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Project description:PurposePropagation of Ewing sarcoma requires precise regulation of EWS::FLI1 transcriptional activity. Determining the mechanisms of fusion regulation will advance our understanding of tumor progression. Here we investigated whether HOXD13, a developmental transcription factor that promotes Ewing sarcoma metastatic phenotypes, influences EWS::FLI1 transcriptional activity.Experimental designExisting tumor and cell line datasets were used to define EWS::FLI1 binding sites and transcriptional targets. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and CRISPR interference were employed to identify enhancers. CUT&RUN and RNA sequencing defined binding sites and transcriptional targets of HOXD13. Transcriptional states were investigated using bulk and single-cell transcriptomic data from cell lines, patient-derived xenografts, and patient tumors. Mesenchymal phenotypes were assessed by gene set enrichment, flow cytometry, and migration assays.ResultsWe found that EWS::FLI1 creates a de novo GGAA microsatellite enhancer in a developmentally conserved regulatory region of the HOXD locus. Knockdown of HOXD13 led to widespread changes in expression of developmental gene programs and EWS::FLI1 targets. HOXD13 binding was enriched at established EWS::FLI1 binding sites where it influenced expression of EWS::FLI1-activated genes. More strikingly, HOXD13 bound and activated EWS::FLI1-repressed genes, leading to adoption of mesenchymal and migratory cell states that are normally suppressed by the fusion. Single-cell analysis confirmed that direct transcriptional antagonism between HOXD13-mediated gene activation and EWS::FLI1-dependent gene repression defines the state of Ewing sarcoma cells along a mesenchymal axis.ConclusionsEwing sarcoma tumors are comprised of tumor cells that exist along a mesenchymal transcriptional continuum. The identity of cells along this continuum is, in large part, determined by the competing activities of EWS::FLI1 and HOXD13. See related commentary by Weiss and Bailey, p. 4360.
| S-EPMC9588607 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Posterior homeobox D genes, in particular HOXD13, are over-expressed by Ewing sarcoma, a tumor driven by the oncogenic fusion protein EWS-FLI1. Here, we have found that EWS-FLI1 maintains HOXD13 expression through a GGAA microsatellite enhancer in the developmental posterior HOXD regulatory domain. Activation of this enhancer is EWS-FLI1 dependent and epigenomic silencing of this region leads to loss of HOXD13 expression in Ewing sarcoma cells, but not in unrelated cells. To determine the function of HOXD13 activation in Ewing sarcoma we performed nascent RNA sequencing or RNA sequencing upon HOXD13 knockdown.
2022-06-28 | GSE148494 | GEO
Project description:Posterior homeobox D genes, in particular HOXD13, are over-expressed by Ewing sarcoma, a tumor driven by the oncogenic fusion protein EWS-FLI1. Here, we have found that EWS-FLI1 maintains HOXD13 expression through a GGAA microsatellite enhancer in the developmental posterior HOXD regulatory domain. RNA-seq of shHOXD13 defined HOXD13-ergulated genes, so we performed CUT&RUN for HOXD13 and histone marks (H3K27ac, H3K4me3, H3K4me1, and H3K27me3) to determine how it regulates target genes.
2022-06-28 | GSE182512 | GEO
Project description:Posterior homeobox D genes, in particular HOXD13, are over-expressed by Ewing sarcoma, a tumor driven by the oncogenic fusion protein EWS-FLI1. Here, we have found that EWS-FLI1 maintains HOXD13 expression through a GGAA microsatellite enhancer in the developmental posterior HOXD regulatory domain. Activation of this enhancer is EWS-FLI1 dependent and epigenomic silencing of this region leads to loss of HOXD13 expression in Ewing sarcoma cells, but not in unrelated cells. To determine the function of HOXD13 activation in Ewing sarcoma we performed nascent RNA sequencing upon HOXD13 knockdown. We identified NT5E as a target induced by HOXD13. NT5E encodes for the cell surface marker CD73, so we used CITE-seq to profile these cells.
