Upregulation of MYC is a hallmark of cancer, wherein MYC drives oncogenic gene expression and elevates total RNA synthesis across cancer cell transcriptomes. Although this transcriptional anabolism fuels cancer growth and survival, the consequences and metabolic stresses induced by excess cellular RNA are poorly understood. Herein, we discover that RNA degradation and downstream ribonucleotide catabolism is a novel mechanism of MYC-induced cancer cell death. Combining genetics and metabolomics, we find that MYC increases RNA decay through the cytoplasmic exosome, resulting in the accumulation of cytotoxic RNA catabolites and reactive oxygen species. Notably, tumor-derived exosome mutations abrogate MYC-induced cell death, suggesting excess RNA decay may be toxic to human cancers. In agreement, purine salvage acts as a compensatory pathway that mitigates MYC-induced ribonucleotide catabolism, and inhibitors of purine salvage impair MYC+ tumor progression. Together, these data suggest that MYC-induced RNA decay is an oncogenic stress that can be exploited therapeutically. Significance: MYC is the most common oncogenic driver of poor-prognosis cancers but has been recalcitrant to therapeutic inhibition. We discovered a new vulnerability in MYC+ cancer where MYC induces cell death through excess RNA decay. Therapeutics that exacerbate downstream ribonucleotide catabolism provide a therapeutically tractable approach to TNBC (Triple-negative Breast Cancer) and other MYC-driven cancers.

• MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• nádorové buněčné linie MeSH
• nádory prsu * metabolismus   genetika   patologie   MeSH
• protoonkogenní proteiny c-myc * metabolismus   genetika   MeSH
• regulace genové exprese u nádorů MeSH
• ribonukleotidy * farmakologie   MeSH
• stabilita RNA * MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH

The fungal pathogen Candida albicans is linked to chronic brain diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the molecular basis of brain anti-Candida immunity remains unknown. We show that C. albicans enters the mouse brain from the blood and induces two neuroimmune sensing mechanisms involving secreted aspartic proteinases (Saps) and candidalysin. Saps disrupt tight junction proteins of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to permit fungal brain invasion. Saps also hydrolyze amyloid precursor protein (APP) into amyloid β (Aβ)-like peptides that bind to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and promote fungal killing in vitro while candidalysin engages the integrin CD11b (Mac-1) on microglia. Recognition of Aβ-like peptides and candidalysin promotes fungal clearance from the brain, and disruption of candidalysin recognition through CD11b markedly prolongs C. albicans cerebral mycosis. Thus, C. albicans is cleared from the brain through innate immune mechanisms involving Saps, Aβ, candidalysin, and CD11b.

• MeSH
• Alzheimerova nemoc metabolismus   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• amyloidní beta-protein metabolismus   MeSH
• antigeny CD11b * metabolismus   MeSH
• Candida albicans metabolismus   MeSH
• fungální proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• mikroglie * metabolismus   mikrobiologie   MeSH
• mykózy * genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• myši MeSH
• toll-like receptor 4 * metabolismus   MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
• Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH

UNLABELLED: In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complexes sustain leukemic identity by driving high levels of MYC. Previous studies have implicated the hematopoietic transcription factor PU.1 (SPI1) as an important target of SWI/SNF inhibition, but PU.1 is widely regarded to have pioneer-like activity. As a result, many questions have remained regarding the interplay between PU.1 and SWI/SNF in AML as well as normal hematopoiesis. Here we found that PU.1 binds to most of its targets in a SWI/SNF-independent manner and recruits SWI/SNF to promote accessibility for other AML core regulatory factors, including RUNX1, LMO2, and MEIS1. SWI/SNF inhibition in AML cells reduced DNA accessibility and binding of these factors at PU.1 sites and redistributed PU.1 to promoters. Analysis of nontumor hematopoietic cells revealed that similar effects also impair PU.1-dependent B-cell and monocyte populations. Nevertheless, SWI/SNF inhibition induced profound therapeutic response in an immunocompetent AML mouse model as well as in primary human AML samples. In vivo, SWI/SNF inhibition promoted leukemic differentiation and reduced the leukemic stem cell burden in bone marrow but also induced leukopenia. These results reveal a variable therapeutic window for SWI/SNF blockade in AML and highlight important off-tumor effects of such therapies in immunocompetent settings. SIGNIFICANCE: Disruption of PU.1-directed enhancer programs upon SWI/SNF inhibition causes differentiation of AML cells and induces leukopenia of PU.1-dependent B cells and monocytes, revealing the on- and off-tumor effects of SWI/SNF blockade.

• MeSH
• akutní myeloidní leukemie * farmakoterapie   genetika   metabolismus   MeSH
• buněčná diferenciace MeSH
• kostní dřeň patologie   MeSH
• leukopenie * genetika   MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• promotorové oblasti (genetika) MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH