Targeting the lineage-specific long non-coding RNA LINC01212 as an effective anti-melanoma therapeutic strategy

ABSTRACT: Focal amplifications of 3p13-3p14 occur in about 10% of melanoma and are associated with poor prognosis. The melanoma-specific oncogene MITF resides at the epicenter of this amplicon1 . However, whether other loci present in this amplicon also contribute to melanomagenesis is unknown. Here we show that the recently annotated long non-coding RNA gene LINC01212 is consistently cogained with MITF. In addition to being amplified, LINC01212 is a target of the lineage-specific transcription factor SOX10 and, consequently, it is expressed in more than 90% of human melanomas, but not in normal adult tissues. Whereas exogenous LINC01212 functions in trans to increase melanoma clonogenic potential, LINC01212 knock-down drastically decreases the viability of melanoma cells irrespective of their transcriptional cell state, BRAF, NRAS or TP53 status and increases their sensitivity to MAPK-targeting therapeutics both in vitro and in Patient-Derived Xenograft (PDX) models. Mechanistically, LINC01212 interacts with p32, a master regulator of mitochondrial homeostasis and metabolism, to increase its mitochondrial targeting and pro-oncogenic function. Our results indicate that targeting the lineage addiction oncogene LINC01212, especially in combination with BRAFV600Einhibitors, disrupts vital mitochondrial functions in a cancer-cell specific manner and is therefore expected to deliver highly effective and tissuerestricted anti-melanoma therapeutic responses.

OTHER RELATED OMICS DATASETS IN: GSE70180

INSTRUMENT(S): Q Exactive

ORGANISM(S): Homo Sapiens (human)

TISSUE(S): Cell In Vitro, Melanoma Cell

DISEASE(S): Melanoma

SUBMITTER: Sven Eyckerman  

LAB HEAD: Kris Gevaert

PROVIDER: PXD002565 | Pride | 2016-01-13

REPOSITORIES: Pride