1. Academic Validation
  2. Essential role of the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex and TAK1 kinase in A20 mutant Hodgkin lymphoma

Essential role of the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex and TAK1 kinase in A20 mutant Hodgkin lymphoma

  • Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2020 Nov 17;117(46):28980-28991. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2014470117.
Zhihui Song 1 Wei Wei 1 Wenming Xiao 2 Essel D Al-Saleem 3 Reza Nejati 3 Liqi Chen 1 Jiejing Yin 1 Joseph Fabrizio 1 Michael N Petrus 4 Thomas A Waldmann 5 Yibin Yang 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111.
  • 2 Division of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, National Center for Toxicological Research/Food and Drug Administration, Jefferson, AR 72079.
  • 3 Department of Pathology, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111.
  • 4 Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892.
  • 5 Lymphoid Malignancies Branch, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892 tawald@mail.nih.gov yibin.yang@fccc.edu.
  • 6 Blood Cell Development and Function Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111; tawald@mail.nih.gov yibin.yang@fccc.edu.
Abstract

More than 70% of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-negative Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) cases display inactivation of TNFAIP3 (A20), a ubiquitin-editing protein that regulates nonproteolytic protein ubiquitination, indicating the significance of protein ubiquitination in HL pathogenesis. However, the precise mechanistic roles of A20 and the ubiquitination system remain largely unknown in this disease. Here, we performed high-throughput CRISPR screening using a ubiquitin regulator-focused single-guide RNA library in HL lines carrying either wild-type or mutant A20. Our CRISPR screening highlights the essential oncogenic role of the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex (LUBAC) in HL lines, which overlaps with A20 inactivation status. Mechanistically, LUBAC promotes IKK/NF-κB activity and NEMO linear ubiquitination in A20 mutant HL cells, which is required for prosurvival genes and immunosuppressive molecule expression. As a tumor suppressor, A20 directly inhibits IKK activation and HL cell survival via its C-terminal linear-ubiquitin binding ZF7. Clinically, LUBAC activity is consistently elevated in most primary HL cases, and this is correlated with high NF-κB activity and low A20 expression. To further understand the complete mechanism of NF-κB activation in A20 mutant HL, we performed a specifically designed CD83-based NF-κB CRISPR screen which led us to identify TAK1 kinase as a major mediator for NF-κB activation in cells dependent on LUBAC, where the LUBAC-A20 axis regulates TAK1 and IKK complex formation. Finally, TAK1 inhibitor Takinib shows promising activity against HL in vitro and in a xenograft mouse model. Altogether, these findings provide strong support that targeting LUBAC or TAK1 could be attractive therapeutic strategies in A20 mutant HL.

Keywords

Hodgkin lymphoma; NF-kB; signaling transduction; ubiquitination.

Figures
Products