c‐MYC and c‐JUN. Irrespective of oncogenic driver, interference with USP28 abundance or activity suppresses growth and survival of transformed lung cells. Furthermore, inhibition of USP28 via a small‐molecule inhibitor resets the proteome of transformed cells towards a 'premalignant' state, and its inhibition synergizes with clinically established compounds used to target EGFR L858R ‐, BRAF V600E ‐ or PI3K H1047R ‐driven tumour cells. Targeting USP28 protein abundance at an early stage via inhibition of its activity is therefore a feasible strategy for the treatment of early‐stage lung tumours, and the observed synergism with current standard‐of‐care inhibitors holds the potential for improved targeting of established tumours. Abstract : In this study, we identified that USP28 enables oncogenic reprograming of respiratory cells and is required to permit transformation, irrespective of driver mutation. Furthermore, the inhibition of USP28 synergizes with targeted molecular therapy, demonstrating that targeting USP28 already at an early stage therefore is a promising strategy for the treatment of lung tumours in combination with personalized targeted therapy.