Re-programing Chromatin with a Bifunctional LSD1/HDAC Inhibitor Induces Therapeutic Differentiation in DIPG

Cancer Cell. 2019 Nov 11;36(5):528-544.e10. doi: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.09.005. Epub 2019 Oct 17.

Abstract

H3K27M mutations resulting in epigenetic dysfunction are frequently observed in diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPGs), an incurable pediatric cancer. We conduct a CRISPR screen revealing that knockout of KDM1A encoding lysine-specific demethylase 1 (LSD1) sensitizes DIPG cells to histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors. Consistently, Corin, a bifunctional inhibitor of HDACs and LSD1, potently inhibits DIPG growth in vitro and in xenografts. Mechanistically, Corin increases H3K27me3 levels suppressed by H3K27M histones, and simultaneously increases HDAC-targeted H3K27ac and LSD1-targeted H3K4me1 at differentiation-associated genes. Corin treatment induces cell death, cell-cycle arrest, and a cellular differentiation phenotype and drives transcriptional changes correlating with increased survival time in DIPG patients. These data suggest a strategy for treating DIPG by simultaneously inhibiting LSD1 and HDACs.

Keywords: CRISPR screen; DIPG; HDAC; Histone H3 K27M; LSD1; cancer stem cell; differentiation therapy; enhancer; epigenetic; glioma.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / genetics
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / mortality
  • Brain Stem Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Differentiation / drug effects
  • Cell Differentiation / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Chromatin / metabolism
  • DNA Methylation / drug effects
  • DNA Methylation / genetics
  • Epigenesis, Genetic / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / drug effects
  • Gene Knockdown Techniques
  • Glioma / drug therapy*
  • Glioma / genetics
  • Glioma / mortality
  • Glioma / pathology
  • Histone Code / drug effects
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Histone Deacetylases / metabolism
  • Histone Demethylases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Histone Demethylases / genetics
  • Histone Demethylases / metabolism
  • Histones / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mutation
  • Pons / pathology
  • RNA-Seq
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Chromatin
  • Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors
  • Histones
  • Histone Demethylases
  • KDM1A protein, human
  • Histone Deacetylases