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Hall AE, Pohl SÖG, Cammareri P, Aitken S, Younger NT, Raponi M, Billard CV, Carrancio AB, Bastem A, Freile P, Haward F, Adams IR, Caceres JF, Preyzner P, von Kriegsheim A, Dunlop MG, Din FV, Myant KB. RNA splicing is a key mediator of tumour cell plasticity and a therapeutic vulnerability in colorectal cancer. Nat Commun 2022; 13:2791. [PMID: 35589755 PMCID: PMC9120198 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-30489-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumour cell plasticity is a major barrier to the efficacy of targeted cancer therapies but the mechanisms that mediate it are poorly understood. Here, we identify dysregulated RNA splicing as a key driver of tumour cell dedifferentiation in colorectal cancer (CRC). We find that Apc-deficient CRC cells have dysregulated RNA splicing machinery and exhibit global rewiring of RNA splicing. We show that the splicing factor SRSF1 controls the plasticity of tumour cells by controlling Kras splicing and is required for CRC invasion in a mouse model of carcinogenesis. SRSF1 expression maintains stemness in human CRC organoids and correlates with cancer stem cell marker expression in human tumours. Crucially, partial genetic downregulation of Srsf1 does not detrimentally affect normal tissue homeostasis, demonstrating that tumour cell plasticity can be differentially targeted. Thus, our findings link dysregulation of the RNA splicing machinery and control of tumour cell plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam E Hall
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Sebastian Öther-Gee Pohl
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Patrizia Cammareri
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Stuart Aitken
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
| | - Nicholas T Younger
- Centre for Inflammation Research, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH16 4TJ, Scotland
| | - Michela Raponi
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, Scotland
| | - Caroline V Billard
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Alfonso Bolado Carrancio
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Aslihan Bastem
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Paz Freile
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Fiona Haward
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Centre for Gene Regulation & Expression, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland
| | - Ian R Adams
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
| | - Javier F Caceres
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
| | - Paula Preyzner
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Malcolm G Dunlop
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
| | - Farhat V Din
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland
| | - Kevin B Myant
- Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital Campus, Crewe Road, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, Scotland.
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, Institute of Genetics and Cancer, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Crewe Road South, Edinburgh, EH4 2XR, Scotland.
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Gudiño V, Pohl SÖG, Billard CV, Cammareri P, Bolado A, Aitken S, Stevenson D, Hall AE, Agostino M, Cassidy J, Nixon C, von Kriegsheim A, Freile P, Popplewell L, Dickson G, Murphy L, Wheeler A, Dunlop M, Din F, Strathdee D, Sansom OJ, Myant KB. RAC1B modulates intestinal tumourigenesis via modulation of WNT and EGFR signalling pathways. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2335. [PMID: 33879799 PMCID: PMC8058071 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-22531-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Current therapeutic options for treating colorectal cancer have little clinical efficacy and acquired resistance during treatment is common, even following patient stratification. Understanding the mechanisms that promote therapy resistance may lead to the development of novel therapeutic options that complement existing treatments and improve patient outcome. Here, we identify RAC1B as an important mediator of colorectal tumourigenesis and a potential target for enhancing the efficacy of EGFR inhibitor treatment. We find that high RAC1B expression in human colorectal cancer is associated with aggressive disease and poor prognosis and deletion of Rac1b in a mouse colorectal cancer model reduces tumourigenesis. We demonstrate that RAC1B interacts with, and is required for efficient activation of the EGFR signalling pathway. Moreover, RAC1B inhibition sensitises cetuximab resistant human tumour organoids to the effects of EGFR inhibition, outlining a potential therapeutic target for improving the clinical efficacy of EGFR inhibitors in colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Gudiño
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- Inflammatory Bowel Disease Unit, Department of Gastroenterology, Institut d'Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer (IDIBAPS) - CIBEREHD, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sebastian Öther-Gee Pohl
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Caroline V Billard
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Patrizia Cammareri
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Alfonso Bolado
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Stuart Aitken
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - David Stevenson
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Adam E Hall
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Mark Agostino
- School of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, Curtin Health and Innovation Research Institute, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
- Curtin Institute for Computation, Curtin University, Perth, WA, 6845, Australia
| | - John Cassidy
- Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Li Ka Shing Centre, Cambridge, CB2 0RE, UK
| | - Colin Nixon
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Alex von Kriegsheim
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Paz Freile
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Linda Popplewell
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway - University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - George Dickson
- School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway - University of London, Egham, Surrey, TW20 0EX, UK
| | - Laura Murphy
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Ann Wheeler
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Malcolm Dunlop
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Farhat Din
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- MRC Human Genetics Unit, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
- Institute of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK
| | - Douglas Strathdee
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
| | - Owen J Sansom
- Cancer Research UK Beatson Institute, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1BD, UK
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, G61 1QH, UK
| | - Kevin B Myant
- Cancer Research UK Edinburgh Centre, MRC Institute of Genetics & Molecular Medicine, The University of Edinburgh, Western General Hospital, Edinburgh, EH4 2XU, UK.
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