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Sayed S, Sidorova OA, Hennig A, Augsburg M, Cortés Vesga CP, Abohawya M, Schmitt LT, Sürün D, Stange DE, Mircetic J, Buchholz F. Efficient Correction of Oncogenic KRAS and TP53 Mutations through CRISPR Base Editing. Cancer Res 2022; 82:3002-3015. [PMID: 35802645 PMCID: PMC9437569 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-21-2519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 08/19/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
KRAS is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancer, and its activating mutations represent long-sought therapeutic targets. Programmable nucleases, particularly the CRISPR-Cas9 system, provide an attractive tool for genetically targeting KRAS mutations in cancer cells. Here, we show that cleavage of a panel of KRAS driver mutations suppresses growth in various human cancer cell lines, revealing their dependence on mutant KRAS. However, analysis of the remaining cell population after long-term Cas9 expression unmasked the occurence of oncogenic KRAS escape variants that were resistant to Cas9-cleavage. In contrast, the use of an adenine base editor to correct oncogenic KRAS mutations progressively depleted the targeted cells without the appearance of escape variants and allowed efficient and simultaneous correction of a cancer-associated TP53 mutation. Oncogenic KRAS and TP53 base editing was possible in patient-derived cancer organoids, suggesting that base editor approaches to correct oncogenic mutations could be developed for functional interrogation of vulnerabilities in a personalized manner for future precision oncology applications. SIGNIFICANCE Repairing KRAS mutations with base editors can be used for providing a better understanding of RAS biology and may lay the foundation for improved treatments for KRAS-mutant cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shady Sayed
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany
| | - Olga A. Sidorova
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander Hennig
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany.,Mildred Scheel Early Career Center (MSNZ) P2, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Martina Augsburg
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Catherine P. Cortés Vesga
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Moustafa Abohawya
- German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site, Dresden, Germany
| | - Lukas T. Schmitt
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Duran Sürün
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel E. Stange
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany.,Mildred Scheel Early Career Center (MSNZ) P2, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jovan Mircetic
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frank Buchholz
- Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Dresden, Germany; Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany; Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden - Rossendorf (HZDR), Dresden, Germany.,Mildred Scheel Early Career Center (MSNZ) P2, National Center for Tumor Diseases Dresden (NCT/UCC), Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.,German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg and German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) Partner Site, Dresden, Germany.,Corresponding Author: Frank Buchholz, Medical Systems Biology, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany. E-mail:
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Mennuni M, Filograna R, Felser A, Bonekamp NA, Giavalisco P, Lytovchenko O, Larsson N. Metabolic resistance to the inhibition of mitochondrial transcription revealed by CRISPR-Cas9 screen. EMBO Rep 2022; 23:e53054. [PMID: 34779571 PMCID: PMC8728608 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202153054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells depend on mitochondria to sustain their increased metabolic need and mitochondria therefore constitute possible targets for cancer treatment. We recently developed small-molecule inhibitors of mitochondrial transcription (IMTs) that selectively impair mitochondrial gene expression. IMTs have potent antitumor properties in vitro and in vivo, without affecting normal tissues. Because therapy-induced resistance is a major constraint to successful cancer therapy, we investigated mechanisms conferring resistance to IMTs. We employed a CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats)-(CRISP-associated protein 9) whole-genome screen to determine pathways conferring resistance to acute IMT1 treatment. Loss of genes belonging to von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) and mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) pathways caused resistance to acute IMT1 treatment and the relevance of these pathways was confirmed by chemical modulation. We also generated cells resistant to chronic IMT treatment to understand responses to persistent mitochondrial gene expression impairment. We report that IMT1-acquired resistance occurs through a compensatory increase of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) expression and cellular metabolites. We found that mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM) downregulation and inhibition of mitochondrial translation impaired survival of resistant cells. The identified susceptibility and resistance mechanisms to IMTs may be relevant for different types of mitochondria-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mara Mennuni
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Roberta Filograna
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Andrea Felser
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
- University Institute of Clinical ChemistryBern University HospitalBernSwitzerland
| | - Nina A Bonekamp
- Mitochondrial Biology GroupMax Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
- Department of NeuroanatomyMannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN)Medical Faculty MannheimHeidelberg UniversityMannheimGermany
| | - Patrick Giavalisco
- Metabolomics Core FacilityMax Planck Institute for Biology of AgeingCologneGermany
| | - Oleksandr Lytovchenko
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
| | - Nils‐Göran Larsson
- Department of Medical Biochemistry and BiophysicsKarolinska InstitutetStockholmSweden
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Sayed S, Sürün D, Mircetic J, Sidorova OA, Buchholz F. Using CRISPR-Cas9 to Dissect Cancer Mutations in Cell Lines. Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2508:235-260. [PMID: 35737245 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2376-3_18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The CRISPR-Cas9 technology has revolutionized the scope and pace of biomedical research, enabling the targeting of specific genomic sequences for a wide spectrum of applications. Here we describe assays to functionally interrogate mutations identified in cancer cells utilizing both CRISPR-Cas9 nuclease and base editors. We provide guidelines to interrogate known cancer driver mutations or functionally screen for novel vulnerability mutations with these systems in characterized human cancer cell lines. The proposed platform should be transferable to primary cancer cells, opening up a path for precision oncology on a functional level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shady Sayed
- Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, UCC Section Medical Systems Biology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Duran Sürün
- Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, UCC Section Medical Systems Biology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Jovan Mircetic
- Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, UCC Section Medical Systems Biology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Olga Alexandra Sidorova
- Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, UCC Section Medical Systems Biology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Frank Buchholz
- Medical Faculty and University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, UCC Section Medical Systems Biology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Dresden and German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Dresden, Germany.
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Dresden, Germany.
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Comparative Analysis of Stk11/Lkb1 versus Pten Deficiency in Lung Adenocarcinoma Induced by CRISPR/Cas9. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13050974. [PMID: 33652656 PMCID: PMC7956254 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13050974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 02/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
This study focused on STK11, PTEN, KRAS, and TP53, which are often found to be mutated in lung cancer. We compared Stk11 and Pten implication in lung cancer in combination with loss of Trp53 and gain of function of Kras in a CRISPR/Cas9 mouse model. Mice with loss of Stk11, Trp53, and KrasG12D mutation (SKT) reached human endpoint at around four months post-initiation. In comparison, mice with loss of Pten, Trp53, and KrasG12D mutation (PKT) survived six months or longer post-initiation. Pathological examination revealed an increase in proliferation in SKT deficient lung epithelia compared to PKT. This difference was independent of Pten loss, indicating that loss of Pten is dispensable for cell proliferation in lung adenocarcinoma. Furthermore, tumors with loss of Stk11, Trp53, and KrasG12D mutation had a significantly higher progression rate, monitored by PET/MRI scanning, compared to mice with loss of Pten, Trp53, and KrasG12D mutation, revealing that mutations in Stk11 are essential for adenocarcinoma progression. Overall, by using the CRISPR/Cas9 mouse model of lung adenocarcinoma, we showed that mutations in Stk11 are a key driver, whereas loss of Pten is dispensable for adenocarcinoma progression.
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