Project description:Telomerase-negative tumors can maintain telomere length by alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) but the mechanism of telomere maintenance in ALT cells is not well understood. A significant portion of the relapse Neuroblastoma (NB) tumors are positive for ALT which suggests better dissecting the ALT mechanism could provide novel therapeutic opportunities. TERRA RNA which is derived from the telomere ends is localized to telomeres in R-loop dependent manner and is essential for telomere maintenance. In the present study, we provide evidence that RNA modification at the N6 position of internal adenosine (m6A) in TERRA RNA by methyl transferase METTL3 is essential for telomere maintenance in ALT cells and loss of TERRA m6A/METTL3 leads to accumulation of DNA damage over telomere. Our data suggest that m6A modification in TERRA RNA is required for R-loop formation and telomere targeting of TERRA. We observed that R-loop enriched TERRA is abundantly m6A modified and m6A mediated recruitment of hnRNPA2B1 to TERRA RNA is essential for R-loop formation. Together our study suggests that m6A-mediated R-loop formation could be a widespread mechanism utilized by other chromatin-interacting lncRNAs. We also show treating ALT positive NB cells with small molecule METTL3 inhibitor leads to compromised telomere targeting of TERRA and accumulation of DNA damage over telomere, suggesting METTL3 inhibition could be a therapeutic opportunity for ALT positive NB.
Project description:Telomerase-negative tumors can maintain telomere length by alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) but the mechanism of telomere maintenance in ALT cells is not well understood. A significant portion of the relapse Neuroblastoma (NB) tumors are positive for ALT which suggests better dissecting the ALT mechanism could provide novel therapeutic opportunities. TERRA RNA which is derived from the telomere ends is localized to telomeres in R-loop dependent manner and is essential for telomere maintenance. In the present study, we provide evidence that RNA modification at the N6 position of internal adenosine (m6A) in TERRA RNA by methyl transferase METTL3 is essential for telomere maintenance in ALT cells and loss of TERRA m6A/METTL3 leads to accumulation of DNA damage over telomere. Our data suggest that m6A modification in TERRA RNA is required for R-loop formation and telomere targeting of TERRA. We observed that R-loop enriched TERRA is abundantly m6A modified and m6A mediated recruitment of hnRNPA2B1 to TERRA RNA is essential for R-loop formation. Together our study suggests that m6A-mediated R-loop formation could be a widespread mechanism utilized by other chromatin-interacting lncRNAs. We also show treating ALT positive NB cells with small molecule METTL3 inhibitor leads to compromised telomere targeting of TERRA and accumulation of DNA damage over telomere, suggesting METTL3 inhibition could be a therapeutic opportunity for ALT positive NB.
Project description:Telomerase-negative tumors can maintain telomere length by alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) but the mechanism of telomere maintenance in ALT cells is not well understood. A significant portion of the relapse Neuroblastoma (NB) tumors are positive for ALT which suggests better dissecting the ALT mechanism could provide novel therapeutic opportunities. TERRA RNA which is derived from the telomere ends is localized to telomeres in R-loop dependent manner and is essential for telomere maintenance. In the present study, we provide evidence that RNA modification at the N6 position of internal adenosine (m6A) in TERRA RNA by methyl transferase METTL3 is essential for telomere maintenance in ALT cells and loss of TERRA m6A/METTL3 leads to accumulation of DNA damage over telomere. Our data suggest that m6A modification in TERRA RNA is required for R-loop formation and telomere targeting of TERRA. We observed that R-loop enriched TERRA is abundantly m6A modified and m6A mediated recruitment of hnRNPA2B1 to TERRA RNA is essential for R-loop formation. Together our study suggests that m6A-mediated R-loop formation could be a widespread mechanism utilized by other chromatin-interacting lncRNAs. We also show treating ALT positive NB cells with small molecule METTL3 inhibitor leads to compromised telomere targeting of TERRA and accumulation of DNA damage over telomere, suggesting METTL3 inhibition could be a therapeutic opportunity for ALT positive NB.
Project description:Alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) supports telomere maintenance and replicative immortality in around 10-15% of cancers, thus representing a compelling target for therapy.To identify anti-cancer drugs that can be repurposed as ALT-centered therapies, we performed for a compound library screen on isogenic cell lines that rely either on telomerase or ALT mechanisms. We validated candidates on a panel of ALT- vs. telomerase-positive sarcoma cells and assessed levels of extrachromosomal telomeric C-circles after drug treatment, as a bona fide marker of ALT activity. We identified a receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor ponatinib that deregulated ALT mechanisms, increased telomeric replicative stress and induced telomeric dysfunction in ALT cells. Using a model of ALT sarcoma xenografts, we found that ponatinib targeted ALT-positive cells and mitigated telomere elongation in these tumors. To identify the mode of action of ponatinib on ALT, we performed RNA-sequencing and quantitative proteomic and phosphoproteomic analyses, and shortlisted candidates to test the effect of their loss on telomeric C-circle levels. We identified an ABL1-JNK-JUN signalling circuit to be inhibited by ponatinib and to have a role in suppressing extrachromosomal telomeric C-circle formation. Furthermore, transcriptome and interactome analyses of JUN suggested a role of JUN in DNA damage repair pathways, independently of its capacity as a transcription factor. These results were corroborated by new synergistic drug interactions between ponatinib and either DNA synthesis or repair inhibitors such as triciribine and KU-60019, respectively. Overall, we identified a novel signalling pathway impacting ALT which can be targeted by a clinically approved kinase inhibitor.