KRAB zinc finger proteins ZNF587/ZNF417 protect lymphoma cells from replicative stress-induced inflammation
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ABSTRACT: The role of Krüppel-associated box zinc finger proteins (KZFPs), the largest family of repressive transcription factors (TFs) of the human genome, in the pathogenesis of diffuse large B cell lymphoma has not been addressed so far. By correlating the expression of KZFPs with patient outcome, we delineated a subset of 18 co-expressed KZFPs associated to poor prognosis, higher copy number alterations (CNA), and the suppression of hallmarks gene sets linked to immune rejection. Among them, the depletion of the ZNF587-ZNF417 pair of TF paralogs drastically impaired the proliferation of both activated B cell (ABC) and germinal center B (GCB) DLBCL cell lines, by triggering replicative stress through the awakening of dormant replication origins and profound alterations of the heterochromatin landscape. ZNF587/417 knockdown profoundly altered the transcriptomic landscape of U2932 (ABC) and OCI-Ly7 (GCB) cells, rewiring gene expression networks associated with good prognosis and upregulating interferon (IFN)/inflammatory-related genes through activation of the cGAS-STING DNA sensing pathway. These cells showed signs of altered immunogenicity with an enhanced MHC class I surface expression and a reshuffling of their immunopeptidome. Our study provides evidence that the ZNF587-ZNF417 paralog pair may promote lymphoma growth, the acquisition of genetic diversity, and its immune evasion by preventing excessive replicative stress. This suggests that these TFs participate in the epigenetic memory of lymphoma cells, thus highlighting the critical role of constitutive heterochromatin in maintaining the identity of poor-prognosis DLBCL.
INSTRUMENT(S): Q Exactive HF
ORGANISM(S): Homo Sapiens (human)
TISSUE(S): B Cell
DISEASE(S): Lymphoma
SUBMITTER: Michal Bassani-Sternberg
LAB HEAD: Michal Bassani-Sternberg
PROVIDER: PXD040500 | Pride | 2024-03-15
REPOSITORIES: Pride
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