Interrogation of MLL2 as a tumor suppressor gene in lung cancer

描述（申请人提供）：小细胞肺癌（SCLC）是最具侵袭性的肺癌。由于生存率低，缺乏靶向治疗，我们了解驱动SCLC的主要基因和途径至关重要。为了确定新的潜在SCLC驱动因素，我们对人类SCLC外显子组和转录组进行了测序，发现组蛋白甲基转移酶MLL2经常发生失活突变。鳞状肺癌（SQCC）的癌症基因组图谱研究显示，MLL2是SQCC中最常见的突变基因之一，这表明MLL2可能是多种肺癌类型的肿瘤抑制因子。MLL2在许多人类癌症中经常发生突变，但很少有关于MLL2与癌症之间联系的研究。我们的初步数据提供了功能性证据，证明MLL2是一种肿瘤抑制因子。通过赋予组蛋白H3K4单甲基化，MLL2最近成为转录增强子功能的关键调节因子，但这种作用在肿瘤发生中尚未被探索。在这项拨款申请中，我们询问MLL2作为肺癌的关键肿瘤抑制因子。特异性目的1：验证MLL2在肺癌中是肿瘤抑制因子的假设。我们之前使用了致敏的SCLC原位小鼠模型来证明SCLC突变基因在SCLC中具有重要的功能。我们建议建立新的mll2突变体SCLC和SQCC模型。这些模型不仅将揭示MLL2肿瘤抑制活性的潜在机制，而且将成为未来测试针对MLL2的新疗法的理想临床前工具

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is the most aggressive form of lung cancer. With dismal survival rates and a lack of targeted therapies it is critical that we understand the major genes and pathways that drive SCLC. To identify new potential SCLC drivers, we have sequenced human SCLC exomes and transcriptomes and found frequent inactivating mutations in the histone methyltransferase MLL2. The Cancer Genome Atlas study of squamous lung carcinoma (SQCC) revealed that MLL2 is among the most frequently mutated genes in SQCC, suggesting that MLL2 may be a tumor suppressor across multiple lung cancer types. MLL2 is frequently mutated across many human cancers but there has been little study of the link between MLL2 and cancer. Our preliminary data provide functional evidence that MLL2 is a tumor suppressor. By conferring histone H3K4 monomethylation, MLL2 is newly emerging as a key regulator of transcriptional enhancer function but this role has not been explored in tumorigenesis. In this grant proposal, we interrogate MLL2 as a critical tumor suppressor in lung cancer. Specific Aim 1: To test the hypothesis that MLL2 is a tumor suppressor in lung cancer. We have previously used a sensitized autochthonous mouse model of SCLC to show that an SCLC-mutated gene is functionally important for SCLC. We propose to generate new models of MLL2-mutant SCLC and SQCC. The models will not only reveal mechanisms underlying MLL2 tumor suppressor activity but will be ideal preclinical tools for future testing of novel therapies directed towards vulnerabilities conferred by MLL2 inactivation. Specific Aim 2: To identify target genes and pathways regulated by MLL2 that promotes cancer. MLL2 is a methyltransferase that regulates histone H3K4 monomethylation, a mark of transcriptional enhancers. We hypothesize that MLL2 regulation of transcriptional enhancers controls the expression of tumor suppressive transcripts important for lung cancer suppression. We will use primary tumors and cell culture studies to identify transcriptional changes that depend on MLL2 status. Pathway analyses will determine whether known signaling pathways important for SCLC are altered upon MLL2 perturbation and will identify new pathways that may be important for SCLC. To identify direct MLL2-regulated enhancers in SCLC, ChIPseq analyses will determine which of the differentially expressed genes exhibit direct MLL2 binding and, upon MLL2 inactivation, decreased histone H3K4 monomethylation and other marks associated with active enhancers. A subset of direct MLL2 target genes may act themselves as SCLC tumor suppressors and will be examined for functional roles in SCLC. These studies will elucidate molecular underpinnings of MLL2-mutant lung cancer and will provide new mouse models for preclinical studies. As there are no targeted therapies for SCLC or SQCC, it is critical that we use rigorous mouse models to dissect the role of MLL2 in lung cancer.