USP9X-mediated KDM4C deubiquitination promotes lung cancer radioresistance by epigenetically inducing TGF-β2 transcription

Cell Death Differ. 2021 Jul;28(7):2095-2111. doi: 10.1038/s41418-021-00740-z. Epub 2021 Feb 8.

Abstract

Radioresistance is regarded as the main barrier to effective radiotherapy in lung cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of radioresistance remain elusive. Here, we show that lysine-specific demethylase 4C (KDM4C) is overexpressed and correlated with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients. We provide evidence that genetical or pharmacological inhibition of KDM4C impairs tumorigenesis and radioresistance in lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we uncover that KDM4C upregulates TGF-β2 expression by directly reducing H3K9me3 level at the TGF-β2 promoter and then activates Smad/ATM/Chk2 signaling to confer radioresistance in lung cancer. Using tandem affinity purification technology, we further identify deubiquitinase USP9X as a critical binding partner that deubiquitinates and stabilizes KDM4C. More importantly, depletion of USP9X impairs TGF-β2/Smad signaling and radioresistance by destabilizing KDM4C in lung cancer cells. Thus, our findings demonstrate that USP9X-mediated KDM4C deubiquitination activates TGF-β2/Smad signaling to promote radioresistance, suggesting that targeting KDM4C may be a promising radiosensitization strategy in the treatment of lung cancer.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carcinogenesis / genetics
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / genetics
  • Humans
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases / metabolism*
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Nude
  • Radiation Tolerance*
  • Signal Transduction
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2 / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / metabolism*
  • Ubiquitination*
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • KDM4C protein, human
  • TGFB2 protein, human
  • Transforming Growth Factor beta2
  • USP9X protein, human
  • Jumonji Domain-Containing Histone Demethylases
  • Ubiquitin Thiolesterase