Nfib Promotes Metastasis through a Widespread Increase in Chromatin Accessibility

Opening a Chromatin Gate to Metastasis

What changes need to occur in a primary tumor to make it metastatic? Denny et al. address this question for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), finding that changes in genomic accessibility mediated by a single transcription factor, NFIB, comprise at least one mechanism influencing metastasis.

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Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains the deadliest of all the lung cancer types. Its high mortality is largely attributed to the invariable development of resistance to standard chemo/radiotherapies, which have remained unchanged for the past 30 years, underscoring the need for new therapeutic approaches. The discovery of molecular targets for chemoprevention and treatment has been hampered by the poor understanding of SCLC progression. In recent years, comprehensive omics-based analyses have led to the discovery of recurrent alterations in patient tumors, and functional studies using genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived tumor models have provided information about the alterations critical for SCLC pathogenesis. Defining the somatic alterations scattered throughout the SCLC genome will help to understand the underlying mechanism of this devastating disease and pave the way for the discovery of therapeutic vulnerabilities associated with the genomic alterations.

Alterations in the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) genome are critical for disease progression and relapse. A complete map of the genome in cancerous cells would greatly improve the chances of successfully treating this deadly disease. SCLC is often detected too late, and only five per cent of patients survive beyond five years after diagnosis. While the disease initially responds to standard chemotherapy, the cancer cells quickly build resistance and relapse follows. Kwon-Sik Park at the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, US, and co-workers reviewed current understanding of SCLC genome alterations. The latest research highlights substantial variations in the SCLC genome between patients, with implications for existing treatment regimens. Researchers have made considerable progress in profiling the genome, with significant alterations, mutations and potential therapeutic targets now being explored in genetically engineered mouse models and patient-derived tumor models.