CRISPR screens identify a novel combination treatment targeting BCL-XL and WNT signaling for KRAS/BRAF-mutated colorectal cancers

Hae Rim Jung, Yumi Oh, Deukchae Na, Seoyeon Min, Jinjoo Kang, Dongjun Jang, Seungjae Shin, Jiwon Kim, Sang Eun Lee, Eui Man Jeong, Joon Yong An, Chang Ohk Sung, Won Suk Lee, Charles Lee, Sung Yup Cho

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

20 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Metastatic or recurrent colorectal cancer (CRC) patients require systemic chemotherapy, but the therapeutic options of targeted agents remain limited. CRC patients with KRAS or BRAF gene mutations exhibit a worse prognosis and are resistant to anti-EGFR treatment. Previous studies have shown that the expression of anti-apoptotic protein BCL-XL is increased in CRC patients with KRAS/BRAF mutations, suggesting BCL-XL as a therapeutic target for this subgroup. Here, we performed genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screens of cell lines with KRAS mutations to investigate the factors required for sensitivity to BCL-XL inhibitor ABT-263 using single-guide RNAs (sgRNAs) that induce loss-of-function mutations. In the presence of ABT-263, sgRNAs targeting negative regulators of WNT signaling (resulting in WNT activation) were enriched, whereas sgRNAs targeting positive regulators of WNT signaling (resulting in WNT inhibition) were depleted in ABT-263-resistant cells. The activation of WNT signaling was highly associated with an increased expression ratio of anti- to pro-apoptotic BCL-2 family genes in CRC samples. Genetic and pharmacologic inhibition of WNT signaling using β-catenin short hairpin RNA or TNIK inhibitor NCB-0846, respectively, augmented ABT-263-induced cell death in KRAS/BRAF-mutated cells. Inhibition of WNT signaling resulted in transcriptional repression of the anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family member, MCL1, via the functional inhibition of the β-catenin-containing complex at the MCL1 promoter. In addition, the combination of ABT-263 and NCB-0846 exhibited synergistic effects in in vivo patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models with KRAS mutations. Our data provide a novel targeted combination treatment strategy for the CRC patient subgroup with KRAS or BRAF mutations.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)3287-3302
Number of pages16
JournalOncogene
Volume40
Issue number18
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021 May 6

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Acknowledgements This work was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) grant funded by the Korea government (MSIP) (grant No. 2017R1C1B2002183); the Bio & Medical Technology Development Program of the NRF funded by the Ministry of Science & ICT (grant No. 2018M3A9F3056902 and 2019M3E5D4066900); Creative-Pioneering Researchers Program through Seoul National University (grant No. 800-20200510); and the Collaborative Research Program of SNU Boramae Medical Center and Basic Medical Science from Seoul National University College of Medicine (grant No. 800-20200005).

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics
  • Cancer Research

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