2022-06-28 | GSE165973 | GEO
Project description:EWS-FLI1 and HOXD13 control tumor cell plasticity in Ewing sarcoma
| PRJNA756547 | ENA
Project description:Ewing sarcoma (EwS) is a rare and predominantly pediatric malignancy of bone and soft tissue in children and adolescents. Although international collaborations have greatly improved the prognosis of most EwS, the occurrence of macrometastases or relapse remains challenging. The prototypic oncogene EWS-FLI1 acts as an aberrant transcription factor that drives the cellular transformation of EwS. In addition to its involvement in RNA splicing and the DNA damage response, this chimeric protein directly binds to GGAA repeats, thereby modifying the transcriptional profile of EwS. Direct pharmacological targeting of EWS-FLI1 is difficult because of its intrinsically disordered structure. However, targeting the EWS-FLI1 protein complex or downstream pathways provides additional therapeutic options. This review describes the EWS-FLI1 protein partners and downstream pathways, as well as the related target therapies for the treatment of EwS.
| S-EPMC10452796 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Ewing sarcoma is the second most common pediatric bone and soft tissue tumor presenting with an aggressive behavior and prevalence to metastasize. The diagnostic translocation t(22;11)(q24;12) leads to expression of the chimeric oncoprotein EWS-FLI1 which is uniquely expressed in all tumor cells and maintains their survival. Constant EWS-FLI1 protein turnover is regulated by the ubiquitin proteasome system. Here, we now identified ubiquitin specific protease 19 (USP19) as a regulator of EWS-FLI1 stability using an siRNA based screening approach. Depletion of USP19 resulted in diminished EWS-FLI1 protein levels and, vice versa, upregulation of active USP19 stabilized the fusion protein. Importantly, stabilization appears to be specific for the fusion protein as it could not be observed neither for EWSR1 nor for FLI1 wild type proteins even though USP19 binds to the N-terminal EWS region to regulate deubiquitination of both EWS-FLI1 and EWSR1. Further, stable shUSP19 depletion resulted in decreased cell growth and diminished colony forming capacity in vitro, and significantly delayed tumor growth in vivo. Our findings not only provide novel insights into the importance of the N-terminal EWSR1 domain for regulation of fusion protein stability, but also indicate that inhibition of deubiquitinating enzyme(s) might constitute a novel therapeutic strategy in treatment of Ewing sarcoma.
| S-EPMC6353870 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Chromosomal translocation results in development of an Ewing sarcoma breakpoint region 1-Friend leukemia integration 1 (EWS-FLI1) fusion oncogene in the majority of Ewing sarcoma. The persistent dependence of the tumor for this oncoprotein points to EWS-FLI1 as an ideal drug target. Although EWS-FLI1 transcriptional targets and binding partners are evaluated, the mechanisms regulating EWS-FLI1 protein stability remain elusive. Speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) and OTU domain-containing protein 7A (OTUD7A) are identified as the bona fide E3 ligase and deubiquitinase, respectively, that control EWS-FLI1 protein turnover in Ewing sarcoma. Casein kinase 1-mediated phosphorylation of the VTSSS degron in the FLI1 domain enhances SPOP activity to degrade EWS-FLI1. Opposing this process, OTUD7A deubiquitinates and stabilizes EWS-FLI1. Depletion of OTUD7A in Ewing sarcoma cell lines reduces EWS-FLI1 protein abundance and impedes Ewing sarcoma growth in vitro and in mice. Performing an artificial-intelligence-based virtual drug screen of a 4-million small molecule library, 7Ai is identified as a potential OTUD7A catalytic inhibitor. 7Ai reduces EWS-FLI1 protein levels and decreases Ewing sarcoma growth in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model. This study supports the therapeutic targeting of OTUD7A as a novel strategy for Ewing sarcoma bearing EWS-FLI1 and related fusions, and may also be applicable to other cancers dependent on aberrant FLI1 expression.
| S-EPMC8292909 | biostudies-literature
Project description:EWS-FLI1 and HOXD13 control tumor cell plasticity in Ewing sarcoma [CUT&RUN]
| PRJNA756549 | ENA
Project description:EWS-FLI1 and HOXD13 control tumor cell plasticity in Ewing sarcoma [CITE-seq]
| PRJNA698816 | ENA