Deubiquitinase Vulnerabilities Identified through Activity-Based Protein Profiling in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

ACS Chem Biol. 2022 Apr 15;17(4):776-784. doi: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00018. Epub 2022 Mar 21.

Abstract

To aid in the prioritization of deubiquitinases (DUBs) as anticancer targets, we developed an approach combining activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) with mass spectrometry in both non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tumor tissues and cell lines along with analysis of available RNA interference and CRISPR screens. We identified 67 DUBs in NSCLC tissues, 17 of which were overexpressed in adenocarcinoma or squamous cell histologies and 12 of which scored as affecting lung cancer cell viability in RNAi or CRISPR screens. We used the CSN5 inhibitor, which targets COPS5/CSN5, as a tool to understand the biological significance of one of these 12 DUBs, COPS6, in lung cancer. Our study provides a powerful resource to interrogate the role of DUB signaling biology and nominates druggable targets for the treatment of lung cancer subtypes.

MeSH terms

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / metabolism
  • COP9 Signalosome Complex / genetics
  • COP9 Signalosome Complex / metabolism
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / drug therapy
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms* / drug therapy
  • Lung Neoplasms* / pathology
  • Signal Transduction

Substances

  • Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
  • COPS6 protein, human
  • COP9 Signalosome Complex